It's that time of year again, a time when Defunct Games celebrates the holidays by posting a daily theme article that should inform and delight gamers all over the world. This year we're taking a look at 29 of the best known video game controls of all time, from the Nintendo Entertainment System to the Nintendo Wii remote. We're going to review each and every one of them, and then give you a short haiku. Join us as we celebrate this joyous season with the 29 Controls of Christmas!


Brief Synopsis: Sony's PlayStation 3 control has had quite the storied history. For months we figured that the fabled PS3 control would be nothing more than the DualShock 3. After all, they had already set precedence with the release of the PlayStation 2's DualShock 2. What's more, the DualShock design was universally praised, so the very idea of changing it seemed asinine. But then Sony showed off a "Batarang"-style control that drastically changed the look of the control. This change brought confusion and anger; nobody likes change, especially when it looks as uncomfortable as this weirdly shaped pad. Thankfully Sony was whistling a different tune a year later. At E3 2006 Sony unveiled their PlayStation 3 control, named the SIXAXIS. Although it looked exactly like the PlayStation 2 control, it omitted the rumble (the dual shock, if you will) and added a strange motion sensor. The motion didn't work the same way as the Nintendo Wii remote (which we'll review tomorrow), but instead acted like a last-generation gyroscopic pad. Sony loyalists were confused why the rumble was taken out while simultaneously hating the motion controls. Several games tried to make a go at this "innovative technology," but those games (such as Lair) fell flat. A year after the initial launch Sony decided to release a second control, keeping the lame motion control and adding in the rumble effect. And thus we had the birth of the DualShock 3 ... the control Sony should have started with.

The Style: The PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS (which is a really obnoxious palindrome) looks almost exactly like the DualShock 2 control. If it wasn't for the new PlayStation button and redesigned shoulder buttons, this control would be identical. This time around it's cordless, plus it has the invisible (yet wholly useless) motion controls built in. In a lot of ways this control is better than the DualShock 2, but Sony did make the questionable decision of releasing the control without rumble. To make matters worse, they made up excuses to why they excised the rumble. They said it was to keep the weight down. That could be, but I think it's interesting that a rumble-enabled control is released soon after Sony settled their DualShock lawsuit out of court. I'm sure that had nothing to do with it.

What the 28 Year Old Me Would Say: Yes Darryn, you were right. A year ago you said that Sony would ape Nintendo and add motion support to the PlayStation 3. I thought you were crazy. But in my defense, the PlayStation 3 control is nothing like the Wii, they are really doing two different things. Yes, I think it's different enough for us both to be right. Okay, fine, you win. I get it. You said there would be motion and there was. You can stop dancing now. Man, why do I even bother talking to you?

What I Would Say Now: No Darryn, I get it, the control has motion support and you called it. Why are you still talking about that? This is silly; there are so many other things we could be talking about. Oh quit dancing, it's not funny anymore. You've had a chance to use the PlayStation 3 control; even you have to admit that it's a whole different type of control. And nobody is even using the motion control stuff anymore. Fine, you can be right. I know how you like to be right. Oh, you are so frustrating!!

The PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS Haiku:
Looks and feels the same.
Takes the motion from the Wii.
It's not as good, though.