Template:Current-GCOTW A game controller is an input device used to control a video game. A controller is typically connected to a video game console or a personal computer. A game controller can be a keyboard, mouse, gamepad, joystick, paddle, or any other device designed for gaming that can receive input. Special purpose devices, such as steering wheels for driving games, may also exist for a platform. Some devices, such as keyboards and mice, are actually generic input devices and their use is not strictly limited to that of a game controller.

Game controllers can be used to govern the movement or actions of elements in a video or computer game. The type of element controlled depends upon the game, but a typical element controlled would be the game hero. A gamepad, the most common kind of game controller, can have anywhere from a couple of buttons to a dozen or more, combined with multiple omnidirectional control sticks. This lets it control the game elements' movement in up to three dimensions, with many buttons to perform quick actions. Due to the ease of use and precision of gamepads, they have spread from from traditional consoles where they originated to computers as a common input device.

Example game controllers are the Gravis Gamepad and the Microsoft Sidewinder.

Similar in design to the Dreamcast controller, the Microsoft Xbox controller includes two controller slots, six analog buttons, two analog triggers, and two analog sticks as well as built in rumble support. Differing from the Dreamcast controller, the Microsoft controller adds three buttons, the "black", "white" and "back" (select) buttons. The Xbox controller went through a revision specifically for Japanese consumers and due to complaints that the initial controller was too bulky.

The result was the Type-S controller which Microsoft adopted and has since bundled with their system in all regions. The major change for the Type-S is the repositioning of the black and white buttons so that they are more accessible.

The Microsoft Sidewinder range was presented in 1996, and grew from a simple joystick to include all kinds of gaming devices, from gamepads to the innovative Sidewinder Strategic Commander, aimed to RTS players. Until the first gamepads based on the popular Dual Shock design by Sony appeared for personal computers, the Sidewinder Gamepad, with it's 10 buttons (six buttons plus two triggers, mode and start) and pass-through connection which allowed up to four controllers connected with only one game port was the premier gamepad for sports games on the platform, and most games between 1998 and 2002 were developed with the Sidewinder in mind.

The NES controller featured a brick-like design with a simple, four button layout: two red buttons labelled "A" and "B," a "start" button, and a "select" button. Additionally, the NES and Famicom controller introduced the the D-pad as a standard for game controllers.

The SNES controller had a more rounded design and added two additional face buttons, "X" and "Y", as well as the "L" and "R" shoulder buttons that would also become standard for most controllers.

The Nintendo 64 controller was the first controller to introduce force feedback via the Rumble Pak. It was also the first in a trend to have both an analog stick and a D-pad. It has the traditional A, B, L, and R buttons, along with a Z trigger button on its underside. Four "C" buttons are used mainly for controlling the camera in games. In addition to the Rumble Pak, the controller also can house a memory pack for saving games, and a microphone add-on.

The Nintendo GameCube controller adopted a similar style to the Playstation DualShock. It has two analog sticks, a smaller traditional D-pad, and four main face buttons. The GameCube controller also has pressure sensitive L and R buttons, a Z button located above the R button, and includes a built in rumble feature. Nintendo later introduced the Wavebird wireless controller, which overall has the same layout, but doesn't include force feedback.

The Mega Drive\Genesis control pad has an eight-direction D-pad, a start button and three action buttons. Although the three buttons were enough for early arcade ports such as Streets of Rage or Golden Axe, as some games (mostly horizonal fighters) evolved, a six-button pad was developed. Noticeably smaller, it features 3 more buttons placed over the original three, which forced the start button to be moved into the space between the buttons and the directional pad. Since some games were not compatible with the new controller (like John Madden Football and Olympic Gold), a mode button was placed in the right shoulder. In order to work with these games, this button had to pressed while the console was turned on.

Sega Saturn's control pad has eight buttons, six of which are action buttons and two additional left and right buttons. NiGHTS Into Dreams was released with a larger control pad with an analogic joystick built, following the success of the Nintendo 64 gamepad. The console had two more official controllers, released with the console - a light gun (named Stunner) and a steering wheel (Arcade Racer), to capitalize on the appeal of arcade titles such as Virtua Cop and Daytona USA.

The Sega Dreamcast controller, was designed similarly to the Saturn NiGHTS Into Dreams controller. It featured an analog stick, a D-pad, 4 face buttons, a start button, and introduced two trigger buttons on the left and right underside. The gamepad also featured two slots that could be used for either a memory card or the VMU (Visual Memory Unit), which also could double as a memory card. Most of the controller's design was the basis for Microsoft's Xbox gamepad.

Main article:Dual Shock

The Dual Shock controller was initially released as a secondary peripheral for the original PlayStation in late 1997 in Japan and in May 1998 in North America. The Dual Shock was subsequently used for the follow up system, the PlayStation 2, however, the controller was slighly altered to make the buttons pressure sensitive. The new controller was dubbed the Dual Shock 2.

For the next generation of consoles, there has been speculation on what the controllers will look like. For Nintendo's Project Revolution, there has been rumors that it will feature a touch-screen similar to the Nintendo DS, possible gyration sensors, and may lack the traditional A and B buttons. Although none of this has been confirmed as of yet.

Main article: Paddle

A paddle is a controller that features a round wheel and one or more fire buttons. The wheel is used to typically control movement of the player or an object along one axis of the video screen.

Main article: Joystick

A joystick is a computer peripheral that consists of a handheld stick that pivots about one end and transmits its angle in two or three dimensions to a computer. The joystick is often used for flight simulators.

Main articles: Keyboard, Mouse

The keyboard and mouse are typical input devices for a personal computer and are currently the main game controllers for computer games. Some video game consoles also have the ability to function with a keyboard and a mouse. The computer keyboard is modeled after the typewriter keyboard and was designed for the input of written text. A mouse is handheld pointing device used in addition to the keyboard. For games, the keyboard typically controls movement of the character while the mouse is used to control the game camera or used for aiming.

Main article: Light gun

A light gun is a peripheral used to "shoot" targets on a screen. They usually roughly resemble firearms or ray guns. Their use is limited to rail shooter or shooting gallery games.

Main article: Keypad

A numeric keypad is a small grid of keys with at least the digits 0-9. They were found on some early consoles, usually attached to a joystick or paddle.