Topic: Nintendo controllers – it’s time to demand better quality

[MarioLinkSamus]

Why can’t Nintendo’s hardware retain the same high standard in quality as their software?  

Any self-proclaimed game-aholic should know that game controllers don’t last a lifetime - but maybe it’s time to ponder whether or not they actually should.  

Dust off your old NES controller for a sec.

The “B” button is alright, but the “A” button is atrocious.   It’s been mashed to an oblivion leaving absolutely no give to it when pressed.  You know what I mean – they’re all gooey and what-not.  

Okay, so technology wasn’t the greatest back then – it’s forgivable.  

Now take a gander at your SNES controller.

Although maybe not to the same degree, a tap of “L” or “R” buttons will reveal the same problems as its predecessor - mushy buttons with no give.  

Alright, so they improved a little bit, but it wasn’t perfect.  Perhaps they’d get it right on the next one, right?  Wrong.

In terms of quality, the N64 controller is arguably the worst controller Nintendo has ever released.

Go ahead, dust off the controller for yourself – literally.  Make sure to blow out all those mini, white crustaceans formed from the joystick’s wear and tear.

Okay, so Nintendo maybe didn’t know what they’re doing making a stable joystick capable of lasting normal use.  I guess that merits some forgiveness…

Now finally, look closely at your GameCube controller.  

Hundreds of fans complain of the same problems that plagued the NES and SNES controllers – squishy, soggy, soft buttons – in particular the “B” button.  But most complain of loose joysticks that have seemed to lose their buoyancy, so to speak.

What gives?  The big N has had time to master their design with multiple consoles – you’d think they’d get it right for once, right?  

After 20 years, it’s time to take a stand.  We deserve better than this.  

How often have you had to purchase another controller just because it was worn out from simply normal game-play use?

Shouldn’t game pads last at least the existence of the console’s life?  Are we being doped into purchasing poorly created controllers that Nintendo knows we will have to replace after a certain amount of use?  Is Nintendo sacrificing quality for quantity just to save a buck?  Why can’t Nintendo’s hardware retain the same high standard in quality as their software?  

- MarioLinkSamus

[Ian Sane]

Regardless of any problems there are with Nintendo controllers they're still much more durable then any other controllers out there.  Even though they're not perfect there's nothing better to buy instead.

I do agree that a controller should last the length of a consoles life.  My black controller that came with my Cube doesn't work correctly anymore.  The C-stick doesn't calibrate correctly so the game always thinks I'm pushing very slightly in one direction.  It doesn't affect all games but it's still pretty crappy and it's totally unusable for Pikmin.

Still I don't think Nintendo is sacrificing the quality of their controllers jus to save a buck.  At least not compared to the competition.  Just be glad that Nintendo's worst hardware is their controllers which are relatively easy and cheap to replace.  With Sony it's the consoles themselves that break down.  I'd rather have a near indestructable console with slighty-crappy-but-still-really-good controllers then a system that needs to be replaced every few years.

[Bill Aurion]

My NES controllers work perfectly fine after 15 years of use...

My SNES controllers still work perfectly after 12 years of use...

My N64 controllers have loose joysticks, but only thanks to the first Mario Party...

My Gamecube controllers work perfectly fine...

I guess you lose...

(And seriously, there isn't a single controller out there that isn't subject to wear...It's just not possible to avoid it, ok?)

[King of Twitch]

I've dropped my controllers from waist-level onto concrete while trying to carry everything around (lol coordination), but they still work. The first one that came with my cube is pretty worn out, like Ian's. My NES controllers would work if my NES would work; my SNES controller would work if I haven't caught the wire in the metal part under my couch's footrest and cut it in half; I have 4 64 conrollers so if one doesn't work perfectly it won't matter. They're like women, just treat them right if you want them to last longer.  

[MarioLinkSamus]

You're missing the point guys.
ALL my comrads' and my controllers work fine (just like yours), but they're no where near the condition they once held.  Yes, I know all controllers won't retain their "new" condition, but we'd all like them to last at least the existence of the console's life.  Don't get me wrong, I love the controllers - I just want them to last longer.

- MarioLinkSamus  

[SgtShiversBen]

I got your point right away MLS, it's just your argument is invalid.  The type of wear and tear you put on your controllers or your systems for that matter is dependant on you.  If you drop your controllers all over the place or play the heck out of games for 15 hours straight, of course they're going to be torn up after a few years.  Like Bill, my 64 controller is ravaged because of Mario Party, but I can't blame Nintendo.  They made the first analog controller for a console, so it's to be expected.  They were also the first with everything, so they're not going to know the type of abuse they take.  But now that they've refined them, the ones that they have used before (the face buttons, the shoulder buttons and all that hoopdela) can withstand a nuclear blast.  I don't know what you're doing to your controllers, but mine have lasted completely throughout their systems life.  All except for the SNES one where I threw it against a wall (damn Street Fighter) when I was little.  In conclusion, all that's to blame for the lack of "quality" in your controllers is your fault, not Nintendo's, stop passing the buck and take it like a man.

[Hostile Creation]

Their timeline should exist in an alternate dimension, where time is suspended and nothing ever grows old or wears down, I agree.  Anything less is unacceptable.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Nintendo's GCN controllers break down because of SSBM (and MKDD to an extent).

Never play Super Smash Bros. Melee if you care for the life of your controller.  I'm on my 6th controller.

[StRaNgE]

i'm still on my original cube controllers from system launch.

if you want it to last forever then every 3000 miles ya gotta bring it in to get serviced.

it's like anything else, when you use it  it will wear. without upkeep or maintinence it will oneday fail.

that's Life, nothing ya can do about that, the human body is the same way too.

[kirby_killer_dedede]

Buddy, get a grip.

If you really want something to complain about, go buy a Sony controller.  Or a Sony freaking memory card.

Then you tell me that Nintendo controllers suck.

If I did the Macarina until you were able to make a comparison in Sony's favor (hardware), I'd be doing the Macarina for a very, very long time.

[kennyb27]

The only thing wrong with my original Gamecube controller is that a certain little 1-year old decided to put her teeth marks on the analog stick.

[Bartman3010]

The N64 controller is cool. adapts to many play styles. Platformer, FPS, Action RPG etc.

I do not understand your logic...

[Pale]

I'm sick of people blaming their inability to take care of things on poor quality.

[Mario]

We should be able to make our own controllers out of paper, so when they break we can make a new one.

[UncleBob]

You know, my NES, SNES, N64, GameCube and Virtual Boy controllers all work just fine and dandy...  And I've bought plenty of used controllers with no problems...

[odifiend]

Quote
Originally posted by: Professional 666
Nintendo's GCN controllers break down because of SSBM (and MKDD to an extent). Never play Super Smash Bros. Melee if you care for the life of your controller. I'm on my 6th controller.

Here, here. Fifth. It isn't an inability to take care of stuff- the GCN controller is by far the most sensitive of all the Nintendo controllers- in both a good and a bad way. I don't really agree on the other controllers though. "No give" happens with anything and though my control stick on my 64 controller was loose, it didn't do half the sh!t my GCN controllers do. I honestly wouldn't be so bitter about it if the GCN standard controllers weren't so expensive. They were 30 freaking USD until only recently and 25 is still kind of pushing it. Lowering prices would be more sensible than better quality or a warrantee.  

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

The Targets and Walmarts around me always sell them for $19.99, so it's not so bad for me.

What Nintendo should've done was use a more durable material, hopefully metallic, for the radial shaft of the main analog stick.  What always happens to mine was the plastic radial shaft slowly got chipped away by the parallel strips that hold in place in axis origin (i opened one up to see).  It's like chopping a tree down at the trunk, caused by the endless amount of back/forth directional changes that can be involved in a SSBM match, or trying to get the boosts from your Mario Kart DD power slides.

[KDR_11k]

Go ask the NASA if they have some indestructium left for you. Seriously, all things are subject to wear and tear. It's not possible to build a gamepad that would survive five years of SSBM. Be happy, my C64 joysticks died (pushing right no longer registered) after a year. There are joysticks made from steel and lots of arcade components but seriously, you can't make a gamepad out of steel. And even then you'd start to see the first signs of weardown after a few months. Making controllers that last the console's lifetime is possible as long as your standards for "lasts" aren't too high. Yours are.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I know, but just that little change in material could go a long way.  So instead of plastic chipping away at softer plastic, replace the softer analog stick plastic (or just cover it) with material of a higher hardness, at least at its base.  Then maybe i wouldn't end up with a dead analog stick "center zone" that extends to half the stick's range so soon.  Then maybe I would've only gone thru 4 instead 6 controllers.

And then find something else to complain about, which probably wouldn't be so bad, like a deflated button.

[Infernal Monkey]

Quote
If you really want something to complain about, go buy a Sony controller. Or a Sony freaking memory card.

My PS2 controller and memory card are four years old, and the joooooooysticks have held up better than my second Wave Bird, which is a year and a half old. The buttons on the PS2 controller still work perfectly, unlike my default GC controller, where the A button is pretty much stuffed. The PS2 memory card hasn't formatted twice like my memory card 59 did for no reason.

Nintendo's quality control took a gigantic drop the second they hurled those crappy N64 controllers at consumers. (drama)

[KDR_11k]

You know, maybe that's because you play more and faster games on your Cube than your PS2. SSBM is the GC's Decathlon when it comes to joystick destruction. I don't use my consoles that often and the controllers are still in pretty good condition.

[BlkPaladin]

I still have my orginal controller from launch and they don't have problems. (Except they are showing signs of become loose.) And my Gamecube gets the most playtime out of all my consoles, and it has lived through sessions of SSBM, Soul Calibur 2, and other games. I don't usally have problems with controllers. All except the third party controllers, and my orginal Duel Shock 2 controller but that was the rumble feature I had to finally tear out because the motor was overheating.

Imagine the news story, local resident dies when his controller goes up in flame.

[Bloodworth]

The only thing I've had trouble with is analog sticks, and considering there are springs in there, I'm not surprised.  Springs just do not hold up forever.

[JGarcia050]

I think that the GC controller is very good and very comfortable. I also think the Wavebird is one of the best controllers ever made (if not the best). It has so much durability. I throw my wavebird around the room constantly because im pissed at losing in a SSBM match or a Madden game. I threw it against my door a few times, against my dresser and even off the wall (not as hard off the wall) and it still works. Its as if it has armor around it . And after much abuse my Wavebirds work perfectly, so i don't know what ur complaining about.

Yes it is sad that i get that mad when i lose in a video game.

[The Omen]

Quote
How often have you had to purchase another controller just because it was worn out from simply normal game-play use?

Not once, in 20 years of Nintendo gaming.