Five easy ways to fix complicated controllers

Developers agree: video game controllers are too complicated! Here are five easy ways to simplify them.

You don't have to own a Wii to appreciate the fact that traditional controllers have become unnecessarily complex. Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gamepads have 17 depressible buttons. Yes, you read that right - 17 buttons.* Having been a gamer for 23 years now, even I have to momentarily pause sometimes to keep them all straight. As a result of the controller clutter, unseasoned players are thrown to the wolves, something many respected game designers are obviously concerned with.

"You hand somebody a game controller and it's like you've handed them a live gun or a grenade with the pin taken out," said former PlayStation boss Phil Harrison, at the 2008 Game Developers Conference. Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski agrees. "I've always felt that video game controllers have too many buttons," he said in a February interview with Game Trailers. "Expecting a person to figure out how to use a [traditional] controller is like saying, 'Hey, you need to learn Spanish before you can enjoy this game.'"

You hand somebody a game controller and it's like you've handed them a grenade with the pin taken out," Phil Harrison, former Sony executive

It's obvious there's a problem, and the root of it traces back to the era of parachute pants and oversized sunglasses: the early 90's. In 1991, Nintendo released the lovable SNES gamepad with six dedicated action buttons...a big jump from the NES's minimalist two buttons. Granted, the SNES's six-button layout allowed for an arcade-perfect port of the red-hot Street Fighter II (which would have been just as fun with only two kicks and two punch buttons, btw), but it also triggered a "more is more" philosophy that lives on today. Future hardware makers jam-packed their controllers with more shoulder buttons, clickable analog sticks, and menu buttons with no mind to the consequences of complexity.

And here we are today: Nintendo deciding on motion input as a solution to the issue (and being handsomely rewarded for it), while Microsoft and Sony are left wondering where to go while staying true to their audience. The interim quick-fix for the latter two would be to use only half of their available buttons, something Peter Molyneux claims to be doing for the upcoming Fable 2 (Xbox 360). But as long as the complex appearance of modern controllers remain, intimidation and confusion will persist -- particularly among the lucrative casual gaming sector.

Which brings us to the future, and five feasible ways to reform complicated controllers -- all of which take into consideration the principles of Universal Design:

Continue reading... (page 2/2)

*Four face buttons, four shoulder buttons, two thumb-stick clicks, start button, select button, menu button, and four clicks of the D-pad = 17

Comments [100]

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billyb77

I would rather them use the buttons than 2k and EA sports trying to make people use that right analog stick for everything. That sucks. Give us back 2004 controls. Sure the stick works for basketball and golf but not every game needs to use it. At least give us the option for classic controls. I think some games do but some don't.

BlackSwordsman1

The only one I partially agree with is the menu button instead of both start and select buttons. Games advanced for a reason, the controls had to advance as well, meaning more complex configurations. A lot of developers don't even use all the buttons on the controller, but they are still their because more complex games will actually need all the buttons, usually not because you use all the buttons when playing but to quickly map on different way to change your equipment/weapons/powers instead of going into the start menu and choosing what u want and then unpausing the game.

lrn2swim

um.....no. this is a terrible article. one of the things that has advanced games to where they are today are the great controllers. this would totally cater to the trend of casual gamers directing which way the market goes, which is a scary prospect. making controllers with less buttons for options is a huge step backwards. why limit your options?

ChitownShogun73

Good article but I don't like motion controls. As a former Wii owner and a current Ps3 owner, I honestly do not like motion controls.

wowa

sorry you but can't please everyone.......... the gaming industry needs to stop bending over backwards for casuals.

IChainSawU

Dumb. The 360 controller is perfect. It has a whopping four buttons on the face and two on top with a two triggers. Perfect. You would have to be litteraly retarted to find it difficult.

DoctorIrish

I disagree. Less buttons would only appease casual gamers. I can certainly appreciate the Wii's "simple" controls, but can anyone really say with a straight face that motion control is not complicated? [p] Deep down, we all know that there is no way you could adequately control todays games(Super Smash Bros Brawl, COD4, GTAIV, Resistance, MGS4, Gears of War) with only one control stick and two buttons.

CaliforniaSFGamer

Keep it as it is. When the developers know how to map the controls properly, it feels like second nature. Just think about Halo 3's controls. Everything feels perfect.

ROCKY102682

This article if Fukking gay, the controllers now days arent even hard to figure out!! Having less buttons just seems like a bad idea, and why would you want to get rid of the D-pad. How am I supposed to play SF or other Fighter games. Plus all those old school games that you can buy on Live arcade or PSN play like Sh*t with the joystick. I cant believe I wasted my time reading this article.

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