Evolution of game controllers
Recently, I’ve been involved in a research project about game controllers, comparing different peripheral (gestural or not). This led me to investigate the evolution of game controller over time, a topic already addressed by others.
For instance, Damien Lopez made this insightful mapping (.pdf) for both consoles and portable systems:
Lopez describes this map as a “a collection of small multiples of game controllers of the main gaming systems from the past 25 years (..,) normalized, and the hands are all approximately the same size as each other, and thus the controllers all to scale“. His point was “to show the progression of controller design throughout the last quarter-century. With the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, no more number pads were used on game controllers from that point on“.
On Sock Master, there is also a tree-based representation that tries to connect all the current console controllers with their predecessors. What is interesting here is the notion of diachronic evolution as well as the connection between different “families”.
Why do I blog this? working on the user experience of game controller for different research projects, this kind of representation are important as they map the existing peripherals as well as show how the possibilities evolved over time. It’s overall interesting to note the relative stability in both portable and console shapes but the increasing complexity of controllers. Although sticks remains stable, the number of buttons increases. It would interesting to see how the user experience evolved over time too and see how it’s related with the interface. I need to dig more these graphics and draw some implications about what that means.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
the assertion “With the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, no more number pads were used on game controllers from that point on” is actually not true, as you can see on the second image. The Atari Jaguar, first 64bit console if I remember well, had a numpad
May 13th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
That’s why putting the two classification next to each other is relevant
May 14th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Interesting classification, have you checked the Tina Blaines NIME 05 paper on game controllers and music controlers ? There is a fine comparison of the relation between the player and the peripheral, in the game and music activities…
May 16th, 2008 at 1:31 am
[…] Pasta&Vinegar » Blog Archive » Evolution of game controllers “This led me to investigate the evolution of game controller over time, a topic already addressed by others.” Some nice, detailed graphical analysis of the mess that is controller design over the years. (tags: games interface hci interaction interactiondesign joypad play) […]
May 20th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
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September 15th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Interesting! I wrote my honors thesis on the design of game controllers, so you may find it… useful?:
http://www.gamasutra.com/education/theses/20051111/thulatimutte_01.shtml
September 15th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
[…] Evolution of game controllers (tags: design games interface) […]
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October 7th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
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October 10th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Evolución de los mandos a lo largo del tiempo…
Curioso artículo que nos muestra la evolución de los mandos de las consolas a lo largo del tiempo. La diferente evolución de la ergonomía…
October 13th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
You forgot the dreamcast predecessor and first analog control ever, the Sega Saturn Analog gamepad exclusive for the “Nights into dreams” game it does look like dreamcast’ one though take care GREAT LIST!!!
December 7th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
You forgot the TurboExpress, the full featured TurboGrafix console in a handheld:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TurboExpress
This article lists a couple of others that missed your list including the NeoGeo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console
December 8th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
[…] I found the interface charts at LIFTlab where their design is attributed to Damien […]
December 9th, 2008 at 2:07 am
[…] Lopez describes this map as a “a collection of small multiples of game controllers of the main gaming systems from the past 25 years […]
December 9th, 2008 at 10:23 am
You can alsa wears this kind of graph :
http://www.nerdyshirts.com/family-tree-t-shirt.html
December 9th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
[…] evolution of game controllers. « Before The Convergence of Everything December 4, […]
December 9th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Where’s the Intellivision controller!!!???!!!!
Shoddy work from Damien Lopez, if that is his real name….
December 10th, 2008 at 8:25 am
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December 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
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December 16th, 2008 at 6:38 am
[…] source […]
December 16th, 2008 at 10:09 am
[…] [Liftlab.com] […]
December 16th, 2008 at 11:31 am
You forgot the PS3 controller. Please add.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Wow! He really skipped Intellivision?, but put the Sega Master System controller, which isn’t much of an evolution from the NES gamepad, maybe a de-evoltion. The Intellivision controller is very important. It’s the precursor to the d-pad. The first time a system featured a controller where you have to only use your thumb, to control objects on screen, not having the Intellivision controller is Blasphemy! A BIG mistake and makes this evolution chart rubbish! Unless he goes back and fixes it? I’m just curious, how old is Daniel Lopez? No one under 30 should make charts like this, unless you were there.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
You seem to have forgotten the Xbox Guide button. If you include that, then every Xbox controller should have +1 button (or “option” if you prefer).
December 16th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
[…] Evolution of game controllers [Lift Think, via Offworld] […]
December 16th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Hey, the PSP has ‘1 Stick’ too.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I notice in Daniel Lopez’s portable systems, he left out what I feel are some interesting attributes: B&W versus color, and back-lighting. I think these attributes, are what really make some of those systems stand apart from one another in their evolution in conjunction with their button and function designs.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
[…] O mica istorie ilustrata a dispozitivelor de control folosite pentru jocuri (Joystick-uri si Gamepad-uri). Aici. […]
December 16th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
[…] Read More […]
December 17th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Interesting what got missed…
I’d suggest adding “rumble” as a feature.
Also he’s missing the original Playstation controllers.
First one had no analog sticks:
http://www.jwnyc.com/games/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/psx04.jpg
Second one had analog sticks, but no rumble:
(Note the concave tops on the sticks)
http://www.axess.com/twilight/console/detail/psx_a.jpg
Then they did the dual shock that passed to the PS2.
Then the PS3 took the rumble back out (after losing a lawsuit) and did the SixAxis.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Oh, and the PSP has an analog stick below the D-Pad.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
[…] Evolution of game controllers [Lift Think, via Offworld] […]
December 17th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
[…] I found the interface charts at LIFTlab where their design is attributed to Damien […]
December 17th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
how fucking sad are you people???
:S
December 18th, 2008 at 12:50 am
FUCK THIS CHART! NO INTELLIVISION! May the SNAFU and Astrosmash gods reign down a mighty storm upon you!
December 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
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December 25th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
[…] Bueno aqui les dejo una imagen donde le muestra la interesante evolucion de los controles de video juegos, desde los viejos “joysticks” con su clásica “palanquita” y único botón, hasta el avanzado Wii Mote con 1 control multidireccional, 7 botones y un sensor de movimiento (que tal diferencia). bueno aqui pueden ver La evolucion de los sistema portables…. […]
December 26th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Er, the Xbox 360 had a couple of additional buttons versus the “X-Box New” controller (I’d call them two additional shoulder buttons). You might also want to consider the overall Xbox button (in the center), since I think you’re counting the Wii’s Home button on the Arcade controller.
December 27th, 2008 at 12:59 am
I think you missed an important step by ignoring the distinction between shoulder buttons and analog triggers. Anyone who remembers playing the cart load of great racing games on the Dreamcast will tell you that shoulder buttons and analog triggers are completely different things. It would pretty clearly put the Dreamcast’s controller ahead of the PS2’s evolutionarily speaking even though the PS2 craptroller came out later (it was basically a half-baked and incredibly fragile rehash of the PSX controller anyway which was more impressive when it was first released).
December 27th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Doesn’t the Xbox 360 have 4 shoulders?
December 27th, 2008 at 4:54 am
You should also include the Apple iPhone/iPod touch. Accelerometer and touch screen, no buttons.
December 27th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Nice… But where is the iPhone / iPod Touch?
December 27th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I was surprised at the omission of the Konix Speedking
Probably the first controller actually designed to the contours of the hand.
I googled it to try and check it’s date of introduction.
I didn’t find the date but I am fairly sure it came out in the late eighties.
More interestingly I found an interview on www.konixmultisystem.co.uk with Wyn Holloway about the Konix Slipstream which truly was a revolutionary controller.
Check it out at the link above.
December 27th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Where are all the great, classic Computer-Gamecontrollers like the Competition Pro or the Quickshot II Series?
December 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
You forgot the iPhone in the portable category. But maybe that’s a category all unto itself, it’s so far beyond anything here.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I agree with Orionsaint: the SEGA Master System controller was a step backwards. So much so, that you could plug it into an Atari console and it would work! Tossed the joysticks. Waaaay easier to play Asteroids with a D-pad.
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:00 am
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