4 Weird Video Game Controllers (That Are A Blast To Use)
We gush about all sorts of things in our favorite games- the graphics, the dialogue, the fishing. But some games bring their greatness past the edges of the screen and into your real life. Some games create works that transcend the digital and enter the physical. Some games, in other words, don't know when to quit. Rather than gather the most insane controllers we could find, we've instead put together a collection of misfits that have captured our hearts for one reason or another. Are they worth the price? Do they make gaming more fun? Let's not focus on questions like that- let's just say these controllers are really special.
Steel Battalion's Mech Controls
Coming in at an ambitious 40 buttons and a $200 price tag, the Steel Battalion controller, has earned its place in gaming history. I've had the absolute joy of using this myself, and I can tell you you're not really gaming if you don't have to slam down a foot pedal.
Steel Battalion itself is a fun if forgettable mech game, 90% of which is trying to figure out how to use your controller to maneuver your Vertical Tank (their term for mechs). Credit where it's due, though; Steel Battalion had a 5v5 game mode a decade before League of Legends. Blame where it's due, as well; given the cost of the controllers and mediocre sales of the game, I can only find a record of that 5v5 game mode being played one time.
Bonus fact: this controller includes an eject button for flinging yourself out of your mech. If you ejected too late and died in the mech, then the game would permanently delete your save. And you thought Dark Souls games were dicks.
Resident Evil players rejoice! You can play RE4 wielding a bloody chainsaw, exactly as Leon, the game's protagonist, does not. The chainsaw controller is actually inspired by enemies-- one a large butcher-esque fellow wielding a yellow chainsaw and the other two women wielding red chainsaws. These controllers came in Gamecube (yellow) and Playstation (red), and yes, you can play Smash with them. Also, the blood spatter on each controller is completely unique.
The Dreamcast Fishing Rod
Sega
The Dreamcast felt like a system that never really knew what it wanted to do. It had a memory card with a visual display, the controllers were made for people with really long hands, and every game on it felt like it was half-Nintendo, half-Sony, or Sonic. But man, if you bought this controller, you know exactly what you were after. Good ol' fashion fishin. It has motion-sensing controls, a functional reel on the side, and you can use it to play Soul Calibur. In fighting games, it's good for baiting your opponents or luring them into a false sense of seacurity.
Donkey Konga Bongos
The other controllers on this list? They're fine. They're nice! Oh, yeah, a mech controller. Oh, fishing. Cool.
The Donkey Konga Bongos embody pure joy. It's unbelievable that this didn't become the default controller across all platforms. You can play the bongos to play the game. What's not to love? Frankly, if you're not already on board, I can't help you. Except to say that people have beaten Souls games using only these two bad boys.
Now, are you in? Now do you wanna boogie down with Kong? You bingo bongo better be.
Top Image: Nintendo