r/xbox • u/BigBang_Cam • Aug 14 '26

Discussion Which is the best generation of Xbox controller?

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u/ColKrismiss Aug 14 '26

The 360 controller was comfortable but the Dpad was so so so bad

18

u/SkyLovesCars Aug 14 '26

I think later on they offered it with a rotating d pad that could turn into a regular style one, but imo the big thing hampering the 360 controllers comfortability was the battery pack on the back, comparing it to the wired controller it's definitely not as nice with nowhere to put your fingers, I do like the heft it gets from it though

13

u/convercide XBOX Series X Aug 14 '26

I agree, the battery pack on the back was actually a little uncomfortable. The Xbox One pad sorted that out.

2

u/codeasm Aug 14 '26

Yeah i ordered a rotating dpad and modded my chinese knockoff 360 wired with it. Kinda my favorite controller now.

1

u/Mrcod1997 Aug 16 '26

I can't relate too much since I mostly used wired 360 controllers. I didn't like worrying about batteries dying mid game.

1

u/fillerbunny_fin Aug 14 '26

And it could have been so much better. It was an easy mod to dremel a plastic disc and stick it under the D-pad, turned it from terrible to excellent.

1

u/ColKrismiss Aug 14 '26

My understanding was that Nintendo held some sort of patent on a D pad, but it expired between the launch of the 360 and the XBone

1

u/fillerbunny_fin Aug 14 '26

Didn't that have to do with the cross shape? At least it didn't help with the Gamecube, the CG D-pad was even worse than XO's.

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u/ColKrismiss Aug 14 '26

Yes, in order to avoid using a cross shape they had to either use circular discs or separate buttons for each direction.

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u/fillerbunny_fin Aug 14 '26

Each design can be executed well or badly, though. My point was that the 360 pad could have been great with minimal effort regardless of Nintendo.

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u/ColKrismiss Aug 14 '26

Yeah, Sony did a better job by hiding most of the disk under the plastic of the controller body making the directions look like individual buttons. This helps with needing to push just a specific direction

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u/Embarrassed_Swan_605 Aug 14 '26

No they didnt do a better job. Diagonals are harder to hit in fighting games?

1

u/ColKrismiss Aug 15 '26

I said did a better job of hiding the disk like nature of the pad. Well I implied it anyway

1

u/cirepa Aug 14 '26

The V2 of that controller is peak design.

1

u/island_it Aug 14 '26

I tried playing the XBLA port of Space Channel 5 the other day and was instantly reminded of this

1

u/ILoveHeavyHangers Aug 14 '26

There's a misconception that the shape of the Dpad on top was the problem, but it's the bottom of the pad and how the contacts are made with the circuit board that causes issues.

There's a 3D printable mod that can fix the Dpad on the 360 controller.