Pcs game pad

That design became a hallmark of home video games. Nintendo held a patent on the D-pad design, so when other firms tried to imitate the control scheme, they had to make changes to avoid patent infringement. For example, Sega changed the distinct four-way pad into a circular piece of plastic with four raised sections on its Genesis controller. Gravis took a similar approach with its PC GamePad, which also included a circular directional pad.

It also took a step further away by including a tiny plastic joystick you could screw in to the directional pad. Using this stick proved very awkward in practice, though. By default, the IBM PC game port could only support two, so games had to be specially programmed to utilize all four on the Gravis pad. Another innovation was the second switch on the GamePad that allowed for left-handed play. When switched, you could turn the GamePad degrees and control the D-pad with your right hand, and the buttons with your left.

With its four colored buttons and round design, the PC GamePad seemed designed to resemble the Super Famicom pad, but care was taken here, as well. The recessed buttons another design choice possibly guided by patent concerns were also more difficult to push.

Well, as we mentioned previously, the GamePad worked best with action-platforming shareware titles, like Commander Keen , at first. But players soon found it also came in handy with almost any type of action PC game, including early first-person shooters, like Wolfenstein-3D and Doom.

The controller was even featured in some games. Then, USB came along and killed the need for a pin game port. Platforms like Steam can also convert our PCs into a seamless, console-like experience. Use Google Fonts in Word. Use FaceTime on Android Signal vs. Customize the Taskbar in Windows What Is svchost. Best Smartwatches. Best Gaming Laptops. Best Smart Displays.

Best Home Security Systems. Best External Solid State Drives. Best Portable Chargers. Best Phone Chargers. Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders. Best Oculus Quest 2 Accessories. The only thing this controller lacks is rumble, but if you don't mind the missing haptic feedback, the SteelSeries Stratus Duo is a great controller you can use with a lot of other devices. Retro looks but modern functionality make the 8BitDo Pro 2 an awesome option for playing classic games on PC and new games as well.

The 8BitDo Pro 2 even supports motion controls. Plus, there are two back paddles to let you keep your thumbs on the analog sticks. The Switch Pro Controller is one of the best controllers ever made, and now you can bring that greatness to the PC. Like the DualShock 4, getting this controller to work the PC is easy with a wired connection, but going wireless requires a few hoops to jump through.

Good news is once you've got it paired properly over Bluetooth, Steam will automatically recognize it as an Xbox One controller with all the button mapping done for you. The Razer Wolverine V2 is a slick controller with exceptional capabilities. The lighting can even be set up to react to information coming in from some games, or you can just use it to express your style.

It has gripped texture around the handles so you can keep a firm hold on it. You can swap out the thumbstick caps for your desired feel. There are also four buttons on the underside, a pair of extra shoulder buttons, and hair trigger locks for greater flexibility.

If you play a lot of arcade or fighting games, you've got a good case to pick up a fight stick instead of a standard controller. The quick actuation of fight stick buttons and the precise control over a joystick can give you the advantage you need in your fighting games. This fighting stick should offer no fuss working with your PC as it has all the same buttons as an Xbox controller. With a Key Lock mode, it's also ready to take to tournaments without the worry of accidentally getting disqualified.

You can simply connect a gaming headset with the fight stick, and you'll even get controls to mute your mic and audio on the fight stick itself. Modders also get a lot from this stick, as the case and faceplate are both easily opened to swap out components or artwork.

Of course, if you don't want to mod, you'll enjoy the high-quality Hori Hayabusa joystick and buttons that come stock. PC is pretty much the place to experience simulation racing games.

Not only does this platform allow you to connect multiple displays and ultrawide displays for the ultimate immersive experience, but PC is also the place for some very serious and sometimes seriously obscure racing games. Of course, you're going to want a racing wheel to complete your sim racing setup and look no further than the Thrustmaster TS-PC Racer. It looks and feels like a real wheel attached to an actual race car, especially when this peripheral's watt brushless motor turns on.

Force feedback on this racing wheel as you'll feel the pull of every turn and the shock of every bump with up to 6nm of torque. It is unsurprising that the Xbox controller tops the list here, but you've actually got a couple of options depending on whether your laptop or PC is Bluetooth enabled. But, if you want to consider all your options, here are the best PC controllers available in the UK. Don't see the controllers below?

Click here. While playing PC games with a controller might seem like sacrilege against everything that is right in the church of keyboard and mouse, you shouldn't care about what other people think about the way you play PC games.

Best gaming laptop Best gaming monitor Best gaming headset Best wireless gaming headset Best computer speakers Best capture card. The PlayStation 5 DualSense has a "you have to touch it to believe it" quality thanks to its new haptic motors and "Adaptive" triggers, which can offer resistance under your finger.

Firing a bow can actually feel like firing a bow, for example. The rumble is also easily the best and most nuanced we've ever felt in a controller.

It really is as good as people say. The bad news: the DualSense's most advanced features don't work in PC games yet, since games will need to be programmed to take advantage of them.

But Steam already offers full support for the controller, so it's at least a breeze to plug in and use like any other pad. It's a hair less comfortable than the Xbox Series X controller, and not as simple to use in non-Steam games, but if you prefer Sony's analog stick layout or love gyro aiming, this is the one to get. Scuf doesn't mess around with its controllers, offering some of the best premium pads outside of Sony and Microsoft.

And the Instinct Pro is the absolute best controller should you wish to eschew the two big bois of the console world. There are more customisation options on offer with the Instinct Pro than with pretty much any other pad you could name. But did create a gloriously pink pad without the distraction of rumblepacks. The tough thing is that both Sony and Microsoft's controllers are just so good, and if you want something premium the Elite Series 2 absolutely ticks that box.

The fact the Instinct Pro makes that look like good value makes it a real tough sell. It is, though, a fantastic controller that feels great in the hand and is as responsive as you could wish for. It's just painfully pricey. Read our full Scuf Instinct Pro review. Razer's Wolverine Ultimate could very well be the best gamepad available today, save for one critical disqualifying factor: it can't connect to a PC wirelessly. The Xbox-style gamepad offers many of the same luxury features as the Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller, like a swappable d-pad and customizable back paddles.

It's also nearly the same price, which begs the question: why not just buy one of those instead? Well, it's not for everyone, but the Wolverine Ultimate does have its fair share of unique, downright enticing features. For starters, the face buttons—the ones labeled A, B, X, and Y—click like mouse buttons. This seemingly minuscule detail makes a world of difference. It's like using nothing but membrane keyboards your whole life and then making a move to mechanical switches.

So while the enclosed foot braided micro USB cable takes some getting used to, tactile button presses are a worthy trade-off. Of course, no Razer product would be complete without a healthy dose of Chroma, the three-headed green snake company's signature brand of RGB lighting. However, rather than integrating it into the existing Synapse 3 app for Windows, Razer decided to develop an app specifically for Xbox One. So if you do plan on using this controller for your PC, bear in mind you'll need a separate app to configure it.

The short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is that you might need to perform a little fiddling the first time you set it up—although after that it will just be a case of plugging it in.

This might seem like an utterly offensive question to ask in the annals of PC Gamer, but it remains true that certain PC games are far better played with a controller than with the classic keyboard and mouse combo. But there are other titles, specifically those which were primarily designed for consoles whose control schemes are so unwieldy away from a pad that playing them any other way is a pain.

You could play Witcher 2 without a controller, for example, but it actually felt far better using a pad on PC. Ignore those who seem to think every game is best with a mouse and keyboard. Assassins Creed Valhalla is not best played with a keyboard.

Street Fighter 5 is not best played with a keyboard. True, we play most games with a mouse and keyboard, but for PC gamers with ranging tastes, a good controller is a must.