List of Nintendo controllers
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The following is a list of video game controllers created for
Nintendo consoles The Japanese multinational consumer electronics company Nintendo has developed seven home video game consoles and multiple portable consoles for use with external media, as well as dedicated consoles and other hardware for their consoles. , in ...
.


Color TV Game 15

The Color TV Game 15 system was Nintendo's first system which had controllers. These controllers came in the form of two paddles connected to the console with cables. The controls on these paddles consisted of a simple dial in order to control the on-screen paddles in the system's built in game library.


Nintendo Entertainment System

The
Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
controller is an oblong brick-like design with a simple four button layout. It consists of two round buttons labeled "A" and "B", a "START" button, and a "SELECT" button. Additionally, the controllers utilized the cross-shaped joypad, designed to replace bulkier
joystick A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. A joystick, also known as the control column, is the principal cont ...
s used in earlier gaming consoles’ controllers. The NES controller could also be unplugged as the NES featured two custom 7-pin ports on the front of the console.


Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The controller used for the SNES introduces two face buttons X and Y. The four face buttons on the right side are arranged in a diamond shape. Two shoulder buttons are also added and is more ergonomic over the NES controller. The controller was designed by Lance Barr. The Japanese and PAL region versions incorporate the colors of the four action buttons into the system's logo. The North American version's buttons are colored as follows: the X and Y buttons are lavender with concave faces, and the A and B buttons are purple with convex faces. Several later consoles derive elements of their controller design from the SNES, including the
PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
, Dreamcast, Xbox, and
Wii Classic Controller The is a game controller produced by Nintendo for the Wii home video game console. While it later featured some compatibility with the Wii U console, the controller was ultimately succeeded by the Wii U Pro Controller. In April 2014, Nintendo d ...
.


Virtual Boy

The controller for the Virtual Boy has 4 surface buttons: select, start, B, and A. The face also includes dual directional-pads meant to be used for controlling games in a 3D space. Finally, two small shoulder buttons are placed on the back of the controller's grips and the system's power button is placed in the center of the controller. The Virtual Boy system is powered by 6 AA-batteries held in the battery pack on the controller or by an AC power adapter which also connects to the back of the controller. Additionally, the power cable used in the power adapter is the same power cable and power supply used for the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eur ...
. While the Virtual Boy controller differs greatly in design from Nintendo's other controllers, the directional pads closely resemble the directional pad of the Game Boy but larger and with a steeper slope inwards. Since the Virtual Boy was designed for single player use, the system only has a single controller port on the underside of the console. Due to this single port, the Virtual Boy only ever sold with one controller per unit.


Nintendo 64

The Nintendo 64 controller is Nintendo's fifth generation controller and features ten buttons, an analog control stick, and a directional pad. The controller is in the shape of an "M", and was designed to be held in three different positions. First, it can be held by the two outer grips, allowing use of the D-pad, right-hand face buttons and the "L" and "R" shoulder buttons (but not the "Z" trigger or analog stick). It can be also held by the center and right-hand grip, allowing the use of the single control stick, the right-hand buttons, the "R" shoulder button, and the "Z" trigger on the rear (but not the "L" shoulder button or D-pad). Finally, the controller can be held by the center and left-hand grip, allowing for a combination of the D-pad, L-shoulder, analog stick and Z button (but not the "R" shoulder button or right-hand buttons). The design is versatile, but it is also controversial because a player is unable to access all the buttons with the player's hands in any one position. Accessing all buttons would require the player to switch hand positions. The controller also includes four "C buttons" on the top, which were originally intended to control the camera in the N64's three-dimensional environments. However, since the pad only contains three other face buttons, the C-buttons often became assigned to ulterior functions.


GameCube

The
GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
controller is Nintendo's sixth generation controller, released along with the GameCube in 2001. The standard GameCube controller has a wing grip design and features a total of six digital buttons, two analog sticks, a d-pad and two hybrid analog triggers/digital buttons. The primary analog stick is on the left, with the D-pad below it. The four main face buttons are to the right of the controller. The face buttons include a large green "A" button in the center, a smaller red "B" button to its bottom left and the kidney-shaped "X" and "Y" buttons to the right and top of the "A" button, respectively. There is also a yellow "C" stick below the main face buttons. A Start/Pause button is located in the middle of the controller. On the shoulders of the controller there are two analog triggers marked "L" and "R," as well as a "Z" button above the "R" trigger. The standard GameCube controller provides haptic feedback by way of a built-in rumble motor rather than using an external Rumble Pak add-on like the Nintendo 64 controller. There is also a
WaveBird Wireless Controller The WaveBird Wireless Controller (stylized as WAVEBIRD, commonly abbreviated as WaveBird or WaveBird controller) is a radio frequency-based wireless controller manufactured by Nintendo for use with the GameCube home video game console. Its nam ...
and a set of
DK Bongos GameCube accessories include first-party releases from Nintendo, and third-party devices, since the GameCube's launch in 2001. First-party and licensed Controllers GameCube controller The GameCube controller was released alongside the console ...
.


Wii

The Wii Remote ditches the traditional gamepad controllers of previous gaming consoles for a one-handed remote control-based design. This was done to make motion sensitivity more intuitive, as a remote design is more optimal for pointing. Another goal with this design was to help the Wii appeal to a broader, non-gamer audience. The body of the Wii Remote measures long, wide, and thick. The controller communicates wirelessly with the console via short-range Bluetooth radio, with which it is possible to operate up to four controllers as far as 10 meters (approx. 30 ft) away from the console. However, to utilize pointer functionality, the Wii Remote must be used within five meters (approx. 16 ft) of the
Sensor Bar The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact wi ...
. The controller's symmetrical design allows it to be used in either hand. The Wii Remote can also be turned horizontally and used like a
Famicom/NES The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
controller or steering wheel. The Wii Remote has a large "A" button in the front, and a curved "B" button in the back resembling a trigger. Under the "A" button is a plus and minus, and at the bottom of the remote is a "1" and "2" buttons. In the middle of the Wii Remote, between the plus and minus button is a small "home" button that resembling a home/house. There are also blue LEDs indicating player number that are labeled using small Braille-like raised dots instead of
Arabic numerals Arabic numerals are the ten numerical digits: , , , , , , , , and . They are the most commonly used symbols to write Decimal, decimal numbers. They are also used for writing numbers in other systems such as octal, and for writing identifiers ...
, with "1" being "•", "2" being "••", "3" being "•••", and "4" being "••••". The blue LEDs also show how much battery power remains on the Wii Remote. By pressing any button, besides the power button while the controller is not being used to play games, a certain number of the four blue LEDs will light up, showing the battery life: four of the LEDs flash when it is at, or near, full power. Three lights flash when it is at 75%, two lights when at 50%, and one light flashes when there is 25% or less power remaining. The Wii Remote also features an expansion port at the bottom which allows various functional attachments to be added. The most popular attachments are the Wii Nunchuk and Classic Controller. The Nunchuk connects to the Wii Remote via a cord that is about long. It features an analog stick similar to the one found on the
GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
controller Controller may refer to: Occupations * Controller or financial controller, or in government accounting comptroller, a senior accounting position * Controller, someone who performs agent handling in espionage * Air traffic controller, a person ...
and two trigger buttons (oval-shaped "C" and rectangle-shaped "Z") and works in tandem with the main controller in many games (including '' Mario Kart Wii''). The Classic Controller, which plugs into the expansion port, emulates the basic design of the SNES controller. It is designed for use with the Virtual Console, but is also compatible with many standard Wii games.


Wii U

The Wii U GamePad is the standard
controller Controller may refer to: Occupations * Controller or financial controller, or in government accounting comptroller, a senior accounting position * Controller, someone who performs agent handling in espionage * Air traffic controller, a person ...
for Nintendo's eighth generation video game console. It incorporates traits from tablet computers and also has traditional input methods, such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad. It also features touchscreen and motion controls. The touchscreen can be used to supplement a game by providing second screen functionality or an asymmetric view of a scenario in a game. The screen can also be used to play a game strictly on the GamePad screen, without the use of a television display. Conversely, non-gaming functions can be assigned to it as well, such as using it as a television remote. There is also a Wii U Pro Controller.


Nintendo Switch

The Joy-Con are the primary controller(s) of the
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
video game console. They consist of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the main Nintendo Switch console unit, or detached and used wirelessly. When detached, a pair of Joy-Con can be used by a single player, or divided between two as individual controllers. When the Joy-Con are removed from the console, two shoulder buttons, SL and SR, are revealed on the inner side of the railing. Notably, there is some controversy surrounding the quality of the joysticks used on the Joy-Con. Specifically, after extended use the joysticks often cease to sense certain directional inputs or sense directional inputs when none are given. This problem is colloquially known as Joy-Con drift. There is also a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Poké Ball Plus controller made for '' Pokémon: Let's Go'' and '' Pokémon Sword and Shield'', and a Nintendo Switch GameCube Controller made for '' Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' and ''
Super Mario 3D All-Stars ''Super Mario 3D All-Stars'' is a 2020 product bundling, compilation of platform games for the Nintendo Switch. It commemorates the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary, 35th anniversary of Nintendo's ''Super Mario'' franchise, with High-definitio ...
''. Nintendo also released revised variations of some of its previous controllers that are compatible with the Switch hardware, each of which includes wireless functionality, additional buttons for Switch-specific functions and an internal rechargeable battery. Thus far, these include Switch-compatible versions of the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64 controllers, released alongside catalogs of legacy titles for each of those systems made available through the Nintendo Switch Online service.


References

{{Nintendo hardware Controllers