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The Evolution of the PlayStation Controller

Sony has revealed the PlayStation 5’s controller, officially called the DualSense, and fans around the world now know how they will be playing a brand new generation of games. While we still don’t know when the DualSense will be in our hot little hands, we do know a bunch about PlayStation’s hardware history. From the original PlayStation controller with no analog sticks to the never-released “Boomerang” controller, Sony’s iterated on its designs in successful – and not so successful – ways. In the slideshow and article below, we take a deeper dive into the evolution of the PlayStation controller, including the brand-new DualSense. [widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-evolution-of-the-playstation-controller&captions=true”] [poilib element=”accentDivider”] PlayStation Controller The PlayStation controller was released alongside the original PlayStation in 1994 and was inspired by the controller of the Super Nintendo. Teiyu Goto, designer of the original PlayStation controller, respected the success of Nintendo’s latest console and didn’t want this new controller to be too much of a “radical departure.” “The Super NES was a huge hit at the time, and naturally we wanted SNES gamers to upgrade to our system,” Goto said. “That’s why the management department didn’t want the controller to be a radical departure — they said it had to be a standard type of design, or gamers wouldn’t accept it.” Even though Sony wanted to invoke the SNES controller, it did innovate in some areas, like the second pair of shoulder buttons that would help navigate 3D worlds. Since players had to shift their hands from the L1+R1 buttons to the L2+R2 buttons, Sony also decided to add the grip handles to the controller to make for a smoother transition. The PlayStation controller’s buttons were supposed to represent what actions they stood for. According to Goto, the blue cross (or X?) and the red circle stood for “yes” and “no”, the triangle was for point of view, and square was similar to a piece of paper that would let players know that button was for menus. This original PlayStation controller would return in the PlayStation Classic console. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia/Evan-Amos) PlayStation Dual Analog Controller PlayStation’s Dual Analog controller was a predecessor to the DualShock and introduced the twin analog sticks for the first time. It was first released in Japan in 1997 alongside Tobal 2 and Bushido Blade and included a rumble feature that would be initially taken out of the North American and European versions. “We evaluated…
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Mario Games We Want Ported To Nintendo Switch

More Mario On The SwitchOnline gaming discourse went into overdrive with the rumblings of Nintendo potentially re-releasing some past Mario games to the Nintendo Switch. With the possibility that Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 64 are coming to the Nintendo Switch, fans of the series have been excited with the prospect of revisiting Mario’s finest adventures. However, while these games are fantastic, it did call to mind other noteworthy games from the platforming franchise that could potentially release on Nintendo’s platform as well.In honor of the franchise’s 35th anniversary this year, the team at GameSpot have decided to pull together a list of games from the acrobatic plumber’s past that would be great for a release on the Switch. Since the handheld’s debut in 2017, the Switch has proven itself to be a remarkable platform for re-releases, which includes many games from Mario’s past like New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and the fantastic Nintendo Online library that includes the classics from the NES and SNES eras. Still, there’s plenty more games from the Mario franchise that could see another release, so here’s a quick rundown of our ideal picks for Switch re-releases. Super Mario Sunshine | Steve Watts, Associate EditorThe often-maligned Mario game isn’t as groundbreaking as Super Mario 64 or as inventive as Super Mario Galaxy, but it deserves its place in the canon. Super Mario Sunshine’s stepchild status has made it the butt of jokes, but it’s also a crucial part of Mario history.After all, it’s the game that introduced us to Bowser Jr.–and by extension, sanded off Bowser’s rough edges by making him a sympathetic single dad. Its bonus stages built on the foundation of Mario 64’s Bowser stages and started the refinement that eventually led to some of the series’ best level design in Super Mario 3D Land and World. It helped define Mario’s modern 3D look much more clearly than Mario 64’s polygonal origami-esque appearance.Granted, not all of its experimental elements work as well. FLUDD, in particular, is an awkward gameplay element, which makes it doubly baffling why it served as Sunshine’s centerpiece. But even missteps can be enlightening to understand the progression of a long-running series. And unlike many other games in the Mario canon, Sunshine isn’t easy to find or play since it hasn’t been ported to other platforms. A remastered version would give it new life, warts and all. Super…
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Google Stadia: Here's What You Need to Play for Free

Here’s some good news for deal hunters: Google is offering Google Stadia free to anyone with a Gmail account. The deal is rolling out over the next two days, but you can check here to see if it’s available to you now. Better yet, sign up and you’ll get two free months of the Stadia Pro subscription level (which lets you play a handful of games instantly and gets you discounts on games you can buy). That makes now the perfect time to dip in and see if the game-streaming service is for you. Here’s what you need. Google Stadia-Compatible Devices Stadia works on many devices, at least some of which you likely already own. You can download the Google Stadia app on iOS or Android to play on iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets. You can also play on any desktop or laptop that can run the Chrome browser. And if you want to play on your TV, all you need is a Chromecast Ultra. Chromecast Ultra [poilib element=”commerceCta” json=”%7B%22image%22%3A%7B%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fassets1.ignimgs.com%2F2020%2F04%2F08%2Fchromecast-ultra1586371524771.jpg%22%2C%22styleUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fassets1.ignimgs.com%2F2020%2F04%2F08%2Fchromecast-ultra1586371524771_%7Bsize%7D.jpg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%225e8e1bc9e4b0de70ed6499d1%22%7D%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fr.zdbb.net%2Fu%2Fbs6x%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Chromecast%20Ultra%22%2C%22store%22%3A%22Adorama%22%2C%22additionalInfo%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ourPick%22%3Afalse%7D”] Get it at Adorama – $69 While Stadia can be played on a variety of devices, many people would at least like the option of playing on their TV. The easiest way to do that is with a Chromecast Ultra, Google’s plug-in device that lets you stream 4K video and, of course, connect to Stadia. Stadia-Compatible Controllers Xbox One Controller – $59.99 at Microsoft Store PS4 Controller – $46.96 at Walmart Stadia Controller – $69 at Google You can use an array of input devices to play Stadia games, including the keyboard and mouse attached to your computer. For those who prefer controllers, you have plenty of options as well. Google makes its own controllers, though they’re pricy. Anyone who already have a PS4 or Xbox One controller lying around, can use that. If you need one, you can buy one at the links above. Google Stadia Pro Edition [poilib element=”commerceCta” json=”%7B%22image%22%3A%7B%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fassets1.ignimgs.com%2F2020%2F04%2F08%2Fstadia-pro-edition1586371455200.jpg%22%2C%22styleUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fassets1.ignimgs.com%2F2020%2F04%2F08%2Fstadia-pro-edition1586371455200_%7Bsize%7D.jpg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%225e8e1b84e4b0de70ed6499cf%22%7D%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fr.zdbb.net%2Fu%2Fbeui%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Google%20Stadia%20Pro%20Edition%22%2C%22store%22%3A%22Google%20Store%22%2C%22additionalInfo%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ourPick%22%3Afalse%7D”] Get it at Google To get everything you need to play Stadia on your TV in one fell swoop, you can purchase the Google Stadia Pro Edition. It comes with a Chromecast Ultra, a controller, and three months of Stadia Pro. Free Games with Stadia Pro Stadia Pro subscriptions grant you free access to select games. You’ll find the current lineup below, and more are expected to be added in May. Destiny 2: The Collection GRID Gylt…
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