Why aren't there more controllers with both sticks at the top?

[LeoGrun]

My favorite controller ever is the WiiU Pro Controller with both sticks at the top. I have a third party Switch pro controller with that layout and it's fine, aside from the common issues with kinda-cheap-ish third party controllers (slightly spongy buttons, no weight) I like it better than my HORI. It's just so much more comfortable to have the sticks at the top. With both at the bottom as is very common my hands often cramp really badly. The switch JoyCons are almost unusable handled for me because they are so small and I have to do weird things with my hands. When I use them disconnected I always use the rails to add some much needed size. When possible, I use a pro-controller but not every game supports them, and even then the HORI pro controllers aren't very comfortable but they all seem to have a similar shell. Maybe I'm in the minority here?

I just want to play console games without my hands cramping... why is this so hard TT_TT

Even the stock gamecube controller was a little small for me, and my hands were a little smaller then. The wireless ones are bigger-- I think even the non-wavebird ones you get now are the same shell-- so I didn't have an issue on that with two sticks at different heights. If they supported the gyroscope I would probably just get an adapter and use my old wavebird.

I also like arcade sticks because they are very comfortable to use, but so many games depend on twin-stick controls now I don't think that would be a good solution for most console games.

Anyway, if anyone has an insight into-- or, wishes to blindly speculate about-- why these kinds of controllers aren't popular I'd like to know. I'm not expecting anyone to recommend any controllers because you're not my personal shoppers but if you have something you have personally use and liked, I'd be open to it.

[Shagger]

I've grown used to both the PlayStation and Xbox style of controllers and don't really see one as better than the other. Modern game controllers are so good now, that it's hard to imgine them getting much better. To be honest, I haven't really played with the "WiiU Pro" style of controller you describe at all, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but it dose sound like a really odd way to design a controller. Having to stretch over action buttons to reach the stick sounds really awkward to me. Microsoft and Sony are so concerned with what the other is doing they actually end up making pretty much the same console, so I've always respected Nintendo for daring to be different even if the end product is a bit flawed.

[LeoGrun]

Well, you don't stretch over the action buttons, the controller sits in your hand in a way that you reach down for them. Imagine holding two wii nunchucks.

Maybe some pictures will help? Sorry my desk is a mess, I've been lazy about cleaning it.

[Shagger]

4 minutes ago, LeoGrun said:

Well, you don't stretch over the action buttons, the controller sits in your hand in a way that you reach down for them. Imagine holding two wii nunchucks.

Maybe some pictures will help? Sorry my desk is a mess, I've been lazy about cleaning it.

 

OK, it does look easier to use now that I see it. However, I'm still not sold on it. There's something about having the right stick that close to the trigger/shoulder buttons that just doesn't sit well with me. You obviously know better than me, you've actually used it whereas I haven't, but I'm a little unsure.

[LeoGrun]

Well, I don't think there's a single right controller. I just know this personally is a lot more comfortable for me, and I think other big-handed people as well. I assume other people like the other design, since it's so popular. Although, I've never seen anyone actually say/type that.

[Shortie]

I myself am not a huge fan of the controllers with the thumb sticks at the top. I have used controllers like that in the past and I found it difficult to get on with. 

I can understand why some people would more than likely want a controller like this though, maybe it's because they are used to it, prefer it or because it is better if they have bigger hands. 

It's a shame there are not more controllers with the thumb sticks at the top for those who prefer it. 

 

 

[LeoGrun]

I am a very big-handed person. It just seems odd that there's no other big-handed people who prefer this style-- or not enough that they're easy to get anymore. Where is the Pepsi to the Coke?

[The Blackangel]

I have very large hands (especially for a woman) and have found the PlayStation controllers to fit perfectly in my hands in relation to the thumb sticks.

I'm not trying to be rude or condescending, but have you held a PS5 controller? They are much bigger than the previous controllers, and should fit large hands much better than most would typically think. My only real experience with a thumb stick at the top that I can actually remember is with the Xbox. While that does fall directly where my thumb lands on that particular controller. With the Dualshock 5 however, those thumb sticks are exactly where my thumb falls instinctively as well. I'm sure that someone has made a controller that is physically bigger, which are typically cheap knockoffs that cost just as much, but break within a couple months. So I always tell people to go with a controller from the console maker unless you're ok with spending money replacing the broken controller regularly. As for the Game Cube controller, for me was a nightmare. The buttons were completely jacked up, mostly in relation to where they were located.

TL/DR - See how controllers you're not familiar with feel, and try going from there. Depending on where you live, there's usually some form of a used gaming store within a reasonable distance, and usually they will let you hold a controller for whatever system so you can at the very least see how it feels in your hands.

[LeoGrun]

I haven't tried a PS5 controller. Maybe it's better. My hands cramp up quickly with lower thumb sticks and I don't see that changing. On even larger controllers with sticks at the bottom the sticks fall on the joint of the thumb which is better and less crampy, but very slippery instead.

I game mostly on PC these days, but more and more 'cross-platform' games aren't really optimized for mouse and keyboard, so it's becoming more of an issue.

[Ravenfreak]

I never used a Wii U pro controller but since I'm so used to how the layout is on other controllers, I think it would take me sometime to get used to using one where the thumb sticks were on top. Most likely Nintendo made a patent for the layout of the controller and no other company can use this layout unless it's a third party Wii U controller. They had the patent for the d-pad design on the NES, which is why no other controller had that same layout.

[Bizdustry]

The main reason there aren't many controllers with both sticks at the top is because of how controllers have traditionally been designed. They have evolved to be comfortable and easy to use for different types of players. The standard layout, with one stick on each side of the controller, has been widely accepted and shown to work well.

[Debashis]

The placement of sticks at the top may not be as ergonomic or intuitive for most users, and it could potentially lead to discomfort or decreased precision during gameplay. Additionally, the traditional placement of sticks at the bottom has become a widely accepted standard in the gaming industry.

[Reverie]

For my hands I think it would hurt for long time usage to play like that. It would be cool though to have more options for people who like a different controller experience! We all have different size hands so I think it would important to have a controller that is most comfortable for majority, but then have controllers for people with smaller and for larger hands, or for people with some physical limitation too. I know people rig their controllers depending on their needs, but should be an option to purchase like this.

[Scorpion]

Totally get you! Comfort is key. Stick placement makes a difference, but finding the right fit can be frustrating.