Only Playing Games With a Controller? You’re Missing Out

The humble game controller is probably the most popular way to play these days, but not every game plays best with a pad and there are so many alternatives that can really make games play better and immersive you more than a controller ever could.

Controllers Are Universal (but Compromised)

Modern controller are incredibly versatile. They’re even used in the military (via Wired) either in custom or standard format. However, this jack-of-all-trades design means that with some specific games, controllers are less than optimal. First-person shooters are the most obvious example, with a mouse offering much faster and precise aiming. Likewise, playing a racing game on a controller with analog triggers is tolerable, but it’s nothing like driving an actual car.

While I love my gamepads, over time I’ve learned to use the right tools for the right job wherever possible.

Flight Sticks Are for More Than Just Flight Sims

I’ve always had some sort of basic joystick around, but when my Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick finally died after a decade of loyal service, I decided to spend a little more and get a proper flight stick setup, though I still need to add some rudder pedals at some point.

You’d think that flight sticks are only really for flight simulation games, but I’ve found that any sort of vehicle-based games that’s not a car can play better with a flight stick than with a gamepad. The most obvious ones are space fighter games like Elite Dangerous, though perhaps people might consider those flight simulators as well. However, since these simulate flight in space, it’s not the same at all. If you’re playing Elite Dangerous in VR, then a flight stick is essential for immersion in my opinion.

My favorite use of a flight stick is actually to play Mechwarrior games, where this is often what the internal mech controls look like anyway. Tanks and boats also work well with the throttle system, and using the rudder control to move a turret independently of the main body of a tank or mech feels very natural.

I went with the old but reliable X52 HOTAS which is an entry-level stick, but more than enough for me.

Arcade Fight Sticks Bring Retro Games and Fighters to Life

I was playing in arcades long before I ever held a gamepad in my hands, thanks to my dad owning a small arcade in my hometown as a child. So it’s no surprise I prefer playing certain games with a fight stick. Sometimes simply known as an arcade stick.

Basically, every gaming platform worth mentioning these days has classic arcade or other retro titles available on them, and new games that benefit from an arcade stick layout are released all the time. Any game that only requires the left stick or D-pad to play is a potential candidate for a stick like this.

Even Console Gamers Should Have a Mouse and Keyboard in Their Kit

PC gamers have embraced gamepads wholeheartedly at this point, and will switch between a keyboard and mouse to gamepad depending on the game and their preferences. However, few console gamers seem to take advantage of the fact that a significant number of console games support mouse and keyboard controls.

For example, I played through the entire Halo Master Chief Collection on my Xbox Series S using a wireless mouse and keyboard. So, check if the games you like to play on console support a mouse and keyboard, and give it a try.

A Good Racing Wheel Is Priceless

I love realistic and semi-realistic racing titles, but a controller just isn’t good enough to give you the mechanics of real driving. An analogue stick doesn’t have the range for precise steering, and using analog triggers for the brake and throttle has a similar problem. Besides, using a real wheel and pedals means mimicking the same control method used in a real racing car, and that’s the point of racing sims, after all.

Prices on wheels and pedals can skyrocket fast when you get into the enthusiast-level stuff, but I’ve been happy with my entry-level Logitech G29 set, especially combined with my PS VR2 and Gran Turismo 7. The fun in these games is learning to be precise with your inputs, and that’s unintuitive with a gamepad. If you enjoy racing sim and simcade games, I highly recommend getting a wheel.

Light Guns Are (Barely) Still a Thing

Light guns used to be all the rage, but modern TVs don’t work with traditional light guns. So, if you want to play classic light gun games such as Time Crisis you’d have to hook up an old CRT. There are alternatives, however. For example, run-and-gun games on Switch can be played using the motion control function of the Joy Cons. You can even buy a gun-shaped attachment and put the Joy Con inside.

However, because this is a gyro-based system, you need to constantly recenter the reticle as it starts to drift off-course. Usually these games have a face button on the controller dedicated to recentering. However, the light gun might be coming back, thanks to companies like Sinden working on an LCD-compatible light gun.

However, you manage to do it, playing games designed for a light gun with a regular controller saps 99% of the fun out of them.

Don’t Forget the Weird Stuff!

These are all relatively mainstream gamepad alternatives, but there are so many weird and wonderful controllers besides these. Some are extremely niche, such as fishing rods for fishing games. Others are familiar to most people, such as the 3D motion controllers used in VR.

Head tracking is also a thing, popular in flight simulators, but also used in some other genres. You can even get gaming laptops with eye-tracking built in. Opentrack is a neat system using a webcam and a special market that you stick to a hat and wear on your head. That’s much more palatable than paying $200 or more for a fancy head tracking setup.

The list goes on, but whatever the game or specific controller type, the bottom line is that trying to apply a gamepad to every type of games out there means you’re not making the most of your gaming experience.