PlayStation 2
Nintendo may have started the analogue-stick-on-a-pad idea but Sony really took it to the bank. For many gamers, the DualShock gamepad is the best gamepad ever made. Originally released for PlayStation but standard with the PlayStation 2, this was a light, comfortable to hold, well-designed pad with all the trimmings.
Having two analogue sticks meant you could play games in a completely different way to anything available before. Move with one joystick and aim your gun with the other; steer with the left, feather the throttle with the right -- this was real control, and incredibly versatile.
DualShock's excellent integrated vibrating rumble feature -- pioneered in the N64's heavy add-on pack -- created a fuller experience that added a level of tactile feedback. Crashing a car or shooting a machine gun felt even more realistic and meant that you felt when things were heating up.
Some will say that the PlayStation 3 controller deserves to be here, for its wireless and tilt functionality, but many gamers are upset about the lack of rumble. Was it a massive mistake for Sony to lose the vibes? We think it was.