top 10 controller innovations: IGN

[Bube]

The analog controllers for the Atari weren't analog sticks. I'm sure the games didn't have analog control back then. I remember reading that somewhere.

Gekko's right, and Nintendo were the first to get an analog stick on a controller.

And about the Wavebird, the older wireless controllers all had infrared recievers. I think the Wavebird was the first on a console to use RF. That's probably the innovation.

[DimHalo]

i knowpeople have addressed the wireless controller issue but I wanted to throw in my two cents.

I had the wireless controller for the sega and for the super nintendo (actually I should say HAVE). They both have great battery life and although the range from side to side sucks, I like them well enough. So I would have to say that the companies that made them should be attributed for the wireless controller.

[DarrenMcLeod]

NES had somewhat wireless control, with the NES Satellite, which acted as a four-player adapter. But I suppose that wasn't the controller itself, so it doesn't count.

[DeathsHand]

Originally Posted by Bube

The analog controllers for the Atari weren't analog sticks. I'm sure the games didn't have analog control back then. I remember reading that somewhere.

From the Atari 5200 console description at allgame.com:

"The Intellivision system had raised the stakes in the gaming industry with its 16-position controller. Atari's own 2600 offered only 8 positions. In hopes of obliterating the competition, Atari designer, Craig Asher helped engineer the "analog" controller. It gives players full, 360 control of the action on-screen.

The 5200 controller contains two other features which made Atari's unique to any other system built by 1982: First, It offers speed variability. When a joystick is held in a single direction long enough, a player can increase his or her rate of on-screen movement."

From the Vectrex console description at allgame.com:

"The Vector joysticks are analog and allow players full control over direction and speed of motion. Rival companies, Intellivision and Atari (with their 2600) only offered digital controllers with their systems. These had a limited number of directions and a fixed on-screen speed."

Here's something I did find out from this site...

"Most Vectrex games do not take advantage of the analog capability of the Vectrex Controller.

Most Vectrex games are programmed to give an all-or-nothing joystick response during gameplay...This means that you have to push the analog joystick knob so far to get a response...a digital response to your action..."

[Bube]

The Atari one does not have what I was talking about. The Vectrex does though.

Your speed varies depending on the angle the stick is tilted in SM64. That's not what the Atari has, you posted it yourself. The Vectrex seems to have that, but I've never heard of the Vectrex .