Matt Vs. The Nintendo 64 Controller

The Nintendo 64 was a revolutionary console that not only brought the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario franchises into the 3rd  dimension and had titles along with Sony's Playstation that helped lay the groundwork for modern console gaming. Two of the innovations were the N64 controller's analog stick and its Z trigger that was located on the back of the controller. These changes allowed a greater degree control in 3-D games  than a simple directional pad could provide and remained an mainstay in game controllers ever since. Additionally, the C-buttons allowed for control of the game's camera which is key when playing through the levels of Banjo-Kazooie or Majora's Mask. I got a Nintendo 64 in the late 1990s and it served as my go- to system for several years until I traded it in to purchase a Nintendo GameCube. Between Nintendo's own titles and a few great licensed games there was a great variety of classic games that provided hours of entertainment.

When I played a Nintendo 64 recently, I feared that the graphics would look rudimentary and the gameplay would feel primitive. While some games showed clear signs of their age, it wasn't the games themselves that  were the problem. I could not handle the N64's controller. Looking at it now, the controller is a behemoth especially with a rumble pack attached. I was unsure at whether to hold it like a Super Nintendo controller or an Xbox controller. I found the D-pad totally useless and the shoulder buttons noticeably less conformable than I expected. The once touted control stick dug into my palm as I tried to use it and was clearly less sturdy than its modern counterparts. Mario Kart and Mario Party on their original console would prove to be all but impossible. It was that point that my nostalgia goggles were forever cracked. 

I could never again play some of my favorite games such as Star Fox 64 or GoldenEye with the same ease as in my youth. I was too cautious too play Star Fox as well as I wanted and James Bond controlled like a landslide in his famed title. I have been spoiled by the GameCubes and the Xboxes that have come in the years since. Technology improves with time and while the games themselves can live on forever, the Nintendo 64 controller is best left in the past.