Game console controls have evolved from a single button and joystick combination to a superior and creative blend of multiple buttons and built in sensory controls. With over 28 years of gaming evolution, hand controls still lead the direction of game creation. (Family Tree)

As seen with most controllers there are particular advancements that serve as the back bone for future controls to emerge. One of these advancements was Nintendo’s cross shaped button that allowed for the similar movement of a joystick without the joystick. This enabled Nintendo’s 1982 DonkeyKong Game and Watch to be compact and foldable, without a protruding joystick. As other technologies in society advance, the game console creators use such technology to create the console controller and to come after the games. Nintendo benefited greatly from this innovation and continued the use of its CrossShaped button on future controllers to come. This is a perfect example of a gaming revolution. No longer did gamers have to manipulate a joy stick from side to side – with a flat multidirectional button a gamer could concentrate on the game with a slide of finger instead of a need for more physical control interaction by moving the joystick with the hand. (Family Tree)

Another advancement in the actual design of controls can be attributed to Nintendo’s innovations in the 1980s. Soon after their Game and Watch the NintendoEntertainmentSystem (NES) featured a rectangular controller with the CrossShaped arrow button. Also introduced on this controller were specialized menu buttons, one select button and one start button. Until now previous controllers just had “buttons” with no actual defined use. In Atari’s battle with controller evolution, users of this system experience much trouble in adapting to game play with newer Atari controls for their older Atari games. A lot of complaints came from the over complication of buttons, and the presence of buttons that had no use during game play. Gamers of the late 70s and 80s dealt with a lot of control evolution. In a matter of 10 years they went from no control to ultimate control with specialized buttons and easy-to-use directional buttons. (Family Tree)

More advancement which can still be seen today occurred with the makers of Nintendo and the Sony PlayStation/PS2. Nintendo and Sony converted their controllers to be able to handle 3D play, which resulted in Analog controls and VibrationDevices (first prevalent with N64). Gamers were now thrown with new technologies in game play, which resulted in the need for more advanced controls. It was at this time in gaming history that people who played games were different from people who were gamers. There were now more buttons to know, hidden from the initial site (like the z button on the N64 controllers or the R1 R2 buttons on the PS and PS2 controllers) that allowed for expanded use in a 3D environment. Many people could no longer just jump into a game, but rather must learn controls. Keep in mind, this also lead to the advancement in game design which called for elaborate control tutorials which is still seen today.

(Family Tree)