Chapter 21. Game Controllers

A game controller is a specialized input device optimized for use with games. Unlike mice and trackballs, which are relatively standardized in form and function, game controllers run the gamut in shape, size, features, and purpose. Some game controllers sit on the desktop. Others clamp to the desk, and still others are held in both hands and manipulated directly. Game controllers may have a joystick, a steering wheel, a flight yoke, foot pedals, or may be what we call "grab, twist, and squeeze" controllers.

A particular game controller may be well suited for one game and entirely inappropriate for another. For example, a game controller with a steering wheel may be perfect for playing NASCAR Winston Cup Racing, but unusable for a first-person shooter (FPS) game like Quake. Serious gamers who play diverse games often own several game controllers and use the one most appropriate for the game they are playing at the moment.