Ever wondered to yourself what are the best-looking controllers out there? Well, wonder no more as I’ve been working hard to find some of the best and the worst controller mods out there. Going into an effort to explain my opinion on the works of art you are about to see! Come with me as we check out some of the lamest controller mods, some that are almost dope; but also some of the dopest controller mods ever made!
Art is a highly opinionated and observatory form of media. The beauty is in the high of the beholder. Rest assured, I will be doing my best to back up my opinions and observations, but yours might be different. That my friends, that is the truest beauty of any piece of art. To be fair now, in modern times, video games are a part of our everyday lives, they are considered art forms themselves, it’s only right that some of that creative goodness spills into the hardware scene.
The modding community is very large and features hundreds of the best designers, engineers, and hobbyists. Controller and console mods should be thought of as completely different from the type of art video games offers us. They shine in their own light and attract collectors from all corners of the world. What good is that Crash Bandicoot collection without a decent controller? These pads are rated on their comfort and controllability going up against their design and build. Come on then, let’s play!
29 Dope: Dragon Ball Z!
These dope Dragon Ball controllers are just s Shenron away from granting our wish. I like the Xbox 360 version because of its color scheme, very Goku! The PlayStation 4 controller wins my vote with its buttons. Although these designs are pretty charming in their own right, I would like to fuse the two together. See that navy blue on the 360 pad? put it on the PS4 pad in place of the black. put Goku’s brand on the left side, maybe throw Shenron on there? - but to clarify, they both look amazing in their own right!
28 Lame: Philosopher’s Paperweight
Nevermind the Deathly Hallows! This entry comes from the times of the first Harry Potter movie and the Gamecube in its humble beginnings (2001). Now combine the two together and you get this controller. Not only do its images stick out like a sore thumb, but I’d also get this uncomfortable feeling if a young Daniel Radcliffe watched me sleep. According to reviews, this third party mod was clunky and quite heavy. Personally, I find the pad ugly and feel it could have been done a lot better.
27 Dope: Sonic Flare
This controller brings back memories of a time when Sonic was still failing but hadn’t necessarily failed. A time of Sonic Heroes and Sonic Adventures 2 - the GameCube was a place Sonic was welcomed to call home - despite once calling its owner rival. The slick white strips with the basic buttons and Sonic blue background works really nice. What tops it all off is the Sonic Team logo in gold as the center-piece for this simplistic controller.
26 Lame: Freaks Ninja Nightmare
This particular PlayStation 2 controller mod is called the Freaks Ninja and there’s a lot of negatives to go at with for this controller. Overall, this controller looks painfully awkward to handle, and all that flash is going to cost you weight. Though the art style is nice at first, it can become creepy looking. The analogs look clunky and uncomfortable - like they would hold you back. The Freakz Ninja makes a better top shelf ornament than anything else.
25 Dope: Super Mario Paintjob
This PlayStation 4 controller mod definitely gets a 1-up from me. Staring Super Mario and some of the stars from his world. Staying true to its original art style, this pad looks like it has been pulled fresh from the 80s. The sparkle of the paint works well alongside the images on the controller - I can forgive the fact Mario’s dungarees blend with the rest of the controller. Having the buttons resembled by mushrooms and the red analogs is a real seller for me. It’s well-done and not too in-your-face, making a perfect balance.
24 Lame: It’s Alive!
Please, can we have a minutes silence for this poor Xbox 360 controller? The poor thing looks like it has been pulled from the story of Frankenstein’s Monster! Although the Xbox 360 pad was very well rounded and designed - for some games it wasn’t, such as Virtual On. One fan of the game decided to make their controller more fitting. Giving his controller a massive joystick overhaul with buttons wired up to the joysticks. I feel sorrier for this controller than its owner — money has it the controller no longer works. This eye-sore is something I hate seeing.
23 Dope: Starking Back
This heroic Iron Man/Avengers controller makes its way into our dope section for its metallic red paint job and glowing analogs - if Iron Man was a PlayStation 4 controller, this would be him. It perfectly captures the character’s armor. It’s so cool that even non-Marvel fans would definitely get a kick out of this totally awesome controller mod. It hits all the bases you would want a custom controller to.
22 Lame: Hexaganol Horror
This controller mod shows of the hexagonal shape in a rather ugly fashion. With all the potential choice for Controller mods in the modern day, it seems a rather boring choice to have a hexagonal pattern - unless that’s your thing? Not that it’s the worst thing in the world to look at, it just looks a bit out of place and shoddily done. The color schemes seem to be inverted of one another almost. Perhaps an orange would work in place of the grey on the blue controller, the one at the back works as far as colors go - the paint job, however, is too messy for me.
21 Dope: Conker’s Dope Fur Day
Back in the heyday of Rare, one unsung star was Conker the Squirrel. Most notably from his 3D Platformer: Conker’s Bad Fur Day. The orange smooth body is complemented by the gentle tail markings on the central grip. The logo in the top center is greatly placed and sized. Keeping imagery to a minimal, this pad shines for its authenticity and heartfelt design. I’ve always had a serious soft spot for Conker, and this controller hits the sweet spot.
20 Lame: Lazy Batman
Frankly, this controller looks like a toy — and not in a fun retro-themed way. It looks like an overpriced rubbery thing you might buy at an unlicensed arcade. The analogs look mushy, the LED looks dim, and the whole thing doesn’t even begin to capture Batman’s slick aesthic. We have no doubt it would have been fun to put together and take apart, but this paddle is far from something we would wan in our living rooms.
19 Dope: Kirby’s Xbox Dream Land
This Kirby Mod on an Xbox One controller makes the perfect present for any Nintendo fan with an Xbox One. In this case, the simplistic design works great. Keeping the images to the grips of the controller was a good move. It would be hard to stay mad during the next game-related rage incident. Having Kirby staring at you like that would melt any angry gamer’s heart. The buttons could have been touched up a bit more and maybe some of Kirby’s transformations could have been put on the mod - otherwise, it’s an obvious winner as far as Kirby controllers go!
18 Lame: Monster’s In Your Closet
I don’t know what this controller is trying to look like, but it resembles The Flood from Halo. Everything about the mod screams uncomfortable to me. I think it’s one of those you have to admire from a distance. Probably cool to show off at a Halloween party, not really fit for gameplay. The poor analog sticks seem constricted and the d-pad and buttons look uncomfortable, to say the least. It’s definitely more of a decoration than a useable controller.
17 Dope: Twin-N64 Mod
This controller mod comes from the self-proclaimed fan of the 1999 game: Star Wars Episode 1: Racer. The creator goes by “Clarky”. It’s basically two controllers moded together. The button layout and control reach made it perfect for the Star Wars racer. The controller was made specifically for the game, but it does work on other racers, not so good for the rest of your N64 library. If you want to have a go at making this controller for yourself, “Clarky” even made an online tutorial for it! A very professional finish!
16 Lame: Pokémon Stop!
It’s always seemed like a weird missed opportunity that Sony and Microsoft never tried to make their own Pokémon-style franchise.
This controller mod isn’t necessarily ugly, but —for starters— it’s missing Charmander, and Pikachu’s face is all buttoned up. All it needs is some images re-adjusting. It’s a good effort, but sloppy positioning and sizing have let the design down.
15 Dope: Dragonfire
This interesting controller was designed for the Xbox 360. Clearly, this controller wasn’t designed with ergonomics in mind, but it its distinctive design makes this product shine, literally. The fire in this controller’s mouth glows and it has a tail that is removable. The pad looks like it better designed for the original Xbox (with black and white buttons present). Although some reviewers slate this controller on its uncomfortable design, it has been reported this controller is actually “ok” to use for actual gaming.
14 Lame: Underwatch
Going up against some of the better Overwatch controllers, this seems the worst of a bad bunch. The color scheme is pretty dull, although it’s supposed to represent the energetic Tracer. It’s rather drab. Some of the imagery is placed awkwardly, for example, the Overwatch icon could be centered and sized into the touchpad. Given Tracer’s flash and speed, putting a little more “zip” in the design would have gone a long way.
13 Dope: Samurai Mod, Activate!
This Samurai themed PlayStation 3 controller is too unique to pass up. Obviously, the first thing most people will notice are the samurai’s glowing eyes. That being said, the controller’s shoulder pads and handles are some of the most detailed and striking gripes out there — it’s a novelty controller, but it sings. The only spot we’re skeptical of are the analog sticks that look to detail for anyone to even humor using.
12 Lame: Twelve-Gauge Terror
Next up, we have this bulky bad boy and it’s is just too much for me. This controller mod screams wanna-be-gangster. I think we can all agree that the analogs look heavy and unreliable and the 9mm buttons would take some regular maintenance. The dollar bill backgrounds look a bit much. This mod is definitely one of the lamest entries on this list. It’s hard to find anything to compliment about this overcompensating controller.
11 Dope: Hey, Listen!
Jumping back to the days of the N64 and when The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was shining in its prime, this controller is everything a 90s kid would have wanted. This subtly beautiful Zelda pad has a lovely oil dipped body, the pearlescent colors compliment one another very well. The buttons and sticks across the mods face are made to compliment the body, and they do a fine job of it. This mod looks done to a professional standard and all of its features offset each other nicely.
10 Lame: Default Designer Disaster!
This run-off the mill default themed mod for the PlayStation 4 shows that memorable theme from the console we know and love. Although it does what it advertises, the problem is that the standard PlayStation theme isn’t all that pretty. Also, there are inconsistencies in the design near the USB ports on the console. Moreover, the black of the controllers seems to constrain the overall feel of the art — it’s just not a cohesive look.
