While most of our game collecting centers around physical video games and consoles, there are plenty of controllers that have caught our eye.
Maybe it was just from being a little kid at the height of the transparent tech era, but controllers always seemed like a huge part of personalizing your gaming experience as a kid.
While consoles themselves up to that point had been mostly grey and/or monochrome, the addition of vibrantly colored controllers, and eventually, consoles, gave collectors new items to seek while young kids were given tantalizing options for holiday or birthday gifts.
Though I grew up with a standard black Nintendo 64, the console my parents bought for me did come with a transparent Atomic Purple controller, which quickly became my favorite as it was the only item we had that sported the signature see-through appearance that so many tech items at the time did.
The appearance of that N64 controller led to me seek out a similar looking controller for the PlayStation, which I eventually got with the Clear Green DualShock controller, which came with a matching memory card – both of which I still use to this day.
Typically, we have added controllers to our collection when we’ve stumbled across a good deal either online or in-store, while usually not being specifically on the lookout for them.
Over the years, we’ve been able to add a handful of controllers I didn’t think I’d stumble across, including a glossy pink DualShock 3, a Fable III Xbox 360 controller and a Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker-themed Wii U gamepad.
While there are seemingly countless unique controllers across the numerous consoles we have to be looking out for, I’ve singled out a small handful of controllers that I’ve consistently searched for over the course of the last six years, to no avail so far.
Here’s a look at what are currently the four most coveted controllers missing from our collection:
1. Nintendo 64 Extreme Green
Though not tied to a Funtastic console, this vibrant controller hit the shelves late in the Nintendo 64’s lifespan as the colored consoles gained popularity.
As someone who has always been a fan of bright, vibrant shades of green, this lemon-lime Gatorade-tinted controller has always caught my eye – with its relative rarity and lack of a corresponding console only increasing the intrigue.
Had Nintendo made a Funtastic console using this lime green color seen in the controller above, it easily would have been my favorite, and likely the one I would have sought out to purchase first, as opposed to the Watermelon Red system I went with instead.
Being one of the more rare N64 controllers, its cost on the secondary market is a bit higher than what many would typically spend on an older controller, with an average sale price of around $62 according to PriceCharting.
2. PlayStation Clear DualShock
While I was fascinated with the wide range of transparent colors that were available on the original DualShock as a kid, none intrigue me more as an adult than the clear white variety – taking the see-through tech to the extreme.
Although I don’t view it to be the coolest looking controller on this list or even the coolest original DualShock that we don’t have yet, its appearance is indicative of the era it was released in perhaps more than any other accessory you could find.
The controller takes on somewhat of an Emerald-ish tint thanks to the green board of the item being visible through the somewhat cloudy-but-clear shell. And hell, from a mechanical standpoint, you’ll know when something went wrong!
Unlike the Extreme Green N64 controller, the clear DualShock is both not in quite as high of demand while being a bit easier to find thanks to the PlayStation’s significantly higher sales figures. According to PriceCharting, a clear DualShock controller can be found online for around $30 apiece, a price that feels like a bargain when considering the cost of modern video game controllers.
3. Spice Orange GameCube
While North American GameCube enthusiasts were treated to Indigo, Black and Platinum variations of the console, Japanese players were also given the option of Spice Orange, a solid-shaded rendition of the translucent Fire Orange seen on the Nintendo 64.
A matching Spice Orange controller was made available alongside the corresponding console, with a bright, eye-catching appearance that its monochrome and cool-colored North American counterparts didn’t quite have.
Beyond me loving how this controller looks, I also just love GameCube controllers in general, which have long stood out as my favorite controllers for any video game console, only adding to my desire to have as many colors and/or customizations as possible. As a regular Super Smash Bros. Melee player as well, one can never have enough GameCube controllers when playing a game that is known to beat the shit out of them.
While the orange console is quite difficult to find stateside, the controller is still fairly affordable and easy to find, with online sales of the item typically going for around $35, still well below the price of a new, modern controller.
4. Green Original Xbox
Released alongside a corresponding Halo-themed green console, this controller looks as badass as the system itself did, featuring a slightly transparent army green shell on the much more reasonably sized S controller model.
While there wasn’t much differentiation when it comes to controllers for the original Xbox, it’s hard to not view this as the best controller to use for the system. Having abandoned the monstrous size of the Duke controller popular early in the console’s lifespan, this controller combines the best of both comfort and appearance as one of the strongest options for any console in the sixth generation.
Despite a semi-transparent orange Xbox console also being released, the only other alternate controller widely offered was a dark blue S controller that did not correspond with any console release with a color that feels like it would have matched more alongside DualShock controllers.
Although I haven’t been lucky enough to find one in a store yet, these controllers are fairly cheap and easy to find online, with average sale prices of under $25 according to PriceCharting.
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