I saw Mable & The Wood for sale, and realized that I had it on itch.io. I had long wanted to try it so I gave it a go. First thing that met my eye were a text saying "controller recommended". Oky-dokey, I thought, if that the way the developers intended it to be play, the by God that's how I'm going to play it. Nobody is gonna claim that I am playing games wrong.

So I connected the Xbox controller, and remembered why I hate it so very much. That thumb-controlled joystick just feels so wobbly and loose. Never had this problem with real joysticks back in the bronze age. Of course, back then, the joysticks didn't have to function as a mouse-substitute in first-person shooters.

The game seems really cozy and fun, though. But the keyboard/mouse keys can't be configured, and the defaults doesn't seem like the best choice.

What are your guys take on Xbox controllers?

Honestly I prefer the X-box controller over other controllers one can pick from I think its the form and placement factor of it ..though I have the logitech F something wired pc controller for games that don't like the X-box controller input method and if I feel lazy switch it to the input more modern games has to not switch controllers ..

Which xbox controller specifically are you talking about?

I am not a fan of Xbox controllers at all. I've generally hated every generation of Xbox controller, much preferring Nintendo controllers.

8bitdo make some good PC compatible controllers, it might be worth checking one of those out.

I like mine and use it regularly. Xbox1 controllers are a bit better than the previous XBox 360 controllers [though they themselves were good]. Despite being pretty much the same, they improved some aspects, especially the durability and feel of the sticks. I find them more comfortable to use over time than Playstation controllers with the dual sticks. Do you have a 1st party XB controller from Microsoft, or a knock-off, like an AmazonBasics one? There's a BIG difference between them.

Of course, for many-to-most games, I still prefer keyboard/mouse, but, for some, controller is better, and XB controllers are the Cadillac of controllers I've tried.

I've used two Xbox controllers and they never had "wobbly" or "loose" thumbsticks. I think your particular controller might be defective. They a bit too large (even the latest version) and jut out too much at the sides, which causes my hands discomfort after I hold them for too long.

They are also made out of parts that are cheap junk, which causes them to develop stick drift over time, which is terrible (and just replacing the thumbsticks alone doesn't solve that problem either...you need also to replace the parts under them too, and you have to know how to solder and stuff like that).

I also had the plastic at the top of my left thumbstick corrode after it got old.

They are way overpriced for what they are.

But overall, they are kind of okay-ish.

They are not as good or as comfortable as the Super Nintendo controller or the Nintendo 64 controller.

But Xbox controller is still the best choice for playing modern PC games with a controller, so I use it because there is no better option.

The 8BitDo controllers are objectively better for PC games, since they have multiple input options including both dinput and xinput. Most games work with both, but I still occasionally run across one that does only one or the other. You can sometimes fix that with gamepad remapping software, but that's a pain and why bother when you can fix it on a hardware level. More subjectively, the stick/dpad layout is PS style rather than Xbox style so that also makes them better.

Only Dualshock, I don't like XBOX controllers at all. I know that many people love them and think that their design is good but not me, they are maybe ok in some TPS games but never in fighting games and I rarely use gamepads anyway. Keyboard and mouse is the best controller combo since 1995.

xbox controller is better for a more vary of games, also you get proper button inputs on the ui screen.

Yeah, I never bothered to even try the Xbox layout seriously. My thumbs aren't alien lobster shaped. I also suggest the 8bitdo controller since you can switch modes on the fly.

I understand that some of you may have a different approach or likes, it's OK.

I started from NES, then was on Sega Genesis and others, even Dreamcast from the time when Sega did make consoles. I do have PlayStation consoles, even a PSP, Sony's joysticks are okay as well. Comparing to Dreamcast's, a wireless Xbox 360 controller is pretty good.

The only two genres where I use the controller are Racing or Platformer: It's complicated to run "RedOut" without a joystick in a high racing Class, the keyboard is too rough for driving; In a 3D Platformer especially, it gets too easy to fall by any imprecise movement. Everything else to me is better to be played with a good mouse and mechanical keyboard (linear), and I never play Strategy or Shooter with a controller, not my style.

No you are wrong, what I mean is the buttons when you are playing the game shows up proper and this is due to xbox being the official controller gamepad for PC.

*For Windows.

To put it though less strange phrasing, Xinput is the Defacto due to the popularity of Windows.

No you are wrong, and I haven't had any issues with any buttons on any controller not "showing up proper". I have an old Logitech pad where the buttons show up as "1/2/3/4 etc." instead of "A/B/L1/L2 etc." because that's how the buttons are actually labeled. You can even use a Playstation controller, which I don't think is too common on PCs, and the buttons will still "show up proper", though not necessarily in every game.