The controller for Xbox units should be an extension of the gamer's hand. It should be as much a part of him or her as fingers are to the hand. So when gamer's complain about the size or feel of a controller, it's up to the console maker to react to this criticism and remedy the problem. That's just what happened with the Xbox.

The original controller for Xbox was deemed unwieldy by many users more accustomed to the smaller, more manageable controllers for Sony's PlayStation. This complaint was especially heard in Japan, where compactness of design is a much larger issue than in the United States (see Nintendo's GameCube, for instance). But Microsoft, quickly responding to criticism, redesigned the original 'Duke' controller (as it was called). Microsoft released the 'Controller S,' which has supplanted the Duke as sold with the console.

The controller for Xbox comes with two analog thumb sticks, a directional pad, two triggers, start and reset buttons, and other gameplay buttons. Some gamers still complain about the placement of some of the buttons (as well as the presence of only two triggers, as opposed to four on the PS2 controller), but these complaints are relatively minor, since the Xbox game controllers work well and with sensitivity to the gamer's commands.

There are other specialized controllers available as well. There is the standard driving controller, as well as the dance pad for Dance Dance Revolution. Although the Xbox comes capable of playing DVD movies, it requires a special remote control to do so.