NES - Easily the most well-known game controller, as well as one of the recognizable pieces of electronics hardware of all time, the original NES controller is a pop-culture icon. It put compact, handheld controllers on the map, and though it wasn't exactly the first controller to implement a d-pad, it was the first to make it a staple for console systems. And, unlike the ugly Famicom controllers, the NES controller was much easier on the eyes, with its distinctive design eventually inspiring t-shirts, cheap rip-offs, and even cell phone modifications.