The Offender: Atari The Console: Atari 5200 Worst Component: The joystick near the top of the controller wouldn't centre itself properly, making it fiddly and highly frustrating to use. Redeeming Feature: It was the first controller to have a single-purpose pause button. The Atari 5200 wasn't a bad console, featuring a bunch of premium features for the time, such as an automatic TV switchbox and four controller ports. Unfortunately, it's also one of the only consoles that can attribute its commercial failure directly to the awful controller. The 5200 controller was originally one of the console's major selling points, touting a level of control that far outclassed that of the Atari 2600. For some unknown reason though, Atari decided to make use of a flimsy rubber boot to centre the joystick, instead of the usual springs. The rest of the controller wasn't much better either, with an outdated keypad and a cheap outer case. The unalligning joystick and tiny buttons resulted in a controller that made game control more difficult and fiddly than ever.
