PC Games Best Played with a Joystick
It just so happens that people play on PCs with a keyboard and mouse nine times out of ten. And there are reasons for this. The fact that it is very easy to connect a gamepad from an XBox to a PC, most people do not even think about it. What if I told you that there are games that are more fun to play with a joystick?
Joystick is not always a dead end for consoles. These specialised devices have their advantages. At the very least, they have a convenient location of only the necessary game buttons. You won't press the Win button in the middle of a hot gaming session, or even the power button, which is often located in the row of function buttons on laptops. Joysticks have triggers that don't have two positions - pressed and not, but transmit the force of the press. Finally, joysticks can have a unique shape that imitates a real device, or even implement unique game mechanics.
The selection of games is subjective, it does not include games that are more convenient to play with a mouse, those of Russian origin, or those that the author of this article has simply never encountered.
If you have a stick joystick
Have you ever noticed that some things fit together just perfectly? Well, a joystick in the form of a joystick (a game stick) is just perfect for helicopter simulators. Of course, it's also great for flying planes or spaceships, but it's the helicopter flight mechanics that best match the logic of a stick joystick.
If you are new to flight simulation, I recommend starting with universal games that offer other activities in addition to flying, such as Arma 3. But if you want to immerse yourself in this action 100%, then pay attention to: Lockheed Martin Prepar3D v6, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and IPACS Aerofly FS 4. But keep in mind that simulators are not easy to learn, so you should definitely watch the introductory videos first.
If you are interested in similar joystick models, you can pay attention to these:
For your steering wheel
If we have already started talking about the joystick-helicopter combination, it is logical to continue with the steering wheel-car simulator combination. The favourites of this bundle are Dirt Rally 2 and Forza Motorsport. Although the unique feature of this category of games is that any game where the main plot is tied to car racing is very good on a game steering wheel. It's just that while an arcade game like NFS is easier to master, but there is less difference from playing with a steering wheel, full-fledged simulators are much harder to master, but you will get more pleasure from driving with a steering wheel.
I would advise you not to skimp if you are going to buy a steering wheel. While a gamepad can certainly be bought at the cheapest price and, apart from having worse tactile sensations, will give you the same gaming experience, a steering wheel can completely ruin the whole idea of a separate game controller. The smoothness of the steering wheel movement, effort, and response to the accelerator will be different in expensive and cheap devices, and accordingly, a low-quality manipulator will even worsen the handling, not giving you a feeling of greater control.
If you are interested in similar models of gaming steering wheels, you can pay attention to these:
Games for the gamepad
A gamepad is a universal controller that can be used to control a spaceship and sink to the ocean floor to the wreck of the Titanic. Still, there are games that are really more convenient to play with a gamepad, even on a PC. Due to the fact that the gamepad is the main manipulator for consoles, you will not feel a shortage of games. Therefore, it is difficult for me to identify any individual games, so I will list the best gamepad-friendly genres and a few bright representatives of each. If your favourite game is not on the list, you can write a comment about it below.
Platformers, slashers, retro games. Perhaps the gamepad will not add any greater immersion to the platformer, but it is definitely more convenient to play with it. Some interesting games: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge; Sonic Frontiers; Cuphead; Trials Rising (I know that the developers position it as a race, but it's closer to platforming, it's a kind of modern reincarnation of Gravity Defied, I'm sure it was the game that inspired the developers); A Hat In Time.
The best platformers to play with a gamepad are fighting games. Firstly, it's harder to confuse keyboard shortcuts, and secondly, in the midst of battles, you can press the gamepad to yourself, poke at the opponent, or tilt it down, which will create the feeling of a stronger blow, even if it's not true. Just don't throw the gamepad at the monitor if something goes wrong! Mastodons of the genre: Mortal Kombat XL; Street Fighter 6.
Adventures. Despite the large open world, many adventures are really convenient to play on a gamepad. Moreover, the absence of the need to sit in front of a table with a keyboard and mouse successfully adds a sense of freedom and immersion in the adventure. There are a lot of adventure games, pay attention to Stray; Dragon Age: Inquisition; Dark Souls III.
ActionRPGs. Third-person games with melee combat and complex combinations of attack and defence are still more convenient to play on a gamepad. Perhaps, they get it from fighting games. It is worth checking out Elden Ring, Devil May Cry 5.
Action games, especially multi-platform and games that came from consoles, usually have better gamepad controls. The main thing is not to use small arms, because you will have to choose between inconvenience and cheat autocorrection. Batman, Spider-Man, Suicide Squad, Assassins Creed, etc., etc.
Sports simulators. Despite the pronounced crisis of this genre, sports simulators play well on a gamepad, so loyal fans can improve their gaming experience in this way. Some of them are simply more convenient to play while leaning back on the couch, and billiards or golf simulations are also improved by controlling the force of the stroke. Depending on your favourite sport: EA Sports FC (FIFA), eFootball 2024, PGA Tour 2k23, NBA 2k24, WGT Golf, etc.
FPV (First-Person View) Simulator. Unfortunately, we live in such times, and Russians still exist. Therefore, absolutely no one will be prevented from buying a Radiomaster to practice in Liftoff, VelociDrone or Uncrashed simulators for a start. It is just like in that advert, not only fun but also useful.
Closing the topic of gamepads, I want to remind you that Steam has a special section where you can not only find out whether the game supports controller control, but also filter by the desired model. So, don't limit yourself, play your favourite games even if they are not listed in this article!
By the way, in case someone missed it, Google has recently implemented the ability to play Android games on Windows. To do this, you just need to download a special Play Games app and then install a regular Android game. And many modern mobiles also support gamepad control.
If you are interested in classic models of gamepads, you can pay attention to these:
Strange game controllers
From time to time, I come across extremely interesting game controllers on the web. Unfortunately, most of them are designed exclusively for one specific console model, and mostly outdated. But there are also universal ones for PCs. Here are some examples of what they are.
USB Finger Dance Mat is a kind of dance mat for the lazy. I'm sure that the notch on this will look no less kickass in Dance Dance Revolution than on the mat.
Katana: The Soul. I want you to just imagine how you will play the game with this controller.
Chainsaw Controller - a joystick in the form of a chainsaw stained with blood, I would not forgive myself if I did not mention it in this article. The controller is made for Resident Evil 4, but it has a universal set of buttons, so you can play a car simulator as well. If you don't mind how it looks from the outside.
For obvious reasons, I can't show you the manipulators created by the sex industry here, but just take my word for it, there are devices for "immersion" in intimate gameplay. If you are 18, you can google We-Vibe, for example, out of curiosity.
I wish everyone a new gaming experience!