Have you played around with EmulationStation/RetroPie? They seem to make peripheral swapping as painless as possible. You could literally have usb NES controllers, SNES controllers, etc, all depending on the platform you're emulating.
I really like the XBox Elite controller. It's premium parts and works perfectly on every device I've ever paired it with.
and I'm not being partial because I helped develop it, I bought 2 on my own
Also the Retrobit PC Saturn controllers are fantastic, the Saturn controller was already great and now you can use it on anything. The Switch Pro controller is really nice feeling, but it has issues playing well w/ non Nintendo devices and requires some tweaking on the user end.
You helped develop that cash grab? They're nice controllers regardless. Personally, I don't see where the money goes though. Regular XB1 controllers are good enough, certainly a nice leap past even the launch 360 controllers with those buttery smooth triggers and further refined ergonomics.
I really like the XBox Elite controller. It's premium parts and works perfectly on every device I've ever paired it with.
4x xbelite controllers.. $$$$$$
IMHO, the logitech F710 or F310 are the best supported pc controllers on the market.
And it's logitech, so you know their software works, and their output is compatible with standard Xinput, and all games using the Xbox control interface.
Most importantly, the Logitech D-Pad is really good, better than the regular xbox controller by miles.
Even the xbox elite d pad is just meh..
F310 have gone as low as $10 a piece during holiday
F710 as low as $25 a piece
Rightnow, it's $17 for the F310, $39 for F710
4x 17 = $ 68
4x 39 = $ 156
4x xbox elite 173 = $ 692
Those old relics? They still sell them new? I see them in piles at Goodwills for $2-3 all of the time. I think I picked one up once. They work natively with games that support the 360/XB1 controllers? That ancient Playstation stick layout isn't ideal for anything that's not heavy on the D-pad though. It always seemed to me that the DualShock controller was a deliberate design compromise that gave an edge to traditional JRPGs over modern 3d platformers, shooters, etc. I would have to dig the one I did get out to see if the triggers/bumpers suck as badly as on the old DualShocks.
I say all of this having gone from the N64 controller directly to the DualShock with the PS2 and thinking it was the second coming of Christ at the time, subsequently regressing to the disaster that was the GC controller, and eventually following the Xbox controller line from OG to present. I respect the old PS controllers (not the PS4 controller, that thing sucks hard), but I can't see myself going back to use one more than every once in a while.
