Team Talk: What is the best ever console gaming peripheral?

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New Pokémon Snap is coming our way faster than Deoxys in its Speed form, so it won’t be long until players can once again take pictures of their favourite pocket monsters. Thanks to a tie-in printer peripheral from Fujifilm, people can even print them out!

We’ve all shelled out on a variety of add-ons over the years, but is there one which really stands the test of time? We have our picks, so let us know yours in the comments.

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by James Michael Parry

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@James_Parry

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by Team PTC

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@pass_controller

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James | Wii Zapper

When it comes to turning the humble Wiimote into a lightgun, there’s no more Nintendo-like name than the Wii Zapper (in fact a reference to the original Zapper for the NES). While it was tempting to pick one of the many variations of plastic guitar I picked up in the early 2000s, in the end Nintendo’s effort was just a better-made piece of kit.

Deliberately non-threatening, the Zapper came bundled with the solid, though forgettable, Link’s Crossbow Training, but really came into its own for the Wii port of Resident Evil 4. Wielding the Zapper was the best way to really give those not-zombies-but-basically-zombies what for.

The immersion factor was a step up from arcade light gun experiences like Time Crisis 2. Same could even be said for cabinet experiences that were ported over, like House of the Dead 2 & 3 and the underrated Ghost Squad, all of which got a boost from the comfort of the sofa.

Other also-rans include the PlayStation EyeToy, which debuted with EyeToy: Play, a collection of 12 mini games. The likes of “Plate Spinner” and “Slap Stream” were hardly genre-defining, but they did pave the way for more interactive experiences, and when it comes to peripherals, isn’t that what the fun is all about?

A pair of Zappers and a copy of Ghost Squad made for a decent night in.

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Sam | PlayStation VR

I’m a bit of a sucker for faddy peripherals. I loved Guitar Hero and Rock Band before their inevitable demise. I’ve played more than my fair share of Kinect games. But when it comes to an add-on that best stands the test of time, PlayStation VR is the one.

PS VR opens the door to a whole new library of games. Some are better than others, naturally, but there are more quality experiences attached to the headset than any other peripheral.

PC virtual reality headsets might offer higher end experiences (for an added premium), but the hardware regularly refreshes and games don’t always support all headset brands. It can be far more expensive and inconvenient, as compared to PS VR and its continued universal support across all recent PlayStation consoles.

While Oculus Quest cuts the wires (and I love it for that), it’s a platform all its own in place of an add-on. It also doesn’t offer greats like Skyrim VR, Resident Evil 7 and Until Dawn: Rush of Blood. All that said, Sony’s headset is probably the greatest gaming peripheral yet.

Sony's next-gen PS VR and its fancy controllers will surely supplant its predecessor as the greatest gaming peripheral.

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Liam | N64 Rumble Pak
 
With rumble being a standard feature on most controllers these days, it’s weird to look back and think of the N64’s Rumble Pak as a big deal, but it kind of was, at least at the time.
 
I remember getting this thing bundled together with an oversized copy of Lylat Wars (known as Star Fox 64 everywhere else) and marvelling at how every impact and charge shot in-game was suddenly brought to life through the N64’s unsightly gamepad.
 
Not only did it add an extra layer of depth to Lylat Wars’ already stellar gameplay (and other games as well, for that matter) but the Rumble Pak also gave the ‘pad a nice weighty heft thanks to its size and bulk. Slapping this thing into the attachment slot at the back of the controller really felt like you were gearing up for a futuristic adventure.
 
Although gamepad designs have significantly evolved over the years to more subtly incorporate rumble features, I do strangely miss the status symbol of the Rumble Pak, especially when you had to constantly battle two other siblings for possession of it.

Bulky, but a great bit of tech.

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What's your favourite gaming peripheral? Let us know below.