That notched/octagonal socket around the thumbstick gave incredible tactile feedback. You could feel exactly when you hit a perfect cardinal direction or clean diagonal without guessing. It made precision inputs much more satisfying.
This is the NSO GameCube controller. The stick still feels fantastic in 2026 and it’s great for games like Yooka-Laylee, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Super Mario Odyssey.
Only real downside is the missing minus button (Select), which is annoying for some titles.
I wish more controllers were available with this option. Sony and Microsoft have plenty of games that would be perfect to utilize it.
What do you think, should this design make a comeback?