Editing Game controller (section)

{{short description|Device used with games or entertainment systems}}
[[File:SNES-Controller-in-Hand.jpg|thumb|A player holding a North American [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] controller]]

A '''game controller''', '''gaming controller''', or simply '''controller''', is an [[input device]] or [[Input/Output Device|input/output device]] used with [[video game]]s or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game. [[Input device]]s that have been classified as game controllers include [[Computer keyboard|keyboards]], [[Computer mouse|mice]], [[gamepad]]s, and [[joystick]]s, as well as special purpose devices, such as [[steering wheel]]s for [[Racing video game|driving games]] and [[light gun]]s for [[Shooter game|shooting games]]. Controllers designs have evolved to include [[D-pad|directional pads]], multiple buttons, [[analog stick]]s, [[joystick]]s, [[motion detection]], [[touch screen]]s and a plethora of other features.

Game controllers may be [[input device]]s that only provide input to the system, or [[Input/Output Device|input/output devices]] that receive data from the system and produce a response (e.g. [[Haptic technology|"rumble"]] vibration feedback, or sound).

Controllers which are included with the purchase of a home console are referred to as standard controllers, while those that are available to purchase from the console manufacturer or third-party offerings are considered peripheral controllers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=David |url=http://www.gamestyleguide.com/VideoGameStyleGuideeBook.pdf |title=The Videogame Style Guide and Reference Manual |last2=Orland |first2=Kyle |last3=Steinberg |first3=Scott |date=2007 |publisher=[[Power Play Publishing]] |isbn=9781430313052 |page=21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928083706/http://www.gamestyleguide.com/VideoGameStyleGuideeBook.pdf |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |accessdate=September 13, 2021}}</ref>