Pick up any modern video game and you’ll probably have some idea of how to control what you see on the screen, whether that’s your fingers resting naturally into the WSAD position on a keyboard or the instinctive urge to use the right analog stick to look around.
But things haven’t always been this normal. Many games, new and old, have unconventional control methods that can be more memorable than the games themselves. Here are some of the weirdest.
SEGA’sThe House of the Deadseries is best known for its presence in arcades as a light gun game, but shooting zombies by pointing a plastic gun at the screen is just so predictable. That’s where Dreamcast (and later Windows) portThe Typing of the Deadcomes in.
This home version trades shooting for typing, tasking you with typing increasingly complex words as they appear on screen to dispatch zombies. Right now the only version of the game that’s still available for purchase on PC isThe Typing of the Dead: Overkill, a game that’s still every bit as fun as it was back in the day.
This is just one of many suchtyping games that you can use to increase your words-per-minute score.
9Berserk or DieKeyboard Mashing
In a similar vein toThe Typing of the Deadbut way more primal,Berserk or Dieis a 2025 video game from Poncle (the solo-dev-turned 25-strong team behind smash hitVampire Survivors). The game is simple to play, with the only controls being mashing the left or right side of your keyboard.
The more you mash, the more enemies you’ll hit, and the more damage you’ll do. The key is to survive until nightfall, then level up, and do it all over again. The game costs $4, which at least means you’ll have plenty left over to replace your keyboard (no, but seriously, you don’thaveto mash the keys here, it even works on the Steam Deck if you want).
8Tom Clancy’s EndWarVoice Controls
While voice controls have been around in video games since the days of the Famicom, Nintendo 64, and Nintendo DS; few were as adventurous as Ubisoft’sTom Clancy’s EndWar. This Xbox 360-era real-time strategy game takes place during a global energy crisis brought on by a nuclear terrorist attack which sounds pretty standardTom Clancystuff.
What’s not standard is the voice-enabled control scheme, with Ubisoft claiming that the game was “completely controllable through voice commands.” I distinctly remember playing the demo for this one, barking commands into the Xbox 360’s rather uncomfortable headset. This took a lot of the pain out of controlling an RTS with a gamepad. Perhaps most surprisingly, the game itself was pretty good and didn’t rely on this gimmick to carry it. You can still grab it on Steam today.
7Steel BattalionMega Jockey 9000
Steel Battalionis a 2002mech combat gamefor the original Xbox with one of the wildest control schemes of all time. The game required the use of a four-piece peripheral consisting of two joysticks, a throttle, three foot pedals, and an array of buttons, switches, and dials. These controllers sold out at launch and have become collector’s pieces since.
Not only is this one of the most involved and immersive control schemes of all time,Steel Battalionhas the gameplay to go with it. Notably, if you don’t eject safely before your mech is destroyed then your save file is deleted and you have to start the game from the beginning. you may still find the game and its controller on the second-hand market, but be prepared to dig deep.
6Samba de AmigoMaracas
While we haveDance Dance Revolutionto thank for the rise of movement-based dance controllers, the concept isn’tthatweird. Unfortunately, the barrier to entry is a little high for those of us with two left feet, which is whereSamba de Amigocomes in. Initially developed for arcades and ported to the Dreamcast only a year later, the game uses maraca controllers and is directly inspired by Japan’s love affair with karaoke.
The arcade version used magnets to determine the controller’s position related to low, medium, and high notes. For the home version, a sensor bar that stays on the floor during play reduced costs significantly. The game eventually made it to Wii in 2007 and a party game versionSamba de Amiga: Party Centralwas released in 2023 for Switch, Apple Arcade, and Meta Quest which is the easiest way to play along today.
5Donkey KongBongos
Continuing the musical theme, Nintendo’s rhythm-basedDonkey Kongaarrived in 2004 for the GameCube complete with the DK Bongos controller. This is strictly a rhythm video game, where the aim of the game is to drum along to hits likeRock Lobsterand title music to some of Nintendo’s most memorable franchises.
Two sequels arrived in 2004 and 2005, adding new music and mini-games to enjoy. A spin-off game calledJungle Beatcombined rhythm action withDonkey Kong’s usual platforming approach, to widespread acclaim. The game eventually made its way to Wii in 2008, though thanks to the Wiimotes the DK Bongos were no longer required. The controller has since gained notoriety for its use as a non-standard control method for games likeDark Souls.
For a modern take,Taiko no Tatsujinuses a similar drum controller. The Switch version ofTaikois even compatible with the original GameCube DK Bongos via the GameCube adapter!
4Before Your EyesBlinking
Before Your Eyesis a game that pioneered a completely new way of controlling a game: blinking. The plot follows the recently deceased Benjamin Brynn who is on a journey to the afterlife. The gameplay consists of navigating Benjamin’s memories, with every blink that the game registers moving time forward.
If that sounds intense, you’d be right. One moment you might be trying to absorb an important moment from the protagonist’s life, the next you’re catapulted forward a seemingly random number of years. Though the game received some criticism for the control scheme’s implementation, that hasn’t stopped the developer fromannouncinga follow up calledGoodnight Universewhich promises to further expand on the eye-tracking tech.
3SEGA Bass FishingRod
LikeSamba de Amigo,Sega Bass Fishingis a product of the arcades that was eventually ported to the Dreamcast. The game makes use of a rod controller complete with a reel mechanism, turning the slow-paced light beer-drenched hobby of fishing into a frantic game of reaction complete with rankings and unlockables.
The game sold surprisingly well on the Dreamcast, eventually earning releases on the Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. The game was featured inLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthin 2024 as a playable arcade cabinet. Other games likeReel Fishingcontinued the trend, though the arcade feel ofSEGA Bass Fishingis hard to come by these days (VR titleCatch & Releaseis arguably the closest modern equivalent).
2Tony Hawk: RideSkateboard
While plastic musical instruments made games likeGuitar HeroandRockbandmore expensive and less accessible, the underlying game was good enough that it all felt worthwhile. That wasn’t the case withTony Hawk: Ride, the 2009 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii flop. Chief among the complaints was its peculiar skateboard controller.
The controller wasn’t just a gimmick, it was required to play the game. For the first time inTony Hawkhistory, you’d need to stand on something resembling an actual skateboard and vaguely replicate your skater’s moves on the screen. Critics were not kind toRide, noting that it was frustrating though the peripheral itself was at least well-built.Tony Hawk: Shredcame out the following year and also used the skateboard peripheral. It also sucked.
1Densha de Go!Train Controllers
Densha de Go!is a train simulation game that has enjoyed a fair amount of success in Japan. The game first appeared in arcades but has since had major releases on every console since the original PlayStation. The latest version of the game isDensha de Go!! Hashirou Yamanote-senreleased in 2020 for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch, complete withits own game-specific train controller.
In the past, versions ofDensha de Go!have featured more extravagant controllers, like the Shinkansen (bullet train) edition for the Wii and PS2 which included an LED screen that told you how fast you were going. There are also versions of the game that plug directly into your TV and include the hardware necessary to play, no console necessary.
There are plenty of other weird controllers, but we had to draw a line somewhere. If all you need is a solid conventional controller, check outour favorite game controllers. If you’re looking for weird games, check out someniche gaming genres you might want to try.
