The Atari Jaguar Controller
In a last-ditch effort to save the company, Atari released the Jaguar in 1993, the only “64-bit” console on the market at the time. Unfortunately, not even 64-bits could save the console and its abomination of a controller from its inevitable doom.
The Jaguar Controller is a massive unit that was incredibly awkward and painful to hold in a person’s hand for long periods of time, making it one of the least ergonomic controllers ever designed.
In an attempt to future-proof their device, they opted to add not only three face buttons, but 12 extra buttons in a Numpad fashion below the face of the controller. Atari’s idea was that companies would release swappable faceplates to cover up the buttons and show the user what each press would do.
Unfortunately, by 1995, the Atari Jaguar would bring the company’s revenue down by half, leading to mass layoffs and Atari’s eventual exit from the console manufacturing scene.
