Game Controller

A joystick is the type of controller that has a protruding apendage that when moved causes movement on the screen (just like a joystick on an aeroplane steers the plane's movement). From the dawn of the age of computer games the joystick was employed in preference to keyboard control as its use is instinctive. Buttons on the base of the joystick progressed to 'trigger' buttons to speed up gameplay.

Joysticks gave way to control pads as the gaming phenomenon took off and more controll buttons were needed. However joysticks are still popular - especially in some game genres.

A gamepad (also called joypad or control pad), is a type of hand held game controller, where the digits (especially thumbs) are used to provide input to the compuer video game.

Gamepads usually have a set of action buttons handled with the right thumb and a direction controller handled with the left. The direction controller has traditionally been a four-way digital cross (also named a joypad or D-pad), but most modern controllers additionally (or as a substitute) feature an analog stick - making them more like a stunted joystick.