Lets try to find out. I've put together a chart, or controller family-tree, that tries to connect all the current console controllers with their predecesors. Firstly, I don't think anyone else has tried to do something similar on the web, and second, none of the manufacturers actually come out and tell you who they're borrowing ideas from. This means, a lot of the information presented here is my opinion. I try to keep things accurate, using facts that I know, but also making some of my own conclusions where no hard evidence is available.

There are still a number of gaps in the family tree, as a lot of controllers are still missing from the chart. Eventually, I will try to fill in some of the holes. Current things that are missing are controllers I couldn't get my hands on, controllers from less popular consoles, and most of the 8-bit era - which I plan to add in the future, but left out for now because there isn't an obvious connection between the early 8-bit era and later controllers.

Okay, now that that's out of the way... on to the chart!