Like any gamer, I feel like my backlog is constantly growing, and for me, there's a very specific genre of game that's starting to pile up. I love me some city builders and management sim games. Ones like Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo, Civilization, and Timberborn, but for what are very chilled out games that I like to play in my downtime, they often do not feel designed to be kicked back on the couch with, while using one of the best PC controllers.
So many of these games have been built with a mouse and keyboard in mind, and if they have controller support at all, they never feel like they're easily played with some thumbsticks and a limited number of buttons. Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo are prime examples - their console editions play pretty well, but buying on Steam means you can be stuck without gamepad play. The same goes for some CRPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 for instance, which feels totally different to play on a console than it does on PC.
But to me, that flies in the face of the chilled-out atmosphere these sorts of games strike. I want to kick back on the couch with a gamepad while building my dream zoo, starting my empire in Civilization, or trying to fix the economy of a theme park in financial ruin. I don't mind adopting pure focus position at my desk for FPS games while using a mouse and keyboard, but that's hardly the relaxing, cozy game vibe I want for this genre of game.
All of this is why I'm personally very excited to get my hands on Valve's new Steam Controller. With two trackpads that function as mouse controls, it offers what no other PC or Xbox Series X controller really can - a hybrid between mouse and controller play for games that make support between the two a total headache. With trackpads, you can use mouse controls to move around a game's camera if it doesn't have controller support. Combine that with Steam input, and you can have the gamepad register all of the buttons to the keyboard functions you need to play. Goodbye ultra-focused sitting position at a desk, hello sweet couch comfort.
From the first batch of reviews, this seems to be one of the best things about the Steam Controller. Not only for games like these, but also for couch setups in general. I've been trying to create the perfect couch PC gaming setup for years now, and although I'm really happy with the loadout I have now, I do always feel like a simple console-esque power button on a controller to wake everything, or the ability to use a keyboard without fuss on a gamepad itself are some of the few things missing. Yes, you can make some modifications or opt for a Linux system to bypass these issues, but that's a little more in-depth than I'd care to go.
The Steam Controller can't wake your desktop PC with a button press, and it is only limited to Steam-launched games, but its ability to browse an internet browser, for example, thanks to its trackpads, is a step in the right direction.
It's not just city builders and management sims I'm looking forward to playing with the Steam Controller though. While Steam input does essentially work with any controller you connect to your PC to play a game that doesn't support gamepads, it seems like Valve has made things a lot more intuitive for its own homegrown controller. Capacitive thumbsticks mean you can activate gyro that doesn't appear to be unruly, and this has been a popular feature brought over from the Steam Deck. Again, with trackpads allowing for mouse movements, it just feels like you're already part of the way to controlling games that are designed for a mouse and keyboard.
For example, I'm a massive fan of an indie developer called DeconstructTeam, and after playing The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood a few years ago, I've been really keen to go back to play the developer's previous breakout hit, The Red Strings Club. Only one problem, for a very chilled, narrative-led indie game, it doesn't have controller support. It felt like a perfect fit to enjoy on the go using one of the best gaming handhelds, but trying to get it working on the Asus ROG Ally X felt janky and didn't hit the spot at all.
I have a few games like that that are sitting in my backlog, and I've been using the excuse of there being no intuitive and easy way to play them to stall for time. Yes, this is likely a me problem, but the Steam Controller might just be an excuse for me and you to finally strike these quirky outlier games from our backlogs. At least until we get our hands on the Steam Frame and Steam Machine it's been designed for, that might just be the best use for Valve's new accessory.
That said, the Steam Controller hasn't been reviewing so well from the point of competitive play, so I've taken the liberty of rounding up some alternatives for you.
You can also take a look at the best PS5 controllers, the best Switch 2 controllers, and the best TMR controllers.
