Sonymay be a company based in Japan, but their drive to understand the global consumer has been apparent since their first foray into the gaming space in 1994 with the firstPlayStation. The company’s many collaborations with various mediums of entertainment is a testament to this.
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Over the years, the company has shown increasing interest in highlighting their own catalog ofgreat first party titles. But early on it seemed like everything was on the table when it came to things like 3rd party accessories. Let’s take a look at some of the coolest ones to grace Sony’s storied history.
10Last of Us Part 2 Controller- PS4
A Simple, But Poignant Design
The Last of Us Part II
The Last of UsPart 2 sees Ellie as she seeks revenge following a devastating event that takes the life of somebody close to her. The cyclical and often futile nature of revenge is a big theme of the game and the tattoo on Ellie’s arm depicting a moth and some ferns is a constant reminder of that.
Unfortunately, Sony’s special editionPlayStation 4controller released alongside the game only depicts the ferns, along with the game’s title printed on the touchpad. It’s simple for sure, with a nice glossy finish to the design and white sacred symbols on the face buttons. But it lands at the bottom of the list for only partly committing to the thematic element of the game.
Release Date
Available Individually Or In Bundle
How To Buy
June 18, 2025
Individual
Resale On Amazon
9PlayStation 20th Anniversary Controller- PS4
Sometimes Gray Is All You Need
The deceptively simple gray colorway on this controller is instantly recognizable as the same shade used on the original PlayStation. It was given to theDualShock4, as well as the PlayStation Camera, and the extremely limited console. If you look closely, the console also has the sacred symbols covering the outer shell to accentuate the look of the collectors' items.
A free theme was given to all PS4 owners as well, taking over dashboards everywhere. Turning on the PS4 gives players the start-up sound of the original PlayStation. It’s not flashy, but nostalgic, and something that is a must-have for lifelong PlayStation-heads.
How To Buy It
July 11, 2025
8Mortal Kombat Baraka Fatality Kontroller- PS2
A Bloody Good Image And Color
Mortal Kombat: Deception
A whole line of controllers was released by NubyTech soon afterMortal Kombat: Deception in 2004. Midway had the recurring character of Baraka prominent in its marketing, so it was fitting that one of the controllers featured the sharp-toothed warrior.
Each one was shaped a little funny, with sharp handles and wide bodies. But Baraka’s was colored silver with reddish-brown analog-sticks, which were the colors of his outfit in the game. It also had some stylish white face buttons. The main draw of these controllers were theimages of fatalitiesprinted on them, and this one was killer. It had Baraka performing one on Sub-Zero, the ninja’s head impaled on Baraka’s blade— the kind of brutality that made the franchise popular today.
Available Individually Or In A Bundle
How to Buy
August 04, 2025
Individually
Resale On Ebay
7God of War Ascension Controller- PS3
This Controller Might Be Good Enough To Make A Grown Man Cry
God of War: Ascension
God of War: Ascension’s follows Kratos as he rips and tears a path through the fabled harpies and learns the truth about why Aries tricked him to murder his family, an event that fans of the series know well. The story inevitably gives context to the solemn depiction ofthe main characterover the face buttons of this special edition gold DualShock 3.
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The controller also has the Omega symbol over the D-pad. It was released in the UK attached to a red console, but was sold standalone in Australia and Japan. Sadly, the U.S. market was left out of this promotion, leaving Americans to seek out secondhand options and slightly drive up the price. Seeking the controller out is worth it though, whether you’ve been a fan of the franchise since the PS2 era or just fell in love with the newest games.
Various Dates 2013
6Uncharted 3 Drakes Deception Controller- PS3
A Controller That Maps Out Your Next Adventure
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Uncharted3: Drakes Deception is hotly debated as the best in the series, seeing Nathan Drake on a quest to find Iram of the Pillars. The only thing the controller might have to do with the game, however, is that it’s the color of sand. There are mountains stylized like those on a map, a compass placed on the D-Pad, and the famed explorer Francis Drake’s iconic ring found on the bottom of the right-hand grip.
Naughty Dogbeing based in San Francisco, California makes the Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception controller being a Japan exclusive pretty baffling. Regardless, this was a fitting way for lovers of one of the biggest and flashiest action-adventure games out there to enjoy it.
Individually Or In A Bundle
July 10, 2025
5SpongeBob Controller- PS2
Take a Trip To Bikini Bottom With SpongeBob In Hand
SpongeBobhas been a constant of childhoods since it premiered in 1999. So, the release of the Game-Elements PS2 controller complete with the porous mascot’s face on it was surely met with applause from kids who wanted to play their favorite Spongebob game in style.
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The controller had SpongeBob’s square frame peeking out from the top of it and had his long nose jutting forward from his face. In fact, resellers charge a little bit more if they managed to keep the appendage intact. The controller was released around the years of 2003 and 2004, and were even bundled with a Patrick Star controller.
Sometime in 2003-2004
Game-Elements By Gemini
Individually Or Bundled with Patrick Variant
4Dragon Quest Metal Slime Controller- PS2
Hard To Hold, But Easy To Admire
The blue slime controller released exclusively in Japan by gaming accessory dealers, Hori, made some headlines when they released a DualShock 4 controller in the shape of a blue slime fromDragon Quest. However, they did the same thing back in 2005, with a metal slime for the PS2.
Just like the later edition, the metal slime controller has the recognizable teardrop shape, with the buttons laid out on the bottom. It’s not comfortable by any means, but it’s definitely a fun conversation piece when having a friend over that as big a fan of JRPG as you.
July 31, 2025
3Seaman Controller- PS2
A Weird Controller For A Weird Game
Originally released in 1999 on theDreamcast, Seaman is an oddball of a game, to say the least. You’re tasked to raise and take care of a fish with a human face, speaking to it using a microphone peripheral.
The game was later released on thePlayStation 2along with this neat controller in Japan. Fully gold, the controller is in the shape of a dial with various hieroglyph-like reliefs all over it. It also has a built-in microphone to communicate with the talkative fish. At the center is the frog that your little friend eventually evolves into. This game is weird, and this special controller might be right up there with it. But it is really cool, and therefore deserving of a spot as high as this.
August 07, 2025
Bundled With Game
2Wu-Tang Clan Shaolin Style Controller- PS1
Take a Trip Down Rap Memory Lane
Wu Tang: Shaolin Style
1999 brought the release of Wu Tang: Shaolin Style to capitalize off the groups newly realized legendary status. The3D fighting game, where you played as the members of the rap group, was framed as a tournament where characters fought to the death.
Not to be outdone by any other collaboration, the controller had a black base with yellow buttons and was shaped like the iconic Wu-Tang Clan symbol, being specially released alongside the game. The controller is extremely light-weight and doesn’t even look like a shape that would feel comfortable in the hands. However, to this day, it remains an incredibly sought after collectible, especially to satiate a person’s intersecting interests in old-school hip-hop and gaming.
June 28, 2025
Activision
Bundled With The Game
1Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Controller- PS2
Let It Rip Before Diving In
Resident Evil 4
One of the first enemies inResident Evil 4is the recurring chainsaw wielding madman trying to keep Leon from achieving his goal of saving the president’s daughter. Luckily, you can turn the tables by wielding a chainsaw of your own with the chainsaw controller released by NubyTech.
The controller sported a shiny blade with custom blood spatter for each unit. It also had thoughtful button placement for long stints of gaming, as well as a functioning rip cord used for pausing. Did I mention it made chainsaw noises? This controller is about as feature complete as you can get while still being outlandishly cool, which is why it lands the number 1 spot.
September 2005
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