What are Paddles on a Controller and are they Worth It?

What are paddles on a controller? What do paddles on a controller do? Are controller paddles worth it? These are some of the big questions most gaming console owners are actually asking regarding paddles on a controller. If you are one of them, I guess the information on this page will be quite helpful.

Rear paddles turn out to be a common inclusion on game controllers, even though they are not included on the controllers that come with your Xbox or PlayStation. So, are controller paddles worth it, and is it wise to buy a new controller to get access to them? You will get to know all these as you read on.

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What are Paddles on a Controller?

Rear paddles are normally found on the back of the controller, and they are operated with the fingers which you usually do not use while holding a game controller. Instead of you just gripping the controller, you can use your index or pinky finger to hit a paddle, which can be mapped to a different button on the controller.

These rear paddles are usually easy to remap. This means you can quickly change which input they correspond to depending on the game you are playing. Some controllers gave profiles that allow you to save your setup. Some controllers have a single paddle on each side, while others have more than one.

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These paddles are ideal for mapping face buttons in first-person shooters but have all types of utility. A perfect example is to map jump or duck in a fast-paced game like Apex Legends. This simply means that you can keep a thumb on each analog stick, at the same time being able to access buttons to jump, melee, reload, or duck, which will normally require you to move your right thumb.

This will give you an edge in competitive multiplayer, particularly in twitch shooters that feature jumping, sliding, and wall-running. Paddles can also be useful in other games for comfort or accessibility reasons.

In PC games, paddles can be used as additional inputs to increase the total number of buttons available, but this is dependent on the controller.

In PC games, paddles may be used as additional inputs to increase the total number of buttons available but this is dependent on the controller.

Are Controller Paddles Worth it?

Paddles are a nice add-on on a controller, but they are not essential for most games. They are most useful in competitive multiplayer titles, especially cross-play titles where you might be playing against PC users with a mouse and keyboard.

If you only play single-player titles, or you do not find yourself inconvenient by your thumb position, then you probably do not really need paddles on your controller. So, your situation defines if they are worth it or not.