Games controllers in use in the movies and TV

by Nick Haywood on 25 July 2008, 09:00

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What have you spotted?

Watching TV last night my brain finally kicked in and prodded me to the fact that in an Army recruitment advert featured a chap flying a UAV using what looks like an Xbox 360 controller. Of course they’re not using an Xbox 360 to run the software that controls the plane, it’s that an Xbox 360 can be used as a joypad within Vista, so that’s why it’s there…

But this started me thinking about games controllers being used for different purposes in films and TV and I reckon I’ve spotted a few. So what we’re looking for here is something other than a PS2 controller being used to control a PS2 and a mouse being used to control a PC…

A good example is in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines where John Connor uses the throttle from a Saitek X45 throttle and stick system to power up the particle accelerator. Or how about the flightstick from a Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar used on Dr Evil’s chair in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me?

So, that’s my contribution, let’s see what you lot can come up with…



HEXUS Forums :: 14 Comments

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Posted by vdbswong - Fri 25 Jul 2008 09:22
In Men in Black 2, the controller in the Jet Car is a Dualshock 2 - (But he says “Didn't your mama ever give you a gameboy” lol).
Posted by Ferral - Fri 25 Jul 2008 10:41
How about a Commodore 64 used as one of the deck computers in the first season of Red Dwarf.

Music video, Where is the love by the Black Eyed Peas : PS2 controller used but the game onscreen is Postal 2.
Posted by Flibb - Fri 25 Jul 2008 12:08
The Psi-Scanner used in a Red Dwarf episode was an old joystick from the 8 bit days.

In an episode of Babylon 5 when the stations computer crashes the the error screen is the guru meditation screen from the Amiga. Quiet apt in some ways as they used A4000 toasters to do the original graphics.
Posted by Blademrk - Fri 25 Jul 2008 23:55
I've seen a poloroid flashlight used as part of a keyboard on a spaceship in some dodgy sci-fi film (might have been Dracula 3000, but I honestly can't remember). Recognised it as I had one.

Or how about the numberpad from a Logitech Di-novo keyboard used to control the security system in the Las Vegas TV series.
Posted by digit - Sat 26 Jul 2008 19:05
In heroes one scene featured the ps3. Neighbors a few months back featured a kid playing an original game boy (brick style), with no cartridge inserted!

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