Every Special Edition PS5 DualSense Controller Ranked from Worst to Best

Over the past four years, the PS5’s DualSense controller has become available in lots of different colors for players who aren’t satisfied with the default black-and-white design. Although I like the Midnight Black and Volcanic Red versions of the controller as much as the next person, the DualSenses that truly stand out to me are the Special Edition ones themed around PS5 games. From God of War: Ragnarok to Astro Bot to even Concord, Sony ensures that many of its first-party releases have a DualSense controller to call their own.

These 11 DualSenses are rarer and more difficult to track down than your standard PS5 controller, so you’ll need to be enamored with the look of one of these Special Edition controllers if you want to go through all the effort to track it down. I’ve ranked how much I like the design of these controllers, from worst to best, to help you get started on that journey.

11. Fortnite

Maybe I’m too old of a zoomer to enjoy this aesthetic, but overall I find this Fortnite DualSense controller pretty gaudy. The graffiti-inspired art on the controller doesn’t look great or work well with the teal background, and the game title on the touchpad is outright ugly. Unless you’re the kind of gamer who does nothing but play Fortnite, you should buy so many other DualSense controllers instead of this one (including the Starlight Blue model this sullies).

10. LeBron James

LeBron James is a basketball player, not a PlayStation game, but he still has a DualSense controller to call his own. Although its inspirational phrases are better than the Fortnite logo and graffiti on the previous controller, this still feels like a more cluttered version of a base DualSense recolor. It’s tough to find nowadays, as it was from a limited promotion in 2023, but I don’t think it’s really worth the effort to track down.

9. The Last of Us

Sony’s latest DualSense controller isn’t one of its strongest. This one is themed around The Last of Us and is just meant to be a celebration of the franchise. It etches iconography of the series around a DualSense controller that reverses the traditional black-and-white coloring. I find it to be a little to look a little too corporate for such an intimate, emotional series, and I would’ve preferred a design inspired by Joel, Ellie, Abby, or a Clicker over this.

8. Hogwarts Legacy

Breakout hit Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy got a special DualSense controller, and it’s alright. It uses the Midnight Black version of the DualSense as a base and adorns it with gold streaks and a golden picture of Hogwarts on the touchpad. I’m sure diehard Harry Potter fans will get a kick out of this controller, but to me, this controller’s theming isn’t that interesting compared to the controllers further up on this list.

7. Monster Hunter Wilds

This Monster Hunter Wilds controller is similar to the Hogwarts Legacy design, putting some game-themed accents on an already available DualSense controller color. That said, the flower-like designs look prettier than a golden version of Hogwarts. Plus, this controller is a Japan-exclusive, which adds a bit more allure in regards to the elusiveness of getting my hands on one.

6. God of War: Ragnarok

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The God of War: Ragnarok controller is pretty sleek and the first on this list not to feel like it’s just art being laid over an already available version of the DualSense. That said, the choice to feature a wolf and a bear instead of Kratos is a bit surprising and makes it so this is not instantly recognizable as a God of War controller. That may be good if you don’t want to go too hard on the theme, but I wish a little more of the series’ personality came through.

5. Helldivers 2

The Helldivers 2 controller fits the aesthetic of the game it’s based on permanently. The black-and-yellow color choice suits Helldivers, while the pre-fabbed stretch marks on the controller make it look like the DualSense made its way through a war zone. It’s a good purchase for fans of Helldivers 2 or those who treat their controllers poorly and would like those scratches to be part of the DualSense’s overall aesthetic.

4. 30th Anniversary

The 30th Anniversary edition of the DualSense controller might be pretty simple, but it’s a great throwback. It copies the grey coloring of the PS1’s controller, reverts the X, Square, Triangle, and O buttons to their original DualShock colors, and makes the home button the original PlayStation logo. Pick this one up if you enjoy retro gaming or are nostalgic for the earliest days of PlayStation.

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

The only DualSense on this list I’ve personally gone out of my way to buy, the Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 controller is spectacular. It was a genius idea to pair the black and red models of the DualSense and make it look like the Symbiote was taking over the DualSense. It narratively connects to the game it’s based on while also clearly serving as an amazing Spider-Man-themed controller for fans of the Marvel character.

2. Concord

Firewalk Studios’ Concord may have been a flop, but its DualSense controller is one of the best Sony has ever produced. It has a colorful space-age aesthetic, like a cleaner version of the Helldivers 2 DualSense. It doesn’t feel too closely tied to the game, and it makes me want to play some sci-fi games just by looking at it. This is a rad controller and something that we can remember Concord by now that it’s delisted, never to be played again.

1. Astro Bot

Astro Bot was intentionally designed to represent PlayStation, so it’s no surprise that the character makes for an excellent DualSense design. Sporting a similar look to the DualSense that appears in the game, this controller utilizes crisp whites and blues that will make the controller stand out on your shelf. It also has some subtler detailing to make it look more robotic. Its vibes are so cheerful with this one, and Astro Bot itself is such a fantastic game that it makes sense that this would end up as the best DualSense controller.