Buttons

The GameCube controller has 6 standalone buttons and a 4-way D-pad.

The buttons on a GCC are made of ABS plastic and push against a silicone pad (except for the Z button) when depressed. This bridges a contact pad on the motherboard to trigger a digital input.

On the right side of the controller, the A, B, X and Y buttons constitute the “face buttons” (a term which sometimes also includes the Start button and/or D-pad). The Z button is uniquely positioned next to the R trigger, and presses directly against a mechanical switch instead of a silicone pad. A metal clip attached to the underside of the Z button provides additional resistance; this clip is commonly bent or removed to reduce the force needed to press the button, especially for players who remap their Z button.

Triggers are sometimes considered buttons, but the underlying mechanism differs significantly from the other buttons.

Common issues & repairs

Buttons are generally extremely durable and don’t directly cause issues, but the silicone button pads commonly wear over time and need to be replaced to maintain a suitably tactile press.

Replacements

While there is no known source for standalone OEM buttons, there is a very active scene of aftermarket button makers, particularly resin casters who make custom buttons with different aesthetic designs.

Resin buttons

The most common way people make custom buttons is to cast them out of resin. This allows a wide variety of both aesthetic options and modifications to the shape of the buttons. Browse button makers to find artists who make resin buttons.

Bald buttons

OEM buttons can be carefully sanded and polished to remove the imprinted letter and round the upper edges of the buttons for players who prefer a smoother-feeling button. These can then be used in a controller directly, or used as masters for resin buttons. Bald resin buttons can also be cast from regular button molds by dripping in a small amount of silicone into the finished molds to round out the bottom of the molds.

Many players appreciate the smoother look of bald buttons. Some players also prefer the feel, particularly for performing Smash tech that requires sliding a finger across multiple buttons, since the upper edges are rounder.

ABS buttons

  • eXtremeRate sells replica OEM buttons with their GameCube shells.

  • Various sellers on AliExpress and similar marketplaces sell inexpensive low-quality plastic buttons in various colors, commonly called “China buttons” (reflecting their manufacturing origin).

Button pads

There is no known source for OEM button pads other than GCCs. Some third-party options exist, but are generally considered varying degrees of inferior to OEM pads.

  • Battle Beaver sells popular replacement pads, though some have found their longevity to be much lower than that of OEM pads.

  • eXtremeRate includes silicone pads with their GameCube shells.

Resources

The GCC Library Internals Guide contains information about button variations and the evolution of the OEM button pad design over the years.

Jon of NoJonsMods made a thorough write-up of what to look for when searching for replacement buttons and sticks.