Abstract: A hand-held control device for use in controlling directional characteristics in apparatus, such as the direction of movement of video display images in electronic game machines, includes a body having an opening and four depressible switches regularly spaced about the opening. The opening is sized to receive the finger of a user inserted endwise therein, and the switches are disposed adjacent the sides of the opening so that each of the switches can be actuated with the side of the user's finger when the user's finger is received by and moved toward a corresponding side of the opening. When the device is in use, each switch is responsible for initiating a directional control signal corresponding to an X or Y coordinate direction in an X-Y plane. Fifth and sixth switches are mounted in the body for actuation by the thumb and index finger of the hand which holds the device and are responsible for control signals, such as "fire" or "jump" signals, which are independent of the directional control signals.