I purchased the Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro for the same basic reason that anybody else would: to enhance my gaming experience. I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money, but I needed one for the game I was about to buy (Madden NFL 2001). The game suggested a pad with 10 buttons, but everything with 10 buttons was closer to 40 and 50 dollars. I looked around and found the 9-button* SideWinder Game Pad Pro for $30, exactly what I wanted to spend. I paid for it and brought it home.

The Game Pad is very easy to connect to your computer. It connects using a standard USB (Universal Serial Bus) port and your ready to go. The software uses a very easy to use basis along with a step by step manual. Another forte of the software is its "schemes". Different games use different schemes. For example in Triple Play 99, the scheme would program the controller's buttons to throw, hit, catch, run, etc. totally customizing the controller for the game's specific purposes. Also, supposing you have a game that doesn't have a scheme already programmed in, you can create and save a scheme yourself so whenever you need, you can switch back to that game's settings. Another pro about this Game Pad is the D-Pad (Directional Pad). You can choose from proportional and standard. Proportional is like a Joystick: the further the button moves from its center, the greater the reaction is. The Standard function is exactly what is says- a standard D-Pad. In other words, it doesn't matter how far or hard you push, its giving the same signal to the computer.
* The Game Pad has nine buttons, but one of them works as a shift key, doubling the options of the two triggers and six standard buttons to a total of 16 programmable buttons

The SideWinder Game Pad Pro is best for Fighting and Sports games, however, it can really be used for any game you like.




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 30