When I first thought of buying a Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro, I needed a device that could deliver fast and reliable responses; I knew that I needed a game pad. The only trouble was, which game pad to choose? Since Microsoft is a very respectable company, I decided to trust them and thus buying their game pad. After I started using the game pad on every game in my collection, I knew I was hooked.

Some New Features

You might not believe this, but Microsoft has turned an analog D-pad into a digital wonder that has made game pads easier to control and more precise in their movements! The D-pad looks like it is analog, but actually is a pad which can move 360 degrees in any direction. Before, D-pads could only move in increments of 45 degrees! This is an awesome achievement on the part of Microsoft.

Microsoft has made their gaming devices even better with the development of "shift" buttons. There is a shift button on either side of the game pad and is pressed with the index finger. The way the "shift" feature works is that the index finger holds down one of the "shift" buttons while the other finger presses another button besides the opposite "shift" button. For example: for right-shift A, you would hold down the right shift button and press the "A" button. This feature allows for even more button options that you can use at your discretion; 16 different button options total!

It's Programmable!

The Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro can be programmed so that each button option has a different usage. This can come in handy when playing games such as "Quake 3" when you need quick responses. All I have to do is go into the Quake 3 controls setup and program each button option to a different task. This comes in handy when I need to change weapons fast and don't want to search the keyboard in order to find it; that would take my eyes off the screen and off the movements of my enemies. This game pad has the highest level of programmability. It also comes with 45 predetermined settings for popular games.

Throttle /Speed Control

You can easily control the speed that you travel by how hard you push on the D-pad. This is very handy in racing games when you need an easy way to adjust throttle.

Software Installation

Microsoft has done it again with their software! Installation is a breeze. Just pop the CD in and follow the simple instructions. It will ask very few questions that don’t take a computer expert to figure out. All it will ask you to do is tell it where to install. It will never require you to register or anything for updates like some software, made by other companies, require.

The Actual Software

The control program is great and easy to use. If you have a configuration for one of your favorite games, you can save those settings as “game#1” or “Quake 3”. There are also many other predetermined settings that you can choose. If you want to play another game and you have the settings saved, just double-click the SideWinder icon on your taskbar and select the saved game configuration that you want to use. I find this very useful when I have several different games that are playable with a game pad!

Some Disadvantages

One disadvantage with the Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro is that you can not use the device in DOS. DOS can only recognize "analog" and can not interpret "digital". This is a big draw back since I have a few DOS games that would be a lot better with the use of a game pad.

Another disadvantage with the Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro is that sometimes, Windows can't recognize that the game pad is even there. This is easily remedied by a simple reboot and then you are ready to go. I have found that this only happens about 1 out of 30 times I go to use my game pad; this isn't enough to stop me from using it and I am not bothered by it enough to call customer support over it. Basically, it's not a big problem.

Cost

The price of the Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro doesn't bother me much. Actually, the price is very competitive. $35 isn't that bad especially after buying a Nintendo 64 controller for $30; the Nintendo 64 controller doesn't come with the functionality that a Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro has either.

Conclusion

If you want a game pad that looks great, is light weight, and comfortable to use plus comes with all the "button options" and 45 predetermined settings then the Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro is the right game pad for you. The price is great and comes with many features that make the spent money worth it. Microsoft makes another great deal!




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 34.99