Now less likely to kill your pets when thrown towards the wall!
Written: Jul 20 '03
Product Rating:
Pros: Tons of buttons, much lighter than the brick that was the original.
Cons: Heavy, large and awkward plus I have to look at it from time to time.
The Bottom Line: Better than the original controller design, which almost kill a small village in Congo. However, button placement is questionable, at best, for fighting games.
rader6795's Full Review: Microsoft Controller S for XBox
Some people may have figured it out by now... I fell prey to the dark side and ponied up the cash to buy Microsoft's X-Box recently. It's something I'm not exactly proud of, much like when I accidentally dropped that X-Box I was going to buy, heard a loud, cracking sound and decided to place it back on the shelf and replace it with the one that I ended up bringing home with me, but I'll admit to it if asked directly. I'm an impulse shopper/dropper.
People discussed from the start the most glaring mistake Microsoft made (as seen at "http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2001-05-20") when they unveiled the system. The controller, apparently, was designed by the statue at the Lincoln Memorial, as it was far too large for your average gamer to handle.
My belief was that Microsoft wanted the system to appear as if it wasn't for kids, so they made one so bulky that it could actually crush the spine of a small child if it were handled. Other beliefs were that the controller was designed to discourage people from throwing it at the wall in a fit of anger, either because it could barely be lifted, let alone thrown, or that it would plow through a wall like a wrecking ball if thrown at a high velocity. For whatever the reason, Microsoft made an extremely large controller.
But, let's face it, a gaming console's controller is almost as important an aspect as the processing speed and polygon count. If a system will never control well, it will never sell well (see also, Atari Jaguar). And, with that, Microsoft took notice and redesigned the controller to more aptly fit into a human's hands.
Luckily, my system came with the X-Box Controller S from the start.
So, let's get down to the basics, shall we?
Button placement, for the most part, is well, um... placed. You have your standard four button layout on the right and two triggers on top of the controller. Inside the controller are two slots to place memory cards, should you want to take your save games with you somewhere. The main anolog stick is placed in the upper left of the controller with a Directional pad placed below the main analog stick. To this point, the controller feels very familiar as it's nearly the same design as the controller for the Sega Dreamcast. To the right of the directional pad is another analog control stick.
I'll go on record and say that I have no idea why companies insist on the Dual Analog theme with their controllers as it's almost never used. Even when it is used, it's fairly worthless as seen in the gimmicky Ape Escape series.
Directly below the four button layout are two additional buttons (transparent with black and white backing, respectively). The placement of these buttons in particular are questionable as they're in an extremely awkward spot. The standard four buttons are at a slight diagonal slant and, thus, having two buttons below the diagonal buttons makes for a strange feel. There's no way an X-Box gamer could ever get away with mentioning the large "A Button" on a Gamecube controller, as it's not nearly as strange as these buttons. However, in defense of the placement, the original controller placed these buttons above the standard four. I still can't help but feel like these buttons would've been better off in a Genesis 6-Button layout right next to the four button standard. Much like the special characters on top a keyboard, I find myself often having to look at the controller whenever I need to use these.
Also, slightly questionable, is the placement of the Start Button. I've got no problems with the placement of the Back Button which sits right next to the Start Button, as it's seldom used, but the placement of the Start Button is stupid. First and foremost, it's out of sight when the controller is in use and, thus, people often have to look for it even when they know the general vicinity. Even I, a grizzled veteran of gaming, find myself looking down at the controller when I need to pause a game for the occasional bathroom break or, God forbid, need for food or sleep. Furthermore, when using the directional pad for games such as Marvel vs. Capcom 2, I found myself often sliding my thumb into the start button and pausing the action at inoppurtune times. This caused much frustration with my friend, Nate, as he had no problems. However, I place my thumb at a diagonal across any directional pad as it's far more comfortable for me and makes for easy quarter-circle motioning in my, apparently, clouded eyes.
Why the controller needs the huge X-Box vanity logo in the middle instead of the more logical Start Button is beyond my comprehension. Of course, I'm not working at a multi-billion dollar company, now, am I?
The controller, for the most part, is standard console gaming fair the rest of the way, with dual motors on the inside of the controller to give you the sensation of movement as it rocks your controller around. The buttons have been changed from awkward oval shapes to the standard circular fare. Also, it has two grips for the "natural" feel and is ribbed for her pleasure. Alright, I made up the ribbed part, but it's not like you're trying to please women with your X-Box anyway, right? If you disagreed with me, seek help.
I never had to suffer through the gargantuan X-Box controller (which some tales refer to as "the Widowmaker"), but I ended up acquiring one and now use it whenever I have to use the directional pad. It's a shame that I have to go back to the inferior control model (and watch the veins pop out of my forearms) whenever I want to play a 2D fighting game, as Capcom put out some of their best on the system.
I'm pleased with the X-Box Controller S overall, but that's only because there's no other reasonable alternative. The "S" in the controller's name is supposed to mean small, but why is the controller still twice as large and three times as heavy as the competition's pads? Otherwise, it's a very blah controller for a very blah system.
Monster Cable XGL300SV-10 Features: -S-Video cable with RCA audio connectors -10 ft Note: For orders shipping to California or Florida, please add 5 d...More at Mounts and More CSN Store
Xbox Controller S gives you a better and more flexible gaming experience! Designed to fit your hands more comfortable, with smaller grips and better b...More at Amazon Marketplace
Show off your Xbox with better graphics, better sound and better quality on your TV! The Xbox S-Video Cable gives you much higher pictur...More at DDRgame
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.