Nukezilla Review: Xbox 360 Controller with Transforming D-Pad
There’s a new controller on store shelves, and it’s been getting a bit of attention (though not as much as I thought it would). Microsoft has finally, after all these years, decided to redesign the Xbox 360′s D-Pad. Unfortunately, it’s not as much a redesign as it is the inclusion of an additional option, which only half-fixes the original design’s shortcomings.
The new D-Pad isn’t as amazing as one would assume, given the fact that Microsoft released a newly-designed controller just to put a better D-Pad on it, but it’s a noticeable improvement over the old design. I’d place its usability somewhere between the original 360 controller and the Mad Catz Street Fighter IV Fightpads (which I use to play D-Pad-oriented games regularly).
This may not be a technical improvement, but I really like the new model’s monochrome face buttons. They make the thing look pretty sleek, unlike the candy-colored bits on the original unit.
If you’ve already got enough Xbox 360 controllers in your house, you probably don’t need to pick up this new one. The changes are small enough that they don’t really give you an edge over someone using the original model; the analog sticks are shaped slightly differently and (I think) the bumpers are a bit clickier. The new D-Pad is decent, but I’d have preferred a complete overhaul of it, rather than what seems like a minor concession to the complaints that the majority of Microsoft’s customers have voiced. Why make the new design an option at all? It was pretty much universally accepted that the original design was shit, so let’s just get it fixed, yes?
If you’re in the market for a new controller for your Xbox 360, this is at least as solid a unit as the previous model — which is widely-regarded as one of the best controllers of all time — so go for it. Just try to find it on sale somewhere, because nobody needs another stupid charging cable and $64.99 is a ridiculous price for a damned controller.
Despite the nominal improvements included in this new revision, the 360′s controller has always been — and continues to be — a fantastic example of what a game interface device should be. For that reason, I can’t justify giving it anything less than full marks.
Oh, by the way, if you think this controller is sexy you should download a free, wallpaper-sized picture of it!
This review is Day 17 of the December Review Nukestravaganza.
The first video showed that the D-Pad changed by turning it. Does doing a QCF/B or HCF/B affect it at all?
Oh fuck that. This thing reminds me of dust, with how ugly and grey it is. Color is nice. I want this iCrap trend to die already, because today every single damn product is white or black, and generally glossy too. Everyone in the industry refuses to admit that glossy things are not suited for holding, due to the glossy surfaces turning into Fingerprint Editions and because it simply offers less grip. Of course, glossy things aren’t suited for not holding either, since they attract dust like thing else and you can’t even touch them without risking a scratch. These things are supposed to be used, not viewed in ads, designer idiots.
Colors are nice, and certainly not only for children, which you may or may not have implied.
Also, I don’t agree that the 360 controller is very good, either. It’s very comfortable, I’ll give you that, but it’s a really low quality product. I have three ones. One, a fairly new one, has a control stick that considers the default position to be slightly left, which means that characters move on their own occasionally. Which means huge problems when Shepard decides to move around by himself when he’s in cover. The second has a d-pad that somehow moves around in the slot; press right for a while and it’ll actually move in that direction, which leads to problems if you have to, say, press left without enough time to center it. The third has both those problems, with a control stick that moves forward instead of left and a d-pad that is less responsive than even the standard 360 d-pad. Oh, and the battery pack is deformed somehow, so it 1: is hard to remove from the controller and 2: makes batteries get stuck inside it. Now it has even stopped providing the controller with power entirely. And no, these aren’t problems caused by lack of care or anything; they were there when I bought the controllers. I bought a 360 S, started playing, and was greeted by a Shepard that moves to the left when he’s in cover.
What I do agree with you on is that they should scrap the d-pad entirely and make a new, useful one. Preferably something like the d-pad on Wii’s classic controller or the original DS model.
Yeah, not gonna happen. Nintendo is being dick about digital crosses because they have patented them, basically prohibiting everyone else from producing a good d-pad.
Judging from the picture, there is one other nice feature missing: The small little knobs on the analog sticks are gone. Those REALLY were great, because they tremendously helped in pushing the analog stick in the desired direction.
Also agree on the color thing. Colored buttons help to easily differentiate. On-screen prompts in the color of the button help me pressing the button faster, because i only need to match the color and not read the letter, which is slower.
So yeah, while i agree on that the xbox joypad has the most ergonomic layout out there, this one is a definitive step backwards with a gimmick on the d-pad that’s not really improving the situation.
I like the colors. 5 Stars.
Also if you think this controller is sexy, you are a crazy fanboy.
@Mehbah: these aren’t problems caused by lack of care or anything; they were there when I bought the controllers.
Then they where defective or used to begin with.
@NoZart: Nintendo is being dick about digital crosses because they have patented them, basically prohibiting everyone else from producing a good d-pad.
The PS3 and PSP have good d-pads.
I personally have a modded d-pad on my controller. I had to buy a tamper resistant hex driver to do it but it was much cheaper then buying this.
@Charey: Then they where defective or used to begin with.
All of them were new. Yes, that means they were defective, but that’s sort of my point; if so many controllers are defective, maybe they should take care of the problem. Granted, it is possible that I just had really horrible luck, but I doubt it’s limited to that. Funny, this reminds me of the whole RROD thing.
About d-pads: I wouldn’t say the PS3 one is good, but it is decent. Can’t judge PSP as I haven’t played it. Nintendo managed to make the perfect d-pad for DS. It’s accurate, comfortable, has a good size, and above all, it gives you good feedback, so you always know in which exact direction you’re pressing. Then they made the worst d-pad of all time for Lite. It’s wobbly, extremely inaccurate, tiny, badly placed and gives no feedback at all. Of course, they then abandoned the DS d-pad entirely and gave every one of their products the shitty Lite d-pad. Sigh.
@NoZart:
I don’t mind the little dots on the sticks being gone. They make zero difference, at least to me, during gameplay. Can’t speak to others’ experiences.
As for the colors on the buttons — sure, if you’re new to X360 games you should probably stick with the regular controller until you’ve memorized the buttons. I had the buttons’ placements memorized years before the 360 even came out though (due to its similarities to the original Xbox). Maybe that’s why they’re not including these controllers with systems, instead keeping the regular ones in the box.
@Mehbah:
That sucks if what you’re saying is true (all those controllers were defective upon purchase), but why the hell would you keep them at that point? These things have a warranty for a reason. Since my first 360, I’ve had roughly ten or so different controllers for the thing, and I’ve had zero issues with any of them. Don’t compare your personal experiences with the RRoD fiasco, because there are not widespread controller issues with the 360 (except the D-Pad sucking, which they’ve partially resolved with this new iteration).
@ParaParaKing: If you’re still calling people fanboys in post comments you need to go back to 2005.
@Justin Massongill: Sorry, I am old and cannot keep up with modern insults. So if you like to just replaced the word fanboy with an appropriate term.
On a more productive note: Early reports said, that a lot of games had problems with this controller. Was that a firmware thing? Also what games have you tested this with?
@ParaParaKing: That’s weird, I haven’t seen any issues myself. I’ve used it in Fallout NV, Borderlands, Red Dead Redemption, I think I played some Super Meat Boy with it, and I’ve used it to navigate some Rock Band menus. The controller hasn’t missed a beat.
@Justin Massongill: but why the hell would you keep them at that point?
Because I doubt these problems are enough to get the controllers exchanged. These issues make it a pain to play, but I would probably only get a “lol no it’s tiny and doesn’t affect anything” response from a shop. Because my experiences with other people show that the large majority prefer to just dismiss issues by labelling them “nitpicks” or whatever. Only losers care about details, after all, right?
As for the battery pack one, it was because I was stupid and stalled, and now it’s too late.
And as for the RRoD thing, it’s called a joke.
Also, fanboy is shorthand for someone who is clearly biased when it comes to a game, console or developer/publisher. A visit to a message board should make it quite clear that people like that are very much real and common. I have never understood why the words is so very hated. If you were to hate every word that gets abused by shitwits, prepare to hate a lot of words.