Quest for holy grail of game controllers

[Akasha]

The quest for a wireless, robust video game controller is a hit and miss task, says Daniel Etherington of BBC Collective in his weekly games column.

Controllers are something most gamers have had issues with at one time or another. The GameCube controller was too small. The original Xbox controller too big.

The Joytech Neo S I had became worthless after just a few heavy Ninja Gaiden sessions when the rubber on the left stick tore.

I have never really been that big a fan of the DualShock 2: it is tough and responsive but there is something just plain workmanlike about it, and it has a tendency toward sweatiness.

This has nothing to do with my palms of course.

And wires are a perennial pain in the backside, literally, when you trip over them.

Wireless quest

Since discovering the Nintendo Wavebird, I have been on a mission to try and get wireless controllers of similar reliability and quality for the PS2 and Xbox.

It has been a challenge.

The first wireless PS2 controller I bought ended up in pieces, shattered against a wall as a result of my exasperation at its lagginess and seeming reliance on a nice short line-of-sight.

The second one was better - the 4Gamers controller from Big Ben - but it is a lumpy beast that is not as responsive as the DualShock 2.

So thank heavens for Logitech. I am happy to report that both the Cordless Action Controllers for PS2 and Xbox are flawless, sleek and lightweight.

Logitech really seem to have cracked it.

Considering the chaos that can arise with gaming kit - the back of the TV a matt of cables and dust - it is heartening that, bit by bit, technology that improves this situation is appearing.

Another nifty new piece of kit is the Logic 3 Game Boy Advance SP Solar Recharger. What is significant here is that it is nice to get off the national grid for once.

Although using a solar recharger is not going to instantly save the world, I am from the "every little helps" school.

As you read this, I am going to be on holiday. I debated having a break from gaming completely.

But recently I have rediscovered the pleasures of Hideo Kojima's vampire-fighting GBA game Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand.

I bought it last winter but put aside for a few months until the sun came out, as its game pak features a light sensor so you charge your weapon with actual sunlight.

The result is gratification about being able to play a game that is not only all about sunlight, after powering up my GBA with a solar charger.

Source : BBC News

[boscolio]

i've been debating buying that Logitech Wireless Xbox controller for a while now. it would make things much easier, but i don't like the price tag it's got. if i saw a drop in price i'd probably pick it up in a minute though.

on the topic of controllers, today i bought a Saitek P880 (USB gaming controller) for my PC. it says it has 20 programable buttons. but it can have almost 40 when you switch between Digital and Analog mode, since both have their own sets of key functions. it can only have 10 buttons active at any one time, but you can switch between 4 different sets. 8)

[farslayer77]

Boy am I dated wth are you playing that needs 20+ programmable
buttons :lol: Sort of looks like they are trying to cram 5 pounds of features into a 1 pound box.

[boscolio]

luckilly it's not heavy or bulky. it actually fits in hand very comfortably. it's nothing like, say, the original xbox controller. i'll use this comic from penny-arcade to illustrate my point for those of you who don't know what i'm talking about.

[Akasha]

hahaha I love that comic!