immortal_zeus

I didn't purchase the XBox but will almost undoubtedly purchase one in the future...

Just curious as to how those controllers feel...are they awkward? I'm sure you'll get used to them in awhile, right? Personally, I haven't held the controller, but when I went to Best Buy this past weekend, two guys were playing Madden 2002 on the XBox and I asked them how the controllers felt. They said it was a bit awkward and felt the button positions/layout should have been a bit different.

Naan

The button layout could be better, but it is pretty good.

Personally I like the larger controller. I always thought most of the other console controllers were too small. I've had a chance to play on the Japanese Xbox controller and its button layout is perfect as far as I'm concerned, but it's just too small.

Ideally for me, I'd like the Japanese button layout on a controller the size of the US controller.

-Naan

Jeremy517

THe button layout makes it hard to hit 1 to 3 of hte buttons depending on the size of your hands. The size is fine, in my opinion.

brkhrt7

I thought the controller felt suprisingly good. It would seem ideal for first person shooters. The buttons are too small and cramped and feel way too slick to me. Maybe another company will make a similar pad with better buttons.

Jeraden

So far I've only played Halo with it, but I really like it. I have fairly large hands, and except for the MS sidewinder gamepad for the PC, this is the first controller that has actually been comfortable for me. The DC controller I couldn't stand, the left trigger was very awkwardly placed for large-handed people - I remember I couldn't play Crazy Taxi for more than an hour at a time as the left-trigger was a vital button for the game.

True, the buttons on the face are a bit awkward at first, but I got used to them fairly fast and am sure they'll be second nature to me in no time at all.

The Bus

I got used to it, but it's nowhere near as good as the N64 or the Gamecube controller. Better than that awful awful DC controller.

Josh H

I've played the kiosks a few times for probably an hour total. The controller isn't very good IMO, but it's no where near as bad as people make it out to be. I'd say it's in the same park as the Dreamcast controller, which I hated, but got used to eventually. I hate big bulky controllers, and prefer smaller ones like the dual shock, N64 or Gamecube, so If you like bigger controllers you'll be happy.

My other gripe is that the buttons are slick and you fingers can slip off them, and the two face buttons on the right side are slick and a good bit smaller than the other 4.

einTier

I'll throw in and say I like it. It is very big, but nothing on it feels cheap nor is hard for me to reach in the heat of battle. The logo in the center looks cheap, but I'm not looking the controller much anyway.

It's much larger than any controller out there currently, but fits my hands very well, and I think I have average sized hands.

I didn't like the dreamcast controller because it felt cheap, and the cord exited the wrong end of the controller -- none of that evident here.

I liked the N64 controller, except for the fact that only one of the three possible holding configurations was ever used in any capacity -- and four of the six buttons on the face of the controller were too small, too far away from the other two, and too hard to reach. On the XBox controller, the same buttons are a bit too rounded and smooth, and two are slightly smaller and out of the way, but none are inaccessable for me, and I don't seem to have a problem with mis-hitting buttons or sliding off pressed buttons.

The PS dual shock controller was my favorite -- and may still be, I have to play with the XBox more to decide. The only complaints I have with the PS controller is that the D-pad absolutely destroys your thumb in your first games on the playstation -- the first gen controllers were worse in this respect, but even the latest are bad. I don't have a problem today, but I'm either using it differently (pain is a great reinforcement for changing behavior) or I've built up callouses and it doesn't matter. I also don't like the four "shoulder" buttons on the dual shock, as I can't hold the controller AND keep four fingers up there to press the buttons. If the controller was a bit bigger, especially around the two prongs that shoot off the sides, I'd have no problems at all.

The gamecube controller looks like a ripoff of the PS dual shock controller, but the button layout doesn't make much sense to me. It looks great if there's one primary function to perform throughout the game, but I can't imagine using it for say, Street Fighter. The Z button also looks out of the way, I preferred its location on the N64 controller. The gamecube seems to make the same mistakes the N64 contoller made, though to be honest, I've not held one in my hands yet.

darkside

I don't like it, but I have small hands. The Gamecube controller fits my hands perfectly, but I really have to struggle with the Xbox controller. I would have to get controllers from Japan if I bought an Xbox.

Aghama

I played it a bit at a kiosk. The bulkyness didn't really bother me, but the triggers seemed to hit the wrong parts of my index fingers, and the face buttons are poorly shaped, slick, and too close together. On the other hand, I'm still not sure I like the analog stick on the GC; I loved the N64 one.

elias

I always hated the N64 controller but, admititly, I never played it much. The X-Box controller is bulky but I could probably get used to it. I love the PS & PS2 Dualshocks and in my mind they will always be the controllers to beat.

wlj

I don't have a XBox, but I have played one several times. The size of the controller is fine, but the button layout is awful. You constantly hit other buttons when trying to hit the button you want.




wlj

Michael T Hudson

I like it a lot. It is much better off of the kiosk. I think it is one of the best I have used yet. I always liked the DC I may be in the majority.

joltaddict

kekekekeke!!!

I kept getting the clammy hands while playing Halo last night and those little buttons are just too slick to begin with. Im definitely picking up some third party controllers.

I agree with the posters giving props to the N64 controller too, felt natural from the moment I picked it up. Completely ergonomic, IMO.

Tuan Jim

My thumb was a litle sore after playing DOA3 in the kiosk, but when I'm holding the controller by itself, not fastened down or anything, it feels a LOT better. Yeah the buttons are a little slick, but that doesn't bother me too much.

Tuan Jim

Centurion

Representatives for Microsoft said they got gamer's feedback on what is necessary to make the "ideal" game controller. They said the controller was designed according to these responses from gamers. The part I don't get is, there seems to be a general consensus among us here (I consider everyone here to be a "gamer") that the button placement is funky. How could Microsoft NOT get any feedback on the "ideal" button placement for this type/shape of controller?

Don't get me wrong now. I absolutely love the size. I hate those small PS/PS2 controllers (big-handed gamers will develop carpal tunnel syndrome with those bastards). The shiny surface of the buttons don't bother me either. Oh yeah, the trigger buttons are analog! Yup! Racing games (i.e. PGR) are already using these as an option for the gas and brake pedals. These trigger buttons feel just right in my fingers.

The only thing I'm griping about is the button layout.

With time, I think we'll get accustomed to it as is true for anything new. But I'm not saying I won't be on the lookout for a good 3rd party controller.

Josh H

I hated the N64 analog stick. It was a little slick, and the damn things wore out. I went through 4 of them. Eventually the plastic or something would grind down because of friction, and powdery crap gunks it up. You can take them apart and clean them out, but they never work as good as new. The newer analog sticks with the bigger "stems" don't seem to have this problem. I never had any problems with a Dual Shock or Dreamcast controller and the GC analog stick is pretty similar.

The only thing I don't like about the GC controller is the Z buttong, it's a little awkward.

jeffdsmith

Don't forget that the PS controller basically was just a SNES pad with prongs and extra L&R buttons. So really the Gamecube is not the ripoff, its the PSX and PSX2.

But does it really matter? We want the best controller period. So if a company has to steal another's idea, they might as well instead of realesing a inferior product.

I think with the SNES you saw a great pad. Sony just added a bit to it. Nintendo decided to introduce analog gaming on consoles with the N64 so they took a slightly different approach. With the gamecube what you see is Nintendo's blending of the N64 with the SNES. And after holding it I must say its almost perfect.