EGM review of the Japanese X-box controller
 

The lastest EGM has a review of the Japanese X-box controller by two of their employees who reside in Japan. It's on page 51 underneath the Quarterman gossip column.

John Ricciardi, International Editor
"This pad is infinitely more comfortable than the U.S. one, and almost every aspect of it is better designed. Like the U.S. controller, the black and white buttons are awkwardly postitioned, but they're no harder to access than they are on the U.S. pad. Unless you've got ape hands, you'll definitely find the Japanese controller to be more comfy and user-friendly. I don't think I can ever go back."

Yutaku Ohbuchi
"It's smaller than the U.S. controller, making this pad so much easier to hold. The buttons are better spaced, too. I always though the oval buttons on the U.S. pad felt too stiff. The tops of the analog sticks are also different. The dimple on the top is bigger. And there are four, braille-like dots on their surface. They're small, but you can feel them when you touch it. It gives the sticks a better feel. The surface of the directional pad (d-pad) is different, too. While the U.S. one is weird looking, it is more conventional. Overall, Japanese X-box controller is an excellent one. It's like an amalgram of existing controllers, but that's not a bad thing. I already like it more than the Dual Shock."

I can't imagine this smaller controller will feel better with my two "ape hands", but at any rate, I'll reserve judgement when I get one in May.

It was never the controllers size that I had a problem with; it was the lousy button layout. The Japanese design looks much better, although I still have gripes about the positioning of the black and white buttons. Don't they have people test these damn things out?

I don't mind the layout and the new layout with the white buttons seems no more worse than the horrible Z button the GCN controller. :)

You know, I hate the Z button on the GCN controller as well, but after thinking about it a while, it's really no worse than the R1 button on the Dual Shock, or the R triggers on the N64 or the SNES controller, all of which I hated and thought were uncomfortable to use.

I think the Z button on the GCN controller just seems worse because the R and L triggers on it are perfectly placed and it sucks to have to move you finger to hit the Z button.