The TL;DR (short) version: this is a great product for those who want better precision in their 360 games, without having to purchase and play on an entirely different gaming system (PC).
The Longer Version: I am not at all a competitive gamer. I've never played any of the Call of Duty games or their ilk. I;ve played a lot of console shooters on PS2, PS3, and 360, but early last year I custom-built a sweet gaming PC rig and haven't touched my beloved XBox games since. It hasn't been for lack of desire, but instead because after getting so used to the sheer precision of mouse-based aiming in PC games, playing shooters on consoles again was next to impossible for me. I just couldn't excel at them anymore.
I was hoping that this FragFX 360 would allow me to play those console titles again, without having to bust my pocketbook for a much more expensive product like the XIM3 or similar devices. When it arrived, I quickly set it up (the installation is really, really simple) and plugged it into my wired XBox 360 controller (I picked one up at a local shop for $20 on the way home from work). The basic controls are like a Wii nunchuck paired with a high-DPI gaming mouse. The mouse part is large, which makes me happy too frequently I'll get mouse peripherals that are too small and uncomfortable for my Large American Man Hands. This fits very nicely under my hand in more of a wide-palm "cup" grip than a tighter "claw" grip. The four buttons on the side are easy enough to reach with my thumb, although the Y button takes a tad maneuvering to reach, but nothing too inconvenient as to mess up game play.
The plastic seems of decent quality about as sturdy as a regular XBox controller, I'd guess. The left-hand stick piece fits nicely into my hand as well, and the buttons are in logical and ergonomic positions. I had no problems using any of them. Button functions can be reconfigured on the fly, swapped back and forth and across the entire device with a second or two of function-button combos. I didn't try the macro or rapid fire functions, as I just don't know if I'll ever need them in the course of my usual gaming.
I don't remember seeing this advertised, but the purchase also included a nice full-sized mouse pad, which is on par with an older Razer pad I used a couple of years ago. I use a Vespula at my C, which I feel is superior to this included one, but it's still much better than any standard mouse pad you'd get at a department store,and much, much bigger. It had a nice wide surface area, without being too huge. It fit nicely on my IKEA "Dave" laptop stand which I used while playing in my living room.
I pulled a few games off my shelf and game them a try, including Perfect Dark Zero, Dead Space 2, Left 4 Dead, Vanquish, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. The results were quite varied. The best results came from Riddick, which already features its own _really_ detailed sensitivity customization menu the kind of control customization I wish that all games would feature these days. With just a small amount of tweaking using the game's menus and the device's own built-in Dead Zone (ooOOoooOOOOoooohhh) adjuster, I was able to quickly set myself up with one finely-tuned gaming mouse. Playing it was even more precise than I remember playing Butcher Bay back on the PC. Left 4 Dead and Vanquish were almost exactly the same, and played wonderfully.
However, on the flip side, playing Mass Effect was a chore with this device. The sensitivity in that game cannot be adjusted high enough to make using the FragFX very beneficial, even with the device adjustment wheel set to maximum sensitivity. Perfect Dark Zero (an underrated gem, IMHO) was similarly limited in its in-game tweaks, and seemed to control more smoothly with the actual 360 controller than with the FragFX.
I only really played Dragon Age to see if the mouse could give the console version a slightly more "PC-feeling" experience than before. Surprisingly, it actually did manage to make the game control somewhat better. Giving commands was a bit quicker than before, and aiming spells and abilities was much more precise, requiring less and shorter pauses to really dominate combat.
I gave it a whirl both on my gaming PC and on my OnLive console, trying out Left 4 Dead 2 and Metro 2033 on the former, and Warhammer 40k: Space Marine on the latter. All three performed remarkably. In fact, I would consider using the FragFX in L4D2 permanently were not my current PC gaming mouse much more expensive and accurate. It handled very well, and I was surprised that I was able to play so expertly using it. Metro 2033 was a tad less accurate, but playable, with Space Marine functioning similarly.
I am satisfied with this purchase. I hope that as more XBox games try to be taken seriously, they will be released with more sensitivity options, and this device will truly excel. It is by no means perfect, but it is sturdy, comfortable (a major, major plus for me), and very easy to use right out of the box. In the end, I played most of those XBox games _much_ better than I ever did before, that's for certain.
EDIT: I played the 360 version of Dead Island with this device today, and it is pretty amazing. The mouselook is smooth and precise, and the control precision actually beats that of Dark Athena, above. I recommend re-mapping the kick to the right mouse button, however.
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This isn't my 1st review of a Splitfish product, nor hopefully my last. I game with a group of guys that chase gaming site tourneys, sometimes it's swag and sometimes is cash on the line. Before I started using their controllers I was just another gamer enjoying public matches and the occasional team matches on sites like Gamebattles, I never thought about it until now, but since I started using the different versions of the FragFx series, I started winning stuff; headsets, shirts, paid for trips to events, gift cards, etc...
I could recite the pros or features of the Shark, but you can read that stuff yourself. How will or do those features really help?
1st off, every game has it's own speeds or sensitivities for moving your reticule, the very 1st thing I do is max out the games sensitivity, then I calibrate the sensitivity wheel on the chuck. By doing so, I'm always playing at the same speed no matter what game it is I'm playing.
Next, I rearrange the buttons. The most important buttons used are the fire button and the ADS (Aim Down Sights). No matter what game your playing you can always put these buttons in the same place. You can then put your frags, crouch/laydown, or reload in the exact same place.
Think about it, with those two features, adjusting the speed and rearranging the buttons, I just bounce from game to game or tourney to tourney, picking up the controller from where I left off the last time. All that muscle memory doesn't go to waste and I'm that far ahead of the competition.
Bottom line, yes I game more then the average person, I play for more then just the enjoyment of topping the nightly scoreboards, there isn't any other controller I'd use then what these guys put out. In my opinion and for the sake of winning, I invest my own money on Splitfish products.
Here's a little video I put together, please enjoy!
Best Deals for Fragfx Shark 360 - Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
I love this controller. After playing on xbox live for a few hours I was racking up the kills so easy. Using the mouse over the traditional analog stick controller gives me a big advantage over the competition. Easier headshots and quick turns help raise my k/d ratio.The 360 shark worked great on BF3 beta and on MW2. So I can't wait to use this thing when BF3 and MW3 are released in a month. Also played Gears of War3 and totally did damage with the Lancer and Shotties. Being able to strafe left or right while still keeping my aim on the enemy helped me get faster easier kills. Huge advantage there.
When playing bf3 and cod the rapid fire was very useful when I switched to my pistol. I also liked being able to switch around the buttons layout on the fly.
Pros:
-Very long battery life (still using same AA battery after days of play)
-Wireless
-On the fly customizable buttons & mouse sensitivity
-Super accurate mouse aiming and quickness (increases k/d ratio)
-Rapid Fire
-Rubberize texture of mouse and fragchuck, also looks cool
-Right out of box I plug and play without needing any setup or tweaking
-High-end very smooth gaming mouse pad
-Can use xbox mic (plug into wired xbox 360 controller)
Cons:
-Needs wired xbox 360 controller to plug into wireless dongle(I already had one, so not much of a problem)
-Fragchuck would more comfortable if it was slightly smaller
-Price though controller is well worth it based on the big advantage it gives when playing online
Verdict: Buy it now if you play a lot of online shooters because there is a bit of a learning curve if you are using a mouse to aim for the first time. But if you stick with it, you will be racking up the kills in no time. This controller is the next step to game controller evolution for fps games and I'm glad I am onboard now before everyone finds out about this secret weapon.
Honest reviews on Fragfx Shark 360 - Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
alright so i bought the frag shark and waited, paced back and forth and i was excited when it finally arrived. ive used it just about all day and i can tell you it does take some getting used to. and takes a while to get it setup right to where its not stuck or jumping around everywhere you really just hafta tweak it little by little to find the right setting splitfish didnt help at all with this even though they have reccomended settings on the website. all that said i love this addition to my gaming collection, although it does have some faults. like in other reviews ive read it does tend to disconnect sometimes. and other times it just stops working to where i hafta restart my console. i dont know whats causing it could be my fault somehow but i couldnt find any reasons for it to do so or read any faqs on the splitfish website. when it does work it is more accurate and responsive than any other remote that ive had. im definately keeping it issues and all(but hopefully ill find a way to fix these issues). i could see another downfall being they are a little big so if you have smaller hands it might not be as comfortable for you. ive never written a review before but since the reviews helped me to purchase this product i thought id share my experience. thanks for the help everyone and i hope this helps anyone else looking to purchase.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Fragfx Shark 360 - Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
This is the 4th controller I have owned by Splitfish.I have had 2 fragfx v2 for the PS3 both worn out (do to wear not defect) and 1 SHARK for the PS3 which still works like a champ.
Buying the Shark360 was a natural when I decided to get an XBOX.
I knew what to expect in the controller and what tweeks needed to be done.
This is one great controller but like many things there are defects. My frag chuck started acting up about 6 weeks after I got it.
I have contacted splitfish customer support but after 5 days still haven't had any response.
I understand that I am only one person out several that are most likely asking for help, but you would think I would have some type of acknowledgement of my request other that a automated email.
SO.....Great controller, but be aware that the company is in Switzerland so customer service may be super slow or non-existent.
I will update this review when and if I receive my help.
Update*****
Sept 27th
Still no reply back from Splitfish customer support. I'm lowering my rating do to this fact. You spend $100.00 you should get some type of customer support I haven't received anything after two weeks.
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