Discount Xbox Controller S

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Okay, I was just joking -the original Xbox controller didn't weigh as much as an 800 pound bear. But seriously: IT WAS HUGE. Not for me, mind you, but for almost everyone else I knew, the first Xbox controller was at least a few sizes too large. It hindered the way they, amoung thousands of others, played. If someone's playing badly because of the controller then something is wrong.

Thankfully Microsoft noticed this and created a smaller, lighter, more easily handled controller for those of us who needed it. The Controller S, as it is called has a more even button layout and the A, B, X and Y buttons are not slanted, but have the traditional shape of raised domes. The black and white buttons were moved to below the A, B, X and Y buttons so as to be made easier to reach. However, I personally had more problem pressing these buttons on this model than on the other one. Anywho, the Start and Select/Back buttons were relocated to the left side of the left analog stick. These buttons probably should have stayed where they were or moved to a more convenient spot, like above the Xbox logo.

In any case, this is a massive improvement for the Xbox controller. I suggest that you buy at least two of these controllers, (even if you like the other one better), just in case your friends, etc. want to use them [which they will].

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Some people think the problems with the American Xbox controller have been overly exaggerated. But the truth is, if there weren't major problems with the controller, Microsoft wouldn't have taken the time and resources to bring the Japanese controller to the States. So now, the Xbox Controller S has made it to the States. Does it have what it takes to be a vast improvement over its American counterpart? Sadly, no. While it does improve upon some areas of the original controller, it falls incredibly short in others.

First, the improvements. The size of the controller has been reduced, which is good news for all those people who complained about the American controller's large size. The triggers feel a lot more comfortable and responsive, and the D-pad actually feels better and more usable. But the biggest improvement has to be the face buttons. On the original controller, the colored face buttons were in an awkward, bunched-together set up that made it difficult to find the right button without looking right at the controller. With the Xbox Controller S, the set up is more natural, making it easier to find the right button. The buttons are also more much flatter, which means gamers no longer have to press horrible oval-shaped buttons.

But then there are the flaws. The first is the Xbox logo. Why Microsoft puts that enormous logo there is beyond me. Do they really think we'll forget which gaming system we're playing and need to remind us with a big, round logo that actually makes the Xbox Controller S look even uglier than the first controller? Because of the placement of the logo, the Start and Select buttons were moves to under the first analog stick, which makes it somewhat awkward for most people to press them with their left hand. But the biggest flaw is undoubtedly the black and white buttons. In the American controller, they were placed above the face buttons; they took some getting used to, but were accessible. With the Xbox Controller S, they are placed below the face buttons in a sloppy configuration, and just trying to press these buttons is a pain because they are set deeper in the controller than the face buttons.

With this said, which controller is better? American or Japanese? Truth be told, neither is better than the other. Actually, each controller has its advantages over the other in certain games. For example, the D-pad on the Controller S makes "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3" and "Dead or Alive 3" much easier to play, but the analog sticks on the American controller work a lot better on "Halo" and "Project Gotham Racing". If only Microsoft would take these controllers' strengths and place them in a hybrid controller, then they would have the ultimate controller.

Make no mistake, the Controller S isn't terrible; however, it's also not the saving grace controller that everyone wants it to be. It has its strengths and weaknesses, just like the American controller, and it'll hopefully point Microsoft in the right direction for a third and perfect controller for the Xbox.

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Thank you Microsoft! You see? Companies can listen! XBox has been slowly improving since launch. Its games are getting much better, and the controllers have as well. I'm actually beginning to enjoy this machine. While the button placement is not as convenient as the PS 2 Dual Shock, or as comfortable as the GameCube controller, this controller is much less awkward than the original XBox controller. It could still be better, the black and white buttons are not in a place that make them easy to get to, but the other buttons are not as close together, and the button shape make them easier to know what button you're hitting, thus avoiding hitting the wrong button by accident, which happens to me a lot of the regular controller.

Aside from the placement of the black and white buttons one more complaint I have, I can get new Nintendo made GameCube controllers for much less than the Microsoft controllers are going for. If Microsoft could lower the price on these I'd buy three more.

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When I got my Xbox a month or so ago, one of the downfalls of the system was the controller. I am sure many of you agree with me, but in many ways it suffered the flaws of being too big, heavy, and cumbersome. Not only was it tiring on the wrists, but the D-Pad was oddly shaped causing awkwardness in games that used it.

Knowing that Microsoft offered another type of controller (Controller S), I immediatly headed down to the store to grab one as a replacement for the pack in. Let me tell you... it was one of the smartest decisions I could have made with my new system.

With the old clunky original controller out of the way, I tested out the Controller S with both NFL 2K2 and Morrowind. Relaxing. Easier to use. Perfect is all I can say in a nutshell. Ideal for handsizes big and small.

Give the Controller S a try. Your hands will love you for it!

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Remember the Sega Genesis? Remember the first time you got to use Sega's 6-button controller? It was great! A sleek, smaller design that got rid of the bulk and wasted space of the original, while also slimming the buttons down as well as adding a second row of face buttons. It was a tremendous improvement that was very welcome at the time.

Now fast-forward to present day: Microsoft, less than a year after the debut of its wonder-machine, has decided (at the bequest of dissatisfied gamers everywhere) to make the controller originally designed for the overseas Japanese market available in the USA. Enter the "Controller S," a smaller model designed to solve the often cumbersome limitations of the original. And it succeeds, albeit not 100%.

Many people cited the controller as one of the bigger drawbacks to the Microsoft XBox: it was too big, the buttons weren't user-friendly, there was a lot of wasted space (hello, logo!) and people really didn't know what to make of those pesky white & black buttons. The Controller S aims to solve these problems, and does so in most areas. The controller is smaller now, thus decreasing reaction time, the analog sticks are now identical and seemingly a bit tighter with less movement area, the gigantic clear dome logo has been replaced by a smaller button-sized logo, and the Back & Start buttons have been relocated to the left side underneath the left analog.

Obviously the biggest (and best) change is the new "standard" placement of the face buttons. They are now North/South/East/West and also flat and circular, instead of teardrop shaped. This makes finding & utilizing them much easier and intuitive. BUT, we still haven't mentioned the B&W buttons yet, and that's where the design fails yet again. Microsoft acquiesced to the positioning of the main face buttons, and should have just place the Black & White buttons in the same pattern as the C & Z buttons on the old Sega Genesis 6-button controller. But, instead of having them in the awkward yet usable spot of the original XBox controller, they are now recessed and completely below the face buttons. This all but forces the player to use the heel of their thumb to press the B&W buttons, whilst the main portion of the thumb performs the usual face button duty. This isn't impossible, but it's even more awkward and counter-intuitive than the previous awkward & counter-intuitive setup.

No bones about it, the Controller S is the better controller. The new design facilitates faster and more accurate control, which is especially helpful in sports games. I noticed the difference in NCAA 2003 the minute I played using the Controller S. Though others maintain that the slower, more deliberate nature of the original is helpful in games like Halo or Star Wars Starfighter, I tend to disagree but your mileage may vary. So check it out and see how much more precise your gaming experience can be with the superior XBox Controller S.