Buy Mad Catz Xbox 360 Controller (Black)

Customer Ratings:

A review of a controller is a funny thing. To a certain extent it comes down to "do the buttons work, yes or no?" :-) And obviously this third party Madcatz controller's durability over time as compared to the official Xbox controller can't be quickly compared. But I will say this I bought it for use on a Windows 7 running laptop (because playing Batman Arkham Asylum with a keyboard and mouse isn't quite the same) and was worried it would not work since there was nothing specific about it being for use on a computer and no driver disk. It linked up and the laptop installed it no problem. It works flawlessly. The button layout works well as do the analog sticks. I suppose overall all I can say is that I'm happy with the purchase at this time.

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This controller is very good and functions exactly the same as a regular Xbox 360 controller. I used it to play Saints Row 2 since the controls for PC are terrible. I also used it with Beat Hazard, an indie game on Steam. It seems to be durable enough. It hooks up with USB, and is plug and play. No need to install any drivers or discs or batteries or anything like that. You can also use it on a normal Xbox 360. My only complaint is that the analog sticks do not have the rubber bumps on them like a regular 360 controller. But it's no big deal since those rub off eventually anyway.

**Use the controller as a mouse download a free program called 7plus. It will enable you to use the controller like a mouse, with right click/left click functionality, etc. 7plus also has a bunch of good hotkeys that some of you may find useful.

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My grandson sent me Lego Star Wars for the PC for my birthday so that the next time we we visited, he and I could play it together. I realized very quickly that it would be no fun to play from the keyboard, so I did some research and found that the Xbox 360 game pad would work on a PC and work with this game. The Mad Catz version of the game pad came with the adapter included and at a very good price on Amazon. I checked reviews on it and found them to be generally positive, so I bought two of them for the game. The only real knock I read on the game pad was its construction, which was described as flimsy. In my evaluation, if this is flimsy, the original must be built like a tank. As for the playability, I have found it very responsive and easy to use on this game. I have not used it with anything else, but I would give it high marks overall.

Honest reviews on Mad Catz Xbox 360 Controller (Black)

So far, I've had no problems with this controller. It's been working amazingly well.

Of course, I've read reviews where they said that along the lines of owning it, in a few months the thumbstick will be acting weird.

I play a lot of first person shooter, and obviously since it's a different type of controller, you have to get used to the sensitivity or change the sensitivity on your gameplay.

I don't rough up my controller so much so I know that this'll last me awhile.

I used to have a Microsoft controller that needed to be re-calibrated (is that what you call it? o.o) and I was still able to play it, just had to know how. So if this ever did that, I'd still be able to use it.

It's a cheap controller and if you don't have heavy or big hands to where you use the controller brutally, I'd say this is great for you.

Get this if:

-You know that it won't last you that long, a few months to a year

-You're a light user

-Don't mind the start and select buttons being on the top

-If you have small hands like I do

-Am on a budget and don't mind replacing it in a few months to a year

-Don't mind it being a wired controller (Hey no replacing batteries right?)

Dont get this if:

-You're a constant first person shooter who roughs up his controller

-Have big hands

-Mind the start and select buttons being on top

-Doesn't want to replace the controller in a few months to a year

-Have a couple of ten's more to spend on a controller that'll last you longer

-Don't like wires.

Of course, all controllers have their life span. This one's just shorter than the Microsoft ones.

For me Microsoft ones don't last too long either, a year to 2 years is a pretty good life span and this controller may be half the life span but for this much money. It's still a good deal. I only got this for around $12 bucks, so $24 bucks for two controllers that'll last 2 years is still cheaper than $40 to $60 bucks for a Microsoft controller that'll last 2 years too. :]

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After a month of usuage, the analog stick is stuck on the down position. the stick itself is neutral but whenever i move it, even just slightly, the movements on screen moves down. i checked the calibration setting on the pc and even then, it still moves down.

i knew i should have spent the extra 10 bucks to buy the official microsoft pad. i felt duped after purchasing their great TE fight stick. never again madcatz (unless they're fight sticks)

Review of Wii InCharge Dual Charge Station

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I looked at the other 2 reviews when I bought this item and since they were positive I figure this had to be a good product. Well I should have taken into account the casualness of most Wii users.

One of the main reasons I bought this item is because I was using rechargable duracells which would last me a good 2-3 weeks of playing before I needed to recharge them. The recharge for the duracells is about 1 hour. But I prefer to leave the sleave on my remotes and having to pull it off every time to recharge was a pain. Main selling point for this item. Anyways there is no listed charge time in the instructions for this product but I can say that it took well over 12 hours to charge 1 remote. I thought maybe this was due to being the first time charging but this seems to be the case for every charge. I am assuming due to the rubber sleave that it would slow down the charging since theres a little resistance being added. Testing that theory now.

The item claims to have 25 hours of play time. I havent tested this fact but I do know that I havent put in more than 10 hours over the week since I got the device and the charge is already completely drained.

Also there is no low battery warning. I have gone from playing a game and the home screen saying the battery is full to the remote not even blinking when I press a button.

So in short

Pros:

Can charge with sleave on though this seems to slowing down charging which would make sense considering resistance.

Cons:

Low battery life. Maybe half the life span as product is advertised to have

Long charge times. At least 6 hours without the sleave about double with it.

Wii cant detect how much power is left in the batteries so no low battery warnings

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The item functions as stated.

What I find odd:

*The lights flashing when full is distracting and will continue until pack is removed from charger.

*The packs took 16 hours for initial charge not 5-6 as stated

*The reset button should be moved/fixed! When I play Mario Kart with the remote in "wheel" position without using the actual wheel the reset button gets triggered too easily. A small piece of duct tape did not fix it & it is not removable.

*Tight fit, almost felt too tight when attaching it to remote

*After 4 Hours of play they were still showing 4 bars of charge on the Wii Menu

What I love:

*They are lighter

*No more waiting for unreliable rechargable batteries

*Can charge with skin & wrist strap in place

*Barely warm after charging, heat goes away within minutes.

*Pack can be charged without the remote attached

*No contact points to break, nothing clicks into place for a charge!

UPDATE 1: The reset button turned out to be a HUGE problem for my aggressive Mario Kart driving. It has reset during online play many times. My fix was to remove an area of the red button from the outside of each pack using a dremel bit on a drill. Now an ink pen or sharp item will be needed to press reset. This was done by a professional at a computer chip manufactures shop. Will void warranty! Now it works and NEVER resets accidentally.

UPDATE 2: December 2009 Still working like new! I purchased another one too. I need to remove my Wii Motion Plus before charging.

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Received this product earlier in the week and worked like a charm. No more hassles with the batteries. Must get for any Wii owner.

Package included the charging stand and two lithium battery pack.

The most wonderful thing about this new product is the no more metal contact between the remote and the base. I hate having to align the metal contacts in the other chargers out there. Now I can simply sit the remote down once the gaming is done with no hassle.

Also, it is so innovative that this base worked with my silicon skinned remotes. I haven't seen any other charging station out there with this yet.

There are blue led lights that tells you when the remotes are charging. I think mine were fully charged in 10-15 hours and haven't need to be recharged yet after 3 days.

Simply a must get wii accessory.

Honest reviews on Wii InCharge Dual Charge Station

I bought two of these units two months ago and absolutely love them. The ability for kids to just set the controller down in roughly the right place and still have it charge is fantastic.

I have had NO issues with charge life. I've seen the kids play for many hours with hardly any loss of charge.

I have had NO issues with the reset button, even when using the Mario Kart wheel.

My ONLY complaint is with the very bright flashing lights. With the new battery pack, each remote gains a blue LED which flashes whenever it is "docked" in the induction field. In addition, the base has two bright blue LEDs that glow steady when each remote is charging and flashes whenever each is charged. Who thought of that backwards logic???

I took some well-cut electric tape and completely covered the front panel lights. Then I used some thin strips of electric tape and covered 80% of the LED on each remote. This allows me to (barely) confirm the remote is "docked", and I don't care to see the charge indicator.

Overall, I *highly* recommend this product.

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Overall a really cool product that's easy to use. Recommend this for anyone who wants to save on batteries and wants a simple easy to use product without the hassles of removing sleeves or connecting wires!!!

Pro's

*Lithium ion battery so it doesn't have that battery memory problem like other types of rechargeable batteries that are nickel cadium.

*Charges with the sleeves on which I find really amazing. Just drop it right on top of the charger even with the sleeve and it'll charge...nothing to connect except the inital connection of the base charger to the outlet. Wish they would do this with cell phones

*Charge time was 6 hours for me. I just leave it on the charger once a week. Easy since there is nothing to plug in.

Con's

*When a product is charged, the light blinks. I would have preferred if they just made the color change.

Review of Fable 3 Limited Collector's Edition

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List Price: $199.99
Sale Price: $149.99
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

I just received this supposed Fable 3 Limited Edition package... it clearly states that the playing cards and coin are included, and the pictures show the entire collection, including the cards, coin and case. NOT TRUE. I spent $60 and received only the game disk. :( What's worse, when I called Amazon, they do the customer service for Jake Steele and whatever else he calls his little company, so you can't contact the seller, you can't request for your order to be filled as it was supposed to be, you can't even complain to the seller. All Amazon "can" do is issue a refund. :( So after excitedly counting down the days until my awesome game collection arrives, I now have to send it back and order what I ordered already, and wait for shipping again. :( Needless to say, I'm extremely unhappy, and dissatisfied with "Jake Steele", and Amazon's lack of concern for their customer.

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Fun realistic love story line No complaints I would recommenFable 3 Limited Collector's Editiond to anyone who like role playing. Best Fable yet

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I personally loved the original Fable game, and especially The Lost Chapters expansion. Fable III, however, goes so far away from the feel of that game that it is almost unrecognizable in my opinion. The game play has been "dumbed" down so much that if you are a core gamer and like a challenge, stay clear. The skill required is about the level of a 7 year old. The story itself is not very engaging. Where as the original Fable evoked a serious sense of vengeance for your family, Fable III just feels like a petty squabble amongst siblings. Also, the experience of "ruling" the kingdom will definitely leave you feeling disappointed. Not much really happens with actually being king and your decisions feel pretty limited. Overall, extremely disappointing. Fable II I accepted as the sophomore slump, but this was just plain bad in my opinion.

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Great game i love playing it. I recomend it to everyone to at least try it once! Seriously this game rocks!

Review of Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition -Xbox 360

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List Price: $39.99
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Capcom was notorious in the 90's for releasing small updates to their fighting games in rather rapid succession. There would be some balance changes, a few more characters, and arcade managers would get charged full-price for software and hardware updates. The same is true for Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition (referred to as SSF4AE). While dead pretty much elsewhere in the world, arcades have thrived in Japan, and Capcom saw money to be made by first only producing arcade cabinets of SSF4AE and then offering it as DLC and later as a limited-run disc. But this isn't about their business practices. This review is on the game itself.

1. Is SSF4AE worth buying?

If you are competitive at all, yes, you almost have to buy this game. If you don't frequent sites like shoryuken or play in tournaments, then you probably aren't going to appreciate some of the smaller nuances of SSF4AE. The game features a complete re-balance of old characters, with four new characters, which doesn't seem like much when you take into account SSF4 had 35. Again, if you aren't into competitive street fighter, skip arcade edition, unless Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu, or Oni appeal to you that much. With a price-tag of $40, it doesn't make much sense to pick this up unless you are a tournament organizer or don't have internet access where you play. As mentioned in another review, SSF4 can be bought online for ~$15 and the DLC costs about another $15. Tournament organizers will want this because quite frankly making sure every set-up has the proper DLC on the ready is a hassle. Having the disc is more convenient as well if you ever want to play the game on someone else's system without having to log in to your account and download it onto their machine.

2. What about the new characters?

I. Yun is considered widely as the second best or best character in the game. His learning curve on combos is not steep at all, however learning spacing might be beyond you those first few weeks. He is highly mobile and his air-to-ground dive-kick leads to big, easy damage if spaced well. Many of his special moves are unpunishable if spaced correctly and he is generally a pretty safe character when you take into account how agile he is. His super, genei jin is arguably the most fun super in any Street Fighter game ever behind Urien's aegis reflector. Yun has a fat sack of advantages over most of the cast, and although you will inevitably be labeled a tierwhore for using him, he is a lot of fun.

II. Yang is Yun's twin in Street Fighter canon, and he plays like him to an extent. His normal moves are for the most part worse than his brother's. At face value, he seems to a lot like Yun, but he really is his own character. He is top tier as well, though not Fei or Yun level. He is highly mobile and has a lot of safe options to keep the opponent pinned down by constant pressure, complemented by a divekick (although worse than yuns as it has a height restriction).

III. Evil Ryu is a worse Akuma with a few Ryu-esque tricks. The general consensus seems to be Akuma is better than Evil Ryu, but Evil Ryu is better than Ryu (who was nerfed this version). It really might be too early to tell, since Evil Ryu was on a timed-release in even Japanese arcades. There have been a few Evil Ryus on the tournament scene, and most recently Justin Wong (a top player) was eliminated from NCR 9 by an Evil Ryu player.

IV. Oni is unique. His normals are fantastic. His forward fierce nullifies fireballs and has good range and a good hitbox. His sweep has an oddly long recovery time for technically being Akuma, but his pokes are safeish and his links are pretty simple. I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, since Oni was released even later than Evil Ryu in arcades and AE has only been available a few weeks now, but Oni seems to be just OK. It's clear he has potential, but his awful fireball game and un-FADC-able shoryuken, and the fact that he plays kinda like gouken (who was a relatively hard character to use well to begin with) but with good normals, makes the future look bleak for Oni.

3. How about that balance?

Well, there is some pretty major stuff that changed from Super to Arcade Edition. To give you an idea, look at the top 10 from SSF4 compared to Arcade Edition:

SSF4Akuma, Fei-Long, Guile, Cammy, Chun-Li, Dictator, Boxer, E. Honda, Abel, Ryu

SSF4AE Fei Long, Yun, Yang, Gouki/Akuma, C.Viper, Ken, Sagat, Cammy, Makoto, Zangief

The SSF4 list was taken from iplaywinner.com and the AE list was decided by Daigo, Mago, and Tokidothree of Japan's top players (who use Yun/Fei/Akuma, respectively). Akuma got slight tweaks and is still a strong character as he has been in every incarnation of the game. Fei-Long got better while mostly everyone else in the top 10 was nerfed or left mostly the same. Guile was beaten up with the nerf-stick. He was a defensive character before and as you can see, the top 6 in AE are all highly offensive characters, making his job even worse. He gains less meter on his sonic booms, his most important normals are now average, and his flashkick is as unsafe as ever. Cammy and Chun were nerfed somewhat, but Chun is probably number 14 or 15 in AE. Much is the same for Dictator and Balrog. E. Honda was made much worse in AE, although the Honda specialist Mike Ross recently placed top 16 at Shadowloo Showdown 2011. Tier lists should be taken with a grain of salt. If you have the skill, YOU are top tier. At SS 2011, Poongko, the machine from Korea, placed 1st with Seth, who has never been considered "top tier." A Sakura player (Uryo) also placed top 16, and Sakura has been considered pretty bad for quite a long time now. But this still doesn't change the fact that characters like E. Honda, Ryu, Dhalsim, Guile, Rose, Abel, took a big hit in Arcade Edition. One of the rags to riches story in AE is that of Makoto, who was considered the 3rd or 4th worst character in the game and is now number 9 on the list. Almost all subpar characters received buffs, though some buffs haven't done very much for those characters. Many on the competitive circuit are criticizing these changes as ineffective or nonsensical. And in the case of Fei Long, Dhalsim, Gouken, Hakan, etc I agree. Fei Long is absurdly strong in this game, Dhalsim was made practically unusable, and Gouken/Hakan are still pretty bad.

4. You mention a lot about competitive Street Fighter, where can I find more information?

Shoryuken.com is a great place to start.

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A lot of people are bashing this game because it is merely an upgrade from SSF4 with 4 new characters. While I feel for those that already had SSF4 and want this game, the fact remains that SSF4 AE is a great game on its own. If you are coming into this game cold turkey as I did, you will not be disappointed. If you already have SSF4, you will have to decide if $20 is worth it to bring you up to the newest version.

The addition of Yun and Yang have made it a very unbalanced game when it came out. However, in the most recent patch (circa 2012), they have nerfed these characters to make it more fair. Time will tell if people like the rebalancing.

Online play is fun, but brutal for the beginner. For instance, I can beat the game on HARDEST, but I still lose most of my games online.

Best Deals for Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition -Xbox 360

Street Fighter IV is my favorite series of the past several years. I really like the games and have sunk hundreds of hours into them.

What is Arcade Edition? Well, SF4 first came out in arcades in late 2008. However, arcades are really only relevant in Japan, so Capcom quickly ported the game to PS3 and Xbox 360. Along the way, they added several characters (Cammy, Fei Long, Sakura, Gen, Rose, and Dan). Capcom then released, a year later, a nicely upgraded version of the game, Super Street Fighter IV, which contained balance changes, an expanded roster (Juri, T. Hawk, Dee-Jay, et. al.), new backgrounds, and so forth. This didn't come out to arcades, which meant that console players had a game that was vastly superior to arcade players. Capcom released SSF4 in arcades in a version which added Oni (Akuma in pure demon form), Evil Ryu (Ryu afflicted with the same demon stuff as regular Akuma), and two twins from SF3, Yun and Yang. Now we are getting this version at home, which marks the first and only time the home and arcade versions of SF4 are the same.

So how is the update? First of all, this is kind of a mediocre add-on. You get the extra four characters and the balance changes, but little else. No new online modes (or even the return of my favorite from SF4, Championship Mode), no new backgrounds, mini-games, etc. You don't even get Trials for the four new characters, which is a major bummer in my opinion. The only noticeable thing is an "Elite" channel which sets the replay channel to only show high ranking matches. It's a nice addition, to be honest.

But let's talk about the characters. First of all, Yun is a monster, just like in SF3. This guy is ridiculous. His combos are simple and do crazy damage. He's very flexible and very powerful. It's almost frustrating to go against him because he has so many advantages over most of the cast. Yang plays similarly, but is a little worse in every way. Evil Ryu is like a mix between Akuma and Ryu, but not really a very strong character. Oni is another Ryu-like character with a few differences he's more like Gouken in that regard. Early talk is that he is just an alright character. He's fun to play as though.

Here's my problem: SSF4's balance was very good. Throwing in a monster of a character like Yun kind of screws that all up. I dare say that he is even more powerful in AE than Sagat was in regular SF4. This is, IMO, a clear step backwards for the game. One of the fun things about SSF4 was playing so many characters, because so many were viable. I fear now we will see lots and lots of Yun online, and practically zero Yangs.

The game does give you the choice to switch from AE to regular SSF4, but obviously most are on SSF4 AE. I gave this game four stars because it's still SF4 and I like it a lot... but my early thought is that AE is just not as good as SSF4.

Honest reviews on Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition -Xbox 360

This has been my most played game of 2013. Play online with some bredren from high school. A must have for SF fans.

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This version of SSF4 was made for the fans who can't get online to download the newly released "Arcade Edition" DLC. If you have XBL or PSN go and download the DLC for a much cheaper price (that's if you own a copy of SSF4). Nonetheless, this really is a great game! Over 35 characters each having 2 different ultra attacks is always fun! The game has many different modes such as trials to help learn specific characters, arcade, and a really useful training mode that gives you many options to deal with. The online is even better! It has lobbies that holds up to 8 people and you can spectate the matches while you wait your turn, team battle, ranked matches, and as well as quick matches too. You also have a replay mode where you can upload your favorite fights and download others. Your also able to invite friends online to watch replays with you! Look, I have the original version of SF4 and SSF4. I plan to buy this version just for collecting purposes, if you don't own a copy of Street Fighter 4 now's the time to join the series!

Reviews of Xbox 360 Street Fighter IV FightPad - Chun-Li

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I have the controller with Chun Li on the front. First, let me say that I have read various complaints on web forums from people who say that the diagonals on these controllers don't work quite right. While I don't question the accuracy of these claims, a lot of people (like me) aren't experiencing this problem, so it is clearly something that's only affecting some of the controllers. Oh, and there are apparently some issues with pulling off special moves in Mortal Kombat vs DC. If you're interested in using the Fightpad with that game, I'd suggest you do a bit of research on it, as I'm not sure of the specifics. Now, onto my review ...

I have played with many, many d-pads over the years, and I can say hands down that the best one ever made was the one for the Sega Saturn, specifically the Japanese version. Playing Marvel vs Capcom with that controller is about as close as you can get to 2D fighting game nirvana :) This new Madcatz Fightpad is supposedly modeled off of the Saturn controller. Is it really that good? Well, not quite, but it's still very good. Special moves can be pulled off like butter, and some will say it's actually a little too sensative, because you end up pulling off dragon punches by accident. The d-pad itself is very 'floaty', but I really like it. Needless to say, it is a HUGE improvement over the standard 360 d-pad

At this point, I'm sure some of you are wondering if it's really worth paying $40 for this controller to play SFIV with. Well, let me tell you that this controller also works wonders with some of the more 'retro' style XBLA games, especially Pacman CE. I tried it with this controller and I have a much easier time controlling it than I do on the regular 360 pad. Also, this controller has a 2-speed turbo fire feature, which I tried with R-Type and Mega Man 9; it worked great in both games.

Oh, and it's PC compatable too, though I have not personally tried it.

Overall, I have to give this controller 4 stars instead of 5 because of the problems that some people are having, but I still highly recommend it. However, I would also advise you to buy locally if you can, just in case you get one of the bad ones. That way, it will be easier for you to exchange it if you need to. I would NOT buy it online. As of this writing, it is a bit hard to find. But if you have Gamestops in your area, keep checking there, as that is where I got mine.

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So I'm not a professional when it comes to SF4 and basically just loved it from my SNES childhood. So, I opted for a pad and not an arcade stick. The 360 controller just SUCKS for Street Fighter. It has the worst DPad ever and is too clunky for fighting game usage. I moved to a PS3 whose controller is better than a 360 but still not the best. When I finally was able to find an SF4 gamepad, I was overjoyed. There are definitely pros and cons which I will go over.

CONS: The controller has a diagonal that you REALLY need to get used to. Blocking low, for instance, sometimes doesn't happen at all. I'll be in the middle of a block string then get hit because I'm not pressing down and back. When throwing shoto fireballs, you can't just spam them and hit Down to Forward. You basically have to use the outer edge of the circular pad to make sure that the DownForward also gets inputted.

PROS: Pretty much the rest of the pad is a pro. The buttons are laid out very nicely so that you can easily do throws, focus attacks or combos. The d-pad is designed very well so that you can easily slide your thumb from one area to another. I had no problems with jumping forward issues at all (just fireballs). People complain about the shoulder buttons for being cheap but I love them because they respond perfectly just with a tap. I like wired controllers because I don't have to worry about batteries and this one has a nice, long 10 ft cable.

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Street Fighter IV FightPad - Chun-Li

I am surprised at the high rated reviews this product has gotten. I am a fighting game enthusiast and know a good Dpad when I try one. I loved the old-school Nintendo Dpad, and the Playstation 2 Dpad is also very good. They offered precise feel and control. When I got my Xbox 360, I was shocked at how poor the Dpad was on that controller. Everything else, including the analog sticks are so perfect, but the Dpad is clumsy and ineffective. I'd try to hold back to block and end up jumping or doing some other random direction.

So after reading some reviews on different products, I thought I'd give the Madcatz fightpad a try. When I received the package, I already had a gut-feeling that it was no good. This was confirmed moments later as I tried to play with it.

1) The diagonals were very difficult to locate and I couldn't hit them with any consistency. Very bad news in a fighting game. I found that I had to hit a precise 30 degree angle from the down position to get down-back, and that should be 45 degrees, not 30. But this could have been a defect in the particular controller I got, and might not be an issue in others.

2) However, I'm sure for all of these controllers, the feel of the pad would be the same. The floating Dpad is very loosey-goosey. While this makes it very easy to throw fireballs, any slight pressure will move you away from your intended position. So if you needed to hold back to block, you might accidentally jump or duck.

3) The construction/material of the controller feels very light and cheap. This wouldn't have bothered me too much if the controller worked great but it didn't, and this only added to my disappointment.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Street Fighter IV FightPad - Chun-Li

The D-Pad for this fightpad is horrible!

I really like the layout of this controller. The buttons and d-pad are perfect for me. The killer for this controller is the d-pad, it just doesn't work. I read about this controller having a lot of problems, I figured maybe these problems have been fixed by now, but apparently I was wrong.

The diagonals on this controller just don't work. I have this controller plugged into my computer, I can see the input of the directions I press as I press them, I am getting real-time feedback on it. When I press each diagonal on the d-pad, it doesn't always register a diagonal. What it registers is either right, left, up, or down. If I press down HARD on the diagonal, I may get a diagonal command, but ONLY if I press hard on the diagonal, and it will ALWAYS register another direction first BEFORE it registers the diagonal. There's an arrow located on the d-pad for each direction. Up, down, left, right, and the diagonals all have arrows. When I press a diagonal arrow, it goes in a different direction. Huh? If I press the DOWN-RIGHT arrow, it goes RIGHT, and not DOWN-RIGHT.

Some examples: If I press UP-RIGHT on the d-pad, it registers RIGHT. If I tap UP-RIGHT fast on the d-pad, it will iregister RIGHT and only sometimes will it register UP-RIGHT. If I press down hard on UP-RIGHT, it will register RIGHT and then it might register UP-RIGHT.

It never registers only the diagonals first, it will always register another direction first. UP-RIGHT will always execute RIGHT first, DOWN-RIGHT will always execute RIGHT first, UP-LEFT will always execute LEFT first, DOWN-LEFT will always execute LEFT first.

I can NEVER execute just a diagonal command. I tried this many times. I have other cheaper controllers that have no problems executing movements on their d-pads, why does this more expensive one find going in a diagonal so hard.

The buttons work fine. The feel of the controller is great. But what's the point of all that if the d-pad doesn't work.

Maybe people with working controllers got good ones and the rest of us got bad ones, or maybe they just have lower standards, all I know is that this controller sucks. It's not worth all this money for a controller that can't get the basic function of a d-pad right.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Xbox 360 Street Fighter IV FightPad - Chun-Li

There are two reasons to buy this for playing Street Fighter over using a traditional 360 controller: The D-Pad, and the buttons. That may not seem like much, but in the end they're both perfectly executed.

The D-pad is an interesting design. Essentially, it is a very, very small joystick with a d-pad mounted on top. Thus you can move right by either pressing down on the right side, or pushing the pad towards the right. Because of this the movement is very fluid and dynamic, but there is a bit more travel than you would get with a traditional d-pad. I've found it to be very helpful with rotation-based moves (down, downforward, forward), but the distance is less helpful for charge moves (back for 1 second, forward). Directions are quite precise, and I never find that I'm accidentally pressing the wrong way. Overall, it beats any d-pad available on the 360 easily, including previous Mad Katz pads and Hori imports.

Further, the buttons are pure beauty to use. The layout is perfect, and the buttons are spaced far enough apart that I have yet to accidentally mispress. Button action is short and sharp, allowing for faster usage. This is the button layout that the game was made for. The shoulder buttons, unfortunately, are somewhat stiff and difficult to use, but they get the job done.

The pad also features rapid fire, which is pretty easy to use. Hold the rapid fire button, and tap the button you would like to set. A light on the controller blinks as it goes. Simple. As a bonus, the controller is curved almost perfectly so that any button can be held down with a simple rubber band, if you're the kind of cheater who does that sort of thing.

10 seconds after starting off with this controller, it felt perfectly natural in my hands. This is the way the game was meant to be played. Instead of fighting against the controls, I felt like I was playing the game. 40 dollars for a pad that you will probably use on one or two games may seem like a lot (and it is), but this controller is just a pleasure. Highly Recommended.

Dead to Rights II Reviews

Customer Ratings:

As I said in the title, this game tried to improve on the original, but fell flat on its face. The original had its share of annoying quirks, but ultimately, it was an awesome action-packed ass-kicking thrill-ride. The story itself, cheesy as parts were ("Hey, these blueprints will come in handy. I wonder what they're doing just sitting here."), wasn't half bad either. Jack's narrative was well scripted and well read. The game was like a GOOD B movie. Lots of action, and a story to go along that didn't make you want to throw up. Like Lethal Weapon, for instance.

The sequel (or I guess prequel) was like a CRAPY B movie.

I was severely disappointed based my expectations from the last game. And as I said, there were too many changes, and not good ones either. The only notable changes that I liked were the ability to use Shadow more, and the ability to keep explosive cannisters in your inventory. And the graphics were improved. There may be more, but I can't remember them right now. But the weapons system was a lot worse in this one. It takes 16 shots from a .45 to bring down an unarmored baddie from something like 10 feet away. I'm no kung-fu killing machine myself, but it wouldn't take me half of a gun store to bring down one guy who's standing out in the open in spitting range.

Your adrenaline runs out too fast. In this version, you can only disarm once per group of bad guys, and holding a human shield constantly uses your adrenaline, after which Jack lets the hostage go (and he doesn't even shoot them!), although the human shields seem to be invincible, and he does say some funny things when he releases them, like "not on the first date!", "oops!", or "thanks for your help." Another thing that pissed me off was that the bosses can only be injured a certain amount before they become invincible and you have to wait while they and their infinite-spawning henchmen take potshots at you until you can fight him again. What's up with that? But the thing that pissed me off the most was that whenever you get a weapon, Jack auto-switches to it. I looked hard for a way to disable this, but I couldn't find it. Small thing, right? Well, the way it works out is that you end up wasting valuable ammo in a good gun that you need to use for long range, because you auto switch to it while you're in the middle of blasting an evil-doer from close range with a crappy short-range gun. Veeeeeerrrryyy annoying. Almost as annoying as using 14 letters to spell "very".

And finally, the worst part. The story was a huge reason why I got this game in the first place, but it's worthless. The story develops poorly and there aren't really segments of it like in the first. The result is that you don't really keep pace well. Basically, it feels like he's on one single rampage that lasts for 2 days or something like that. I had trouble telling what was exactly the climax and the end. In the first one, the story and the action were harmonized and you could tell where you were going and what was happening. Not so much here. Jack's comments aren't as witty and sharp. There's a lot of laughable pointless swearing too.

In all, they messed up the way the game plays, and they added an atrocious story to it. Although it makes better sense in the end, that closure is by no means worth it. It feels like they had half the budget to work with in making this.

I don't begrudge the money I spent on this game, especially at amazon prices, but only I got it because of the first one. If you have to choose PLEASE get the first one, and don't let this one ruin your opinion of the series. If you're a die hard fan like me, then by all means, get this one. You may like it even if you aren't a fan, because of the action. So consider yourself warned: don't expect something anywhere near as good as the original.

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Game is fun. More Difficult than the first but still fun. Would use seller again.

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What the hell were they thinking?? Ok i get it its a second game but its a prequel. Usually they are better in this case its not. Ok for one the controls can be a little jerky at times but that can be gotten used to. But i mean come on the game play itself is attrocious (dont know or care if I spelled that right. Thats how bad this game is.) I loved the first game so when I heard they came out with a second one I jumped at the chance at getting it... I needed to get my head examined. The story develops poorly and there isnt a good plot like the first one and it jumps seems to go so darn slow. The auto switching of the weapons SUXX!! imagine popping off a few shots at someone then grabbing another weapon and shooting that and realizing that it feels like a gnat is trying to sting them. The game was poor in concept and if you must get this just rent it. Actually dont even rent it, its not even worth that much money.

Honest reviews on Dead to Rights II

The game is not as many other titles out there. In my opinion the game was released and not finished 1st. Not much difference from part 1 and this is unacceptable due part one was a little better thn this one. Overall the current price is really worth buyin for. But $50,$20 dollars is a waste of $$ for this one.

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This game is a great diversion and a hell of alot of fun for casual gamers. If you want more than a quick dose of action stick to RPG's.

Discount 2in1 combo Silicone Skin Military Camouflage Black Green and Sky

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $8.80
Today's Bonus: 56% Off

I bought the 2in1 combo silicone skins for my son as a gift, he loved them! They fit his controller great and they are not too hard to put on. Great product quality! Will buy from them again.

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I was skeptical about ordering this product due to no reviews. I was not sure it would be a cheap knock off of some sort with fake, thin plastic that I would probably end cutting it to size for the controller(s).

But I was wrong.

These silicone protectors fit the controller perfectly! No cutting to size around anything. Either the joysticks, D-pad, buttons, or triggers. I have the black and green one on a silver Microsoft wireless controller with the rechargeable battery pack. The opening for the charging port is outlined wonderfully so as not to interfere with the connection at all. Plus there is a slit for your headphones that is the same way. No hassle connecting anything. I also have the blue, white marbled one on a wired Microsoft controller. It fits the same way, perfectly with no slippage on the controller nor covering anything that it is not suppose to or getting in the way of the wire. I did notice one small tear between the start button and colored (action) buttons, but that might be from the way I put the protector on. I figured a little super glue or something will take care of that. Just watch that spot when you put them on for the silicone is thin there. It only happened on the blue, white marbled one.

The colors are vibrant, but a little darker in real life than the pictures. Which doesn't bother me. They are not faded or badly colored due to plastic issues not accepting color or just poor product in general. They simply came in a white zip-locked bag waiting patiently to be put on. I didn't notice any funny smells when opening the package either, but my nose is not the best smeller either.

Note: I do want to add the reason for me putting 'Microsoft' controllers is because I used these on actual Microsoft products, not the third party knock offs, for fitting purposely. Thank you.

Discount NFL® Baltimore Ravens Vinyl Skin for 1 Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $11.24
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

I thought this would be a heavy vinyl cover that went over the control. When I got It, it was only a sticker that was to be stuck to the

top of the controller. I would never had ordered this if I knew It was just a flimsy sticker.

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very happy with the application and ability to remove if the day comes that trend changes for 11 year old son.

Buy Oblivion (Game of the Year Edition) -Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

I remember when I first bought this game years ago on release..What an amazing game. I bought this again after getting Skyrim to relive the good old days and man let me say this..the gameplay is great now as it was then. Felt like a new game to me after so many years. And for 18 bucks to get the game and 2 of the biggest DLCs for it is just great. Also fun playing it after doing Skyrim to see the difference in gameplay.

To anyone new to Elder Scrolls that bought Skyrim, give this game a chance. Along with the other older titles.

Maybe I will go get me Morrowind again..damned cliff racers..

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I just wanted to let everyone know that this is a platinum hits version. The cover art looks like the old GOTY editions but when you recieve the game you will notice it is in a grey box instead of the lime green. Then when you open the box you will imediately notice the Platinum hits disks.

This doesnt really matter but I didnt know I was getting this version because it is not advertised as Platinum hits. Also dont expect there to be a game manual in it like the original came with , its just a sorry little 3 page pamplet with the controller layout and another pamplet advertising some game that I cant remember. I really was thinking I was getting the original GOTY edition with the map and full booklet. Oh well.

Now for what really matters. I have completed Skyrim and the expansion dlc dawnguard and also leveled all the way out to level 81. That is a most excellent game!!!!. I decided I wanted some more Elder Scrolls so I decided to pick up Oblivion. I can honestly say that I am not disappointed in the least. I went into this knowing the game was released in early 2006. So I knew the graphics and voice acting were not going to be up to the standards of Skyrim. The gameplay is almost identical to skyrim. The world is beautiful even with todays standards. The character movement seems to be no different than Skyrim. There are plenty of side quests to go along with the main quest line. So far I am really enjoying the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood quest lines. Just as in Skyrim you can either do the main quest line or save it for later and do side quests like the Thieves Guild that actually have a story of their own. There is just so much to do and so many places to explore.

In conclusion I have to say to you. This is an excellent game with top notch game play that will keep you playing for hundreds of hours. I actually have friends that have been playing this game since its release date and still are playing it today. Go into this game with the mind frame that it was released in 2006. Im not downplaying anything about the game but if you go into it like that there should be no disapointment. Finally , the graphics and world of the game are beautiful , the gameplay top notch , so many hours of quests to even begin try and count. You could literally play this game for years and still not find or do everything. So If you are on the fence about this game climb on down and just buy it because in my humble opinion it has been well worth the money.

Note: ( dont forget that this is the platinum hits version and doesnt include the full release date manual , map and is incased in a gray platinum hits box. If you are looking for the original with the map , lime green box and original GOTY edition discs try somewhere else. Although I was a little disappointed with these few things the game itself is a 5 out of 5 stars and I do not regret my purchase. )

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I have never played the Elder Scrolls games and with the hype of Skyrim I was very tempted to buy it. As a casual gamer who didnt want to spend the $50+ I decided to check out Oblivion. I was able to snag it for pretty cheap and it has been worth every penny. The graphics are great, though nothing like Skyrim. The gameplay pulls you in and half an hour quickly becomes an hour and a half or more. It will be some time before the next Elder Scrolls game comes out so if you are like me and new to it all then I recomend this game first and by the time you finish or get board Skyrim will be cheaper or be sold with an additional expansion pack. Playing Skyrim first, I suspect, will sour most peoples desire to go back and play this game even though its great.

Honest reviews on Oblivion (Game of the Year Edition) -Xbox 360

Not gonna comment on the game as everyone already knows how awesome it is. This pretty much has the same content (base game, knights of the nine and shivering isles expansion) as the 5th anniversary edition sans the steelbook, the map, and the discount coupon for skyrim. The $10 price difference could go towards a guide for the book, which is much more useful than the 5th Anniversary extras

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Oblivion (Game of the Year Edition) -Xbox 360

This is a great game and was steller for its time. Don't expect the graphics to amaze anymore (get Skyrim if you want that). If you want a quality RPG game that has many hours of gameplay and a very advanced skill/leveling system than this is for you. If you want a quick, boring shooter, then don't bother. This 'game of year edition' is great since it has two compreshensive add-ons. I got it on sale around Chistmas for about $15, but even at $20 it is a good deal.

Review of U.S. Army Universal Gaming Headset With 3D Effect for PS3/XBOX/PC

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $54.48
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This makes my 5TH set of gaming headphones. Well 6 if you count a 25 year old Radio Shack pair..... After I retired, I became an old guy who spends sometimes 12-18 hours a day gaming. Why so much? I became disabled and it takes my mind of pain to some degree. I also find all that just a GREAT excuse to "play". How do these stack up to all my other headsets?

Well, for the most part I use my ASTRO Gaming A40 set. Now while it is "wired" it does have wires. Confused? Well so was I at first. To THIS headset. I have sets from the cheap & crappy to the best. This set falls right square in the middle. The ear cups are average in their comfort (to MY head anyway), the sound is average. I find the 3D effect just that. An EFFECT. Kind of cheesy to me after having HONEST surround sound for gaming....I hear no honest directional capability when listening for WHERE an enemy is while sneaking up on me. What I do hear is that it makes the sound (whatever it may be) just a bit more able to notice and at least is sort of an "alert" to pay more attention. But then, by the time it got my attention, I am dead so not much use unless you are into suicide :-)

The GOOD for me are:

1-Connects to any & all gaming platforms you may use. I have the PS3, PS Vita, XBOX and a gaming computer plus 2 laptops. You can get this to work on it all. This is a HUGE advantage.

2-Separate control for game and microphone.

3-ALL needed cables and connectors are INCLUDED. No running to some store to make it work!

4-Mic is removable

The BAD for me:

1-Individual setups and be a bit confusing UNTIL you get familiar when switching between platforms

2-14 feet of wire is nice, but for my very LARGE Big screen LCD, I NEED 18-22 feet (But that may not be the norm for most folks?)

3-Cost is a little high for AVERAGE sound, but then again you DO get all the needed wires & connections.

Who should buy this? Someone who needs one single headset for EVERYTHING you game on. Sometimes you just don't need the very best sounding, the absolute most comfy headset, or a completely different headset for EACH platform you game on. This may just be average in ALL areas, but this one single item will let you play on EVERYTHING and that is actually pretty huge when you think about it. You can't expect miracles, but you won't have to go buy 3 different headsets either!

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Let me start by saying Ive never used any other headset besides the stock xbox 360 one.

I've been using this for a few weeks now and I must say, I'm not disappointed! It was easy to set up and sounds great. The 3D sound amplifies the effects (which is great for war games like COD and BF)

Pros.

Price!! No better headset for the price out there.

Sturdy

Separate volume controls for game sound and mic

Comfortable (and I wear a 7 5/8 hat)

Can be used for multi platforms

Block out most sound (some might see this as a con)

Cons.

Cord length

If your looking for a great gaming headset and don't want to spend $100, look no further!! I would recommend these to anyone

Best Deals for U.S. Army Universal Gaming Headset With 3D Effect for PS3/XBOX/PC

Like the title says this head set is Simply Amazing!!!

I read almost all the reviews for this head set and the thing I never really figured out was if the sound quality was similar to the Turtle Beach headsets or not. When I say this I mean that if I were to be able to tell if someone was walking up from my backside on my left. The answer is YES! I was playing MW3 and I could tell there was grenades being thrown and detonating to my right and then heard someone coming from to my left, and not just to my left but from the front left of me. So if you were hesitant to buy this because you didn't know if the sound quality is as good as Turtle Beachs, then go a head and buy it.

The 3-D effect is just amazing, at first I played MW3 with it off to test out the sound quality, I could easily predict where everyone was by their footsteps, but when I turned on the 3-d effect I could feel the grenade explode near me, I could hear the fire crackling and the flies buzzing. When turning on 3D i was afraid if I would be able to hear my teammates clearly because the game was so loud, but that wasn't a problem at all I could hear them clearly and the same goes for them as they could hear me clearly as well.

My problems are that the wire might be a little too short, if you have a home theater then you need will need to buy an extension chord. I sit 10 ft from my TV and xbox and the chord is hanging off the ground for a good twothree inches, but I don't really mind that...

Compared to the TBs X12s they, US ARMY headset, is most definetly heavier but you know what that just tells me this head set is sturdier... If you are wondering whether to buy this head set or the X12s then let me tell you, I wouldn't trade this headset in for an x12, because one the 3-d is so amazing, its universial, and the the drivers 1 40mm and 2 15mm drivers in each ear for the US army headset vs the X12s' 50 mm.

This is an easier decision for me.

So the only con for me is really the chord's size.

Honest reviews on U.S. Army Universal Gaming Headset With 3D Effect for PS3/XBOX/PC

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I got this headset just in time for Diablo 3... and have enjoyed it thoroughly. I just plug the green (earphones) and red (mic) jacks into the corresponding ports on the front of my computer, and I'm good to go.

SOUND QUALITY: these headphones sound great. My old headphones, Sennheiser HD 202 Dynamic Headphones (Old Version), worked great and had good quality, but I think these headphones are actually pump out audio that's just a little bit fuller.

NOISE REDUCTION: these actually don't work as well as my old headphones -I think because of the way my ears fit into the headset, I can still hear external sounds (like roommate watching TV) a little bit. Noise reduction isn't one of the advertised features on the listing page, so I guess this is no surprise.

MICROPHONE: my buddies online have no complaints re: my voice quality over the mic. I've used this for PC gaming chat and for Google Voice. Works fine. Mute switch is pretty standard.

BUILD QUALITY / AESTHETICS: bulky, solid, dorky-but-cool. These are big, heavy headphones and really do look/feel like something you'd be wearing in an old helicopter cockpit. The flexible mic is nice, and the headset has plenty of cable & head size adjustability to fit almost anyone and work with any room / computer / console setup.

OVERALL: I'd give these five stars, but it's sort of annoying that a headset this solid & bulky doesn't completely seal out external noises. My $20 pair of years-old Sennheiser headphones is superior to these in that regard... but aside from this rather minor annoyance (usually gamers aren't sitting in really noisy environments anyway), this is a great headset for console or PC gaming. I'd say better for PC, as many consoles now have wireless controllers / headsets that are more functional given the nature of console gaming.

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I got this for my son for Christmas 2012 and it has already stopped working. He really liked it until it stopped.

Everything works except he cannot talk to anyone. Have tried all settings/dials to no avail.

Emails 3 times. Got a response to first email wanting the order confirmation. Sent it ( 2 email) . Resent for 3 email ( over a week later).

Called the 1-888 number for some assistance, the person there says there is no phone customer support. Send an email. I said I did. He said to send one again. When I asked if I had to send emails for the next 20 years he said that they only offer email support so yes.

What a company.

Review of Lollipop Chainsaw Premium Edition

Customer Ratings:

This Japan import will not work in a US. XBOX 360. I guess I should have done my homework. Who would of thought!

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Fun game to have, if you like killing zombies, this a game to get, it a great game to have.

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I love this game! so nice it has different costumes! plus a ranking mode! definitely a buy worthy game! Go get it now!

Reviews of Lips: Number One Hits

Customer Ratings:

Wonderful game for those who love to sing. Lets players sing solo, duet, or battle against each other. Song list is extensive at 40 number 1 chart hits from all time. Option to adjust sound levels and background music is a plus. If signed in to XBox profile, will remember your singing history and other Lips games played so playlist selection becomes even more extensive with the option of swapping out Lips discs to expand song list during play.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

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We have a lot of excellent good times with my family and friends. I have all the Lips DVD's and this is in the top of the list.

Discount Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.50
Today's Bonus: 32% Off

Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of memories starts off exactly right where Kingdom Hearts left off. It connects Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II and explains the beginning of the second installment.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy, follow a mysterious man in black coat Castle Oblivion, a place where 'to lose is to find and to find is to lose'. upon stepping into the castle, you are approached by the hidden man who gives Sora a card, stating, ' The more you find out, the more you lose.' The card he gives he shows a familiar placeTraverse Townand upon activating the card, Sora is transported to the town where his adventures first began. Once he gets there, however, he realizes that this place isn't real and the friends he's made and the people he'd met had forgotten him. As he continues to revisit the worlds he had once saved from the ebbing darkness, Sora finds himself unable to understand if the memories he has are real or if they're make believe.

As he continues his journey, Sora finds is hard to remember the faces of the people he had traveled with-even forgetting about finding Riku. As you go along your adventure, stringing together lost memories and discarding old ones, you'll meet the characters from the first gameand even some new faces will appear. You'll encounter Organization XIII, realize what's truth and what's fiction, and, given the chance, unlock the second part of the game.

There are many things that separate this game from its prequel and sequel. The battling system is unique, how you play is absolutely genuine, and the very story line of the game is compelling. Now lets address these topics so one does not get confused as to exactly how different this game is.

First off, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories isn't like your typical role playing game. It combines tactics with fighting and introduces a new way of defeating your obstacles: cards. In this games battle system you must use cards to release your attacks. There are many different types of cards ( ones for attacking, ones for combos, ones for magic, and ones to release finishing moves ). These cards can run out and to replenish them you have to 'charge' them so to speak by holding in a button. If you run out of cards you can't continue fighting. You can collect the cards, make decks, get rid of the ones you don't want, and combine them to form more powerful cards. Not only do these cards allow you to fight, but they allow you to proceed in the game. Certain cards unlock rooms and you can use these cards to 'synthesize' a room, changing it. They allow passage into other worlds-or memories of that world. And, if you give it enough time and patience, find secret cards to unlock sealed rooms that hold valuable treasure.

Another major change in the game is how you play it. Instead of fighting alongside Donald and Goofy, Sora fights solo, using his friends as special battle cards that come and aid you during battle.

Leveling up is, refreshingly, up to you. Once you achieve a level, you decide what you want to level up. Whether you want to give Sora more hp, allow him to hold more cards, or learn new abilities, is completely up to you.

The layout of the worlds is slightly different then Kingdom Hearts fans are used to. Each section of the world you are in is a room made out of Sora's memories. Now, what's interesting about knowing the layout of a room you'll only be in for a few minuets? Everything. Strategy is a crucial part in deciding the rooms you are in. For example, the cards you collect from enemies are used to unlock the door to the next 'room'. And each card has a different type. Green, red, blue, or yellow. And each type has a title which allows certain things to happen. If you use a card that slow heartless down, then that 'room' is designed to follow that card. As stated before, cards completely rule the game. So when the time comes to unlock a door, choose carefully as it can be in favor for you or against you.

Once you get the hang of the battle system, you can complete the game easily and then focus your attention on finding the hidden secrets through out the game. But even then, you're not quite done.

Once you finish the game, you're not completely done. Once you return to the main menu There will be a third option to choose from: Reverse/Rebirth. By selecting this option, you have engaged yourself in Riku's story. Playing as Riku you battle the darkness in you and try and stay discrete as you unknowingly fight in the same memories as Sora is. Playing as Riku is exactly like playing as Sora: cards as the battle system and playing solo, choosing what you want to level up ( Hp, dark power, or attack. )

Both sides of the game are equally challenging and engaging, promising a never before experienced game play.

Overall, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories was a worthwhile experience. It features the voice cast of the original Kingdom Hearts and engaging music from all three games. The graphics are eye pleasing and the cut scenes allow you view the game as if it were an actual anime. However, if you want to forge ahead and skip these scenes, you are given the option if you pause the scene. Reaction commands are given when needed, and you choose the difficulty of your game.

The game itself comes packaged in a holographic game case, displaying Sora and Riku along with fragments of memory that display other important characters such as the artistic girl shrouded in mystery, Donald and Goofy, and the ever reliable King Mickey. Along with the game you receive three beautiful Kingdom Hearts postcards, each displaying a different image, along with a full color booklet that gives you all the information you need to start of. My only quelm about the game is that map system you are given. Basically it only shows you which way you're pointing so make sure to take note of the room your in as it can get confusing as to which door you have and haven't used yet.

Originally the second disk in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, North America finally presents: Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories.

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Pros:

+Revamped version of a classic Gameboy Advance title

+Interesting card battling system

+Updated Graphics and Sound

+Enticing story

Cons:

-Not enough voice acting

Around 2004, Square-Enix released Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories on the Gameboy Advance. It was easily one of the most rewarding games on the system, but it didn't really fall into the hands of too many GBA owners. That was pretty sad when you consider it was not simply a spin off. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories fits into the canon of the tale of Sora, Donald and Goofy. If some of the story in Kingdom Hearts II seemed confusing, it may have been because you didn't play Chain of Memories on the Gameboy Advance. Luckily, Square-Enix has released it on the Playstation 2, fully revamped and largely unchanged.

Chain of Memories takes place right where the first game left off with Sora, Donald and Goofy chasing after Pluto to find King Mickey. Their chase eventually takes them to Castle Oblivion, a place that holds all of Sora's memories. As Sora traverses Castle Oblivion, he'll be forced to conquer many of his memories from the first game.

Castle Oblivion consist of thirteen floors which are all representative of worlds you've been to in the first Kingdom Hearts game. Throughout you'll run into plenty of familiar faces. It's here where you'll first be introduced to members of Organization XIII and other elements that played a fairly large role in Kingdom Hearts II. As you play, it's easy to be overcome with nostalgia yourself.

Combat in this remake of Chain of Memories is pretty much the same as the original. While in the original two games combat was pretty standard and straight forward, Chain of Memories has a card based battle system. Cards dictate just about everything. It dictates items, magic and when you can attack. Each time you swing the Keyblade the card on top gets sent back to the bottom of the deck. You'll find yourself having to reshuffle your deck a lot of times. There's a big emphasis on strategy here as well. You'll be forced to really consider your actions. You definitely can't rely on button mashing this time around. As a result, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is also a pretty hard game. You've also go no Donald or Goofy to help you unless you've got the right card which summons them into battle.

Your enemies also have cards in play. The success of your strikes depends largely on the number. If you've got a higher number than the enemy, you'll be successful. Likewise, enemies are always dropping cards. You'll need them to access new areas and just to have a better deck overall. You'll also need cards to perform sleights, which are more or less Sora's special moves.

The card system is surprisingly complex for what is otherwise a simple game. As I said, there's a lot of challenge to the game. Overall, however, it probably makes it more fun to play. You could easily conquer Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II by relentless button mashing. Most Kingdom Hearts fans will probably welcome the challenge. You probably won't have to level grind, but you will find that you need to battle much more than in the other games. Battling with this card system in place, however, can get repetitive.

The biggest difference between the Gameboy Advance game and this one is obviously the graphical overhaul. Truthfully, the Playstation 2 game looks no different than either of the other Kingdom Hearts games. This is a very good thing. It's always running consistently, despite all the chaos that can be going on at one time. The music has also been revamped. The game sounds much better. There's been some voice acting thrown in as well, but not nearly as much as you might think. There's quite a bit of unspoken dialog throughout.

For those who've played Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II to death you need to pick up Chain of Memories. It answers all the questions of what took place between the two games and it comes at a bargain price. It's a game that no Kingdom Hearts fan should pass up.

Best Deals for Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

The Kingdom Hearts series is synonymous with fun gameplay, eye-catching environments and an interesting story. Unfortunately, Square/Enix & co. decided to throw one third of that mix out the window when they made this game. This game (which is a remake of the Game Boy Advance title Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories) features a truly odd spin on combat, in which cards are required to do ANYTHING in battle. You can't even swing your Keyblade without using cards to make that happen! It hampers the fun, action-intensive element of combat with a whole lot of fumbling around to get the right cards lined up at the right time.

The game still features pretty (if somewhat limited) scenery, and of course it's great to fill those pesky story-gaps that were left between KH and KH2...but why did they have to do so in some sort of bizarre Yu-Gi-Oh card-flinging fashion?? I'm sure there's those out there who enjoy this change but I feel that it's an unnecessary revamp of gameplay that detracts from the overall experience, instead of adding to it. In a 3-D world with full range of motion, restricting even your most basic attacks to what cards you have in hand is ridiculous. Imagine...you're in mid-air, pounding some justice into an enemy, when suddenly you run out of cards and can't do much of anything until you've had a chance to run away a bit and reload your deck.

I do like the story and I will get as much use out of the game as I can, but I really don't like the changes. It's like having a driving game which you control with your abdominal muscles, or a facial-gesture-controlled martial arts combat game...an unneccesary amount of abstraction from the natural jumping-dodging-and-swinging-my-weapon-at-lightning-speed action/adventure vibe.

Honest reviews on Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

First, like many reviewers have already stated, this is not the Kingdom Hearts you have experienced on the PS2. If you expect somthing like those games, or forget to take into account that this game was originally released for the Gameboy Advance, you will constantly be shaking your head in a "why did they do this" kind of way.

Some history, this game the remade PS2 version of the GBA game was originally a bonus feature to a director's cut of Kingdom Hearts 2 released in Japan. (The Japanese market actually gets a lot of these. I think that is because as JRPGs are usually released in Japan first and then tweaked for the NA market, they feel the need to go back and re-release the game in Japan with the tweaks and possibly some added features, who knows.) Because of this I think it would be a bit much to expect the entire GBA game to be completely remade.

That said, this game does sport some impressive production values, i.e. some actual voice acting by many of the original actors including Haley Joel Osment as Sora. The use of the KH1 engine bring most visuals up to par as well.

But this is where things can get confusing. Many people will wonder "why do I need to use these cards wouldn't it just be easier to have the old control setup back????" Well the truth is, without the card battle system this game would be almost TOO simplistic. This game is really a dungeon crawler with a veneer of strategy derived form the card system. Gone is almost all the exploring and platforming bits from the first 2 games. So without the card system to occupy a lot of your time, that is thinking about your deck, you would spend a LOT more time complaining about just how generic that individual rooms are.

Which gets us to the dungeon crawling bit of the game. Each "world" is a floor in Castle Oblivion and you complete the world by using a map card to "generate" a room. The number of rooms and the general layout is constant but what is in the room is generated by the map cards. Progress through the rooms to unlock the story elements. Wash, rinse, repeat.

What keeps this from getting repetitive and old is the strategy of the card system and the unlocking of the story bits. The worlds themselves generally follow the same storyline as that of the first game, i.e. the Queen is still irratated with Alice and you need to help her, and so on. The real meat of the story, which keeps you playing, is the bits that are revealed about Organization 13 and what happened between KH 1 and 2.

Downsides? Well, the camera is still pretty hectic though nowhere near as bad as KH1 if you don't lock onto the heartless. I never did as locking on seemed to keep you targeted to a single enemy where you seem to attack the closest enemy without lock. Not really a problem as most magic still hits without the manual lock and combos attack the same enemy as well.

Breaking stuff in the room reveal goodies as well but the fact that these acquired goodies don't register for a couple of seconds after grabbing them can be very frustrating. This is because battles aren't random per se, but engaged after you touch an enemy in the room. The issue is that enemies appear or "pop" on screen when you get close. This is only problematic of course you are waiting for that magic card you just snagged to register when a heartless appears nearby and bee-lines it for you, touching you before you collect the card. The common Hearltess (those little black guys) are really fast making this happens more than it should and can be very aggrivating when it does.

Still, nitpicks aside and understanding what you are purchasing can make this game a good experience. The gameplay value is here lengthwise as well.

3.5 stars. Bump that up to 4 if you are very interested in knowing more of the KH storyline and have an affinity for a little strategic thinking with your dungeon crawlers. 3 stars if you don't fit the above description; fun but you won't be getting the most out of it.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

When I first started playing Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, I was a little hesitant with the new fighting system. But after getting used to it, I found it very invigorating and it turned out to be a great move on SE's part. This game bridges the gap between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, and makes you really understand what is going on at the beginning of KH2. The added cut scenes and transition to PS2 has made the game extremely enjoyable, adding replay value over the original. Whether you've played the GBA version or not, I would recommend getting this game. If you love the other 2 games in the series, then this is a must have.