MadCatz Arcade GameSTICK™-most unique controller ever?

[Crowquill]

While I may have missed it somewhere, this wacky Xbox 360 controller trancends the console forum

http://www.madcatz.com/Default.asp?Page=319&CategoryImg=Xbox_360_Controllers

It has a full analog STICK (not pad), SPINNER ring built in around the right analog pad, and according to reviews, the d-pad is very responsive. And...it's PC compatible.

Although nothing mentions it, I'm wondering if the square base allows you to rotate the controller to pick your primary control method (spinner and buttons, stick and d-pad, etc). I'm sure you could do this on the PC side at least with some re-mapping.

I'm a sucker for unique controllers...but $60 for a Mad Catz controller?

[Crowquill]

I just realized you can download the user manual from the link I'd posted. I thought maybe that would give a little more insight into this thing. Unfortunately, it only gave a little.

Factoid #1
the top of the stick is a button (button A). So maybe it could function as a "poor man's tron" controller.

Factoid #2
There are three levels of turbo fire that can be assigned to each button. Probably not so interesting unless you really like shmups or track & field.

It seems flexible enough to handle most any type of game. It's kind of like a frankenpanel gamepad 

[horseboy]

So the big stick is analog?

[ChadTower]

Looks like the small stick is analog.

I like Madcatz controllers.  Not too much different from first party quality but much cheaper.

[DarkBubble]

As much as I like Mad Catz, I can't see buying that.  I just don't like the setup.  If it were half the price and hackable, maybe.

[Naru]

It goes for $40 here in Ohio.
I seen it at Best Buy.
It's goofy looking to be sure, and it comes with
a code for 3 free X-box live arcade games.

[horseboy]

Just read the reviews. Apparently the big stick is analog as well. One review said the stick is interchangable with the thumbstick, so I came to that conclusion. Very very interesting.

[AtomSmasher]

Retroblast reviewed it earlier this month and they didn't care for it too much:  http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/madcatz.htm

[Crowquill]

Retroblast reviewed it earlier this month and they didn't care for it too much:  http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/madcatz.htm

Just read the RetroBlast review. It's nice to read a review of "one of our own". While I can understand why, most reviews of products like this or the plug-in-plays are too biased being sentimental and happy to play on something even remotely resembling the original controls.

That's pretty much everything I expected out of it. I don't have really high hopes for any MadCatz controller. I worked the service desk at Toys R Us for 4 years in the mid-to-late 90's, and returned a LOT of the TRU "High-Frequency" controllers which were made by MadCatz. Their pads have improved drastically over the years, but most everything they do is just a watered-down cheap imitation of an official controller.  There have been a few exceptions (MicroCons aren't bad and the RetroCons were pretty cool), but their bread and butter seems to be copying an official controller and adding Turbo. One of the reviews on gamestop's product listing says that he snapped the stick off. That's kind of scary. I was also a bit disappointed that the "spinner" just hits the d-pad directions repeatedly, but I'm sure that's better than playing Tempest with a keyboard.

I'm also just impressed that a product like this actually made it to market. It seems like it would be able to cover enough controls that it might be good to use at my PC to try out new games. At least once the price comes down. These things are definitely destined for the clearance bins.

[ahofle]

IMO the Madcatz Panther XL was one of the coolest controllers ever made.

[Crowquill]

IMO the Madcatz Panther XL was one of the coolest controllers ever made.

Really? I passed one of those up at a thrift store for $8 about 6 months ago. It looked OK, but I wasn't sure what games I could really use it with besides FPS's which I don't play.

[ahofle]

Well it's great for FPSs I should say.  They can be hacked so the trackball is just a regular mouse in windows.  I personally could never get the hang of it, but my friend has one and he does quite well with it.

[Grasshopper]

Personally, I think that Madcatz are the only third party manufacturer that consistently produces products that are better than the first party equivalents. Maybe not always as well made, but generally better designed.

I've got some Madcatz Dream Pads for my Dreamcast and they're significantly better than the Sega controllers.

Another example is the Xbox Microcons. They're much more comfortable to use than the slightly too large official controllers. They also happen to look nicer too.