A new King is Crowned - Madcatz Xbox 360 Game Pad Pro REVIEWED!!!

[Zeus]

Product: Xbox 360 Game Pad Pro
Reviewer: Nikki Artouni
R.R.P: $34.99
Official Website <a href="http://www.madcatz.com/Default.asp?Page=251&CategoryImg=Xbox_360_Accessories" target="_blank">Madcatz.com</a>

A new controller for refined paws

Over the past months, we’ve witnessed more bickering about video game controllers than perhaps at any other period in the industry. Beyond all the promises of motion sensing, tilt sensing and all the other hype, one key prerequisite must be achieved, thus being comfort. The original Microsoft Xbox controller failed in a number of areas, it was big, bulky and a damn right nuisance for long period of play. Thankfully over time, MS evolved their range of console controllers and now the official 360 controller ranks highly amongst many gamers.

<Center><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mcatz360revi.jpg"></center></a>

BUT this still doesn’t mean there isn’t further room for refinement, reputable video game peripheral manufacturer Madcatz debuted the 360 Game Pad Pro a while back and are a shining beacon of how third parties can really hit the sweet spot. Continue reading our extensive review as to how they hit the nail on the head!

Madcatz 360 Game Pad Pro Chill Overview

As you’d expect from Madcatz, the controller is packaged in some super vibrant white and green blister packaging. Right from the onset, you will experience quality and Madcatz know it, sporting a very high review score on the front of a package from a leading Xbox website.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad1a.jpg"> <a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad2a.jpg"></center></a>

Here are the main promoted features as per Madcatz product description:

• Official licensed Mad Catz product
• Analog triggers & joysticks
• Features vibration feedback technology
• Injected rubber grips for improved handling
• Analog joystick invert switch
• PC USB compatible

Purr, Purr I’m so cute – Don’t let me go!

The physical appearance of this controller really just makes you want to give it a spin as soon as you lay your eyes on it.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad3a.jpg"> <a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad4a.jpg"></center></a>

It sits pretty with its well defined corners and most importantly of all the swish injected rubber grips. The design is fresh and modern, yet still manages to stay true to the 360 consoles and original controller.

The Game Pad Pro sits pretty in your hands. It really is THAT much comfortable than its original counterpart.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad5a.jpg"> <a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad6a.jpg"></center></a>

There are two major reasons for this, firstly the controller has actually been created via a curvaceous mould, sticking out where it needs to at the bottom (providing greater grip) and indenting up towards the shoulder buttons, allowing for maximum finger wrap and setting your index fingers up nicely on the shoulder buttons.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad8a.jpg"> <a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad16.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad16a.jpg"></center></a>

Injected rubber grips on either wing make the controller an even greater joy to hold, soft to the touch and a definitely an encouraging innovation.

The well crafted design also creates a perfectly balanced weight, the Catz controller certainly seems lighter in your hand than the original BUT also manages to feel strong.

Is everything in the right place?

From a strict ‘as seen’ point of view, there are a number of changes in comparison to the official controller. The start and back buttons have relocated themselves to the top of the controller directly above the Xbox logo button. Some of you with how shall we say… FAT THUMBS will really welcome this move as it should lessen the chance of you hitting the respective buttons accidentally.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad9a.jpg"> <a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad10.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad10a.jpg"></center></a>
<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad11a.jpg"> <a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad12a.jpg"></center></a>

Other than that everything is in the exact same place, with the Catz controller adding a turbo button in between the d-pad and right analog stick and a small invert switch directly on the back of the controller.

Shoulder & Trigger Buttons

The trigger and shoulder buttons on the Catz controller are distinctly superior. They feel less toy-like with a less ‘slippy’ finish.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad13a.jpg"></center></a>

The shoulder buttons feel more solid and firm when compared to the 360 controller. The lengths of the shoulder buttons have been reduced and they are wider feeling more concentrated. The extra difference in distance offered between the shoulder and trigger buttons (2/16th inches compared to Catz 1/4 inches) now leave less chance of accidentally hitting the wrong trigger.

Game Pad Pro’s trigger buttons look more stylish and are more prominent on the game pad pro. They seem to possess a deeper motion due to their stronger nature, for example you will feel as if you can hold the Catz trigger buttons at many more angles than the ‘straight’ down action offered by the original controller. The trigger buttons are also "scooped" so your index finger sits well inside the trigger ready to conduct some serious shooting.

Analog Stick, D-pad & Buttons

The Catz analog sticks feel at a lower height in comparison to the official 360 controller, as a result you will feel as if your thumbs are actually on level standing instead of reaching up. At last a negative! The thumb surface area on the Catz is actually smaller and more slippery as a result of not having any grippers on whatsoever.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad7a.jpg"></center></a>

However, its back to business as normal for the catz, the analog sticks feel much more precise and not as clangy as the official ones, you are able to sense the free passing of the horizontal and vertical axis complete with a feel for the notches. They really seem to have greater freedom, not greeted by an almighty thud when pressed against the circular boundaries.

The actual D-Pad is not so highly raised, and removes the ‘plaque’ in between the four way directions; it is much easier to direct South East, South West etc as a result of this removal.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad15.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/mczpad15a.jpg"></center></a>

The Dpad is not raised as it is on the official controller. It is also less "clicky" and once again offers a smoother action.

Moving onto the four main YBAX buttons, here the official controller edges things slightly. The Catz buttons are less rounded and more squarely cut, resulting in a less responsive feel, they are livable of course but the official ones feel more effective. The Xbox Icon button the official one really does look much more official, this is perhaps the most disappointing part of the Catz controller, feeling jammed to the touch and strongly embedded into the controller.

Ain’t Nobody does it better, except for Madcatz

Honestly speaking, Madcatz expertise in this field really shows with the Gamepad Pro. Madcatz have managed to oust the already well designed official 360 controller from the top of the pecking order with their offering. For a third party to do such a thing is relatively unheard of. The Gamepad Pro is now our controller of choice; it offers a series of subtle improvements which overall contribute to an improved gaming experience. To all videogame peripheral manufacturers, this may just well be the shrewdest investment your R and D department make all year!

Positives

+ Incredibly ergonomic design
+ Injected rubber strands provide greater comfort and sweat relief
+ Analog sticks provide for greater, more accurate movement
+ Trigger and shoulder buttons of great quality, further apart
+ Traditional D-pad
+ Extra invert and turbo features
+ Shiny as opposed to a grainy finish

Negatives

- YBAX buttons feel less responsive
- Middle Xbox logo button looks ‘cheap’
- Lack of grip on analog thumb sticks

R.R.P: $34.99
Official Website <a href="http://www.madcatz.com/Default.asp?Page=251&CategoryImg=Xbox_360_Accessories" target="_blank">Madcatz.com</a>

[FifthE1ement]

Wow, nice review Nikki! I love Madcatz products, mainly their cables and controllers, as they are much cheaper than competing products but still manage to maintain high quality. The problem is that I am the type of person that can’t buy off-brand controllers as I need to have the same set to match everything on my system.

I also find that for the few bucks you save, they just aren't up to the quality of the original hardware and this goes double for the 360 hardware and peripherals as they are very high quality. If you've ever held an Xbox 360 controller in your hand you'll know it’s the best controller ever built for any system and I just can't go and cheapen the deal buy buying a knock-off, even if it is top quality.

Is anyone else as neurotic as me and have to have matching sets, lol?

FifthE1ement :cool:

[SLAYERPSP]

all madcatz product suck we cant give the crap away at work stay far away from all of there controllers the only good they make is the 360 face plates .but to say a madcatz controller is good i dont think so. i tried to use ther stuff just to have it break if its not made by ms for the 360 or logitech for the ps2 and xbox dont buy it

[Pseudo99]

Is this some sort of an April Fools joke....in September?

Seriously, this is one of the most blatant 'sponsored' pieces of nonsense I have ever seen in my life. MaxConsole, you've severely disappointed me.

"reputable video game peripheral manufacturer Madcatz"

Checking dictionary.com......

rep‧u‧ta‧ble - held in good repute; honorable; respectable; estimable: a reputable organization

You have to have a GOOD reputation in order to be reputable; a BAD reputation does not mean reputable, unfortunately.

Why try to cram this stuff down our throats, MadCatz? I might see this kind of stuff on a more mainstream game website, but doing this kind of crap get the more underground gaming scene to accept your products is really low.

I've sold your products at your biggest American retailer for over four years now. All of our regular customers wouldn't touch your controllers with a ten foot pole. Your crowd is the uninformed casual gamer who wants to save five or ten bucks when they need replacements/extras. If you wanted to have the business of the more informed gamer, don't waste your advertising money trying to convince us of your quality. BUILD your products with ACTUAL QUALITY COMPONENTS. On one of our store videos, you had a PR guy boasting of how your new controllers were so durable, they were BULLETPROOF.......How's that going to help me unless I constantly keep a controller in my shirt pocket?

When we get constant returns due to "the controller looks fine, but my character is constantly moving to the right for no reason" OR "he just jumps even when I don't press the button" OR "the right analog trigger stopped working a month after I bought it"..........that's the kind of thing that kills your reputation.

Maxconsole and MadCatz,
If you want my support as a gamer, and as a retail sales representative, don't insult my intelligence like this.

[N1GHTRA1N]

I have to say that I hae not know anyone to have success with madcatz in recent years, including this controller. I know someone who returned this exact controller at Walmart twice before paying the extra $10 to get the MS one and now he is happy.

The last/only mad catz controller I can actually say was good was their mad catz turbo dream pad for the dreamcast, this was because of its six face buttons and the high quality build. It was almost the perfect controller for the many great dreamcast fighting games, the major problem was that the d-pad wasn't so great. I actually replaced the d-pad with the d-pad from a broken sega saturn controller and I still use this controller when I play my dreamcast fighters.

Mad Catz make okay stuff, but not great. They are better than intec and hip gear but that isn't saying much. Personally I think Mad Catz controllers are only okay if you play on only using them for short periods of time, like in rental systems or maybe as a 3rd or 4th controller if you don't use them much. Even then I would pay the extra cash for quality first party.

I have to also mention that I know a couple people who have kids using the mad catz micro controllers becuase they are 5-6 years old with small hands and they seem to be okay for that.

For my current/next gen systems I have 1 original PS2 controller and 2 wireless logitech ones, I have 4 original xbox controllers and 4 s-controllers from microsoft and 2 logitech wireless controllers. I have 2 wired gamecube controllers and 2 wavebird controllers. I have 4 wireless Xbox360 controllers. In the rare case when I need to use a gamepad on my PC I use my Logitech Xbox wireless controller and a homemade xbox to usb cable, but I will probably by the Xbox360 wireless PC adapter that comes out later this year if it isn't overpriced.

Logitech made surprising great controllers for the PS2 and Xbox, this was especially good since the first party companies didn't make wireless controllers. I actually loved the original bix MS controller and found the s-controller to be not as good so I rarely used it. I loved the fact that the Logitech was heavier than a s-controller and slightly bigger (only slightly) so it maintained some of the weight of the original controller but was easier to handle.

I also always found Sony controllers to be light weight and they feel cheap to me, the Logitech Wireless controller had some extra weight and the controller feels more durable and of a higher quality. I love the Logitech controller and think every PS2 owner should have one.

[thePANICHIOteam]

Do any of you actually own this controller? I have two offical wireless and two wired mad catz. I havent had any trouble with this controller. I was quite impressed.


Is anyone else as neurotic as me and have to have matching sets, lol?

Yes lol. But I dont have much choice now I've modded my case!

[FeistyGirl]

Maxconsole and MadCatz,
If you want my support as a gamer, and as a retail sales representative, don't insult my intelligence like this.

It's a review, which is a personal opinion... maybe the reviewer actually enjoyed the product? Of course you are more then welcome to have a different opinion, but that doesn't make the reviewer or the Website a shill for Mad Catz...

Hell as a reviewer here myself, I assure you that 'The Powers That Be' around here want honest opinions, and certainly have never asked me personally to 'sell out' to anyone... hell they've told me to tear a product a new one if it sucks, regardless of the manufacturer.

That being said..

I have enjoyed some of Mad Catz peripherals myself. Some of their cases and bundles are actually pretty good. But I have never been a big fan of their, or anyone elses, 3rd party controllers.... Once I get used to a consoles controllers, switching over to anything else just doesn't feel 'right' IMO.

I will admit that the Micro controllers are a great idea for young gamers though. I have a 5 year old who had trouble holding the bigger controllers, and he just loves the Micro ones. He swears by it when running over hookers with his stolen car in GTA (just kidding, he shoots them in the head)

:rolleyes:

[thePANICHIOteam]

Yeah sorry forgot to mention, great review. Like I said before its ridiculous to complain about the quality/reliability of a product youve never even owned for a console that you most likely dont even own.

I have only read positive reviews for the Mad Catz Game Pad Pro and it usually gets around a 9/10, thats the main reason I bought one. I liked it so much I bought another, I did have to order online though.

I dont like buying 3rd party controllers either tbh. But thats mainly because UK stores usually stock up on the cheapest no name brands for 3rd party controllers. You often see the same controller with different brand names plastered on them in different stores. I've had more than a few broken PS controllers.

[Jason Voorhees]

i only get 1st party stuff.

[FifthE1ement]

Its a review and MaxConsole has no association with Madcatz. Part of what MaxConsole does is reviews on products for game systems or didn't you get the memo?

FifthE1ement :cool:

[Spud_Hed]

often 3rd party pads can feel ok to use, if not ever quite as nice as the originals, the main problem comes in lastability, the official pads last ages, but three weeks of DoA on a 3rd party and its usually broken. in my opinion you may be able to buy two 3rd party pads for the price of an official but the official will still be working long after both the 3rd party are dead and gone. in short pay the extra and get the official especially i you play as much as i do

[Crazycasem21]

I usually grade it by my bastard nephew test. He gets pist he dies and tosses the controller, usually towards the wall. Mad Catz, Intec, and Pelican have broken under his whim. Both intec and madcatz split open after the second or third impact. Then the sticky button factor happens after a month or two. Pelican lasts longer but the logitech brand is comparable to the oem product or surpasses it. Even after the abuse it works well although you'd question holding it after all the scratches and dings. Oem with Quality case mods or the logitechs . Now that look around they are the only ones I now own.