The Controller You Love To Hate, Yet The Controller You Hate To Love
Written: Aug 21 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great for fighters
Cons: Nightmarish for racers
The Bottom Line: So I ask myself - why write a review on a game controller? It's not as if anyone actually wants to read about a stinkin' game controller. Yet...I write.
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| awoolcott's Full Review: Sega Controller for Dreamcast |
Well before the days when the original Xbox controller was vilified for being the largest hunk of junk in the galaxy, there was the Dreamcast controller. Of course, the standard Xbox controller was based off the DC pad in most ways, right down to the expansion slots built in, but this is another story. Anyways, the Dreamcast controller has always been one of controversy - many swear by it for it's perfect design for 2D fighters, while many vilify it for being uncomfortable for any game that uses the top triggers. Sure, the DC pad is innovative for some really smart designs, but indeed, the controller is one of much love or hate, all depending on the games you're playing. It's not as if you have a choice, given that they never redesigned it, and the 3rd party controllers are atrocious in comparison - but unquestionably the Dreamcast controller is one that many have learned to deal with, simply out of the sheer love for the console itself.
The Dreamcast controller is greatly based on the 3D analog pad that was included with the Sega Saturn masterpiece Nights. However, the pad has many different extra features that stood out among the crowd at the time, making for a unique controller. While expansion slots were nothing really new (as the Nintendo 64 controller featured 1 slot for rumble/memory packs), the way Sega redefined it is another story. You'll notice the hole in the middle of the controller - this, of course, is for the Visual Memory Units that save the games and let you do all sorts of tricks. Or, you can plug in some other toys, such as the Jump Pack, in the 2nd slot along with a VMU in the first slot - to see the VMU screen, of course. This lets you do multiple things - most famously, it lets you call plays for the NFL 2K series without using the TV screen, when playing multiplayer games. No peeking allowed! Many other ideas were planned for the VMU's, but the untimely demise of the Dreamcast ended up cutting those plans short.
The pad itself does feel pretty good in your hands - it's not a monstrosity that is impossible to grip - just the odd semi-circular design takes a bit of getting used to. Each of the face buttons are extremely responsive and well spaced out so reaching them is easy; perfect for pulling off those combos in Guilty Gear X or Street Fighter Alpha 3. Perhaps not as perfect as the excellent arcade stick, but good enough. Both the analog and digital pads are also excellent and responsive - especially the D-pad, which is something that slowly has been phased away in the current generation of consoles. You just can't play a fighting game without a D-pad, damnit!
Unfortunately, the biggest problem with the DC controller is the triggers. While the triggers are responsive when used, they have a slight flaw - using them for, say, 30 minutes is killer on your hands & fingers. Try playing Crazy Taxi for an hour before the cramps hit - yet playing CT3 on Xbox using Controller S is a comfortable experience. The triggers are thin, hard, and just plain uncomfortable, making racing games very tough to play for long periods of time, unless you change the control scheme to a more traditional style (or if they employ the Test Drive Le Mans system that lets you do both at the same time if you want, easing the pressure on your hands). It's just amazing how this pad can be so good for 90% of the Dreamcast library, only for it to be awful for the other batch of games that require extensive use of the pad.
On the bright side, the DC controller is extremely durable - since I've owned my DC for nearly 4 years now, my original controller still works perfectly. It obviously has some wear and tear on it from using it, but it's still as responsive and useful as it was the day I took it out of the box. I have invested in brand new replacement pads lately, but I've yet to feel the need to open the boxes up aside for multiplayer games, as the original still works like a champ. I wish I could say the same thing for many of my other console's controllers.
There is one last odd thing to mention about this pad - the placement of the cord. Usually, the cord leading to the console is placed on top of the controller, for whatever reason. However, the cord on the DC pad comes out at the bottom, which is baffling. There is a notch behind the expansion slots to place the cord to make it more normal, but the question is - why did Sega do it this way? It's all very strange...doesn't really mean a thing with gameplay, but it's worth mentioning.
The Bottom Line
Despite the trigger flaws, the DC pad is a good one, just one that's a bit...strange. As long as you can deal with the possible hassles of using the triggers for an extended period of time, the DC controller will do you well for both responsive controls and durability - these suckers are built to last unless you're the sort who likes to toss them around in fits of rage (no doubt because of the royal beatings by Dizzy in GGX). It's not like you have a choice in the matter anyway, as that's the only pad Sega made (unlike the Genny/Saturn which had some changes after a while) - but beware that it's not going to always be fun & games with this thing. It's just something you have to learn to love.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
awoolcott
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Location: Arizona
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About Me:
Okay, scratch that...Uncharted 2 - Game of the Year.
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