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Hands On: The XBOX 360 Wireless Controller
Okay. Okay. That was just a jest of a picture. Who can resist taking a picture with Ty? 
Anyways, this topic is a month overdue seeing as how I attended Digital Life around this time in October. I've been really busy over the past few weeks and I haven't posted on TA in a while.
Now I know you might be saying "What's the point of this topic? There are kiosks all over EBs, Gamestops and Circuit Citys which I've sampled." but the thing is, the controller you play with at those stores is a wired one. Plus, you don't get a chance to fiddle around with it without its constraints (unless you're lucky and have access to one without something holding onto it).
Right. So... Here's the only 2 pics I have of myself first "drooling" over and then dawdling with it.
I'd like to note: This is an ACTUAL working controller. The one that was used during the demonstration. This is the one that runs on the NiMH battery pack. Therefore, this controller is the final build of what most of you will be playing with in the near-future.
Initial Impression
This is basically the one that I formed while sifting through a few months worth of pictures: It's a pretty controller... but it doesn't look like anything's new. Of course, I also like to think that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is the way to go, so I decided to hold off on an actual opinion of the device till I held it in my hands and played around with it for at least an hour or so. As of now, not only have I played a few games (Kameo: Elements of Power, Peter Jackson's King Kong and Call of Duty 2) but I also was able to get a feel for the tremendous amount of time that Microsoft spent to design their next controller (Apparently they started working on the 360 before the X-Box was even released). Which leads me to the actual review...
Color Scheme: Seems as though Microsoft has moved on from using black and green to a softer shade of grey and green. The XYBA colors remain, as well, which isn't bad at all seeing as how they look better with the grey backdrop that the 360 controller provides. The analog sticks haven't changed much, color-wise, however the D-Pad has now been turned grey. The bottom back of the controller is a grey closer to the new D-pads; The two tones on the controller make it seem more refined even if it is a cheesy technique employed by the designers. Start and Select have turned the same color as the front of the controller (not to mention being moved) which is alright, in my opinion.
Colored: 8/10 It's nice to look at but not very original, color-wise. I'm somewhat glad that Microsoft decided to stay with their X-Box Green color. Other than that, there's not much to say.
Button Placement: Not much to say about this. It's definitely an improvement over the original X-Box S controller. All the buttons, save for the actual shoulder buttons (my only gripe), are very comfortably placed. The analog sticks feel better than usual to use. The D-Pad is... well, it's the D-Pad. I really don't know how many games still require you to use it. Above all, I'd like to mention the Dashboard button which is actually the big 360 logo on the top middle of the controller. At first, it looks decorative and it is! However, there's another use to it: You can bring up the 360 Dashboard with it (the main control center from which you can listen to music, watch movies, go online, or play other games). Also, depending on what player number you are, one of four corners around the 360 logo will be lit up green (Top-left means you're controller 1). This is a great idea on Microsoft's part considering they expect us to move fully into wireless gaming with this generation of consoles. No need to look through all your controllers to tell which is which. Just check the light!
Placed: 9/10 Those darned shoulder buttons! They're somewhat hard to reach (for a person with bear paws like myself) and feel a bit awkwardly placed. Other than that, everything is perfect!
The Feel: This is where the 360 controller excels. Microsoft did an amazing job at making what gamers were constantly griping about when it came to using controllers, whether it be the X-Box's or other consoles. The wireless controller is light but not too light (such a situation would prompt you to forget you were holding a controller which is NOT a good thing) - This is with the NiMH pack on and everything. Perfectly balanced when holding, the controller feels just right in one's hands. As for gaming, everything performs like butter. Even after I played with the overused controllers at my local Electronic Boutique, I saw that the durability was immense and that I'd have no worries of replacing my controllers anytime soon.
Felt: 10/10 What can I say? It's that good.
Overall Score: 9.5/10 This just happens to be one of the best controllers that I have EVER held and gotten the chance to play with, when it comes to console controllers. If you were to compare it to an everyday event that people take place in, imagine it being the pillow to your bed when you head off to sleep. Sure you can sleep on your bed without a pillow or even using other various items (Hey. Don't ask me. I've heard weird stories...) but the best sleep is usually due to a nice soft pillow for your head to rest on. Just like the pillow, the 360 controller is perfect for gaming and makes your experience that much better. Sure you can use other controllers but why would you want to? The 360 controller is "all that and a bag of chips".
Anyways, hope you enjoyed that review. If you have any more questions, ask away. 
Last edited by Yan on Nov-12-2005 at 19:58
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