Customer Reviews

Logitech Gamepad for NUON for DVD Players

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Logitech announced that they were developing products for Nuon in January of 2001. Knowing that Logitech has a long history of high-quality products, I was psyched that they were joining the Nuon bandwagon.

The controller certainly looks great and feels like it's PC brethren; The buttons and analogue stick both feel really nice. It's clear that, in terms of build quality, Logitech hasn't disappointed. Unfortunately, a controller isn't any good if it doesn't provide tight, fast, snappy response when used with the games it's intended for. When playing a game like Tempest 3000, which requires lightning-fast reflexes, you can't afford the slightest impairment.

After a few hours of playtesting, I'm sorry to say that all the reports of sluggish response times are ABSOLUTELY 100% TRUE.

I honestly feel sick to my stomach. How could companies known for quality and customer satisfaction release a product which they KNEW had problems months ago? Did they not playtest the controller?

I own both the Samsung N501 and the Toshiba SD-2300 DVD players, Merlin Racing and Tempest 3000, and now the Logitech Gamepad along with my trusty HPI Stealth controller.

I fired up T3K first and thought the Logitech seemed a bit sluggish. Hoping that it was just my imagination, I switched to the HPI Stealth. The difference between the two, using both the analogue and digital controls, was immediate and very obvious. The Logitech controller was noticably slower when using the analogue stick. I often found myself pushing the analogue stick harder in hopes that it would make a difference. The only difference it did make was a sore hand.

The lag was even more of an issue when using the d-pad. Whe moving from left-to-right and back, the Logitech controller actually PAUSED for a second when changing directions! This is COMPLETELY INEXCUSABLE AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!

Already disturbed and disappointed, I tried Merlin Racing. Sure enough, the analogue problems everyone's complained about were there. When using the Stealth controller, the karts felt responsive.. like there was an actual sense of traction. When using the Logitech pad's analogue control, the karts felt like they were gliding on ice. There was no sense of traction. Wide turns were tough to negotiate since the Logitech stick doesn't provide a complete turning radius.

Bottom Line: A controller that feels great and is made of high quality materials ends up a HUGE disappointment due to control issues.

If you haven't bought this one yet, get yourself a HPI Stealth controller instead. If you've already got one, return it ASAP.. and while you're at it, call Logitech and complain.

Logitech and VM Labs should be entirely ashamed that they allowed a defective product on the mass market.

Much ado has been made about this controller's lack of full control range. Some say that it does not fully allow you to reach the extreme right or left functions on games such as Merlin Racing...well, in my experience, this controller is fully functional and (frankly) it rocks! I always floundered at the fast action arcade game Tempest 3000...that is, until I got this controller. On my first try on T3K with the Logitech controller, I was able to advance in the game well beyond the levels that I had previously achieved. This is because the controller was MUCH more responsive that the icky [...] controller that was bundled with my Samsung NUON player. (That thing is just atrocious!). I recommend this controller highly for anyone who wants to upgrade and improve their NUON gaming experience.

This controller looks good, feels great, and has a nice long cord. Responsiveness in Ballistic, Freefall, and most importantly Tempest 3000 is on par with my XBOX, Gamecube, and Playstation 2 controls -- which is saying something considering NUON's miniscule market share and reputation for iffy quality.

The analog stick is slightly looser than one might like -- it's a bit floppier than the original Playstation analog controller -- but it's up to the task of controlling the few NUON games out there. Digital control is an option in all games and as you'd expect, is a bit more precise. I think that's a programming issue, not a hardware problem.

Almost every review I've read about the Nuon Logitech gamepad has been overly negative, mainly about the poor analog joystick. Well, don't listen to those reviews.

If you've been gaming for awhile, you'll more than likely use the digital D-pad. Analog should be banned from all consoles as it is overly sensitive and highly imprecise. If you are not a fan of analog control, you'll find the Logitech Nuon pad a fantastic gamepad! Why? It's incredibly comfortable to hold. The buttons are laid out very logically and the D-pad is very responsive and comfortable on the thumb after extended gaming sessions. Also, all of the buttons, including the two top mounted triggers have just the right amount of resistance, which makes the pad a joy to use as well as very precise.

The analog stick on the Logitech Nuon pad is too loose. Not only that, but other users have found that it requires a simple modification in order to utilize 100% analog response due to a manufacturing error in the case. To me this is no big deal. I HATE analog control with a passion and I find that not all Nuon games have analog support and those that do control far better with the digital pad.

Other positive points are a LONG 10 ft cord, a cool NUON button on the controller to access Nuon modes in enhanced movies and such. And the compatibility with all existing games is great, save for some that don't support the analog stick (which I could care less about anyway!). If you've ever used a Logitech Wingman pad for the Mac or PC, you already know how well the pad is....its essentially the same design with different button layouts. Also, this pad is durable! This is definitely not a cheap product and Logitech should be commended for bringing out such a quality product to the Nuon platform!

The price is right and you'd be hard pressed to find a Nuon gamepad that offers the same features and quality for this price! My advice, forget about the analog control...you won't miss it! Get the Logitech Nuon gamepad and play your games the way they were meant to be played...with crisp digital control!

The Nuon DVD/Gaming system was a lot of fun and a great idea while it lasted but the company went bankrupt and only a few games ever got released. As many great ideas seem to end up, now the Nuon is gone forever!