Xbox Controller

by Microsoft

Product Details

• ASIN: B00005O0I7
• Media: Accessory
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (283 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,380 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Xbox game controller, which sports the "jewel" logo, is built for maximum control and comfort. Its design is the result of thousands of hours of usability testing. It features an eight-way directional pad (D-pad), left and right analog sticks, left and right shoulder triggers, six pressure-sensitive multicolored analog buttons, dual slots for memory cards and other peripherals, and a built-in "rumble" feature to increase gaming realism. The controller also features a 9-1/2-foot-long cord to give gamers the freedom to sit nearly anywhere they want during gameplay.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY UNDERRATED CONTROLLER, November 19, 2001

By 

"weaverit" (Wausau, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Xbox Controller (Accessory)

For all of those people complaining out there that the conroller for the Xbox is too big, or the buttons are out of place. Give it some more time, it will grow on you. I just finished playing Halo straight through, I say straight through for the the second time. That's about twelve hours straight for one time through. My hands are not tired, not in pain, and not cramped. The controller is large, it is the largest controller of any console in recent history; the controller still maintans ergonomics. It is comfy, especially when played with the dual analog controllers. In all honesty, the one complaint that I can honestly forsee would be playing any game that makes use of the d-pad. That would be slightly uncomfortable. Any other game that uses the analog or both analogs is very ergonomic. The left and right triggers are the best in the business. The six buttons that appear to be in a "clump" are actually nicely placed. The white and black buttons are conveniently placed out of the way for a reason. They take on the roll of secondary functions such as activating a flashlight (as in Halo) etc. Other features worth mentioning. The cord is 9 1/2 feet long! Compare that to anything else out there. Plus, the cord has a special breakaway portion close the the console itself. So that if someone trips over the cord itself, it will not whip the console around or send it crashing to the floor. Ingenious? I think so. I would actually give this controller 4 1/2 stars due to the d-pad being a little low. Otherwise, it is definitely worthy of the highest rating available.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Takes getting used to, April 10, 2002

By 

"johnyang7" (Danville, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Xbox Controller (Accessory)

When I beheld my Xbox controller for the first time, I thought with a sinking feeling, "The naysayers were right... the only thing larger is the Xbox itself." Excited as I was to play Halo, I winced, anticipating a profoundly painful gameplay experience.

*buzz*

Wrong.

There's one thing that all of the well-be negative reviewers out there don't tell you- probably none of them has played with this controller for more than an hour. True, upon first examination, it looks like it was designed to be a boulder simulator of some sort. However, extended play reveals that it is surprisingly comfortable, and laid out quite well.

First of all, the size issue. I have notoriously small hands, and it is true that the first time I picked up the Xbox controller, I felt dwarfed. However, I had no trouble reaching the primary controls, and the ones that I did have to strain to reach (specifically, the Start, Back, White, and Black buttons) are used rarely enough so that it's more of a help than a hindrance- I don't find myself accidentally hitting the wrong button very often. The size also gives the controller a very tough feel. It's very sturdy, and you don't get the "I'm afraid this thing will break apart in my fingers" feeling that you get with the other next-gen console controllers, especially that of the Gamecube.

The two analog sticks are the best you can find in a video game controller- rubberized for grip and highly sensitive. The same goes for the shoulder triggers, which have far more action than their Gamecube or PS2 counterparts. Their analog design makes them perfect for driving games, when feathering that throttle just right can make all the different.

The primary buttons (identified both by the traditional letters as well as by color) are a bit small for my taste, and require more force than you'd expect to depress, but do their job more than adequately. While their layout is rather counter-intuitive, you pick up on it after a while and it becomes no more confusing than the Playstation's shape-based button configuration.

The D-pad is my major complaint with the controller. Microsoft claims that it is ergonomically designed, but I have a feeling they just wanted it to look "cool," as in "different," as in "away from the perfectly good established standards set by Nintendo." Not a good idea. The pad has a strong tendency to move diagonally rather than up/down or left/right, and this can lead to some mild frustration while trying to navigate a menu or control a fighting character.

On the other hand, the vibration function works very well, with multiple degrees of power that are used to great effect in games such as Rallisport Challenge and Halo, and the dual memory pack ports are a nice touch. Probably the most interesting (and best-implemented) innovation in this controller is the breakaway safety plug, which allows your controller cable to pull itself apart if jerked too hard, preventing you from damaging your Xbox (or worse, having your Xbox fall from its perch onto an innocent child's head). This, in conjuction with the extremely long cable, makes worrying about excitable hands a thing of the past.

Overall, the Xbox controller introduces some very good innovations. It's not perfect- it does take some getting used to, and some of the parts could be better. But for its sturdy durability, high-quality control sticks and triggers, creative button placement, and loads of features, I would say that this controller is the best buy for your money... especially compared to the 3rd-party Xbox controllers on the market.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not sure what all the complaining is about, November 28, 2001

By 

S. Licious "wessidekilla" (Isla Vista, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Xbox Controller (Accessory)

Before I got my Xbox I was a little worried about how the controller would feel, after reading a lot of bad reviews about it. Once I played with it though, I've decided that everyone who gave it a bad review is just biased(notice how everyone who bashes it follows it up with "buy a gamecube instead"). Yes, it is big. But it is the most comfortable controller I've ever used. PS used to be my favorite style (N64 is ok, but strange), but it is too small and makes your hands cramp after a while. The white and black buttons aren't hard to reach, and I don't think the x/y/a/b buttons are too close together. All it takes is a half hour of getting used to. The d-pad is good, not my style, but better than the sidewinder one. I would've liked a more nintendo or ps style one. That said, however, I haven't played a game that requires it yet, so who knows.