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"gamecube controller review..."

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Fri 01/02/02 at 21:29
Regular
Posts: 787
Today , i got my Gamecube controller from America.
I ripped open the box ; my heart pounding with excitement , it's sop small so beautifull , i love it.

It's the exact perfect size and shape for your hands , with all the buttons falling into very easy reach of your fingers. Ive been holding it all evening, pressing and fiddling with all the buttons , and my hands dont ache at all ! excellent.

After holding it for a while i went and held my dreamcast controller , and i now know why my hands hurt after half an hour on soul calibur , it's the shape , it just dosent fit the shape of your hands , and the buttons are all in the wrong place , the two z triggers are fine but the rest of them require you too un grip the control to reach them.

Then i held my n64 controller , and even that dosent feel as good ! the b button feels out of place and so does the R button. Before holding the future i never realised this.

So the gamecube controller shape is better than every other controller i own.

Now onto the buttons ...

The joystick has a nice rubbery feel to it, that stops your thumb from slipping , and is perfectly placed for the end of your thumb to move it around.

The A, B X and y buttons are all well placed and easily reachable by your right thumb. They are a bit wobbly , especially the kidney shaped x and y buttons , but not so bad that they look like they are going to fall out.

The d pad- well placed , but a bit small for my liking , it could have been a few millimetres bigger at each side , with the extra room around which is being wasted.

The c-stick is like the joystick , is has that cool rubery feel , and is very sturdy.

Now the L and R buttons really are special , the first time i touched them , they felt a bit weird but after a few presses they really came into their own. When you press them , they dont just go in like a normal button , they go in about 1 cm ! so you could use them for anoulogue acceleration in driving games , or how fast you fire you gun in a shoot em up.
Also , when you push them down completely , you feel a little "clunk" which is that extra button click thing , which could be used as a whole new button.
They are also perfectly placed for your index fingers too reach.

But the Z button is a problem.
it is completely in the wrong place !
When you normally pick up a control you instanly (well i do anyway) put your index fingers on the l and r buttons , and the rest of your finger go for the joystick and wrap around the handles.
but becasue the z button is placed so awkwardly on the top, you either have to use your middle finger on the R button and your index finger on the Z button , or keep changing buttons with your index finger , which if you were playing a game where both buttons are used it feels un-natural to keep changing and could affect your scores , etc.

also , when you do try using the middle and index fingers , it affects the rest of your right hand :- your thumb cant move around aswell and you have to losen your grip on the control to reach them. So it is possible , but it's awkward.

they could have placed it with the rest of the a b x and y buttons , like on one of the prototypes , which would have been easier to reach.
also , which ive just noticed , on the z button , you can only press it from one side ,as if it's on a hinge , and this makes it uncomfortable to press it with the bottom of your top knuckle and your index finger , and could have been improved by either making it like a normal button , or just moved it across a bit.

I havent got my gamecube yet (being sent as i write this) , so i cant comment on the rumble or cord length , but it looks quite long , about the same length as the n64 cord.

All in all , the controller has it's faults , but is far by the BEST controller i have ever held... period.
It's light , compact, comfortable and easy to hold , superb work nintendo !
my final words...
im not afraid of dying ... i just dont want to be around when it happens. ;-)

Thanks
Sat 02/02/02 at 12:38
Regular
"PC Gaming Founder"
Posts: 2,136
Indian-DudeY2K wrote:
uncle albert ... it was kingklik , that hired me as an
> edytor... or is this some kind of national conspirasy ??? !!! against all .. um
> ... edytors ;-?


Oh dead, oh dear, didn't someone tell you? I AM kingklik!!
Sat 02/02/02 at 12:28
Regular
"Long time no see!"
Posts: 8,351
I'm still waiting to see some 3rd party pads, to see if the Z button is positioned differently.

That is a good thorough review, and you probably haven't left anything out (except maybe the colour). Reading that just makes me wanna grab one now!! And see what it's really like! I never really found any problems with the N64 pad, nut I kow what you mean about the R button, as it's all too much on your right hand! Maybe they should've made it bigger??

And i've heard about what that clicky button thing does, but I can't remeber. I think it changes the way you use it somehow???
Sat 02/02/02 at 07:48
Regular
"what is knowledge ?"
Posts: 2,112
lol , it is an ace controller , i woke up this morning , picked up the controller , and it's sitting here right now in front of me , just incase i feel the need to hold it (im a sad guy , i know ;-)

have any of you seen the gamecube memory cards !!! they are so small ! i got one with my controller and they only about 3 or 4 cms big ! it's MENTAL ! so small , so compact , that the future for ya'.

uncle albert ... it was kingklik , that hired me as an edytor... or is this some kind of national conspirasy ??? !!! against all .. um ... edytors ;-?
Fri 01/02/02 at 21:55
Posts: 0
i agree the gamecube controller is the best
(i got to use the xbox one today.... BACK BACK I SAY!!!)
Fri 01/02/02 at 21:35
Regular
"PC Gaming Founder"
Posts: 2,136
A very thoughtful review there, Rob. You analysed and evaluated every single feature on the joypad, as well as the joypad as a whole. And now I remember why I made you Games Edytor (not Editor)!!
Fri 01/02/02 at 21:29
Regular
"what is knowledge ?"
Posts: 2,112
Today , i got my Gamecube controller from America.
I ripped open the box ; my heart pounding with excitement , it's sop small so beautifull , i love it.

It's the exact perfect size and shape for your hands , with all the buttons falling into very easy reach of your fingers. Ive been holding it all evening, pressing and fiddling with all the buttons , and my hands dont ache at all ! excellent.

After holding it for a while i went and held my dreamcast controller , and i now know why my hands hurt after half an hour on soul calibur , it's the shape , it just dosent fit the shape of your hands , and the buttons are all in the wrong place , the two z triggers are fine but the rest of them require you too un grip the control to reach them.

Then i held my n64 controller , and even that dosent feel as good ! the b button feels out of place and so does the R button. Before holding the future i never realised this.

So the gamecube controller shape is better than every other controller i own.

Now onto the buttons ...

The joystick has a nice rubbery feel to it, that stops your thumb from slipping , and is perfectly placed for the end of your thumb to move it around.

The A, B X and y buttons are all well placed and easily reachable by your right thumb. They are a bit wobbly , especially the kidney shaped x and y buttons , but not so bad that they look like they are going to fall out.

The d pad- well placed , but a bit small for my liking , it could have been a few millimetres bigger at each side , with the extra room around which is being wasted.

The c-stick is like the joystick , is has that cool rubery feel , and is very sturdy.

Now the L and R buttons really are special , the first time i touched them , they felt a bit weird but after a few presses they really came into their own. When you press them , they dont just go in like a normal button , they go in about 1 cm ! so you could use them for anoulogue acceleration in driving games , or how fast you fire you gun in a shoot em up.
Also , when you push them down completely , you feel a little "clunk" which is that extra button click thing , which could be used as a whole new button.
They are also perfectly placed for your index fingers too reach.

But the Z button is a problem.
it is completely in the wrong place !
When you normally pick up a control you instanly (well i do anyway) put your index fingers on the l and r buttons , and the rest of your finger go for the joystick and wrap around the handles.
but becasue the z button is placed so awkwardly on the top, you either have to use your middle finger on the R button and your index finger on the Z button , or keep changing buttons with your index finger , which if you were playing a game where both buttons are used it feels un-natural to keep changing and could affect your scores , etc.

also , when you do try using the middle and index fingers , it affects the rest of your right hand :- your thumb cant move around aswell and you have to losen your grip on the control to reach them. So it is possible , but it's awkward.

they could have placed it with the rest of the a b x and y buttons , like on one of the prototypes , which would have been easier to reach.
also , which ive just noticed , on the z button , you can only press it from one side ,as if it's on a hinge , and this makes it uncomfortable to press it with the bottom of your top knuckle and your index finger , and could have been improved by either making it like a normal button , or just moved it across a bit.

I havent got my gamecube yet (being sent as i write this) , so i cant comment on the rumble or cord length , but it looks quite long , about the same length as the n64 cord.

All in all , the controller has it's faults , but is far by the BEST controller i have ever held... period.
It's light , compact, comfortable and easy to hold , superb work nintendo !
my final words...
im not afraid of dying ... i just dont want to be around when it happens. ;-)

Thanks

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