Mad Catz Cubicon
Note: Shots are of a prototype controller. Airport security was rough with it, and it's missing a nob on the C-stick, and a Z-trigger. This is the final design version though.
Mad Catz is gearing up for the US launch of GameCube with thier Premium Control Pad. It will be available at the same time as the US launch, in a variety of colors.
It's a little bigger than the Nintendo brand controller, which might make you big handed people out there a lot happier. It has nice large rubber grips on the handles, and slightly larger prongs. The prototype we tested was a little heavier than a regular controller, but felt really solid. The controller is just as comfortable as Nintendo's.
The buttons were a little stickier than Nintendo's, and the A button actually clicked. We're not sure if that will be the case in the final version of the controller. The X and Y buttons also were not raised like Nintendo's final design, but your thumb can still easily roll from one button to the next. One other noticeable difference was the C-stick. It was more plasticy like the E3 version of Nintendo's GameCube controller.
There are a couple additions or modifications Mad Catz did with the Premium Control Pad that some of you might be looking for in a game pad. First Mad Catz added a second Z-trigger for the left side of the controller. Good news for people who'd like options. The other addition to this controller is the macro button. This button will allow you to program multiple moves at a touch of the button. Sounds good for fighting games.
Overall, having plenty of controllers for the multiplayer GameCube experience is very important. The Premium Control Pad might not be for everyone, but if you're looking for a slightly larger controller, with programmable buttons, it's a viable contender.
We also have some information indicating that all buttons (including the D-pad) on this controller are analog/pressure-sensitive; that info may just be out of date, but we're looking into it.
The Mad Catz Premium Control Pad will be available at the GameCube launch for an MSRP of $19.99.
Update: Check out Cubicon (the new name) at MadCatz's new web site. It seems that all of the previous information is still accurate!
Mad Catz Cubicon
