In the old days, third party peripherals were a bit of a joke due to their poor construction, questionable performance, and cheap feel that made them only suitable for friends you didn’t really like. Now, though, third party peripherals are just as good, and in many ways better, than the more expensive first party accessories. The Xbox 360 Microcon controller from Mad Catz continues this dramatic uptrend in quality. If you’re looking for a new controller, the Microcon is worth checking out.
Design and Features
The first thing you notice with the 360 Microcon is that it is considerably smaller than the standard Xbox 360 pad. There is a nice comparison pic at IGN
here. It seems almost too small, but once you wrap your hands around it the size feels perfect. Everything is right where you hands naturally fall so you don’t have to struggle to reach anything.
One reason why it feels so good is largely due to the placement and design of the bumper buttons and triggers. The triggers have been extended a bit and now have a much longer travel distance which does two things: It makes the triggers fall where your hands naturally rest better and it also improves the performance by giving you more precise analog control when you squeeze the trigger. The bumper buttons are quite a bit wider on the Microcon which makes them easier to find and hit.
Another change is that the Back and Start buttons have been moved to the top of the face rather than sitting on either side of the Xbox Guide button. I’m a fan of the new placement, but the buttons themselves, which now sit flush with the surface, can be sort of hard to hit. Not a huge flaw, but something you definitely notice.
My only real complaint with the 360 Microcon is that I’m not a big fan of the D-Pad. It is a standard cross shape rather than the circular pad on the first party controller and I just find it hard to use. It is a bit stiff and pressing diagonals on it consistently can be a pain. This is the only area where the controller isn’t better than Microsoft’s pads.
An added feature is that there is a turbo button that you can program, but I can’t see myself ever using it. Another difference is that there are little rubber ridges on the grips of the controller that are designed to keep your sweaty palms from slipping. For the most part, the rest of the controller is the same. The rest of the buttons are in the same positions, the Xbox Guide button works just the same, and there is a headset port on the bottom.
Construction and Feel
What really makes the 360 Microcon stand out is just how solid it is and how great it feels to use. The controller is made out of a really nice rubberized plastic that is amazingly smooth and silky feeling. You really need to touch and feel it to believe it but this is one of the nicest feeling controllers I have ever held. The movement of the analog sticks is also really smooth and almost effortless. There is some resistance, of course, but making small, precise movements is surprisingly smooth and just feels good.Bottom Line
Overall, I think “smooth” is the best word to describe the Mad Catz 360 Microcon. The action of the buttons and triggers and especially the analog sticks is smooth and just what you expect. I also can’t stress enough just how great the controller feels in your hand thanks to the silky rubberized plastic. I’m not a fan of the d-pad, and even though you don’t really use it all that much in most games, in the games that do use it extensively it is an issue. I’m also not really convinced that the differences between the Microcon and standard 360 controller are really worth saving $5. You can get a wired Microsoft 360 controller for $40 and the Mad Catz Microcon will set you back $35. There isn’t a huge difference and I think 9 times out of 10 I would just put up the extra $5 for a first party pad. But that is just me. With all of that said, the Mad Catz 360 Microcon is still a great alternative to the standard pads. It feels great and functions like a champ so I highly recommend it if you are looking for a new Xbox 360 controller.
