Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows - game pad

The Xbox 360 wired controller is a refined version of the original Xbox controller S. Taking design hints from the Gamecube controller it was smaller and more ergonomic than the original black brick that was the original design, making it more appealing to a Japanese audience, the pad was so well received they brought it over to the US and Europe.

The Xbox 360 wired controller is a stylish white with a grey band on the underside of the controller. The face buttons are green, red, yellow and blue matching that of the original Xbox design. There is a metallic Xbox button surrounded by a green glowing ring of light in the centre of the controller, which has four quadrants one of which lights up depending on your player number. The analogue sticks and D-pad are grey as is the cord. The pad will look fine just about anywhere with its discreet minimalistic looks.

On the top of the pad you have the two triggers RT: right trigger and LT: left trigger, the triggers are used most commonly in shooter games which they are well suited for simulating firing a weapon. The triggers are also great for driving games as you can use one trigger for accelerating and one for the brakes. Then you have the replacements for the black and white buttons on the original Xbox controller, the right and left bumpers RB and LB. They can be used for any number of things from casting a spell, to quick selecting a weapon. At the top left and bottom right of the controller you have the analogue sticks, this placement is very comfortable and makes playing shooters much more enjoyable. The D-pad is located just below the left analogue stick and is great for quick selecting things in game. Above the D-pad you have the back, start and Xbox Guide button, the back button usually isn't used much in gameplay merely to, as its name suggests, go back in the menus. The start button is usually used to pause the game. The Xbox Guide button is used to bring up the Xbox dashboard anytime so you can access your friends list, custom soundtracks, profile settings etc. Finally to the top right of the pad we have the four coloured face buttons A, B, X and Y these are your main action buttons which you will no doubt mash in your gaming sessions. The layout of the controller is very natural and as a result the pad fits very comfortably into your hands.

The 360 Wired Controller is very comfortable to hold, it has two grips on each side which your palm and 3 fingers hold. The triggers are operated with your index finger and the face buttons and analogue sticks are used by your thumbs. This pad is more comfortable than the wireless pad because there is no battery box on the back leaving your fingers with ample room to move around, on the wireless pad my fingers would cramp up. It is also lighter without being to light and making it feel cheap.

Being wired means that you don't need to put in batteries or remember to charge it up, this may sound like a small thing but when your wireless pad suddenly decides to pack up during a match of Halo 3 it can be extremely annoying. The rumble in the wired pad also seems to be much stronger than the one in the wireless controller, this doesn't really matter a great deal but it's nice to be able to "feel" crashes and such a bit more. The wired controller also comes with a cord protection system from the controller S which releases the pad if you pull it hard enough so your console doesn't come flying down. The 360 pad is also usable on your PC without any additional hardware, just plug it in, download the drivers off the Microsoft site and you can use it in many games, most Games For Windows support this controller straight away even changing the button names in the game so for example it will say "press A to continue" instead of "press enter".

The controller does look slightly worse than the wireless pad, the grey band on the bottom of the controller is a shiny silver on the wireless variation and the analogue sticks feel like they're made from a cheaper plastic. The quality of the buttons is good apart from the D-pad which is dreadful and unresponsive often failing to recognize diagonal presses. This issue remains on all variations of the 360 controller. The pad is also marketed in two ways which is confusing and unnecessary, firstly as the Xbox 360 Wired Controller and as the Common Controller. There is no difference apart from the packaging so I fail to understand why they did this. It is also wired so if your always getting your controllers tangled up and hate wires this obviously isn't going to be for you.

You should be able to pick up one of these controllers for around £20-25 at all good video game stores like Game and Gamestation and of course online retailers such as play.com and amazon. The wireless pad is available for slightly more at £30-35. Third party accessories are also available, often for less money but I don't recommend them as they are cheaper for a good reason!

If your looking for a second controller for your 360 or need a good gamepad for your PC or both, this controller fits your needs perfectly. Its a great looking pad which is easy to use and has the most comfortable button layout of any controller I've ever used. If you have large hands you'll probably prefer this over the wireless one as there is more room for your fingers. I recommend this highly. 4/5