Sony Official PS3 SIXAXIS Wireless Controller

Refinement:
The Sony Sixaxis controller is a refined version of the DualShock 2 which in turn was a refinement of the original DualShock which in turn was a refinement of the original PlayStation controller! Over the years not much has changed, if you were to take a Sixaxis back in time to 1995 the year of the original PlayStation, anyone familiar with the brand would be able to recognise its layout and looks.

Look & Feel
The Sixaxis is a stylish black colour, similar to the charcoal black of the later DualShock 2 controllers. The face of the controller has been cleaned up a bit, gone is the PlayStation logo and analog switch and light. Instead in the centre of the controller you have the Sony logo, two buttons and a very nice looking transparent PS button. Compared with a DualShock 2 the Sixaxis is very light, I'm not sure I like this as the lack of weight makes the controller seem slightly flimsy. It's still a good looking controller and fits in well with your electronic devices and PS3 console.

Layout
On the face of the controller you have your iconic PlayStation buttons X, O, Triangle and Square. The colour of these buttons is still the same as the day the original PlayStation came out! Moving left you come to the centre of the controller you have your Start, Select and the new PS button. Next comes the D-pad, which remains untouched. Below the face buttons and D-pad are the two analog sticks, these have been made ever so slightly smaller. On the back of the controller you have the R1 and L1 buttons, these remain the same. Then comes the R2 and L2 triggers, these have replaced the classical buttons and offer better control for racing games and a more realistic feel in shooters.

Using the pad
The controller fits nicely into your hands, your palms and three fingers hold the grip and your index fingers use the triggers and buttons on the rear of the controller. This leaves your thumbs free to access the analog sticks and face buttons. The only thing I don't like is the only thing they have changed with the pad! The new triggers are pretty badly designed, with games requiring you to use both the rear buttons and triggers along with the analog sticks they simply are a pain to push all the way down and they make your fingers feel like they are about to slip off. If you pick up a 360 controller you will notice the triggers stick out from the pad and have a slight curve so your fingers stay firmly in place when operating them.

New Features
The Sixaxis brings a host of new features to the table, firstly it is wireless. This means no more wrapping your wires around the controller and you can sit further away from your console without risk of sending it tumbling. This however is a double edged sword as being wireless you will need to recharge the batteries every now and then. To do this you simply plug in the USB mini cable into your PS3 and then into the slot on the top of the controller. The supplied cable is pretty short so while charging you'll have to sit close to your PS3. This could be an issue for you if you have a large TV as sitting a metre away from a 42inch screen is not possible. The battery is built into the controller causing potential issues, being non replaceable means when its worn out you will need to go out and purchase a new controller!

Secondly you have a new indicator on the back of the controller telling you which player number you are. There are 4 lights for players 1 through 4 but the PS3 supports upto 7 controllers so I bet you're wondering why only 4 lights, they have got around this by lighting up four and one for player 5, four and two for player 6 and you guessed, four and three for player 7.

The PS button is new and and has a variety of functions, you can simply press it to switch on your console instead of pressing the power button, great for being lazy! Secondly you can press it at any time to bring up an on screen indicator which will tell you the battery level. You can also use it to bring up the PS3s cross media bar when you are accessing features such as chat and the internet browser. Finally when you are done with your PS3 you can hold the PS button and select the option to switch off your console.

The next (and biggest) new feature is the built in motion sensor capable of sensing motion on six axis, up and down, left and right and forward and back. This was a good idea as it potentially can make games alot more dynamic and fresh. This has been used with varying degrees of success, in Motorstorm and Ridge Racer you can turn on the motion sensor and tilt the controller like a steering wheel, in NBA you can lift the controller up and flick it to simulate a throw, in Resistance fall of man you shake the controller to shake off aliens. These all work pretty well but in some games such as Warhawk, where you tilt the controller around to fly your plane, it can sometimes cut out and once you tilt the controller too far in one direction it will cut out sending you to your doom. There is one game where it works best, this game is Super Rub a Dub, the game is very simple; you simply tilt the controller to gather ducks and guide them through various obstacles to the goal which showcases the motion sensor perfectly. The motion sensor is definitely a nice feature to have but it's nowhere near as complex and versatile as the motion sensing on the Wii.

Rumble
Unfortunately Sony were caught up in a lawsuit when they were designing the controller so it has no rumble. This may not seem like a big deal but you really do notice its absence in shooters where the act of firing a gun seems dulled down slightly by the lack of your controller vibrating fiercely. In driving games this is also noticeable as you can almost feel when you're on the edge of grip by how the controller is vibrating, you can still get by because obviously you have visual cues but it is another situation where the lack of rumble negatively affects a game. Thankfully all the legal nonsense has been sorted and we have been promised a new controller with both motion sensor and rumble, hurray!

Price & Conclusion
The controller costs £30-35. at most good video game stores such as Game and GameStation. You may find a better price at online retailers such as amazon.co.uk and play.com. With the DualShock 3 already out in Japan now you may want to check eBay and see if it's priced reasonably enough to invest in, as it would no doubt be a better buy than a Sixaxis. If you don't want to use eBay and must have a second controller I'd say pick a Sixaxis up but only if you really can't wait. The controller is stylish, has a classic familiar layout and some great new features, but the lack of rumble, awkward triggers, battery issues and cheap feel brought about by its light weight really let down what should have been an exceptional controller, I recommend this but only because there is no better alternative (yet). 3/5