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X-Arcade 2-Player Controller Review - Page 2 of 4 |
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Finally, you'll need some sort of emulation software to make use of your X-Arcade. MAME is the de facto standard for playing arcade games, but there are several others. It also impressively supports the X-arcade joystick by selecting it in the controller options.
Once you have some ROMs (or your favorite digitally controlled console game) and have the X-Arcade connected, and lest I forget... have read the manual... you're ready to set new records. Let's now look at its design quality and craftsmanship.
Design
Let's get this out of the way first. I did not open it up and take a look inside... yet. I'm thinking about possibly increasing the sensitivity in the future, however, so it's not out of the question. It's easy, Xgaming recommends it and shows one how in the manual but I've yet to do it, so I cannot comment on the quality of the switches, nor would I really know by looking at the brand names; I was a avid player, not an arcade employee or owner.
As you can see, both sides have the standard Capcom-esque 6-button fighting game layout, plus two additional buttons below and slightly to the left of the six. That should provide you with plenty of buttons for any type of game... if not matching the layout of some games (Mortal Kombat's 5-button layout as on a dice springs to mind). In relation to the joystick, the buttons I found are spaced a comfortable distance away, and two non-claustrophobic players should no problem sitting down and putting it across their laps, or on top of a desk, or built into an arcade cabinet. The buttons themselves perfectly fit your finger tip and have the arcade-quality hard springy punch to them. I liked the white player selector buttons at the top, along with their international 1- and 2-player symbols, and the two white pinball buttons on the side. Unfortunately, these pinball buttons were placed too near the front of the joystick and not in a more comfortable position in back, where your palm would be able to rest along the surface, letting your fingers dangle just like an actual pinball machine. I'm sure that Xgaming will take note eventually and likely change the layout, but for now they are definitely preferable to using the surface buttons in a pinball game, and comfortable enough; I was quite happy using them.
Any arcade game fighting fan can tell you the joystick quality is of the highest importance, and likely to be the first thing to go. As I used to pass by these games in arcades... I'd circle the joystick in several 360 degree motions to get a feel for it. In comparison to the countless ones I've sampled in the arcades, the X-Arcade joystick exactly matches the best joysticks I remember. Each direction on the X-Arcade joystick has that springy click which you'll find in the arcades, and there's no play in the joystick when its sitting in an idle position, which is a good thing. Time will tell how it fares after hundreds of hours, but with the lifetime warranty offered by Xgaming, you really cannot go wrong.
The black surface veneer is exactly as you would find in an arcade cabinet, with minuscule bumps that feel good when resting your hand. The hard black rubber band that runs around the perimeter is just slightly raised from the surface of the joystick, which gives it a nice finished look and feel.
As far as its weight, it is more or less perfect considering the multiple places people will be putting it. For example, when putting it on laps, it is balanced so that it's neither too heavy to weigh on your legs after an extended time, nor too light to shake and move as you waffle through your favorite game. For on top of a desk or table, for my style of playing I found it just slightly too light, as I would on rare occasions lift it up when using it, but I cannot fault it for not being perfect in every scenario.
The way it connects to your PC or favorite console really couldn't be much easier, but longer cords would have been appreciated. It is likely, though, that the length of the cords (6 ft. for the serial) are both a money saving and error-saving approach for Xgaming, so I will not count it as a negative in this case. You can of course buy a longer serial cable to suit your needs.
That about covers it for design, so let's take a look at the most important aspect - performance.
Performance
If you're planning on attaching the X-Arcade to your favorite console, you probably have a few digital games you'd like to try out (games where the main character or object moves at only one speed in any direction - in other words, where the joystick is not pressure sensitive). Fighting and pure action games (platform and shooters included) are among the most popular for the console enthusiasts most likely interested in the X-Arcade, the reason being that the games are generally digital, and still feel better using a real arcade joystick rather than a controller. Other likely game candidates for console users are classic collections of games, such as Midway's Arcade Treasures, featuring a couple dozen older arcade games, identical to the ones you used to play, and what the PC users are currently playing using MAME.
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| Article Details |
| Reviewed X-Arcade 2-Player Controller
Reviewer Tyson McCann
Published 06.06.04
Pros Arcade quality parts, programmable (for PC), works with MAME, works with consoles, plenty of buttons, pinball buttons included, delivers arcade experience
Cons Cannot be re-mapped with consoles, USB adapter has control issues |
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