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(More customer reviews)The original Microsoft Xbox 360 gamepad is a solid piece of gaming equipment with one vital flaw: a terrible D-pad. This flaw is well-known and well-documented on the web. As a gamer who loves 2D fighters, puzzle games, and various Xbox Live Arcade titles, I rely on the D-pad a lot, and the stock controller's D-pad is simply too finicky and unpredictable.
In my search for a better gamepad, I've been using a Mad Catz Xbox 360 gamepad for games where a more precise and reliable D-pad is required. Unfortunately, the Mad Catz gamepad's engineering is nowhere near the quality of the original Microsoft hardware, leaving me to wonder if there would ever be a third-party gamepad that matched the build quality of the stock hardware, but with a responsive D-pad.
I'm happy to say that the answer is yes: the Hori Pad EX2 Turbo is a worthy replacement for the stock Microsoft Xbox 360 gamepad, with a crisp, responsive D-pad that will remind you of classic console controllers.STANDARD FEATURES
The first thing I noticed when unboxing the Hori pad is that it is solidly built, and the plastic is finely machined, much like the stock Microsoft hardware (and very unlike the roughly-machined, ill-fitting parts of the Mad Catz gamepad). The analog sticks on the Hori pad have the same rubberized coating and raised flanges to facilitate grip as the stock controller. All buttons and sticks respond smoothly and precisely. I'll go into more detail on the D-pad below, as it deserves its own section.
My one complaint in button responsiveness and quality is with the shoulder bumpers: the sensors feel like they don't run the entire length of the shoulder bumpers, and pressing on the outer edge of the bumper sometimes doesn't register as a button press. This requires you to use additional force to register a button press. I should note that this seems to mainly occur with my LB shoulder button, indicating that it may either be a flaw with my particular pad, or a limitation of my grip style, as I have small hands and the left portion of the controller requires a large handspan in order to reach both the D-pad and shoulder buttons at the same time.
The Hori pad actually has two sets of bumper buttons (LB and RB): the original two in their normal shoulder positions, above the left and right triggers, plus an extra set on the face of the controller, in a 6-button layout familiar to fighting game fans. Both the face and shoulder bumpers function identically, so they can be used interchangeably. The convenience of having all six buttons lying side-by-side is invaluable in fighting games, where these buttons are typically mapped to weak, medium, and strong punches and kicks.SPECIAL FEATURES
The Hori pad also offers two extra features beyond the stock gamepad: analog stick sensitivity adjustment, and turbo fire. The stick sensitivity adjustment is a nice bonus, though most games that would benefit from this provide their own in-game sensitivity adjustment. Turbo fire mode is what has caused controversy regarding this gamepad. At present, it works in online games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, allowing players to unload clips faster than humanly possible. This gamepad is officially licensed by Microsoft, so we're left to assume that it's okay to use the turbo mode on Xbox Live. Whether it's ethical is another question.
Note that turbo fire does work for all buttons, including shoulder buttons, unlike the original Hori EX Pad. Turbo fire mode has three different speed settings, accessible from the front face of the pad, like the sensitivity adjuster.
I've read other reviews that claim the Hori's analog sticks are inferior to the stock controller's sticks, criticizing the Hori as being oversensitive, but I think this may partially be due to not adjusting the analog sensitivity on the Hori pad. However, I don't play FPS games on console, just PC, so I can't give the final word on how the Hori pad's analog sticks compare to stock where it matters most: in shooters. For action games, and in casual shooters like Resident Evil 5, I find the Hori's sticks to be completely comfortable, offering a satisfying amount of resistance and sensitivity.D-PAD
Finally, for many of us, the crucial criterion in judging this controller: how good is the D-pad? I'm thrilled (and relieved) to report that the Hori Pad EX2 Turbo's D-pad is incredibly crisp and responsive. The D-pad's face button is a classic cross shape which is concave, leaving the center scooped in while the edges rise slightly above it. When pressed, the D-pad offers a satisfying rubbery click. While holding the D-pad down, you can roll your thumb in different directions and the pad will rock smoothly, offering subtle tactile feedback when you "notch" into a new position. In short, it feels nothing like the modern, mushy, flimsy D-pad of the Xbox 360 Microsoft controller, and everything like the classic, crisp, chunky D-pads of Sega and Nintendo consoles. (I can't compare to the beloved Sega Saturn D-pad, but it easily exceeds the SNES D-pad, putting it miles ahead of the stock 360 D-pad.)
The proof is in the pudding, of course, so I test drove it on Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix as soon as I plugged it in...and I was amazed that I was able to consistently pull off every single move I made. No more misfires or presses that fail to register. No more blaming the D-pad for sucking. This feels about as close to precision as you can get on the 360, short of a joystick.
It's kind of sad, actually, when you think about it: just being happy that something works the way it should...CONCLUSION
The Hori Pad EX2 Turbo for Xbox 360 is, finally, a gamepad that can replace the stock Microsoft Xbox 360 gamepad. The Hori gamepad not only vastly improves on the stock D-pad, but it offers 6 face buttons for convenience in fighting games, built-in analog sensitivity adjustment, and a controversial turbo fire mode for all buttons. Also note that the controller is wired and does not come in a wireless version as of this writing. This gamepad's build quality is easily on par with that of Microsoft's stock hardware, while offering several design and feature improvements that make it a worthy successor to the stock gamepad.
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