Secret Weapons - Madcatz Fight Pad

With Super Street Fighter 4 less than 48 hours away, it's time to look at another fighting game controller! With the inevitable scarcity and price gouging over the arcade sticks, most people will probably have to settle for... Dadadadada

The Fight Pad!

Those of you getting SSF4 on the PS3 will probably be happy with your standard controller and it's superior d-pad. However anyone forced to grapple with the big greasy turd known as the 360 d-pad is probably already standing in line for one of these things.

I bought one on the off chance that a homeless person wanders into my living room and fancies some cat food and a game of street fighter 4. No way he is getting his greasy paws on the arcade stick. I may even fight him for the cat food.


Where was I? Oh yeah, the fight pad is decent. It costs around 40 bucks so you get what you pay for I guess. It could have been much better though. Like the judgmental little man I am, I will air my grievances with this pad.

First off, the d-pad is floating, sort of like the sega saturn controller. it feels good, but the actual arrows aren't really defined enough and the surface is slick so it can be a little hard to make precise inputs. Second, the buttons are too flat. They aren't concave or convex at all. Just plain uncomfortable. And finally, the overall shape of the controller is too wide and flat. The whole thing just doesn't feel very ergonomic at all. Which is a shame because it actually functions quite well.

So there you have it. I'd recommend one over the 360 d-pad, but that's like recommending a poke in the eye over a kick in the balls.



I give it 1 Clinton and 1 Lewinsky because it's close but no cigar.