December 14, 1999
Web posted at: 1:23 p.m. EST (1823 GMT)

By John Robinson
CNN Interactive Senior Associate Editor

(CNN) -- Tired of your family members tripping over your controller wires? Or maybe your dog decided that the wires are fun to chew on. Even if these scenarios don't apply to you, replacing your original controllers with a set of wireless ones still may be a good option. The Mad Catz Dual force wireless controllers for the PlayStation feature analog control, vibration and they even double as a TV remote.

The first thing you will notice about these controllers is that they are a lot heavier than normal controllers. This is because they require 4 AAA batteries in order to function. In spite of the extra bulk, they fit in hand very nicely and feature the usual Mad Catz vulcanized rubber inserts on the handles.

For the most part, the buttons are the same place as on Sony's official Dual Shock controllers. The dual analog sticks work as they should with very smooth movement and just the right amount of resistance. The only control gripe is with the rubberized directional pad, which can be hard to use.

Sitting about 10 feet from the PlayStation, the controllers work beautifully and never miss a beat. The only thing that will keep them from working is if something passes directly in front of the controller or the receiving unit. They have a maximum range of 20 feet, and will work within a 100-degree arc from the receiving unit.

The receiving unit plugs into port 1 of your PlayStation just like a regular controller and there is second controller plug on the unit for two-player action. Using two wireless controllers works just as well as using one in addition to having more freedom when choosing where to sit.

The only real drawback to the Mad Catz wireless controllers is the vibration feedback is very weak. The high frequency rumble is nearly undetectable and the low frequency is not much more than a tickle. One has to assume that the reason for that is to extend battery life. A switch to increase vibration feedback, or turn it off completely for those who don't need the rumble, would have been nice. Other than that, the Mad Catz Dual Force units are very functional wireless controllers.

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.