Review: Nintendo's GameCube controller

From...

by Tokyo Drifter

(IDG) -- GameCube's controller is both an innovative nod to the future and a step back into the past. The GamePros analyze the merits of Nintendo's new input device.

The Good News: Best Button Layout Ever

The overall shape of the GameCube's spanking-new controller is very pleasing to the eye. The Analog stick has been moved from the center position it previously occupied on the N64 controllers to the left side, making it the main left thumb access. The main buttons are perhaps the best thing about the new controller. The "A" button is the one you'll be pounding on most often, and thankfully, it's now also clearly the largest one. The three surrounding buttons are smaller, but they're placed smartly, making button-mashing more intuitive: this alone merits heaps of praise. The top "L" and "R" shoulder buttons are now analog, so chalk up another plus in that column. Rumble functions are also now built in. As a result, there is less weight and bulk to contend with, and no extra cost for a Rumble Pak.

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Now The Bad News

The digital pad is located toward the bottom left of the controller -- which is fine -- but isn't it about time to get rid of that thing? Sure the D-pad has its uses, but it's becoming less and less of a tool for games, and needs to be put out to pasture. The secondary Analog stick is labeled the Camera stick, which will mainly be used to control view functions. Unfortunately, the many games that have dual analog stick support (such as driving games) will suffer from having this stubbier stick for the right-hand side. The Z trigger is also now located on the top right-hand side, but that means it is not really a trigger anymore.

...And More Good Tidings

The brightest spot is the introduction of a wireless version, which is plain common-sense for mulitplayer action. It's nice that Nintendo has thought to have this available very early in the system's launch (exact dates are not known). If not for cost issues, it would have been fantastic if the only controllers that came with the system were wireless.

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