Super Street Parts Evaluation
Console: Xbox
Hot: Smaller size for small hands, better action button placement
Not: Still thinking...oh, silly place for the "start" and "back" buttons
Score:
I've never had a problem with the size of the Xbox controller. The big black box almost should have a big controller. Also, I have these big meat hooks I call hands so palming anything smaller than a watermelon is not a tough proposition for me. But there are those who aren't so endowed that might find the stock controller a little ungainly. Women, children, and little people have all complained in one way or another. The Japanese Xbox was graced with the solution. A smaller controller with more intuitive action button placement could only be found on the game systems designated for the overseas market.
Some importers of Japanese games and peripherals found ways of getting them into the States for our consumption for a hefty price for those who just couldn't deal with the big controller. Well, Microsoft in its infinite wisdom saw fit to finally release the smaller controller stateside. Little hands rejoice! The new controller is about 3/4 the size of the standard controller and the action buttons are laid out in more of a "diamond" shape with a better north-south, east-west layout. The only thing that I found strange about the new controller is the placement of the "start" and "back" buttons-they are way over on the left handle. Other than that, the controller looks to be the answer to one of the most complained about parts of the Xbox package.