Mad Catz 360 Arcade GameStick $29.99 geeks.com

[h3llbring3r]

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=MCB4758&cm_mmc=geekmail-_-newarrivals_html-_-04aug07-_-MCB4758

Features/Specifications:

Mad Catz Xbox Live Arcade GameStick


General Features:
Full size retro style joystick gives you a real arcade feel
Works will all Xbox 360 games
Full 360° spinner control
"A" button on Joystick
A, B, X, Y buttons
Left and Right Shoulder buttons
Left and Right Triggers
Three (3) Full Game Downloads (Frogger, Astropop, Time Pilot - via included online redemption codes)


Regulatory Approvals:
FCC
CEPackage Includes:
Mad Catz Xbox Live Arcade GameStick
Three (3) online redemption codes (Frogger, Astropop, Time Pilot)Additional Information:

Notes:
UPC: 7 28658 04758 0


Requirements:
Xbox 360http://www.geeks.com/imageshare/M/150x150/MCB4758-box.gifhttp://www.geeks.com/imageshare/M/150x150/MCB4758-soft.gif

[Damian]

This got terrible reviews, but it does come with $20 (well, 200 pts) worth of XBLA games.

[Jedi1979]

id buy it if it were $20...but at least it does come with the games

[h3llbring3r]

This got terrible reviews, but it does come with $20 (well, 200 pts) worth of XBLA games.

I followed them, most reviews focused on the steep price (and its price to value ratio at $59.99 is no deal) but at this price it is a steal with all the DLs and for me ( as regular retro gamer I was furious I couldn't even play sonic on 360 because my d-pad wouldn't register straight down) I need a better D-Pad and this one is supposedly the BEST. So at $29.99 I am definitely in.

Aside: I don't put much stock in many of the game industry reviews on third-party hardware. I think the fairest shake this thing got was teamxbox's review (which was pretty positive):

<caps lock> I WOULD LOVE A HANDS ON REVIEW FROM A CAG USER, WITH THEIR ESTIMATE OF ITS VALUE (pic it to prove it) </caps lock>

http://hardware.teamxbox.com/reviews/xbox-360/71/Mad-Catz-Arcade-GameStick/p1/

http://hardware.teamxbox.com/reviews/xbox-360/71/Mad-Catz-Arcade-GameStick/p2/

[Jedi1979]

is there any deals on shipping? cause otherwise the cheapest is $8

Best Buy has it in store for $39.99

[h3llbring3r]

is there any deals on shipping? cause otherwise the cheapest is $8

Best Buy has it in store for $39.99

Looking . . .

anyone got any codes?

[Cleaner7]

<caps lock> I WOULD LOVE A HANDS ON REVIEW FROM A CAG USER, WITH THEIR ESTIMATE OF ITS VALUE (pic it to prove it) </caps lock>


Oooh I second this motion!

If no one reviews it, then I think I'll bite when the controller goes down to $19.99.

Anyone know if the XBLA codes expire? It may seem like a silly question, but I know some of the codes do and one of my main reasons for wanting this set (besides the superior D-pad) is a copy of Astropop.

[Apossum]

you'd be better off buying an expensive Doa4 stick that'll actually get the job done...

[lilboo]

I have this! I got this as a gift from a friend MONTHS ago.

I know I didn't pay for it, but $30 IS a good price. The fact that it comes with 3 games..Frogger, Time Pilot, and AstroPop..which IMO are pretty decent games..it's a damn good price at $30. Especially since AstroPop is a $10 game!

It works REALLY well with Time Pilot. Frogger is meh, and AstroPop is meh too. I dunno why they added this game to it... (but I really like that game, regardless)

It feels good. It has that "3rd party feel" to it..but it's not really a BAD feel. I'll be honest, I don't use it all that much. I kinda was starting to like it when playing Street Fighter..but I'm so used to the controller that it was hard.

Basically let's put it this way. I've always been a console gamer. I really haven't had tons of years with arcade sticks..so I'm used to playing with controllers. But there are some games (MAINLY the old classic arcade games) that will work well.

IMO, the arcade stick is fine..it depends on the user (for example: Me)

$30 is a very good price. $30 is the highest I would go personally..but $40 is pretty fair too. The 3 XBLA games included REALLY help justifying it!

Hope this made sense (Im really tired) and helped someone.

[J7.]

The Virtua Fighter Arcade stick is coming out which is made by Hori (they rule), but its $60. I don't want the Mad Catz because every review I've read has been horrible & I'd rather just buy a regular style 3rd party controller for like $20-$25 than try to hold the Madcatz one. Truly a shame how awful the 360's dpad is, and they've done nothing about it.

[CaseyRyback]

The Virtua Fighter Arcade stick is coming out which is made by Hori (they rule), but its $60. I don't want the Mad Catz because every review I've read has been horrible & I'd rather just buy a regular style 3rd party controller for like $20-$25 than try to hold the Madcatz one. Truly a shame how awful the 360's dpad is, and they've done nothing about it.


The MSRP on the Virtua Fighter stick is 50 dollars.

[tangytangerine]

The MSRP on the Virtua Fighter stick is 50 dollars.

Really?
http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802191

He's right about the Hori sticks, they're the best arcade sticks out there.

[Apossum]

I wonder if those will really launch this week, seeing as the game isn't out for 2 more months. also, I didn't think anything would top conehead, gerber baby (tm, rodimus donut) Kokoro as a bad decal, but man, that VF stick's design is awful.

[stoned99]

I hate mine, it's very uncomfortable. I tried trading it in, and non of the stores will take it, what does that tell you :) The only reason I got it was as a filler to use the 40$ of 200$ coupon at CC. I do enjoy the free games, Astropop is one of my fav's although I've not been able to beat it, I think Frogger was also in there as well as Time Pilot.

[PyroGamer]

I hear this stick is absolutely terrible.

[Hoffgod]

How's the d-pad on it?

[Karyyk]

I'm debating it. I already have Frogger and Time Pilot, so that's not much of an additional incentive, but the thing I'm most curious about is the 360-degree spinner control. The Tempest clone Space Giraffe (programmed by Jeff Minter, the same guy who did Tempest 2000 on the Jag & Tempest 3000 on NUON) should be out on the Live Arcade soon, and anyone who's ever played much Tempest knows, a control knob is really the best way to play.

[KamiNoYadoru]

Yeah, how is this not the most uncomfortable controller in history?

[radjago]

I picked one of these marked down to $20 at a local Gamestop. It looked like it had been opened or returned, but I checked all the cards and the code strip hadn't been removed, so I bought it.

I like the three games that come with it, Astropop being the best of the three. The spinner control works okay with that game, but sometimes it's hard to get the fine control to select the exact column you want. Maybe it will just take some time to adjust. The joystick itself feels loose and inaccurate for the types of games included. The D-pad doesn't quite feel right either. It's kind of mushy. Also it has a turbo button. Track and Field, here I come.

Overall, it's an okay deal. It is a fully functioning controller with right analog stick, triggers, and all, so if nothing else it will be a novelty to play Halo 3 on this.

It's not exactly the most ergonomic controller ever designed, but it's more comfortable than say a Atari 2600 controller.