Tech Review: Wii Classic Controller Pro

This is from my blog. You can read the original here if you like

It started as a dial. It evolved into a joystick. Buttons were added, analog sticks were invented, and the Home button found a place in the center. Video game controllers are one of the single most important aspects to a console. Without one, we couldn't save the princess, kill the aliens, win the tournament; decide our destiny. They allow us to interact in a way no other medium can offer, and give us the control and precision to conquer any task. But not all controllers are created equal. The world is littered with the remains of failed ideas and concepts. But there are some that shine through, that become the template others are based on, and that live on for years to come. I'll be taking a look at as many controllers as I can get my hands on, to find the ones that succeed, and those that fail. Today's victim: the Wii Classic Controller Pro, Nintendo's answer to those wanting a more traditional controller on Wii. But does it deliver on those promises?

Ergonomics
Nintendo controllers have always been rather unique in there design, for better or worse, but one area they often fail in is how the controller feels to hold (anyone that's spent a good amount of time with an NES controller will know this well). The Classic Controller Pro (I'll just refer to it as CCP for the rest of this review) on the other hand feels fantastic to play with. My fingers immediately fell in love with the gentle contours of it's body, and found their place without any sort of guess work. The only thing that feels a bit off is using the secondary triggers. For whatever reason, it's just a bit off. But as these buttons are rarely actually used in games that support the controller, this is a mild inconvenience.


Ascetics
Though it feels great, I can't say I'm a huge fan of the way the CCP looks. Nintendo pretty much stuck a 3DS hand grip to the bottom of a standard Classic Controller, and didn't really bother to hide it. This is much more obvious on the White model than the Black, but it's definitely rather strange looking no matter the variety. There are several things about the CCP that look very nice though, particularly the difference between the A/B and X/Y buttons, with the former being clear like the A button on the Wii Remote, and the later matching the white of the controller. The glossy finish is a bit of a fingerprint magnet, making me wish the top half matched the matte finish on the bottom.


Control
Nintendo isn't trying to reinvent the wheel with the CCP, and as such went with the (forgive the pun) classic Dualshock design for the D-Pad and analog sticks. These have to be some of the tightest sticks I've felt on a gamepad, with pretty much zero wiggle room or deadzone. The raised edges feel a little weird, but I expect most will get used to them pretty quickly. The biggest reason to buy the CCP or original CC is to have dual stick control in Wii games, and the CCP doesn't disappoint. As you'd expect from a Nintendo controller, the D-Pad is excellent. This is especially important for Virtual Console games, so it's great that it works so well. One thing that I can't understand though is the almost sand paper like finish on the D-Pad. It doesn't really help in anyway, and can be irritating at times to use.


Buttons and Triggers
The original Classic Controller had a rather obtuse trigger placement, choosing to place the secondary LZ and RZ between the other two triggers. The CCP ditches this to the much more user friendly stacking of triggers. The triggers are pretty good, but I would have liked them to be analog or even just the dual use feature from the Gamecube gamepad. The face buttons are very responsive, with zero squishiness and a very nice clicking feeling (without any actual click). The Select, Start, and Home buttons all work as expected, with nothing noteworthy to report.

Special Features
Like the Nunchuck, the CCP has to be plugged into the bottom of the Wii Remote to work. This could be a problem for many looking to purchase this controller to use in multiplayer games, as you would have to have a Wii Remote and CCP for every player (you can do the math on that). I appreciate that Nintendo put the cord on the top instead of the bottom, but obviously it would have been best if it was completely wireless. Definitely the biggest feature the CCP is lacking though is any sort of rumble. If you only want to play VC games with it, you'd likely not notice, as most of these never had rumble support to begin with. On Wii games such as Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros. though it becomes very obvious that it's missing. It also makes the controller feel too light and even a little cheap. I expect Nintendo chose not to include it in order to keep the price down, but I think most everyone would have paid a bit more if it meant a full rumble support.


Verdict
Though overall I like it a lot, the Classic Controller Pro is not a perfect controller by any means. The lack of rumble is a big oversight in today's video game market, and makes it not nearly as much fun to use. It also looks pretty weird, and feels surprisingly cheap for a Nintendo product. Otherwise though virtually everything about the controller is great, with a perfect D-Pad essential for older games, and a more usable trigger layout than the original Classic controller. It's a great option, and pretty much the only option, for those wanting to play Virtual Console games or use a more traditional control scheme for many Wii games, on newer Wii consoles that no longer support Gamecube games or controllers. For those that already have Gamecube controllers lying around, it's not nearly as appealing, and is really only worth it if there is a particular game you want to play that doesn't support them (such as Monster Hunter Tri or Rayman Origins). If Nintendo changes the design just a bit and adds rumble support, this could be the controller to beat. As it is, it's just alright.


Final Opinion: 7/10 Good

Note, this review is of the new Classic Controller Pro, and should not be confused with the previous model, titled simply the Classic Controller.

Detailed review as always, though I would disagree on the score personally, as I think it's the best traditional controller since the DS2 (assuming you can look past the Wii Remote tethering). I've grown tired of rumble features in controllers, and since everything is wireless nowadays, I prefer to turn that feature off to conserve battery life if I have the option. The analog triggers would of been a nice option, but honestly digital is what I would prefer anyways, with analog buttons being another feature I just don't care for anymore.

Compared to the original CC, the CCP is just miles better, and based on it's own merit, I would rank it as a 9/10. The analog sticks are near perfect (I could do without the 8 sided notches in their base, only gripe I have), the layout is intuitive, and overall it just feels right in your hands. I'll agree on the ascetics, but function over form wins for me.

Still a great review and an honest opinion, mine just differs a tad.

[quote name='Billytwoshoes']Detailed review as always, though I would disagree on the score personally, as I think it's the best traditional controller since the DS2 (assuming you can look past the Wii Remote tethering). I've grown tired of rumble features in controllers, and since everything is wireless nowadays, I prefer to turn that feature off to conserve battery life if I have the option. The analog triggers would of been a nice option, but honestly digital is what I would prefer anyways, with analog buttons being another feature I just don't care for anymore.

Compared to the original CC, the CCP is just miles better, and based on it's own merit, I would rank it as a 9/10. The analog sticks are near perfect (I could do without the 8 sided notches in their base, only gripe I have), the layout is intuitive, and overall it just feels right in your hands. I'll agree on the ascetics, but function over form wins for me.

Still a great review and an honest opinion, mine just differs a tad.[/QUOTE]

Playing brawl without rumble just felt weird to me, as did most other Wii games. I think it's pretty much perfect for virtual console games, so if that was all it was made for then maybe a 9/10 would be better. But as it's also supposed to be a Wii controller, I felt a little disappointed. I still think it's good, as I said, but there are a few things that could make it a lot better IMO.

Thanks for reading anyway, and glad you like the controller

[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Playing brawl without rumble just felt weird to me, as did most other Wii games. I think it's pretty much perfect for virtual console games, so if that was all it was made for then maybe a 9/10 would be better. But as it's also supposed to be a Wii controller, I felt a little disappointed. I still think it's good, as I said, but there are a few things that could make it a lot better IMO.

Thanks for reading anyway, and glad you like the controller[/QUOTE]
I haven't touched Brawl yet (though I loved and still play Melee from time to time), but I've been using the CC Pro recently for Centipede Infestation, Fire Emblem, and Xenoblade Chronicles, much more enjoyable than using the standard Wiimote / nunchuck configuration.

[quote name='Billytwoshoes']I haven't touched Brawl yet (though I loved and still play Melee from time to time), but I've been using the CC Pro recently for Centipede Infestation, Fire Emblem, and Xenoblade Chronicles, much more enjoyable than using the standard Wiimote / nunchuck configuration.[/QUOTE]

oh, come on, what's the hold up? Brawl is flipping amazing

but yes, I totally agree about that. CCP>Remote/Nunchuck

michael korshttp://www.amazines.com/entertainment/article_detail.cfm/5031511?articleid=5031511As far as luxury timepieces go, you can invest an awful great deal if you are not mindful of the manufacturers on the market.. Finding a lovely and inexpensive observe is a win-win scenario and Michael Kors watches is a name brand that offers equally.. We all have to observe our pennies these days, but let us confront it..we nevertheless enjoy to store.. I have researched a lot of diverse observe manufacturers and Michael Kors is 1 that I preserve coming again to, time right after time.. Their designs are modern and fresh and they are Swiss made.. The organization is getting to be far more successful every day as consumers occur to appreciate the trendy look of their handbags, sunglasses, as properly as their watches.. Wonderful Michael Kors watches info.. Let's consider a peek at a handful of of their most common timepieces:&bull Michael Kors offers a total line of tortoise shell timepieces.. The look of these items is quite strange and truly interesting.. The tortoise watches are distinctive and occur in a assortment of types, which include gold and crystal accents.. The oversized Tortoise observe is my favourite.. It is a chronograph with just a touch of gold.. All of these watches are priced among $250-$295..&bull It's my wager that the most common timepieces in their line are the gold tone watches.. These look great and are priced at a fraction of the price of a reliable gold observe.. The gold tone collection is obtainable in yellow and rose gold and includes some items that sparkle with crystals.. These types are also all obtainable for significantly less than $300..&bull Of study course, we really should point out their silver timepieces.. These are elegant and contemporary and just best for the gal that may not be all set for a flashy gold observe.. The silver timepieces also occur in chronograph and with crystal bezels and are priced at around $225..As soon as you consider a look at the watches presented by Michael Kors, you will quickly understand the appeal.. All of the items are sizeable and feel weighty, as properly, which is a indication of higher high quality metal.. You could simply pay 2 times as much for these items, but you do not have to.. Shop for Michael Kors watches on-line and conserve even far more.. On-line outlets supply the finest assortment of timepieces from Michael Kors and other main designers, and you can't conquer their prices and customer support.. The ease of searching on-line really should entice you to give it a attempt..Michael Kors Watches.