As per the box, this controller is ideally made for use in action and driving games. While wired, the 9-foot cord should fit a majority of living rooms with room to spare if you tend to move around a bit while playing. It is functionally identical to Sony’s official DualShock 3 controller but notably lacks the Sixaxis feature. While very few games make use of the Sixaxis controls, some games like Flower or Flow are controlled exclusively by it, meaning you’ll have to either skip them or keep a DualShock 3 nearby in case you want to play them.
There are a few enhancements touted on the actual packaging and for the most part, it delivers. Of particular note are the controller’s enhanced trigger buttons. All four shoulder buttons sit raised a bit higher than on the Dual Shock 4, giving you a bit of extra leverage when you need to hold or press the buttons repeatedly. The actual triggers on the controller are curved upwards in a manner similar to the ever-popular Xbox 360 controller – A huge improvement over the DualShock’s rounded and debatably slippery triggers. These triggers also sport a certain “springiness” to them that makes it very satisfying to press them down and is great for games with semi-automatic firing weapons.
Nyko’s packaging also bulletpoints the controller’s ergonomic design. The controller features longer “handles” on either side, making it much easier to grip and puts the analog sticks right under your thumbs. The handles themselves are also much more rounded as opposed to the DualShock 3’s oval shape which also helps with grip comfort. The analog sticks themselves are virtually identical to Sony’s with a convex shape and textured rubber. Like the triggers, the analog sticks have a firm spring to them, making shooters feel much more accurate but can cause problems in some third-person action games and other games with a controllable camera as this can easily cause you to move the stick much more firmly than normal, making precision spotty at best.
Under examination, the firmness of the sticks and triggers also carries over to the face buttons. The directional pad and four face buttons feel accurate and are raised a bit higher than the DualShock 3’s, helping to minimize those times when you are in the heat of battle and fail to press a button hard enough for it to actually register. The major downside to all this is the L3 and R3 buttons. The analog sticks are very difficult to press down on and require considerable effort when compared to the DualShock 3 or even other after-market controllers. Fortunately not too many games require the use of these buttons but for racers or other games that utilize them for turbo or other effects it can wear your hands out quickly.
Overall, Nyko has put out a good-quality product that should appeal to anyone looking for a firm, precise controller. Fans of shooters, gamers on a budget, or gamers who find themselves pressing a bit harder on the controller than they ought to may find this controller a good alternative to the standard DualShock controller, especially since it retails for around $19.99.
