Review – Power A Batarang Xbox 360 Controller

A lot of us like to have not only form, but function as well. If you want to be Batman, then everything you own has to have both abilities, and in a compact enough device that it will fit into your utility belt. That includes Xbox controllers, so it seems only logical that it should take on the shape of a Batarang to help you thwart your foes while in-game.

First Impression

Every time you get a new anything, obviously you will be taken over by it’s shiny new-ness when it’s in the box. However, once the packaging is off and you start using it, you really start to see how you feel about it. Thankfully, there were definitely more good things that came from this Batman themed controller than bad. This third party controller comes to us from Power A, and has all that you would want a Batarang controller to be. Even though this is a wired controller, you can’t blame that on Power A, as it’s Microsoft who locked down wireless frequencies to products they approve of only.

The controller as a whole is gray, but has strips of LEDs around the grips, and on top of the controller near where the wire is connected. It weighs a bit less than your standard Xbox controller, but shouldn’t throw you off as it feels only fractionally lighter. The profile is much slimmer than I was used to, but it is still pretty comfortable. The most likely reason for this are the two black, rubbery-smooth grips that are right where you’d rest the half of your palm connected to your thumb. Not to mention that it’s lesser weight is easier on you after a long gaming session.

Functionality

If you’re wondering about how different the generic Xbox controllers are to this fancy one, know that this one is much more responsive. Your LT, RT, LB, RB, and analog sticks have more resistance to them, which means they also snap back much faster. The only annoyance I found with this was that the bumpers had a plastic sounding click every time they’re pressed. While this may be a bonus to some, it wasn’t as enjoyable to me, but it certainly didn’t inhibit my playing.

For the remainder of the buttons, the start and select fit into the wings of a Batman symbol, while an extra button in the middle makes up the body of the bat, and changes the color of the LEDs. You have your choice of 7 different colors to match whatever mood you may be in. The xyab buttons are smaller, but a bit taller as well, so they’re just as easy for your fingers to find. The D-pad is comprised of one mega-button as opposed to individual buttons, which may be of concern to some, but it still has all the responsiveness that you need. Last but not least, the power button on the controller is much smaller than the original controller, and is made of plastic similar to the xyab ones. While this has no influence on your gaming abilities whatsoever, I’m not fond of this. Just because.

Conclusion

While it may not have the exact same effect as Batman’s weapons, it would definitely pack a punch if you tossed it at someone. As far as using it for your Xbox, it’s definitely a controller worth checking out. Even though it’s not as customizable as other third party controllers, like the Razer Onza, it definitely has some amazing quality on the performance side of things, and would be an excellent addition to any gamers collection. If you’re willing to pay the $49.99 price tag to get it that is.