Sony PEGA-GC10 Game Controller for PEG-NX, NR, T, SJ, SL Series

Rating:
Summary: Good item but causes conflicts
Review: I got this item cheap because I really like the game columns, but once you install the game controller it causes conflicts with your Hot Sync function. I tried several times and this kept occurring. Sorry. Unless you just play a lot of games on your handheld it just isn't worth the hassle of having to reinstall your cradle drivers after you have used the controller.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have if you play action-arcade games on your Clie.
Review: Those of you who've played plenty of action/arcade style games on a PDA knows that the PDA buttons simply do not cut it when trying to weave your fighter plane through an onslaught of bullets or trying to make your way through a Super Mario style platformer. What's even worse is that PDA buttons are not built to take the kind of button-abuse that often comes from playing those games and can get worn out fairly quick.

I wanted to play games on my PDA without breaking the buttons so with that in mind, I decided on getting a Clie SJ33 and the GC10. The controller works very well. I've only run across a couple games that does not work well or don't work at all with the game controller and both of them work better (gameplay-wise) with the stylus control. The GC10 is a necessity if you have a Gameboy emulator on your Clie. Overall I'm very happy with my purchase.

The extra battery drain was not as big an issue as reviews from other sights led me to believe. It does drain slightly faster but only very slight and usually when it does drain quickly, it's because you're playing a game that uses a lot of power to begin with (games with lots of action) and because you're using a game controller, you're probably playing it longer too.

The extra strap is almost useless. The instructions say it's to prevent the controller from accidentally falling from PDA but the controller's grip is so good it's much more likely you'll drop the PDA before dropping the controller. The strap is useful for dangling your controller from your belt or backpack so that you can have easy access if you get the urge to play.

I have yet to find a game that supports the X/Y buttons. The instructions says they're "programmable" but I have yet to find a way to get them to work with any game. Not that big a deal since most games don't use that many buttons but it is wasted potential.

The GC10 includes a copy of Columns and some game demos. The Columns gameplay is spot on and gives you something to use the controller with right out of the box. It'll definitely give you the good feeling of using a real game control rather than the cumbersome PDA buttons. :D

Pros: Gamepad button layout, very sturdy, extra buttons for menus and going back to the main PDA screen, hold switch, securely grips your PDA so it's very unlikely to fall off, comes with free game Columns (and it's high-res!).
Cons: Does not work with all games, slightly faster battery drain, cannot charge & use controller at same time, X & Y buttons are useless, does not fit all Clies.