Microsoft SideWinder Dual Strike

Rating:
Summary: Best Controller Ever
Review: I received this controller about 6 months ago and it is one of the best input devices ever created! Since I began using it, I have found a considerable edge over other players in 1st person shooters such as Half-life, Tribes2, and Star Trek Elite Force, as well as space combat sims like X-Wing Alliance, Tachyon, and the Freespace series.
While there are not a lot of preset game environments (preset button maps), the GUI to create them is VERY user friendly. You can choose between mapping them using a single set of key strokes or using a wonderful macro editor. The central twisting section allows for various turning speeds, and when you reach the ends of the spin-axis, it pulls a little tighter and the turn tightens immensely.
The only minor problem is having to access some minor controls from the keyboard can make you fly off course for a few seconds, but once you get into battle the enemy is TOAST!

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly a great affordable item from microsoft
Review: I think the dual strike is absolutely incredible. Once you have it programed the way you want, the thing flows great. I can't belive that everyone doesn't have one. Its a mouse and keyboard all in one.

Rating:
Summary: There are better pads out there
Review: It was with great mourning that I retired my Gravis Xterminator, and now I feel like crying a river and pursuing some means of electronic resurrection or wizardry to bring it back... I was looking for a controller (whether gamepad or joystick) that took advantage of USB technology and provided proportional control for driving/racing sims as well as flight sims like X-Wing Alliance and the new Crimson Skies. I looked around and decided on the Dual Strike, seeing that it had some decent reviews and, if I took the time to get past the 1.5 hour learning curve for its radical design, I'd have an awesome controller on my hands that would let me do darn near anything.

Frankly, I was disappointed every step of the way. Unlike my old Gravis, the Dual Strike's "schemes" (where you control the function of the programmable buttons) have to be loaded seperately under the Game Controller every time you decide to play a different game--the Gravis automatically adapted, recognizing the programs loading up.

When I began to use the buttons, I realized how poorly they were actually placed. All to often, trying to press one button, I'd wind up pressing another at the same time. The button (top button on right side of controller) is almost completely inaccessable, and futzing around with the shift-key during the middle of a firefight is downright dangerous. The triggers where your index fingers rest are a nice attempt to provide what other controllers easily offer, but fail in that they activate during rough moves when you least want them to, and you forget they're there when you most need them because they just feel like a solid part of the Dual Strike's shell.

The proportional control (the swivelling part on the right) does take a while to get used to, and once you do, it's a truly innovative idea when it comes to FPSs. Great idea, offering a lot of flexibility and control. Unfortunately, the "center" position is without any form of guidance in the form of internal resistance. You've got to futz around until your character finally stops moving to know when you've found it, nothing intuitive about it at all. This was especially problematic when I tried to use the controller for Need for Speed: High Stakes and X-Wing Alliance. Frankly, there's too much going on in sim environs, and a greater requirement for an auto-centering proportional control, than that which the Dual Strike provides.

There are better pads out there... You're paying a mid-range price for a high-tech gimmick on a pad with below-average performance. I'm inclined to give the pad only 1-star, because I was really looking for something to help me out on the sims, but to be fair it ranks about a 3 when it comes to FPSs, but they really have to figure out how gamers use the buttons to make this a decent FPS pad.

Rating:
Summary: Close, but no cigar...
Review: Microsoft went on on the limb for this one. Try to fit a mouse and a keyboard on a controller.... This idea was genius, but unfortunately missed the mark. The only complaint that I had with this controller was the fact that they should of added a spring mechanism to "re-align" the controller back to the center position. When you are in the heat of the battle of Unreal Tournament or Half-Life, your hand will be in this wierd prostrated position (which is very uncomfortable) until you reset your view to center.. Other than this minor problem, this controller gives you the closest I have seen to the mouse-and-keyboard combination. Keep working Microsoft!!

Rating:
Summary: Close, but no cigar...
Review: Microsoft went on on the limb for this one. Try to fit a mouse and a keyboard on a controller.... This idea was genius, but unfortunately missed the mark. The only complaint that I had with this controller was the fact that they should of added a spring mechanism to "re-align" the controller back to the center position. When you are in the heat of the battle of Unreal Tournament or Half-Life, your hand will be in this wierd prostrated position (which is very uncomfortable) until you reset your view to center.. Other than this minor problem, this controller gives you the closest I have seen to the mouse-and-keyboard combination. Keep working Microsoft!!

Rating:
Summary: New, unique, and top of the line controller
Review: The dual strike is the best controller ever made for first-person perspective. I'm currently playing Deus Ex and am able to crawl around, shoot and gather with great precision because of this controller's unique two-handed motion. I've found it ergonomic (no sore fingers) and natural to use. Plus it lets you program any function to any buttons. Truly a well-designed product!

Rating:
Summary: Almost there
Review: The product is functionally great but in true microsoft fashion
You will need to buy a new one every few months because the hat will break off and krazy glue will only hold it for a few weeks
This is a true microsoft product.

Rating:
Summary: Oh yeah, one more thing
Review: There is a steep learning curve with this device, and it takes some getting used to. When I first tried it on Quake II, I got spanked by guys who only use the keyboard (that's rigth, only the keyboard, no mouse). However, now I am always in the top 2 or 3 with my LAN buddies (when they use a mouse) and do very well over the internet, usually being in the top 4 in Quake II and top 3 in Half-Life CounterStrike.

Rating:
Summary: EXPECTED BETTER FROM MICROSOFT
Review: This Controller has to be by far, the WORST by Microsoft. Within 5 days, the swivelling Point of View hat had broken off, which didn't really bother me as I couldn't get the controller to work with half of my games! If you want to try it, it isn't a bad price if you like throwing your money. My advice: STAY AWAY! FAR, FAR, AWAY!

Rating:
Summary: Best gamepad EVER!
Review: This gamepad is the best I've ever seen/payed with.

Should be mandatory in a first-person shooter game as well as roleplay. (Played NWN/Diablo serie with it)

Very sad that Microsoft stopped the production (AFAIK) of this jewel and never replacer it with anything else (which mimic the mouse)