Tag Archives: controller

8BitDo SN30 Pro Gold and Silver controllers are as heavy as they look

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It seems that we’re seeing a rather curious design trend in the gaming market. Once filled with plastic-encrusted designs, there are a few coming out with more stylish cases, be it for the device itself or for its accessories. Analogue just recently launched its CNC aluminum limited edition Pocket, but 8BitDo was actually a few steps ahead of it. Although one’s eleventh anniversary isn’t actually associated with metal (it’s Turquoise, by the way), the famed maker of throwback controllers released metal versions of its widely popular SN30 Pro, giving fans of the brand a collectible they can actually use and, in case of an emergency, even throw like a deadly weapon.

Designer: 8BitDo

Game controllers are made to be light enough not to cause hand strain but still have enough weight to feel substantial and improve gameplay. Gamers have come to expect that bulkier controllers that follow the Xbox and PlayStation designs would be heavier than most, especially controllers that are patterned after the designs of yesteryears. Not so this variant of the SN30 Pro, itself designed after the super lightweight Super Nintendo gamepad, mostly because most of its body is made of metal.

The Gold and Silver editions of the SN30 Pro aren’t just cheap paint jobs, though you might be forgiven for making that presumption given the resemblance to powder-coated metallic paint. It’s true metal, or as 8BitDo calls it, metal zinc alloy, and it’s used not just for the main body but for almost every part visible to the eyes. That includes buttons, triggers, and, yes, even the joysticks. The gold edition gets a matte paint finish while the silver version undergoes electroplating. The cables aren’t metal, though, which is probably for the best.

More than just visual oddities, the SN30 Pro Gold/Silver Edition controllers also have one other advantage over their plasticky older siblings. They’re built to last, at least more than the common controller, as metal will not warp or deform over time. It’s also less likely to crack when accidentally dropped, though you might dent this here and there. And drop it you might indeed, given how heavy it is 381g. For comparison, the normal SN30 Pro weighs a mere 114g and even the Xbox Wireless Controller is just around 287g.

Not all that glitters is gold, as they say, and despite the luster and heft of these limited edition controllers, their feature set might leave gamers sorely disappointed. They’re definitely more like functional collectors’ editions rather than serious gaming weapons (unless you throw it like one), and the $99.99 price tag definitely cements, or rather forges, that image.

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Cooler Master MasterHUB modular control system adjusts to creators’ workflows

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Content creation these days looks so simple the way influencers like to show off in behind-the-scenes videos, but the reality is that they can be overwhelmingly complex as the content they create, especially as they level up their craft. While it’s definitely possible to stick to the tried and true keyboard, mouse, or drawing tablet, the demands of today’s creators and their audiences call for better tools that help make their lives easier. That said, no two artists or designers are alike, and they work in different ways with different techniques, tools, and processes. Most gadgets and devices try to force users to a specific way of working, but this modular stream kit lets you decide not only the specific controls that you need but even the layout that you want.

Designer: Cooler Master

As the name implies, stream kits were originally designed for live streamers as they usually need to access some functions quickly without having to perform finger calisthenics over their keyboard. Over time, however, the flexibility of these programmable buttons with tiny LCD displays has become a favored tool by many content creators, from designers to artists to video editors to general enthusiasts. The MasterHUB comes from this lineage but has one special power that very few have: it can change its shape to adapt to your needs, workflow, or even your whim!

The MasterHUB’s foundation is a base where you can mix and match modules that each deliver a different kind of control. The most common of these is the App Control with 15 programmable keys, each with a customizable display, that can be used to trigger an action or launch an app. Another module is the Encoder which is a large dial with an integrated circular LCD display that can be used for something like scrubbing through audio and video timelines. A Knob Module has three knobs that can be mapped to changing brush sizes, undoing and redoing steps, and similar actions. Completing the set is a Fader Precision module with five sliders and a Roller Scroll Module with two rolling bars.

This modular system allows creators to define the layout out of their control center. They can even set it up vertically instead of the conventional horizontal layout, and you can pretty much change the combination on a whim, presuming you’re prepared to do the work of setting up the configuration again. Such a flexible control hub will also benefit even computer users who don’t create content, like gamers and power users that need more knobs and buttons than their keyboard can provide. Availability details for this powerful creativity tool, unfortunately, are still unavailable at the moment.

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Foldable game controller concept solves portability in a different way

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Gaming on the go is quite popular these days, whether it’s on a mobile phone, a handheld device, or even a laptop temporarily parked at a cafe. While video games have traditionally been divided into PC and console camps, this latest trend has made many gamers reach for controllers or devices with built-in controllers, regardless of their platform of choice. Wireless game controllers have become quite numerous because of this, ranging from typical designs to telescopic mechanisms that stretch to grip smartphones or even tablets. Of course, these two aren’t the only designs possible for portable gamepads, and this concept tries to approach the problem from a different angle, one that takes a page out of one of the trendiest smartphone designs of late: foldable phones.

Designer: Przemysław Wolnicki

The basic problem with game controllers is their innate bulk. You can’t really shrink them without sacrificing comfort and ergonomics. This makes them less appealing to quickly stow in bags, much less pockets, as you dash out the door in the hopes of being able to play later on. Even those who prefer to game at home might find the permanent presence of a large chunk of plastic to be visually distracting and might look for ways to minimize their footprint when not in use.

Swift is a game controller design concept that adopts a folding mechanism to make the device more compact in transit. Despite the fact that foldables aren’t new, it’s curious that this design hasn’t been adapted for game controllers at all. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to such a design, but those can hardly be verified unless tested in the real world.

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This controller concept adopts the more symmetrical button arrangement of a PlayStation controller, which would make the folded form also more balanced when folded. One curious detail about the design is the ribbed surface covering the middle and back of the controller. It’s not clear whether the choice of material is simply aesthetic, but it will definitely have an effect on the texture of the controller, which in turn affects comfort and ergonomics.

While a foldable controller design is definitely interesting and curious, it also raises a few questions as well. While the design does halve the width of the device, it doubles its thickness in turn. There might also be some concerns about the wear and tear this mechanism will incur over time, especially given the wires that have to run through the middle to connect the two halves. Perhaps that is the reason why a foldable design hasn’t been adopted for controllers, but this concept at least tries to encourage pushing the boundaries instead of just adopting the status quo.

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VR controller concept for artists and designers offer a more intuitive design

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The Apple Vision Pro’s take on spatial computing would have us imagine a seamless integration of the physical and digital worlds. That dream of the future is shared by virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies, and they almost deliver that promise when it comes to the visual aspect. The illusion, however, breaks when you start interacting with and manipulating those virtual entities, an experience that quickly becomes less natural compared to how we do it with physical objects. The problem lies in the tools we use for this, which are often a game controller or two sticks that function in the same way. This concept for a virtual reality controller tries to reshape that standard design into something that, while still technically the same, offers a more familiar form for artists and designers.

Designer: Jiwoong Yan

When you think about it, it’s almost amazing how digital creatives are able to make do with the input tools available to use in the present. At the very least, a stylus approximates the experience of drawing with a pen on paper, though some people are even able to create mind-blowing art using a keyboard and a mouse. On the one hand, it’s pretty convenient that we don’t have to deal with a dozen different pens, brushes, and other tools when creating digital art, but, at the same time, the disconnect between the tool and the desired outcome is often jarring.

This is especially true in a world that tries to have some fidelity with reality like VR. It’s even worse because it makes us believe we’re seeing virtual objects we can touch, but we can never really touch them and have to be satisfied with pointing and clicking with both hands. Medium is a concept design that offers a compelling compromise for artists and designers. It still has that same two-piece approach that puts a controller in each hand, but ones that are designed to actually mimic the tools that artists would be familiar with.

The right hand, for example, can be held either like a paintbrush or a can of spray paint, and the handle can be rotated to accommodate different ways people hold these tools. The left-hand controller, on the other hand (no pun intended), is like a painter’s palette, though it will probably show more than just colors in the virtual representation that you’ll see through VR glasses. Using these two pieces might feel intuitive for some artists familiar with painting, with the “palette” providing tools and options for the “brush” that you draw with.

Such a design is theoretically already possible with today’s technologies, but it requires a manufacturer to take the risk of actually producing a device that might appeal only to a small segment of VR users. But with these companies trying to push mixed reality and spatial computing harder, it might only be a matter of time before more specialized variants of controllers become available, at least as a stopgap measure until we can directly manipulate those virtual worlds with nothing but our hands.

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A mini controller for your mobile gamers who love minimalism

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Smartphones have evolved to be more than potent gaming devices with constant evolution in processing power. Titles like Genshin Impact, COD Warzone, Car X Street and Asphalt 9: Legends have high-end graphics comparable to consoles and PC titles. Of course, there are capable phones that can play these games at the highest settings without breaking a sweat.

The perfect alibi for serious smartphone gamers who want to gain tactical advantage is a gaming controller. Yes, the likes of 8BitDo Pro 2, Backbone One, GameSir G8 Galileo and Razer Kishi V2 elevate the gaming experience on a smartphone but they are bulky for sure. Imagine holding a 6.8-inch smartphone with the controller mounted on it. This calls for a compact and lightweight option that is easy to carry around and a treat to use.

Designer: Wootae Kim

The Mini Controller is an option for mobile gamers who don’t want to carry around the bulk and also like the compact form factor of the gadget for better ergonomics. Everything on this dongle-sized controller is kept to the minimum with a round joystick, D-Pad buttons and shoulder trigger buttons. This cool gaming controller can be used both in Bluetooth mode and connected mode depending on the titles you want to play. In the latter mode, the accessory can be plugged into the USB-C port and the joystick can be used for the directional control and the on-screen buttons for other input.

The Bluetooth mode works best for FPS shooters and racing games where you want total multidirectional control without missing a move. The connected mode is ideal for playing MMO titles and strategy games like Clash of Clans that require movement in the two-dimensional plane. The designer intends to pitch this controller to Gen-Z mobile gamers who like to explore fresh options. It is easily pocketable just like your earbuds case or can be hooked to a keychain. Also, the availability of the Mini Controller in peppy color options makes it best suited for the younger generation.

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Sleek futuristic game controller concept removes almost all buttons

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The recent years have put gaming under the spotlight, from the hit mobile games like Pokemon GO to innovative consoles like the Nintendo Switch, to the messy adaption of iconic video games into films or TV shows. Of course, this has also given rise to interesting new product designs, especially those riding on the retro trend that’s bringing aesthetics from the past to the present. That said, we can’t always be looking backward trying to relive a so-called “golden age” of design. In order to move forward, we sometimes have to break away from standards and tradition to pave the way for the future. That may sometimes result in unusual designs that may or may not work as intended. This futuristic-looking game controller, for example, aims to simplify the user experience and give the product a more aesthetic flair, but it also raises questions about the usability of the redesign.

Designers: Sami Azfar, Salekin Piash

The basic design of game controllers has changed little over the decades. Yes, they vary depending on the platform or generation, but the existence of buttons, directional pads (D-pads), joysticks, and triggers has always been a standard. For now, it’s the only way you can express a multitude of actions with a limited number of controls, but it’s hardly the most effective or convenient. Unfortunately, we will have to stick with such conventions for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t mean we can change how they are implemented.

Moenix is a design concept that tries to simplify the form of the controller, thereby allowing it to take on a completely different aesthetic. It specifically takes inspiration from the design of steering wheels and gearshift which are examples of simple yet powerful user interfaces. Unsurprisingly, the Moenix takes on a shape that’s not unlike the steering wheel of a vehicle but utilizes more organic shapes to give it a less mechanical appearance.

The most striking aspect of the controller’s design, however, is the lack of any visible interfaces. There are only two explicitly mentioned in the design, and both come under your thumb. These are touch-sensitive buttons whose actions can change depending on the game being played. One could act as a trigger in a shooter or as the gas pedal in a racing game, while the other can be mapped to movement or camera controls. Given the shape of the controller, it wouldn’t be surprising if it had motion controls so that you can turn your character or your car just by turning the controller itself.

This concept allows the game controller to take on a simpler and more approachable design, but it seems to come at the price of actually providing enough controls to the player. The dynamic buttons can be changed, but unless it can provide more than 2 or four actions, it will definitely be insufficient for most modern games. Alternatively, it might be possible to include buttons behind each handle, providing the same amount of expressiveness but in a more ergonomic position.

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Rare 2001 PS1 controller modded into a quirky PlayStation handheld emulator

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Game controllers today follow a standard design and format, and most of them gravitate between two or three conventions, depending on the major console brand they’re supporting. Once upon a time, however, there was a bit more variety and exploration in what controllers could look like, at least as long as they still supported all the basic controls that the machine and the games required. This gave birth to a few oddities, some of which gained widespread notoriety despite their limited availability. One of those was perhaps one of the weirdest but also rarest controllers ever made for the original PlayStation, and one such design was reshaped to become one is probably one of the most distinctive PlayStation handhelds ever crafted.

Designer: Takara Tomy (modded by Hairoh Satoh)

In 2001, PlayStation owners in Japan got a glimpse of an officially licensed controller specifically designed for the popular Game of Life video game. Unlike rectangular controllers even during that period, this custom gamepad was practically square with a circle at the top edge extending a bit beyond the border. This circle was home to a roulette wheel used in conjunction with that game, earning this Japanese-exclusive design the name “Takara Roulette Controller.”

Images courtesy of miepro_02

More than two decades later, a modder best known for his Game Boy mods has given this rarely-seen controller a new lease on life as a standalone gaming device. The spinner wheel, which has no use in any other game, was replaced by a small LCD screen that allowed the user to play games directly on it. Of course, that also means that the internals of the controller have been gutted out to make room for a small computer, probably a Raspberry Pi or one of its kind.

That alone would have been impressive enough, but the mod goes above and beyond to bring a few modern gaming conveniences. While the original controller is more or less complete when it comes to buttons, the mod adds L and R back triggers as well. The small space also has a memory card slot, USB-C charging, and speakers that truly make the gaming handheld independent and portable. Whether it’s comfortable to actually play on for long periods of time is a different question entirely.

Unfortunately, the controller clearly shows its age with the absence of analog joysticks that are now standard on modern controllers. Then again, since it’s mostly emulating PS1-era games, that’s not exactly a problem either since those titles didn’t make use of such controls. But since it’s technically using a computer that can run emulation software, it’s theoretically possible to also run games from other consoles, particularly classic titles that have simpler controls, less demanding graphics, and gameplay that’s well suited for this retro controller design.

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Compal gaming 2-in-1 laptop concept has controls hidden on its back

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Handheld gaming PCs are becoming a bit more popular these days, especially with major brands getting in on the game, pun intended. But while these small computers seem impressive for packing that much power inside, their designs make them less useful for anything else unless you connect an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Not only do gaming laptops offer more power, they can also be used for other purposes. Conversely, you need to connect a game controller and put the laptop down on a table, which loses the appeal of being able to play anytime, anywhere. Compal has an idea that attempts to bridge the best of both worlds, though its 2-in-1 gaming laptop design does raise just as many questions as it answers.

Designer: Compal

2-in-1 laptops and tablets that have touchscreens do offer a compromise when it comes to gaming with a controller. Just like with smartphones, it’s theoretically possible to put virtual joysticks and buttons, but those are actually awkward and more cumbersome to use on such a large screen. And just like on smartphones, it also means covering up part of the screen with their thumbs, and most PC games don’t take that into account.

The Compal Rover Play concept solves that by putting the controls on the back of the tablet half of the 2-in-1 laptop, almost like those paddles on the back of modern controllers. These aren’t simple buttons, though, as they would make the laptop look rather odd and unusable when not used to play games. Instead, there are panels on the back of the laptop that slide and fold slightly outward, creating an angled structure that’s like grips on a controller.

These FlexiRear Controllers have ultrasonic sensors that don’t use physical buttons to register presses and gestures. The idea is that instead of using the touchscreen on the front, you use those sensors on the back to control the game. The concept doesn’t exactly explain how those gestures would map to standard controller input, but it’s not difficult to imagine some specialized software making that conversion.

The biggest hurdle for this rather intriguing design is how such controls would feel alien to gamers. Not only would it require a considerable amount of learning effort, switching between this non-standard input method and a conventional controller could also prove to be confusing. Still, Rover Play is an interesting design that aims to bring the best of both worlds, but it’s still a little bit raw for any PC maker to implement in an actual product.

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World’s smallest smartphone turns into a gaming handheld with this case

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Gaming smartphones are quite the novelty in the mobile world, but despite their advertised or actual gaming chops, they often lack the necessary controls that would put them on par with consoles. Conversely, most of these gaming smartphones have designs that make them a little less appropriate for more formal environments with their flashy RGB lighting and distinctive motifs. A middle ground between these two extremes would be to slap on some controllers on “normal” but premium handsets, effective but also a little too mundane these days. This rather unusual phone case, however, tries to add a new flavor to mobile gaming by introducing not only an unusual controller design but also by making it exclusive to one of the weirdest and cutest smartphones in the market.

Designer: Sugar Cubes (via Retro Dodo)

The Unihertz Jelly Star is obviously not your typical smartphone. With a size that’s no larger than a credit card, the tiny device is advertised as the world’s smallest Android 13 smartphone, a title no one will probably try to wrest away from it anyway. With a 3-inch screen, a transparent colored back, and some rather reasonable specs for its size, the Jelly Star is probably also the world’s cutest smartphone.

A Chinese accessory maker by the name of Sugar Cubes is taking that cuteness and turning it into something that even gamers will find alluring. Rather than simply attaching controllers, which would be gigantic compared to the Jelly Star, you will instead insert the tiny phone into a large, boxy case that transforms it into a rather unusual gaming handheld that is more reminiscent of the “Game & Watch” devices of old than any modern handheld console. Even the controls themselves are in non-standard locations, even though they provide most of the standard buttons, including a joystick.

There seem to be two designs for the Sugar Cube Jelly. One has the Unihertz Jelly Star lying horizontally and near the top, giving the device a more Game Boy-like appearance, though short in stature. The other has the phone standing vertically in the middle, flanked by two sets of controls, a design closer to the Nintendo Switch by some stretch of the imagination. Details on how the small phone will be inserted into the case are still slim, though it seems that the vertical design will simply have the Jelly Star slip into the case from the side, with one of the controllers swinging open like a flap.

The unconventional and eye-catching design of the Sugar Cube Jelly makes it perfect for branded merchandise, theming the colors and decals accordingly. That said, there’s still no word on when this product will actually hit the market, or if it will even be made available outside of China. Even then, the Unihertz Jelly Star isn’t exactly oozing with power, so while you might be able to comfortably run some retro games via emulation, forget about boasting your odd contraption while playing Genshin Impact.

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