Review: MadCatz wired PS3 Controller

Alright, so you have yourself a PS3, and if you picked it up before the price drop, owe some money to some unsavory characters as a result. But what's the fun of having a shiny new system without someone to play with? Of course, having someone else requires another controller, and you can't really count on any having a controller to use this early in the PS3's lifespan; unless, of course, you've got one of those PS2-to-PS3 adapters. But a PS2 doesn't have any motion-sensing capabilities, so if you wanna go multiplayer in something like flOw or WarHawk (assuming you use motion controls in WarHawk) you've still got to either shell out $50 for a SIXAXIS or find a third party solution that actually has SIXAXIS (read: motion sensing) functionality, that's where MadCatz comes in.
Personally i always like to have at least 1 wired controller, that way you've always got one controller to use that you don't have to worry about recharging. Also, at $29.99, the wired MadCatz is conisderably cheaper than Sony's offering; you can even opt for a wireless one for 10 dollars more and the 9 foot cord offer plenty of length for most room setups. However, since no 3rd party yet uses bluetooth, any wireless controller is going to use up one of your USB ports anyway.
Now, anyone that's held a SIXAXIS knows how light it is compared to the force-feedback enabled controllers, an issue we'll have to readjsut to when the DualShock 3 comes out.. This just doesn't translate very well to the MadCatz controller as it jsut doesn't feel very...solid at all, i might even go so far as to say it feels cheap. Another difference form the SIXAXIS most will notice is that the triggers are stiffer/springier. This is good in that they "pop" back out faster, although i doubt you'll ever find a situation that requires you to push the triggers fast enough to matter, and bad in that it takes more effort to depress the MadCatz triggers, which tires your fingers faster.The MadCatz, does, however have a "home" (PS) button which many other 3rd parties lack. Another advantage the controller has over other 3rd parties is it's own brand of tilt functionality, dubbed SixSense, which allows play in games like flOw, Toy Home, or even Lair if you're feeling masochistic.
From this point on, though, the MadCatz controller fails miserably in regards to longevity. After a little over a week, the numbered led's no longer lit to show which player, they still blink when the controller isn't "active" but once you push home to turn it on, you won't have any idea if you're 1st or 7th without checking the "Controller Settings" menu. Then there's the matter of the button labels. After about 2 weeks, the X and square buttons were no longer labeled, and the O and triangle had become noticeably faded. After a month there were no longer any labeled buttons, including Start, Select and Home; even the number indicators next to the led had rubbed off (not that it mattered since the lights no longer work anyway). The d-pad on this controller is your standard cross layout, but around the same time all the button labels had disappeared, left on the d-pad started acting up. The pad still senses when left is pushed, but you can't just hold it down, the controller "let's go" after a short period time and you have to let go and press again. Since there's not exactly an abundance of 2d sidescrollers on the PS3, this isn't likely to be a major issue, but this isn't something that should be happening so early in a controller's life.

To sum up, the wired MadCatz controller is good to have around when you've got someone else to play with (but don't wanna drop 50 bones to do so) and want the security of a controller that doesn't need to be charged. The bugs and defects, however, make even $30 a little steep. I mean, if a controller feels cheap in the beginning, and turns out to be very much poo, then you shouldn't be charging over 20, especially for wired.

Score: 5.5/10