MadCatz Batman Begins Controller Review

I'll be honest with you; a dynamic photo of Batman printed across the upper-face of an Xbox controller would not have been my idea of good marketing. But, that is the name of the controller, so I suppose the gimmick fits. This though, has nothing whatsoever to do with the performance of the controller. Presentation wise I was expecting far worse, being that it was a Mad Catz controller and certain brands/controller types sell for less than most of the other high-tech controllers out there on the market for the Xbox. But, I must readily admit that the controller handled well. It features all the normal buttons and sticks/pads that any other Xbox controller has.

It's not wireless but it does have a nifty button that rests at the center, near the bottom of the controller. This transparent button begs to be pushed every time you see it, even if for undesired effects. I suppose it's because it's transparent and lights up green when you depress the button. "So what does it do" you ask? Well far before reading the instructions, I dabbled around with what purposes it might have; all to no avail of what it actually does. So after several unfortunate frags given to the other players, I decided it was time to stop and read up on what this little clear button did. And to no surprise it turns out to be a turbo programming button. Upon pressing it once it lights up green to indicate what button you would like to assign the turbo to, you can even assign multiple buttons turbo. I suppose it might come in handy for some fighting games. Though, there was one huge plus for Halo: Combat Evolved, is that the machine gun's accuracy is dependent on the player's ability to control the short burst they fire. With the turbo button activated on the R-trigger, it made it a lot easier to short-burst while keeping the accuracy intact.

With the rubber grips on the side of the controller, you don't have to worry about trying to reposition the controller in your hand, as the grips make sure your fingers slide right into the acquired position. Except for maybe the white and black button, which seemed a bit awkward to get to quickly, due to a slightly smaller (or compact) design. For those with smaller hands might find it extremely effective. But moving on to the main course, for those who would like to know how the controller held up under further scrutiny, I tested it with a couple of other games:

Variation and Moderation

I first tried the controller in some fast and furious Halo deathmatching, as previously mentioned. It went rather well, and since quick control responses are needed to keep up with the unyielding action, the light control response-timing worked out quite well. My only problem was at times when I wanted to move quickly with an easy motion applied to looking around, (I.E., zoomed in for sniping or using rocket launchers) I found that the sensitivity on the controller was a bit looser than the sensitivity settings for the character. But it wasn't too much of a problem, as it just requires a bit of getting used to, in comparison to the tighter sensitivity of the original Xbox controller I have.

I also tried the controller with Forza Motorsport, in which the results were only bad for my racing time. Response wise, it was light to the touch, but required a bit too much push/pull to the left/right in order to get the near-perfectly desired turning effect. This jets back to the same minor problem I encountered with Halo. And just to be sure, I tried it with two different car classes, with all the player-help-outs in effect: Stability management, Traction control, etc. This way I could test things in a smoother fashion of response-timing. But things stayed about the same; it wasn't a real problem, it just requires a bit of adjustment. But I actually preferred this controller over the original Xbox, or other standard Madcatz controllers for this particular game. I can definitely say that after getting used to the feel of the controller, the response timing was almost near-perfect, but sadly my reflexes were not.

I also tested this controller with Star Wars: Battlefront, and I can actually say that it seemed to fit this game quite nicely. Unlike Halo or Forza Motorsport, The analog was always pushed to the max (I never stop running on Battlefront. Standing = death). So the extra-light touch worked out perfectly. I still died a lot, but at least I couldn't blame it on the lack of the controller response-timing. And for certain characters, the turbo button activated for the shooting trigger actually helped out a lot in some tough binds. And with the addition of some X-wing/Tie-Fighter showdowns, the rubber grips were perfect when the sweat started pouring and the hands got clammy; when I had to make those darned split-second decisions, on when to bail out of my dying aircraft and make a desperate getaway with the Jet Trooper.

Finally I tested the controller with Rocky Legends. And I must say, this mean, lean, turbo-button punching machine really got the job done. I assigned all the punch buttons to the turbo feature so I could unleash some wicked pre-set combo attacks. The computer was stumped at my unending assault. Except for when the energy meter ran out. Anyways, I wanted to get to the real test of the turbo feature: I allowed myself to get knocked down as many times as I could without any T.K.Os, just to see how well the turbo feature would recover my badly beaten boxer. And I must say, every single time it allowed me to get up before the ref could even say "One". There was only one time (About the sixth knockdown) when the ref actually got to "Three". Neat huh? Although, against other players that would seem like a cheat, but hey, as the saying goes "To the victor with the turbo controller go the spoils."

Overall

This controller gets the job done. My only gripe would still have to be with the size; as the digital pad seemed a bit small in comparison to the original Xbox controller and the white and black buttons were still difficult to get to quickly enough. But as previously mentioned, if you have small hands it would be a dead-on perfect fit. And while the turbo button, for some games, (Like when you get knocked out on boxing games and you have to keep tapping a button) is handy. But the procedure can be a bit cumbersome during the middle of gameplay. Simply considering that the same measures taken to program what buttons you add the turbo function to, is the same measures you have to take in order to remove the turbo feature. I'm sure those out there with excellent finger-work will master this feature with ease. Or you could simply pause the game and reprogram the turbo functions.

The pros though definitely outweigh the cons, especially for all those shooting games out there; with their close to real-life weapon models. And their accuracy based on your ability to control your trigger finger, really makes the turbo function on this controller invaluable for heated combat. And the quick response timing from the light-touch required for quick reactions also add a definite appeal for making this controller a keeper with most fighting and racing games. Hands-down, if you need a new controller and you're debating on whether or not this controller is worth-it or not, it's definitely worth-it.