From the “ERGOnomical” Dept.

In a recent blog called Remembering the past few days; a retrospect, I mentioned my satisfaction with a newly redesigned controller for the Japanese version of the X-Box. I recently found out more details about this new controller, and to my surprised, Microsoft has decided to sell these controllers in the US.

The Japanese Xbox controller (or Controller S) addresses virtually every problem that I have with its US counterpart. First off, the whole thing’s much smaller, and its dimensions feel a lot more in line with other modern console controllers. The D-pad has a more well-defined cross on it, which feels a lot more comfortable to these old gaming hands. The four main face buttons are circular and flat-topped, instead of oblong and raised like the buttons found on the US controller, and are positioned in the familiar diamond pattern.

Hooray for good Design!

Tai