When I think of third party controllers, the first thing that comes to mind is the usual extra button, flashy colors and a cool see-through faceplate. Some third party controllers have a "Turbo" button, some have the "Steady" button and some feature extra bumper buttons for remapping. The MLG Mad Catz controller does none of the above and still manages to outclass every third party controller out there.
For a better visual idea, check out the video below as Djobi Djoba breaks it down for you.
The MLG Mad Catz controller looks and feels like the standard Xbox 360 controller, which to my preference is optimal. A lot of other third party controllers don't go in that direction. Mad Catz went out and perfected this instrument with all the things we've grown accustomed to and expect and out of a controller. The controller has the same form as the Xbox controller, except with a flatter backpad and a better grip. The material used is a really soft textured plastic, which feels great, especially after those long gaming sessions.
It features the Xbox's concave analogue stick as well as the PS3's convex stick. It also has the two different types of d-pads, although I believe the PS3's d-pad is much better and highly doubt that anyone will be using the Xbox's d-pad. The great thing about this controller is its customization options. The controller gives you the option to change the layout to your preference. Your able to remove and replace the analogue sticks and the d-pad and place them to your comfort. If you prefer the Playstation 3's layout, you can easily place the sticks on the bottom of the controller. Having trouble with the Xbox's d-pad? Twist it right off and replace it with the Playstation 3's d-pad.
The controller also ships with two faceplates, a matte and a glossy finish. The controller is wired, which be a nuisance to some, but I prefer a reliable and battery independent controller. A wired controller is also optimal for competitive play, it focuses on low latency performance and eliminates any input lag. On the back of the controller, the battery pack was removed and replaced with a weight compartment. The controller comes with a few weights and you can add and remove them to your comfort. The reason for this is that some players prefer wireless controllers and the weight from the battery pack provides a heavier grip. On the other hand, other players prefer the extremely light wired controller.
In a tournament, you'll be moving from station to station pretty often and you'll have to take your controller with you. I normally wrap the cable around the controller but that method proves to damage and tear the cable. The Mad Catz controller ships with an extra long cable that can be easily detached from the controller and stored separately.
The controller's sensitivity is pretty high, I had to bring my in-game sensitivity down from 6 to 3. If your an FPS player, you'll be glad to hear that the controller has little or no slow turn. So if someone is creeping up from behind, you'll have no trouble pulling off that 180 no scope on them.
All in all, the MLG Mad Catz controller would make a fine addition to your arsenal. It's suitable for all types of games but I think it performs best with shooters. The only downside I found to this controller is that occasionally, my reticule would automatically go to the top right of my screen. Kind of like when you enable auto-look centering. I would have to remove the right analogue stick and put it back in, but it eventually stopped.
The price tag is a bit hefty, but it's definitely a worthy investment if you're a hardcore gamer who's looking for that competitive edge. I've been using it for almost a month now and I've already competed in a few online tournaments myself with it. It's definitely worth every penny.