Over the course of the past year, I have had the chance to sit down and play around with a few different “novelty controllers”. The Batman Batarang Controller and the Mad Catz Ghost Recon controller are just two that come to mind. I call them novelty as there is nothing professional about them. They are useful but they are not what you would call “serious” controllers. Up until now I have yet to sink my teeth into a true “pro” controller. Over the past week, I had the opportunity to check out PowerA’s FUS1ON Tournament Controller for Xbox 360 which is designed to give gamers more precision control so they can dominate the competition. It is by all accounts considered a “pro” controller. Does the FUS1ON do what it sets out to do? I would say it does, but keep in mind this controller is clearly geared for specific target group.
The first thing I noticed when I unboxed the controller was how professional everything looked from the packaging to the contents inside the box. It looks expensive and you feel like you are getting something of high quality. When you crack open the box you get the controller, which is wired with 10-foot braided cord, interchangeable grips with an included screwdriver, instruction manual, neat little stickers, and the protective travel case. For around $80 bucks you do get a nice little package of ‘stuff’, but all this means nothing if the controller stinks.
When I first picked up the controller it felt light, which seemed odd at first. Yet I can see the benefit in having a light controller for those extended play sessions. The controller itself has a sharp looking design and the analog sticks certainly stand out as one of the more distinctive features on the controller. The changeable stock grips also have a sleek design and also feel good in hands. I have to say it was pretty sweet that PowerA included the option to change the grips should you desire something that is simply more to your liking. I personally preferred the softer matte grips.
Overall, the FUS1ON controller is sturdy and well built. I will be honest here, I am not a “controller expert” by any means, but there have been occasions in the past where I have picked up third party controllers for the Xbox 360 and they just looked and felt cheap. This is not the case with the FUS1ON as it feels and looks like a top of the line high-end Xbox 360 controller.
The FUS1ON also has an interesting feature, it lights up. There is a little button on the back of the controller that lets you select from five different backlight colors for the analog sticks and face buttons. At first I wasn’t really sold on this option and felt like it cheapened the controller to a degree. Yet when I played at night and in the dark, I warmed up to the idea a little more and really dug the LED lights. One of my main gripes of the controller however is the length of the cord. For my current gaming set-up, 10-feet is simply too short. I would have preferred a 14-foot or longer cord as 10-feet did not go far enough to reach from Xbox 360 to my couch. This being said, as this is a Pro Tournament controller, a 10-foot cord is likely the ideal length considering how close tournament gamers sit to the screen. So to that end, the length of the cord may not be issue for many but it certainly was for me.
I initially questioned why the FUS1ON is wired but for those of you who are familiar with the Major League Gaming circuit you will know that everything from the controllers to the headsets are wired. It was explained to me by a former MLG Pro that they have to go the wired route to ensure none of the headsets or controllers experience any interference. Not to mention, just imagine the chaos trying to sync all those wireless controllers and headsets in a large room filed with hundreds of Xbox 360’s. So while it is disappointing the controller is wired it is necessary in order for it to be used on the MLG circuit.
Over the past week, I played a little Madden 13, Forza 4 and Modern Warfare 3 in an effort to put the controller through its paces. In all instances I noticed how sensitive the thumb sticks were to my movements. It took some getting used to at first as the sticks are much shorter and wider than you typical Xbox 360 controller. The sticks are supposed to reduce thumb fatigue over the long haul but I never really noticed much in this regard as my thumb was still sore after several hours online playing Modern Warfare 3. Granted I love to sprint on the battlefield which requires frequent pressing down on the left thumb stick but regardless I never really noticed less thumb fatigue per se. Despite this, moving my character felt very smooth and extremely responsive. I never really felt it gave me an advantage but then again I am not a “Pro” gamer by any stretch. The triggers feel very good and do not stick out as far as your standard controller. So in other words you do not have to pull down as far to get the same response. For shooters, this means quicker firing and quicker response times. The D-Pad has been designed for precise 8-way control. I don’t use the D-Pad all that often; however when I did use it the D-Pad did feel very responsive.
The FUS1ON Tournament Controller for the Xbox 360 is definitely a high quality controller. Yet for $80 bucks I am not convinced everyone with an Xbox 360 should go running out to your local gaming outlet to pick up the FUS1ON. Thinking as a more casual gamer, I found this wired controller did not really suit the needs of such. Personally I prefer a wireless controller, as the 10-foot cable was simply too short for my current gaming set-up. This being said, there is no denying this would be an ideal controller for those looking to compete in tournaments or great for college dorm gamers. When Black Ops 2 rolls out and tournament play kicks in, I can see those gamers in the Gold and Master categories absolutely picking this controller up. So to that end, I recommend the FUS1ON with confidence to those hardcore gamers looking for a competitive edge.
