PS3 Controllers

It seems it is impossible to get first-party Playstation 3 controllers these days. Third-party controllers are also becoming scarce. Only three options seem to be readily available, and I have one of each.

The first two are both made by Powera, one wired, one wireless. They use the same case, and feel the same in the hand.  The wired version will run you 15-20$, the wireless 30$.

The wired Powara controller is very light, and feels cheap. It has no rumble motors, or sex-axis support. However, it handle modern games well, with the sticks being accurate, and the buttons being responsive. 2d games are not easy to play with this controller due to the placement of the d-pad.

The wireless version is heavier, and feels a bit better in the hands for it. In addition it has dual rumble motors and six-axis support. This has the same strength and weaknesses as its wired counterpart. It has decent battery life running for about 20 hours on 3 AAAs.

Both of these are alright, at least for modern games. If you play a lot of 2d games, or PS1 classics, these are not very good options.

The final controller is made by PDP. It runs 20$, wireless and is made of clear plastic with lots of LEDs. Thankfully the LEDs can be turned off.

Unlike the other two this controller has the same layout as a first-party PS3 controller, while being a little thicker in the hands. It runs on two AA batteries, getting roughly 18 hours play. It has dual rumble motors, and supports six-axis. The buttons are responsive and springy, and sticks are accurate and feel good on the thumbs. The d-pad is decent, having a central pivot.

Overall, of the options available I think PDP Afterglow is the way to go. Combines a low price, with the proper Playstation controller layout. Making it good for all game, not just modern ones.

8Bitdo SN30 Pro review.

Before we start, I am not getting paid for my this by 8Bitdo for my thoughts on their product.

Recently, I picked up this controller at Fry's Electronics for 50$.

The short version: It is easily the best controller I have ever used for 2d games. It is also a fine controller for modern 3d games.

The long version: This controller has a lot going for it, both tangible and intangible. Making for a controller that not only feels good in the hands, but is also make you wax nostalgic.

Firstly the contoller can be used on multiple systems, both wired and wireless (through Bluetooth). There are botton combinations printed on the bottom of the controller for quickly switching between systems. Windows, Mac OS, Android, Nintendo switch, and Raspberry Pi, can all be easily be paired to this controller.

The build quality is very good. The buttons feel good, and continue to feel good even after several weeks of heavy use. The d-pad has a very definite feel to it, with a proper pivot. The analog sticks are very precise, and work well for any modern game might play. The plastics used seem to be at least somewhat resistant to the natural oils of your skin. It has built in rumble motors, and motion controls that both work very well. The batteries last about 16 hours on a charge, and can last longer if you are using it for something without rumble support. It also has built in turbo for the buttons, which while not very useful in modern games, can be very useful when playing older retro games.

This controller tries very hard to invoke nostalgic feeling.  It is designed after the standard controller of the Super Nintendo, only with twin analog sticks, and an extra pair of shoulder buttons. This is taken further, as the plastics used are textured to feel the same as the ones used by Nintendo for their SNES controllers. The buttons also have the same height and resistance. Meaning that if you spent a lot of time with an SNES, you will undoubtedly be very fond of the SN30 Pro.