Madcatz Xbox 360 MLG Pro Circuit Controller Review

For what seems like this whole generation of gaming, I’ve been searching for the perfect controller. While the Dualshock 3 is a great standard for Playstation 3, I needed something that felt more like the original Xbox 360 controller. It had to feel good in my hands, have some significant weight to it and it had to be wired. Madcatz has continued to put out quality hardware this entire generation and with the MLG Pro Circuit controller, they have perfected the art of controller design.

The MLG Pro Circuit controller may look like a simple third party controller, but it’s splendor lies in its modding capabilities. This controller is modular and allows you to swap out the d-pad and left and right analog sticks. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the controller come with 4 analog sticks, 2 d-pads and 2 sets of faceplates, 1 gloss and 1 matte. It also comes with a nice carrying case and microphone cable for the traditional Xbox 360 headset.

This controller is all about convenience and comfort. The modules basically allow you to mix and match Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 parts. For example, if you prefer the Dualshock style d-pad you can use that instead of the Xbox 360 d-pad. You could also swap the d-pad position with the left analog stick and put it into a classic Dualshock configuration but with concave Xbox 360 analog sticks. To remove the modules you just turn them counter-clockwise about 5 degrees and pull them out. Also included with the kit are 2 35g weights which can be installed to the bottom of the controller. When you feel the full weight of the 70g for the first time, it will be pretty hard to turn back. Once the weight was added the controller felt like a very comfortable brick. It’s solid and heavy, just like I like it.

Since the MLG Pro Circuit controller was designed with professional gamers in mind, these controllers will ship with a 9.8ft(3m) braided cable. It’s a thick solid cable that you have to screw into the controller. Again, this controller is all about quality. The two face plates come in matte and gloss finishes. As you can see from the gallery, I prefer the gloss look. Don’t be fooled by the gloss though, the bottom of the controller is rubber coated.

I heard of reports that this controller suffers from a slow turn issue and a bigger dead zone than normal. In my testing, mostly with Modern Warfare 3, I didn’t notice one problem at all. It feels just like my original wireless 360 controller but better. I was able to aim slow and fast as I should be with the analog sticks. In fact, the only minor quip I have with this controller is the fact that the X, Y and B buttons seem to have a bit more spring than the A button.

Some minor differences between the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of this controller are as follows:

- The Xbox 360 version has rumble and the PS3 version doesn’t.
- The PS3 version has hardware swappable shoulder and trigger buttons so you can finally use the trigger in your PS3 fps games.
- There are no Sixaxxis controls in the PS3 version.

The Madcatz MLG Pro Circuit Controller should be the last controller you ever buy. It retails for $99 but for the quality are getting from this controller, that’s quite a bargain. If any of the modules break, you can replace them and you’re as good as new. I’m hoping to see a Sega Saturn style d-pad module in the future. I was told that there are some fancy faceplates in the works but I have no idea when they will be available. I’ve read most of the reviews for both versions of this controller and some of the negative ones are suspect. In all my years of gaming I’ve never played with a controller as comfortable as this one. I have no complaints whatsoever and I eagerly await the arrival of my PS3 version. Don’t let the $99 price scare you because you get what you pay for. With the Madcatz MLG Pro Circuit Controller, you get outstanding quality.