Wherein the author reviews the newly released Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit Controller and compares it to the OEM Microsoft Xbox Controller and the Razer Onza. The Playstation DUALSHOCK3 is also featured briefly.

In August of last year, Mad Catz announced a series of Major League Gaming branded accessories. While the MLG logo emblazoned FightStick was simply a Tournament stick with new decals, the other product announcement got gamers’ attention: a new controller design with customizable inserts, allowing users to configure the layout according to their own preferences, potentially freeing the gamer from the sloppy and inaccurate clutches of the Xbox 360 dpad (and to be honest, the dpad was 90% of the reason I ordered the MLG Pro Circuit Controller).

Last week, the new controller finally shipped, and I’ve got a few solid days of testing in. How does it stack up against the competition?

First Impressions

Like most of the offerings since the Great & Sudden Mad Catz Quality Turnaround, the MLG controller feels solid and well-built. With the controller packaged in a two-sided flip up container with display windows, the unboxing experience is pleasant, reminding one that yes, I really did just pay $99 for a third party game controller.

But whatever. Kudos on the nice presentation, but is it any good?

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Here’s the Divers 2000 series CX-1 Dreamcast, a rare all-in-one console unit developed by Fuji, intended as a video communications and gaming device for the consumer and hospitality markets. Released just one year before production of the entire Dreamcast platform ceased, the CX-1 was unique, short-lived, and expensive, selling for over four times the 19,900Â¥ price of the standard Dreamcast console at the time.

Highly sought after by collectors, the Morolian-iMac hybrids are generally difficult to find, although several years ago, Rklok, a reseller in the Netherlands, managed to acquire a fair number of new-in-box units and he’s been trickling them out ever since, so they aren’t quite as rare outside of Japan as they once were. Expect to pay around $600-800 (hey, less than original retail!) for a boxed and complete Divers.

If you’re patient, and don’t mind either incomplete or slightly abused merchandise, the occasional deal can be had; it just may take a year or two of waiting before it happens.

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