Sony Dual Analog Pad
Review from the Net

Well, folks, I drove through the annoying traffic and made it to Tronix Importers in 
NYC to pick up a pair of the new Sony analog pads. I got home as quickly as I could. 
Plugged them in, put on Rally Cross and Bushido Blade (I don't have Tobal #2) and here 
are my impressions.

    First off, they look just like the regular Sony pads except that there are now 2 
analog thumb rubber pads on the bottom. Right in the middle and just below the select 
and start buttons is a third button in which you select 3 modes of control: 
digital/analog pad/analog flightstick. There's a small LED indicator on the bottom that 
lights up to tell you what mode you are in: no light = digital or no analog, red light = 
analog pads + digital, and green light = analog flightstick mode, in which the thumb 
pads simulate Sony's flightstick analog unit. It is SO COOL!! The left and right handles 
on the controller are longer and wider/bulkier than the standard, smaller Sony control 
pad. I hated the small Sony digital controllers. My hands would cramp up and hurt after 
an hour of playing. Not these. Very nice and comfortable. The only thing that I don't 
like, which they kept, are those 4 small, stiff directional buttons. The reasons, of 
course, that the handles are bigger are so that your thumb(s) have a natural extension 
toward the analog sticks/pads and that the vibration feedback mechanism is housed in 
both the left and right handles, which you can definitley feel!!! 

     In comparing the analog pads to the N64 analog thumbstick, the Sony pads feel so 
much smoother. They are very light to move. Another very important feature is that they 
are made of rubber and have a bigger surface area or diameter versus the N64's small 
plastic stick. Your thumb or thumbs become one with the pads because they don't slide 
off as they probably sometimes do with the plastic stick when your hands get sweaty for 
those who use the N64 controller. Plus, there are 2 analog sticks versus only one on the 
N64 pad. So, who has the best controller out right now? No doubt, Sony takes the lead. 

     Ok, what about the "vibration" feedback effect and the overall control in actual 
supported games. Well, I put in Rally Cross and the picture of the analog pad came up 
when I went into the options/controller screen. You must press the LED button until it 
turns red to activate the analog thumb pads and see the picture of the controller. Gives 
you 4 configurations to play around with. The best one for me is SET 1. There's no use 
for the right analog thumb pad, only the left for steering. Now, you can go to the 
feedback option that's highlighted and choose whether you want the feedback "enabled" or 
"disabled". Obviously, you want enabled to get the most out of the game and pad. I 
started to race and man, the control is superb!!!!  Right on the money and super smooth. 
No cramping. Awesome!!! This pad should have been released at the same time as Rally 
Cross so all the naysayers about how bad the control is in the game would shut the fuck 
up if they had one of these. 

     Well, I am driving perfectly along in suicide pro, when all of the sudden, 3 cars 
rammed right into me. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!  Feels just like holding an electric 
shaver. Totally awesome, baby!!!!! The game becomes super immersive. I was very suprised 
because I heard that the Sony pad didn't produce alot of feedback compared to the N64 
"Rumble" Pack attachment. Well, I will tell you that the N64 does produce more vibration 
(I have Starfox 64 and the Rumble Pack) since they are provided more voltage by the pair 
of included AAA batteries, BUT, because the Sony's is probably housed where the handles 
are versus the N64's, which trickles down from the top to the rest of the controller, 
Sony's controller is more effecient in that you get the full force from the vibration. 
This means that the Sony pad vibrates almost very equal IMHO to the N64 one. And like 
the N64 rumble pack, the Sony pad produces different degrees of vibration, as long as it 
is programmed in the game, like in Rally Cross. All I can say is, you have to "feel" it 
to believe it. Plus, no batteries to deal with and the controller is significantly less 
lighter than the N64 pad with the rumble pack attached.

    Ok, on to the next game. I put on Bushido Blade, an excellent, totally realistic 
fighting game, but this time, both analog thumbpads are used and there is a callabration 
screen for the analog pads (not so sure what the purpose of the callabration is for 
since the analog degrees from the pad are already programmed into the game) and you can 
set the feedback on or off. The left pad controls movement and the right pad controls 
attack and defense (press up = attack to the head, press to the right = attack to the 
chest or body, press down = attack to the legs, and press to the left = defense). In 
other words, the right pad takes the function of the 4 right buttons (square, triangle, 
circle, and X). Again, movement is super smooth. My hands feel as confortable as dipping 
them into a bag of feathers. Response from the controller is quick and on the money. You 
get slashed, YOU WILL FEEL IT!!!! Very cool and immersive, especially when you play 
against somebody else. This vibration feedback, even though it isn't force feedback, 
which is still expensive to reproduce, though they are heading to the PC, is very cool 
and gives the game a very immersive feel to it. This is no gimmick like those stupid 
activator pads that you would put on in which they only reacted to the sound or heavy 
bass from the game. These pads react to the actual collisions/movements in the game. 

    Let me sum up by saying that if you own Rally Cross, Bushido Blade, or Tobal #2 or 
all three or 2 like me (RC & BB), call your importer IMMEDIATELY and order these pads. 
That's if they have them in stock.