Wrong Controller For Sony PS2

InterAct Dual Impact GamePad

Buying a video game system is only the beginning. There are memory cards, video cables and extra controllers to purchase, all of which can easily add another 25% to 50% to your bottom line. Still, what is one to do when the Sony PlayStation 2 comes with only one controller?

Bigger Isn't Better This Time

The Dual Impact 2 is noticeably larger than the standard PS2 controller. Some industry publications have found the size differential welcome because adults or larger players may find this controller sized more appropriately for them. Perhaps the adage regarding your comfort level being highest with the item you first used holds true here.

In any event, the PlayStation 2 controller measures 5 and one half inches by four inches while the Dual Impact measures 7 inches by 5 inches. That is a huge difference that can impact game play, particularly if you find yourself switching between controllers. The hand-eye coordination required to succeed playing most videogames dictates that the feel of the controller is right. Don't try to understand the words "feel" or "right". Simply understand that if you are playing with a Sony controller and you switch to this larger controller, you are going to notice a difference at least in the beginning.

Large Rocker Buttons or Discrete Buttons?

After size, the biggest single difference between the two controllers is the manner in which the direction buttons on the left side of the controller are rendered. The Dual Impact uses a large single button that rocks in the four directions where the PlayStation 2 uses four separate buttons. Again, this difference can radically alter your performance until the player acclimates to the different controller.

Start and Select Where They Belong

The same drab dark colors that are this system's calling card are also on the Dual Impact with the exception of the large blue Start and Select buttons. Rather than using Sony's scrunched-up little triangles, this controller puts large wedge-shaped buttons on the very top of the controller. That is helpful when beginning or ending games, but doesn't mitigate the size difference or sole directional button.

The Bottom Line

The tests I've seen on the web say differently, but I could swear that this controller is not as sensitive as Sony's. The price difference is huge on a percentage basis, with the Sony costing twice what this controller costs. But the actual cost difference is only about $20 as of this writing. When one spends several hundred dollars on a console and its accoutrements, another twenty dollars appears to be meaningless. My recommendation would be to stick with the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) controllers unless you find you need the extra size.