Fantastic 4 Control Pad Pro

The Fantastic Four Control Pad is a great idea for F4 fanatics looking to complement their gaming experience with a sturdy and responsive controller.

With the film coming out in early July (the Friday of this writing, in fact) the fervor surrounding the Fantastic Four, the latest group of Marvel superheroes to make the transition from comics to screen, is hitting a fever pitch. Coinciding with the official game’s release last week is Mad Catz’s set of licensed controllers for the XBox (versions are also available for the PS2).  Aside from coming in several different forms bearing the images of The Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic and the rest of the crew, these controllers are actually quite practical and feel very comfortable.

Basically, this controller is functionally identical to the Control Pad Pro manufactured by Mad Catz, only the latter retails for about five dollars cheaper without all of the Fantastic Four’s bangs and whistles. While the controller may only be for the hardest of the hardcore Fantastic Four fans out there willing to shell out some extra dough for some nice designs of their favorite team member, they’ll still be getting a hold of a great, functional controller.

Mad Catz’s Fantastic Four Control Pad Pro comes in six different designs, one for each member of the Fantastic 4 (Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing and the Human Torch), one for Dr. Doom, and one that shows all four members of the team. The controller used for this review was the last one mentioned, with each member of the F4 squad.

Mad Catz’s Control Pad Pro is a very comfortable controller, with or without the F4 skins. The sides of the controller have rubberized grips for increased comfort and easier handling. The thumbsticks are also very nice, sitting a bit higher than those in a standard Controller S, and feeling responsive to the slightest touch. The face buttons are also slightly raised to make them easier to press and get the best out of their analog functionality. There is also a turbo button on the bottom of the controller in order to use that function.

However, there are a few problems with the F4 Control Pad Pro. The start and select buttons are recessed into the unit, making them a bit difficult to press. The same goes with the D-Pad, which doesn’t move as fluidly as it does on the Controller S, and feels a bit rigid. The Black and White buttons sit a little low from the rest of the face buttons, making them a little tough to get to. The controller also feels overly slick, and the added sheen may not be entirely easy to grasp for some gamers.

Aside from a few warts, Mad Catz’s F4 Control Pad Pro is a solid controller that would do well with a gamer looking for a replacement controller. While those who don’t really care a whole lot about the Fantastic Four could probably get away with saving some money and getting the Control Pad Pro, which is virtually identical to this controller save the F4 skins, fans of the comic and the skins should check out this collector’s item.

Pros:
The thumbsticks are very comfortable and responsive to even the slightest touch. Rubber grips on the sides of the controller allow for better handling. Comes in six unique designs.

Cons:
Start and Back buttons are recessed too far into the controller, D-Pad feels stiff and uncomfortable.

Overall: 8.5
The Fantastic 4 Control Pad Pro is a great third-party controller and a very worthy replacement for Microsoft’s first-party Controller S. However, it’s functionally identical to Mad Catz’s Control Pad Pro, which retails for about five bucks less without the F4 skins. So, if you are a huge enough F4 fan to shell out some more hard-earned cash for some cool designs, then this is the controller for you.