ASTRO PAD DREAMCAST

One day, my brother walked in the room and accidentaly steped on the regular dc controler. The stick was messed up and unrepairable. Months later, he bought a new one........this one.
First of all, It was way too big, and it was hard to insert the VMU. Plus, the joystick was too......slow, and too big to move when you need that fast action. The pad wasn't very good either, its in a wierd shape, like a circle. So when you press one direction, you might not go there.

Then something wierd happened. I was playing NFL 2K with my brother, and suddenly, the control wouldn't work.....and heres the really wierd part; the other one stopped working too.

It later came to me that the control blew out all of the controler ports. (sigh) Thats why I recomend you not buy this controler. Its faulty, slow, and just not really good. A waste of money. Now I can't play the DC anymore unless I get It repaired. Another big waste of money.......so I just got a PS2 for christmas......(thank goodness)


DO NOT BUY!   January 2, 2002
After only 3 weeks of buying this controller, it started to have malnfunctions. The worst problem was when the joystick is used, it jerks the view up. Do not buy!


Too big and not durable enough   July 9, 2001
The Astro Pad is a big controller, especially when compared to controllers on other systems...but the main problem lies with durability. With time one can become accustomed to the feel of the controller, but both the pad and the analog stick break within a few months of playing. This may not be a big issue if you are only a casual game player, but for those who need a durable controller that will endure the rigorous play style of 2D fighting games such as Marvel Vs. Capcom or Street Fighter 3 will be sorely disappointed. Unless you desperately need a Dreamcast replacement controller, I can't recommend the Astro Pad.


A MUST for Dreamcast gamers with Big Hands   February 16, 2001
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Being a bit taller than average, and possesing fairly large hands, I find the standard dreamcast controller to be almost completely unusable. Any time I would use my standard DC controller I would experience pain and cramping in both hands from the awkward position I would have to hold the controller in. The standard controller is simply too small, with nowhere for me to grip it comfortably.

Enter the Astro Pad to save the day. I bought this item in the hopes that it would solve my problem, as it seemed to be a bit larger than the standard pad, and it has delivered the goods. It fits my hands perfectly, and is in fact the most comfortable controller I own (also own a PS1 and a N64). Most controllers seem to be designed with small hands in mind, but this one is not. I could not enjoy my dreamcast without this pad!

On the downside it does feel cheap, but I have had no problems with response or performance so far. I use it for all of my games and it seems to work fine with every one. It also works just fine with my VMU.

In summary, if you have large hands, and the standard dreamcast controller gives you fits, buy the astro pad NOW! The ... or so price cannot be beat. Your hands will thank you for it, I promise.


The cure to strained hands!   November 22, 2000
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I normally don't review products, but I felt in this case I would take a few minutes and share my opinions about the AstroPad (manufactured by Interact,) for use with the Sega Dreamcast gameing console. I bought this product with the hopes that i could play racing games on the dreamcast without inflicting immediate pain in my hands, and this controller DID THE TRICK! The extra size of this particular model allows me to hold it comfortably and to use the analog shoulder "triggers" (or in the case of this controller: they are more like large buttons,) without causing any discomfort. In comparison to the controllers manufactured by Sega: weight is nearly the same (this one actually feels a little bit lighter,) and the interact controller has nearly 2 additional feet of length in it's connection cable. This controller gets an "A+" in my book, and has given me interest in playing my dreamcast again. It has worked just fine with all of the games I have used it with, but most importantly is the fact that it is the only one available that feels comfortable for me.