There’s a growing market out there for custom controllers, since players want something they can call their own when they’re playing, whether it’s a special Street Fighter FightStick (or Dragon Ball FighterZ, as of late), or something as simple as a funky-looking controller hydrodipped with all sorts of colors. It’s that level of distinction that they’re after.
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Me? Since I’ve got a penchant for comic book stuff as of late, I felt it would be great if I took a look at controllers that had a superhero sort of set-up. And the first place I stopped was Controller Modz, a company that specializes in making custom controllers based on popular franchises, as well as general designs.
As you can see from its catalog, the company has quite a few to offer, but there’s one design that stood out to me – Deadpool. The main reason for this is, of course, Deadpool 2, which is just a few months away from release, but also because I like my gaming with attitude anyway. (Just ask me how cursive I talk when I’m in the middle of a session of Dark Souls III or Celeste.) So I decided to see what the team could build in terms of a Deadpool controller – and I definitely like the results.
First off, there’s selecting the basic design. As I mentioned, the site has a number of these, but the Deadpool one in particular can be found here. As you can see, it’s more of a fan-based design and not so much an official Marvel one, but it captures the nature of what the character is about, so we’ll call it a “tribute” controller, if you will.
The design for the controller – which mainly covers the front side, as the back just goes with its default black color – features Deadpool on the right side of the controller, holding his twin pistols. There are also a few “BANG! BANG!” references on it, as well as his name on the side. I kind of would have preferred to see a chimichanga thrown in there somewhere, but I digress.
Bells and Whistles
This isn’t just a skin taped onto the controller, either. Controller Modz actually went all out to give it a professionally hydro dipped finish, so that it not only looks cool, but feels good as well. When you brush your hand upon the surface, it actually feels rather smooth. And it feels good after a few hours of play as well.
In addition, Controller Modz offered the option to replace the analog sticks and buttons with different models. You can stick with the default, if you prefer, as pictured, but for this particular design, I decided to replace everything with red chrome. Because, hey, Deadpool, right? You can see the finished design below.
As you can see, the chrome parts really add a bit more flourish to the controller, although default black works pretty well, too, depending on what you’re in the mood for. But I was surprised how high-quality the chrome sticks felt, with a metallic finish that made for easier handling and utmost precision with games like, for instance, Call of Duty: WWII.
The buttons perform pretty well, too, as they react as they normally would. But the chrome makes them slightly more comfortable as well, soft to the touch. Granted, going with an all-solid design means you can’t see the letters on the buttons, but hard-core players know the functions anyway, so no biggie.
Oh, and for good measure, I had the LED light replaced as well – with red, obviously. Different colors are available, but Controller Modz really made sure that its operation wasn’t messed with. They just did a small adjustment with the light and kept it going like it was supposed to.
The Whole She-BANG
For those seeking more of a “professional” style of controller, this one has those options as well. Players interested in gaining rapid fire or precision capabilities can add “Domin8or” buttons, as well as a RazorBack Maxfire Modchip. This enables stronger handling in shooter games, particularly first-person shooters like the Halo games or the aforementioned WWII.
As for the Domina8or buttons, they sit firmly on the grips on the back of the controller, giving you additional functionality. We actually didn’t get to try these out on the demo model of the controller, but based on what we’ve seen in performance videos, they do give pro players a bit of a leg up. The only downside is that, when you use these, the rumble functionality gets taken out of the controller. So it really comes down to a decision of what you desire most for your peripheral.
Controller Modz has been in the business of controller design for a few years now, and though it may take a little longer to ship (since they’re based in London), they’ve really put a great deal of effort into this pad. The Deadpool controller is just one example of what the company has to offer, but it’s a fine representative of their stuff, and decently priced at just around $100 or so, depending on model and features. And, for a few bucks more, you can really make it distinctive and feeling like your own.
I do wish I had that chimichanga at one point, but, hey, this controller makes you feel like you’re Deadpool-ing a game. Now that’s something.
WWG’s Score: 4/5
Disclaimer: A demo model was provided for the review by the publisher.
