The perfect game controller, now for the PC.

Finally got one of these, and it's the shiznit. There's a competing product called the "Skillz Cube Connection", but everyone seemed to be out of stock, so I got that one instead.

I believe the GameCube controller to be the epitome of game pads, and now I can use it as a USB joystick on the PC.

The driver software is even decent, allowing me to put the stick into some interesting modes. I can make the digital pad report itself to windows as a flightstick's "hat switch", or it can just be four buttons. It can also be a digital directional controller, reporting itself as the X and Y axes on joystick 1. The analog triggers report themselves as two separate throttle controls with separate buttons at the bottom of their travel. Even the rumble feature works, although I don't think I have any games which would use it.

Anyone else like the GameCube controller?

Does it work with a Wavebird?

Good question! Haven't tried. We've got one in the house, so I'll try that when I get a chance.

In fact, if it does work, I might just buy myself a wavebird of my own...

Anyone else like the GameCube controller?

Of course!

This looks great, and would definitely be cool if it works for the Wavebird. I love those so much that I have four of them now. I can't wait to try them out on Mario Kart with my friends. The N64 didn't have very long cables so that was annoying.

I am also of the opinion that the Gamecube is the perfect gamepad, but I can see that many don't share that opinion. My roommate even has roughly the same size hands as I do, but he thinks the controller is too small. I like that about it. I don't want to reach for a button. That doesn't make any sense.

You've also said that you like how the buttons are actually different on the GC controller, as in the A and B buttons of different sizes. What I like even more is the Z button. It took a little getting used to, but I love how I can keep one finger on both the Z and R buttons at the same time, and keep them seperate in my mind. This is as opposed to the PS2 and XBox controllers, which have 4 shoulder buttons. I've tried playing those systems, and I kept messing up L1, L2, R1, and R2.

Anyway, I agree, the GC controller is fantastic. At least, for me it is.

ps- I love the name of that contraption, too: "Super Joybox 13"

Yeah, the shoulder buttons on the PS2 controller always confused me, too.

xbox only has two 'shoulder' buttons. one trigger on each side.

Argh, Wavebird doesn't work.

It seems like it SHOULD work, the receiver's LED lights up and it seems to do the right thing when I press buttons on the controller, but the PC software doesn't respond. It's as if the controller was never plugged in.

I tried all sorts of combinations of plugging and unplugging, and turning the wavebird on and off, and trying different channels (yes, I set both the receiver and the wavebird to the right channel), but no dice. Plug the regular controller in and the software responds instantly.

The only things I can imagine are:

- Wavebird receiver needs more juice than USB can deliver. Note that the interface is plugged directly into the PC mobo, so it's not an unpowered-hub issue.

- Real gamecube has special code to deal with a plugged-in wavebird receiver, and this interface does not.

Hmph. Wonder if the competing product (SkillzCube USB) works with the Wavebird?

xbox only has two 'shoulder' buttons. one trigger on each side.

Oops, sorry. I must be visualizing the two slots in the middle.

A couple of years ago I saw a device that would work with practically all console controllers, connecting them to a PC and allowing for fancy button and pad remaps. Anyone else have links to similar products?

The two Tony mentions are both available from Lik Sang and a number of other places.

Bruno

I actually had a very good shopping experience with Lik Sang. I was a little nervous about ordering something from the far east, but it was all very good. Proper emails with tracking numbers, up-front and straightforward about their shipping charges, clear indication of which shipping methods could be tracked, etc.