The search for a decent replacement for Sony’s official Bluetooth controller is now over. Nyko has recently released a remote called ‘Zero’ and it leaves Sony’s controller in the dust in terms of comfort, design, and everything else you can think of.
The Zero controller, which retails for USD 59.99, comes with everything you need for an uninterrupted gaming session. It’s packed with a rechargeable battery and USB receiver, but this controller ups the ante on competitors. It achieves this by including a 10 foot USB cable to recharge your battery so that you can still play comfortably, not to mention that it also includes a separate battery that allows you to pop in two AA batteries when necessary. The second battery will be more of a luxury than a necessity, as the primary battery lasts for roughly 25 hours worth of gaming.
Due to the controller being wireless, there is also cause for concern in relation to the response time. Fortunately for gamers, the Zero performs just as well as the PlayStation 3’s Sixaxis/DualShock 3. The Zero is able to perform at 30 feet away, although it was a bit choppy; however, we don’t see why anyone would be playing at that distance to begin with.
The comfort of this controller is easily one of the best that we’ve ever experienced. We were easily capable of playing Unreal Tournament 3 and Call of Duty 4 online for hours on end (three sessions of roughly three hours to be exact) without any sort of cramping in our hands. As expected, the controller didn’t get hot at all, although controllers generally don’t heat up. On the other hand, Nyko’s Zero features heat dissipating aluminum panels in case it were to spontaneously combust.
Quite possibly the best thing about the Zero is the rumble feature. Although the DualShock 3 is already released in North America for five dollars cheaper, we think it is safe to say that Nyko’s remote is worth the extra couple of dollars. The remote even features Sixaxis support for those who play games that are dependent on tilt functionality.
The design itself just begs for you to touch it. You’ll be given a choice of three different colors, which includes white, black and silver. We were sent the white sample, which is nice, but dirt and grime seems to be forever appearing. Zero also features back-lit buttons and a center LED which just adds to the sex appeal of the design.
Although the controller looks nice, it is a little on the heavy side, which when you think about it, can be both a negative and a positive. The negative end result is that your arms may get a little tired of holding it after hours of gaming, but then again the controller feels sturdier. It doesn’t feel like you will break it in half while playing.
The only downside to Nyko’s Zero is that it is infrared which means you can’t use it to turn your PlayStation 3 on or off. This seems to be a small disadvantage to pay when you take into account all the controller has to offer.
Nyko’s Zero Wireless controller has definitely left a mark on us. The sleek design and comfort easily allows for hours of gaming, while the extra features, such as rumble, will make your gaming sessions even better.