STACK #246 April 2025

GAMING FEATURE

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Not all game controllers are created equal. While any that you choose will give you the basics, there are options that up the ante to offer everything from a competitive edge to robustness that won’t let you down in the heat of battle. Let’s look at some great premium options if you want to up your game – and decode some of the terms you’ll encounter that can make them so desirable. Words Amy Flower CONTROLLER HIGH ROLLERS

W hen controller shopping, you’ll come across all sorts of words that may not necessarily mean much to you. Here are the big ones, to help you decide what features are most important to you. Analogue: An analogue control allows for a variable range of input – a trigger used as an accelerator in a racing game, for example. The majority of thumbsticks nowadays are also analogue, unlike on old school game controllers from the 8 and 16--bit consoles. Asymmetric controller: The left thumbstick is placed higher than the right one – like the standard Xbox controller – rather than being at the same level, like standard PlayStation controllers. Dead zone: The range of a button press that doesn’t register a response. This allows for everything from games that require hair

trigger activation, to others that demand more deliberate presses. Digital: In relation to controller buttons, if it’s digital it’s either on, or it’s off. For example, most D-pads are digital. Hall Effect: In game controllers, rather than using traditional internals with touching parts that can degrade over time, Hall Effect sensors involve no contact between parts. This means lastability, and that they avoid “stick drift”, whereby wear can make your control stick unreliable. It's named after American physicist Edwin Hall, who discovered back in 1879 how electricity and magnetism could work hand-in-hand to move objects, with their position and distance able to be accurately measured. Haptic feedback: Also known as rumble, dating back to the Nintendo 64 console, haptic feedback allows parts of your controller to

offer feelable feedback in games. The kick of a trigger when firing in a shooter, or rumbling when hitting the dirt in a racing game, are two examples. Low latency: Latency is delay, so low latency means that there’s minimal time (in fractions of a second) between a player making a controller input, and the gaming system registering it. Polling rate: A measurement, in Hertz (Hz), that refers to how frequently the controller sends the data that you input to the gaming device that it’s connected to. The higher the number, the better. Trigger locks/blocks: In some games, in particular shooters, you want a short throw on your trigger buttons so that shots register more quickly. Trigger locks reduce the travel distance of these buttons.

GuliKit KK3 Max Say hello to GuliKit’s nifty KK3 Max. This keenly priced little wonder packs in Hall Effect triggers and thumbsticks, with the former easily switchable between analogue and digital modes depending upon what sort of game you’re playing. There are also four optional rear metal paddles, which can easily be attached and detached depending upon your game

requirements. Extra A, B, X, and Y buttons are included for PC configuration instead of the standard Switch, too. Adjustable aim assists up your game, as do automatic turbo, on/off dead zones, and adjustable stick sensitivity and D-pad directions (four or eight). Inside it rocks three vibration modes with two different strengths, while the included Hyperlink USB adaptor allows

for a blisteringly fast 1000Hz polling rate, ensuring that the controller responds as quickly as you do. The battery lasts up to 28 hours from one charge, too. Packed inside a plastic shell case for portable protection, the KK3 Max is a whole lot of controller – and it’s fully Switch compatible, too. Compatibility: PC, Switch, Android, iOS Hall Effect? Yes Power: Rechargeable Case? Yes

46 APRIL 2025

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