Playstation 2 Game Pads - Where do I get them?

I played Burnout: Revenge on the PS2 with a gamepad covered with drool several nights ago. My dog was in the living room and immediately took a liking to the almost brand new gamepad (I hardly used it since last year).

Drool aside, the gamepad that I'm using is actually a replica of the Dual Shock 2. Don't get it? Well, try "knock-off". It looks the part, feels the part and in my opinion, almost indistinguishable from the real thing and it costs less than RM 30.

But before you jump off your seat and head off to the nearest video games shop (or stall for that matter), most shops carry two types of knock-offs. The first type, is probably the worse but cheapest of the two. With analog buttons as stiff as rusty bicycle chains and buttons with the response times of bricks, you would be better off getting the second type, which I'm using.

But of course, knock-offs do come with general drawbacks. They kaput faster, buttons wear off faster and the response times can be a little suspect. The one that I was using previously had its R1 and R2 buttons stuck. I'm guessing too much SSX.


Original Dual Shock 2 gamepads come with a price variance that is bound to boggle the mind. It retails at RM 95.00 on the Sony website. Too expensive? Play-Asia sells the same thing for just USD 16.90 (RM 54) and the site stocks a variety of colours too.

• Black
• Crimson Red
• Crystal
• Slate Gray
• Ocean Blue
• Lemon Yellow
• Ceramic White
• Midnight Blue
• Emerald
• Satin Silver

I would probably go for the traditional black, or perhaps the Slate Gray, but the Emerald does exude some "Master Chief" glow.. So what about you? :)

My Perennial Favourites: Video Games

In every video games console that I own, there are bound to be one or two titles that I constantly play, without ever getting bored. These are what I call the perennial favourites.

So what are they? On the PS2, the games would be Burnout: Revenge and SSX 3. Ramming into cars is a favourite (virtual) past time of mine, and the undulating snowy peaks provide a serene facade to what is a technically challenging, thrill of a ride.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies looks set to join Mario Kart DS as my perennial favourites on the Nintendo DS. Both games possess the "plays well anywhere, anytime" quality that never goes away, and this is particularly true with regards to MKDS. Time will tell on whether Geometry Wars truly has that, but it is in good standing.

As for the Gameboy, it would be the all-time-classic Super Marios Bros. Speaking of old school consoles, Super Mario Bros 3 is my perennial favourite on the NES, and the same spot for the SNES is occupied by Gradius III, just what is this about sequels and their third incarnations eh?

I haven't really play my Dreamcast much ever since purchasing it, so no favourites here.

Last but not least, the Personal Computer. Do you know what game I can't get enough off for the PC? That would be Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2. The campy cut scenes, the crazy gameplay, and throwing in the even crazier expansion set Yuri's Revenge, and you get one heck of a weekend waster.

So, these are my perennial favourites? What about you?

The Next Best Thing

Supposedly Chinese New Year just ended and you have collected a nifty sum of around RM500, which you, having not owned a video game console before, intend on using to enter a whole new world filled with surreal sights and sounds. But lets face it, RM 500 is chump change for upgrading your PC and it only covers a fraction of the price tag for any of the current generation consoles: the PS3, Xbox 360 and the Wii.

So, what does an aspiring but broke (despite having RM 500) video gamer do? Well, for starters, do yourself a favour and get a PS2. Why a PS2 you ask? Here are the reasons:

• It's a video games console just past its peak (not that outdated)
• It has a huge library of games and plenty of AAA titles, some of which still look very pretty by today's standards. The PS2 is also the bastion of Final Fantasy games and if you are a fan, you should really be looking into getting this console.
• Great 1st and 3rd party hardware support. Steering wheels, gamepads (wired or wireless, have your pick), dance mats, and the Eye toy are just some of the peripherals that you can connect with a PS2
• Parts and expertise are easily found should the need arise.
• Original games are selling for cheap, get them brand new at online retailers like Play-Asia or at your local brick and mortar store. You can also get them secondhand on eBay.
  
• You can get a 2nd-hand PS2 for around RM 400 and you'll have spare change for games!