SONY Playstation3 Dualshock3 Controller vs. Sixaxis vs. Dualshock2 Review

This is a review of the Japanese Playstation3 Dualshock3 Controller (Ceramic White version).

The Dualshock3 is the successor to the PS3 Sixaxis controller. Already out in Japan, the Dualshock3 is due to be released on April 15th in the United States. I was able to get a Dualshock3 in December from a friend in Japan. The good news is that the Japanese version works without problem on the American PS3. The Dualshock3 is currently available in two flavors: Ceramic White and Black. I got the white one and find it useful to differentiate between the Dualshock3 and the Black Sixaxis I own.

The main difference between the two controllers is the Dualshock function which causes the controller to vibrate during game play. This is similar to the function on the Dualshock2 which was available on the PS2. There are some subtle differences though.

PS3 Dualshock3 versus PS3 Sixaxis:

The first thing you notice is that the Dualshock3 at 192.0 grams is significantly heavier than the Sixaxis at 137.1 grams. This added weight is due to the rumble mechanism. If you're used to the old PS2 Dualshock2 controller, you'll like this better. I've owned this for over 3 months now and one thing I've noticed is that the analog joystick seems to be a bit more sensitive on the Dualshock3 than on the Sixaxis. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. I suppose the greater sensitivity lends itself to finer control, but I also find myself slicing a lot more golf shots with the Dualshock3 because it is harder to move the joystick straight up and down. The difference between the two controllers is significant enough that I specifically use the Sixaxis over the Dualshock3 when playing golf games. If you're already used to the PS2 Dualshock2's vibrating controller, the Dualshock3 brings back what's been missing from PS2 games like Champions: Return to Arms, and adds another dimension to PS3 games like Motorstorm and Burnout Paradise. Battery life for the Dualshock3 is shorter than the Sixaxis with the vibration function enabled, but seems comparable with it disabled. With regards to the Sixaxis function, I didn't notice much of a difference between the two.

PS3 Dualshock3 versus PS2 Dualshock2:

Besides having the obvious differences like the addition of Sixaxis control and the new variable control R2 and L2 trigger buttons, the Dualshock3 is ever so slightly heavier than the Dualshock2. I'm guessing this is due to the added battery. However, if you were given one without the other to compare it to, it would be quite difficult to notice any difference in weight. In terms of analog joystick sensitivity, I would say that the Dualshock2 is similar to the Sixaxis, and that the Dualshock3 is more sensitive. The rumble feature on the Dualshock3 seems stronger than my PS2 controller, but not as precise. For example, in Champions: Return to Arms, the heart beat feels more realistic on the PS2. On the Dualshock3, it feels stronger, but more sloppy.

In summary, if you've owned a PS2 and miss the vibration function of the Dualshock2, the Dualshock3 is a definite buy. If you were never a big fan of the vibration function, but are uncomfortable with the weight of the Sixaxis, you might get one just for the heft and leave the vibration function off. If you're into golf games like I am, you may not want to get rid of your Sixaxis as I sincerely feel that the Sixaxis is a more forgiving "club". When all is said and done, there's little to complain about this upgrade to a classic design.