Does the Xtendplay make Long Gaming Sessions More Comfortable?
After reading my review of the Xbox Kinect, the guys over at GamingZap recently asked me if I would like to test some of their gaming products. Being an avid gamer, the only answer I could possibly give was “Yes!” (followed by a quick “whoohoo!!!).
They sent me the Xtendplay for the Xbox 360 controller, which is a compact-foam mould which is designed to snugly fit over the grips of the controller (it’s also available for the also available for the PS3 controller), extending the length of it, making it comfortable to rest on your legs/body as you play.
I have both the black and white Xbox 360 controllers (which are exactly the same in terms of size and shape), so I put it on my black one.
The Xtendplay is a very tight fit on the Xbox 360 controller, in fact it looks like it won’t be able to fit onto the controller as the hole looks too small – but it does fit, without too much difficulty. Once on, the Xtendplay fits perfectly and didn’t move or slip at all during gameplay, or when I tried to move it (for testing purposes) – this was very impressive. The downside of such a tight fit is that it is very hard to remove it from the control pad later – you wouldn’t want to attach and remove it on a regular basis.
I loaded a game which I thought would be well suited to a long, relaxed gaming approach – Mass Effect 2, then started playing.
The first thing I noticed during gameplay was that it was a stretch to reach the controls on the Xbox control pad. At 185cm (6’1”) I’m taller than most people and therefore my hands are on the large side, but I was finding it somewhat uncomfortable. I wouldn’t have have enjoyed using it on a button-bashing game like FIFA.
Did I find the Xtendplay relaxing to play with? Sadly not. It was uncomfortable in my hand (because I had to stretch my fingers to use the controls) and it wasn’t long enough, so I wasn’t able to rest it on myself comfortably. After 3 hours of gameplay (yes 3 hours – Mass Effect 2 draws you in!), I didn’t warm to the Xtendplay.
In addition to the handling issues, there are a couple of obvious design flaws – it covers the access to both the battery compartment and the headphone socket!
Blocking access to the battery compartment isn’t an issue for me because I have a rechargeable battery pack, which I can recharge using the Xbox cable (this socket is easily accessible). However for people who don’t have the rechargeable battery pack and don’t want to use the cable, this is an issue.
Preventing access to the microphone port means that you won’t be able to talk to other players in multi-player games, unless you have a wireless headset.
To summarise my thoughts on the Xtendplay:
What I like:
- Good, descriptive name
- The packaging is very good – the box gives a clear description of what the xtendplay is, what it is used for and allows you to touch it through a hole in the box
- Well made
- Lightweight
- Good fit – it’s very snug so the control pad won’t slip at all
- Easy to clean
- It may help protect your control pad in the event of dropping it accidentally
- If you play with it in the bath, it will probably float if you drop it (but don’t try this!)
What I don’t like:
- It makes the control pad too wide, so it’s hard and uncomfortable to reach the buttons (I’m 6’1” so my hands are larger than most people – children wouldn’t be able to use the control pad)
- While using it, I didn’t really find it any more comfortable that if I hadn’t used it
- I don’t think it solves an issue – I don’t find holding the control pad particularly tiring. When playing some games (e.g. WWE, NHL, etc.), my fingers can get tired from ‘button bashing’, but this doesn’t solve that problem
- The control pad is a very tight fit, so once it is in it is very hard to take out. You wouldn’t want to remove it often
- You can’t access the battery compartment (not an issue for most people as most people will use the rechargeable battery pack and the cable)
- You can’t access the microphone socket, so can’t talk to people online
- The price. I couldn’t bring myself to pay £14.95 for a block of foam, even if it did come in a nice Xbox green colour
Conclusion
Overall I that it’s well made, but not fit for purpose (as it’s too wide to be usable) – and (in my opinion) it’s designed to solve an issue that doesn’t really exist…
GamingZap sell a wide range of gaming accessories (such as Kontrol Freek products which I like the look of) – I recommend you check them out. Also, have a look at their blog as they have reviews, information and decent photos of their top products. It’s nice to see a gaming company that actually talks about its products and reaches out to gamers.
Some more photos, from different angles:
