Xbox 360 limited-edition green wireless controller hands on

  • By rambo_ando, GameSpot
  • Posted Sep 15, 2008 10:41 am GMT

At last month's Leipzig Games Convention, Konami mentioned that a new Xbox 360 limited-edition controller would be coming to Europe. The company's spokesperson said that the green controller would be released alongside Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, and it was unveiled alongside the game at the show...

At last month's Leipzig Games Convention, Konami mentioned that a new Xbox 360 limited-edition controller would be coming to Europe. The company's spokesperson said that the green controller would be released alongside Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, and it was unveiled alongside the game at the show.

The Xbox 360 controller has received criticism for its directional pad, which is why this new pad sees a 16-way upgrade. That's up from the eight directions on the regular pad, although everything else on the joypad remains the same as before.


According to Microsoft, the new limited-edition green wireless controller offers "enhancements to D pad functionality, which will add to the experience of playing games where the D pad is the primary control mechanism." While only Pro Evo has been announced as supporting the new pad, various rumours suggest other games may offer support, including Street Fighter IV; however, when we spoke to Capcom about the matter, it declined to comment.

We tried the new controller at Leipzig 2008 and found it was fairly difficult to notice the difference. In office tests on Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 and Forza Motorsport 2, the control pad performed at the same standard as regular controllers on both games. It appears that games will have to be programmed to support the new pad or retrospectively offer downloadable updates.

The physical form of the green model is identical to other Xbox 360 control pads. The pad has the same shape, look, and weight as before and even the label on the inside of the battery compartment doesn't indicate that it is a limited edition, referring to it merely as an "Xbox 360 wireless controller." The pad came with the standard AA battery pack, but there's currently no matching rechargeable battery pack.

There's no ignoring the colour of this pad, which is best described as "mushy pea green". It takes its inspiration from the green of the Xbox logo, but it's pretty hideous, and it would be difficult to see Sony or even Nintendo making something similarly outlandish. It also sits awkwardly with grey section on the edge, which is different from the usual glossy silver trim.

The control pad will be available in Europe on October 17--the same day as Pro Evolution Soccer 2009. It's a limited edition so is only available while supplies last and is expected to be the same recommended retail price as existing Xbox 360 wireless controllers (£32.99). Microsoft has confirmed that the controller will be sold separately and not bundled with Pro Evo despite rumours to the contrary, although a spokesperson for the company pointed out that "whatever individual retailers do is up to them". While the Hulk-green pad will also be making its way to Asia and Latin America, there is no announcement for North American to date.

166 Comments

  • camosteve243

    Posted Sep 16, 2009 9:50 am GMT

    Green controller = Awesome..So since it comes out in Europe on Oct. 17 I'm taking it, that it will be in the States in Nov. or later? Why are we always last at getting cool S**t?

  • dante1st

    Posted Dec 5, 2008 4:52 pm GMT

    How do I buy this??? Is it still not possible to buy this in the United States? I'm starting to panic now that SF4 is just around the corner.

  • GDI_SOLDIER_94

    Posted Dec 5, 2008 1:02 pm GMT

    i've got this controller when i got my 360 a few weeks ago not even realising it was limited edition and there really is no differnce with any of it tbh its just a differnt colour but seriously the colour is very cool i never use my whiote one anymore lol

  • DrD3V1L

    Posted Nov 7, 2008 7:39 pm GMT

    I don't like the colour, much prefer the white

  • skam666

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 12:02 pm GMT

    it looks cool to me ill defo be getting one.well done microsoft yous think of everything. can we have a union jack one next please?

  • Shake_360

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 5:59 am GMT

    I would go out and get it right now, if somebody broke all my controllers and said the normal controllers are out of stock so you cant get any of them.

  • Megacherv

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 12:21 am GMT

    I'd prefer if it was a 4-way d-pad, loads of times when I'm on my friend's 360, I manage to press 2 directions at once.

  • goobyman

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 10:25 am GMT

    I think it's purty

  • --odai--

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 6:03 am GMT

    it looks like an alen @ss

  • benboz

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 10:43 pm GMT

    So what!!! It is just a different colour controller. Who cares!!!!

  • poteth

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 11:37 am GMT

    What a pointless exercise in how to waste money. Well done!!!!!!

  • LegendaryGamer0

    Posted Nov 2, 2008 2:23 am GMT

    Wow... green.

    Really... green.

    40$ = Puke Green Controller

    They spend a ******** of money upgrading a controller that really does not even really need an upgrade.

    And yet they do almost nothing about our dying 360's.

    Nice.

    I can use that shiny new controller while my 360 is getting fixed!!!

    Oh wait... damn it...

    But I'll still get it just for the hell of it.

    I mean it's not like my 360 is going t---

    *Red Ring Of Death flashes*

    Oh ****.

  • ch-ch-chaoguy

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 9:27 pm GMT

    They should offer custom colors for 10$ more on the Xbox website...

    Id get vivid purple.

  • Slaughtahouse

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 6:33 pm GMT

    not bad , would of liked it darker like the green on the xbox or the green right where its says the amounts of comments on this page right about this ^

  • zobbas

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 12:06 pm GMT

    Wow, a new controller.

    BUT NOT JUST A NEW CONTROLLER, ITS GREEN! YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND WASTE $40 ON SOMETHING YOU ALREADY HAVE, BUT ITS GREEN!

  • qweasd54

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 11:57 am GMT

    I would have picked a more darker green , but all in all its not bad.

  • jvet000

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 8:13 am GMT

    16 ways is a good thing, i experience al lot of bad responce, some times from the d-pad. ist important that the controller still reacts when you press 10 buttons at the same time .
    i hope this will improve things.

    the microsoft controller is indeed still the best controller with the fastes responce and very good build, strong and the plasic is allot better than the playstation !

  • okassar

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 5:48 am GMT

    Meh,I like green but not that type,I have 1 white controller and 2 black,and the 360 controller is the sleakest controller I've ever seen in the gaming industry,such a nice controller,I think we take that a bit for grantedhe D-pad isn't used that much but I guess if they put this upgrade on all controllers that would be cool because I don't want to buy a controller with that type of green...Gears of War 2 controller with 16 direction D-pad,now that'll be a good one for my 4th controller.

  • nights_team2k7

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 5:25 am GMT

    why in the hell aren't they bringing an updated D pad to the united states?

  • joemack13

    Posted Nov 1, 2008 4:58 am GMT

    thers a red and black controller that looks much better, ill be getting that. @strife88: we might be thinking of the same controller, but i dont think that i is made for gears 2

  • no_cultureicons

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 4:16 am GMT

    I almost decided to buy a 360 a couple of weeks ago, based primarily on the quality of games in the XLA, until I read about the D-pad. Now I'm stumped all over again. Why can't they just update the controller with a d-pad that actually works?! Pretty much every other console has managed it, including Master System and NES back in the 80s, so why can't Microsoft do it in 2008?!

  • Strife88

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 12:08 am GMT

    @ChampMLG - They already did, it's been out for a few weeks now. It's the new red controller which Cliffy B used at a stage demo.

  • Strife88

    Posted Oct 31, 2008 12:07 am GMT

    If it were a better green, I'd consider getting it.

  • realSHOTKILL

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 9:38 pm GMT

    wow...random much?

  • Symphonia_Zelos

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 8:38 pm GMT

    i want it

  • ChampMLG

    Posted Oct 29, 2008 11:45 pm GMT

    They should make Gears of War 2 controllers!

  • BritSamurai

    Posted Oct 29, 2008 6:52 pm GMT

    New controllers are nice, but completely un-necesary. If they want us to get hyped, where are the more halo-like controllers, which have awesome designs for people's favorite games? Bring out some GTA IV, Forza, Mass Effect, and Bioshock artwork controllers, then i might consider the buy. Green, however, creates no excitement or motive for a purchase.

  • Crazy_Kid314

    Posted Oct 29, 2008 2:09 pm GMT

    stupidest thing ever period

  • Icehearted

    Posted Oct 28, 2008 8:03 pm GMT

    Key lime pie is awesome!
    Key lime pie colored controllers are hideous!

  • sprinter6

    Posted Oct 23, 2008 2:31 pm GMT

    They followed so much of the Dreamcast's controller design, why not follow some more of SEGA's designs? Grab a damn Saturn-style D-pad already.

  • Alizerothree

    Posted Oct 21, 2008 2:54 pm GMT

    retarded. So what did they do, install a smaller d-pad inside the casing so that it could travel like it is supposed to? Great, and now they want 50 bucks out of the people who want to use the d-pad for gaming. And wow, that green is a terrible choice. I would rather get the limited edition red controller with the effed up d-pad.

  • JLuke360

    Posted Oct 18, 2008 9:52 am GMT

    Dang, I was hoping for a significant improvement to the D-pad. It really does suck.

  • 74141976

    Posted Oct 12, 2008 1:33 pm GMT

    well iwant the controller just because itsa limited edition like my halo360 so will it for our 360here in the states

  • NeoXDeath13

    Posted Oct 11, 2008 10:59 pm GMT

    Count_Hesley, the reason they can't use the t shaped D-pad is the same reason Sony can't use it: nintendo holds the patent on it. Nintendo made it with the NES and realized what they had so they hold total rights over that dpad design. If Microsoft ripped off that design they would end up getting sued to hell and back and would assuredly lose. Still, the 360 dpad sucks horribly and they really should try harder to fix it.

  • Count_Hesley

    Posted Oct 6, 2008 12:11 pm GMT

    The Xbox D-pad has always sucked. It's a big reason why I've never bought a fighting game for my 360. Maybe a knock-off is worth looking into. The D-pad should be a soft plastic T shape, like SNES. It's worked for years; why change it? Even the chopped up Playstation version is far superior to this POS. I can't belive they are "upgrading" the D-pad but retaining this flawed physical design. Retards. And yes, Bill, you can quote me on that.

    Oh, I forgot to mention that it's extraordinarily ugly.

  • GranmastaZoSo

    Posted Oct 5, 2008 12:00 pm GMT

    lol decadesofgaming

  • fisherprice92

    Posted Oct 4, 2008 12:20 pm GMT

    lol lame

  • Weemanrulez

    Posted Oct 4, 2008 9:11 am GMT

    they could of made it glow in the dark green that would be cool but realy its only a "green controller" in the end nothing special

  • _Brennan_

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 9:45 am GMT

    They should make a red controller to match the RRoD

  • Dman0017

    Posted Sep 27, 2008 3:47 pm GMT

    that is one UGLY controller

  • NoseWeed619

    Posted Sep 27, 2008 11:57 am GMT

    It does look a little weird. But that's okay I guess. I guess that Microsoft is just going to make 42 different controllers just to meet all the color needs.

  • Junior_AIN

    Posted Sep 25, 2008 10:00 pm GMT

    lol it actually looks cool, the tone is on the spot.

  • code305

    Posted Sep 20, 2008 2:33 pm GMT

    I think a different color might have been good

  • trw534

    Posted Sep 18, 2008 7:13 pm GMT

    thats cool but a dark blue controller would be awsome

  • DecadesOfGaming

    Posted Sep 18, 2008 6:48 am GMT

    The muppet who thought this one up should be beaten senseless with his own puke coloured controller.. A pathetic attempt to cash in on gamers once again.

  • duhNeighbour

    Posted Sep 17, 2008 11:21 pm GMT

    Last time I saw a fugly hardware was the Xbox 360 Halo 3 Edition which most said looked like something that came out of a butt.

    Typical of Microsoft, you still need to pay extra for a rechargeable battery. Why isn't the rechargeable battery included? PS3 controllers doesn't need battery and are rechargeable-only.

  • Drz4tobate

    Posted Sep 17, 2008 9:27 pm GMT

    samething!! makes no sense onless yuh have an xbox of the same color, a cover or something..

  • Jayzilla69

    Posted Sep 17, 2008 8:48 pm GMT

    a 16 way D-pad and dont even change anything else?

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