If you were to start designing a new gamepad to sell to the masses, what would you look at first? Would you start with tons of buttons, super-customizable software, or a new type of directional pad? Couldn't that make it too large for the tiny-handed among us? Ok, then make it small, with fewer buttons. Then you have those who like to play Mechwarrior or Unreal Tournament without touching the keyboard. Or maybe you'd try something completely new and different like flashing lighted buttons that give you a mild electrical shock when something bad happens on-screen. Well ok, maybe not, but the point is, there's no pleasing everybody. That statement is especially true with something as individual and subjective as a gamepad. However, Microsoft is likely to please most people with their new entry in the gamepad market, the SideWinder Game Pad Pro. Features Intense Combinations -Control Sports, Action and arcade games with precise D-Pad control. D-Pad Options - Proportional Mode for smooth joystick-like control or Standard mode for traditional game pad feel Double Your Fire Power - Shift button lets you double the programmable functions assigned to the 6 button and 2 button triggers Plug And Play - USB (Universal Serial Bus) makes set-up and installation quick and easy System Requirements To use Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro with the Game Controller Software, you will need: Multimedia personal computer with Pentium 166 or higher processor and USB port Microsoft Windows 98 operating system 16 MB of memory (RAM) 10 MB of available hard-disk space Quad speed CD-ROM drive Super VGA, 256-color monitor Microsoft Mouse, or compatible pointing device

One of the first things to note is that this pad is USB only. That eliminates a number of people right off the bat. There are currently no plans to produce a gameport version of the SideWinder Game Pad Pro, so if you haven't got USB (and won't be getting it) you may as well stop here. For those of us that can use it, however, USB support means a number of great things, but more about that later.

The gamepad itself is fairly large, like the original SideWinder and the newer Freestyle. Also like those products, it is much more comfortable to hold than it would appear to be, even for someone with relatively small hands. This means longer gaming sessions without getting sore hands. The pad features six buttons and two index finger triggers. But it also has a 'shift' button on the left below the D-pad, where you can quickly and easily reach it with your left thumb. This button can act like the shift button on a keyboard, essentially allowing you to have sixteen buttons (each of the eight originals in both shifted and non-shifted modes. The third (and fatal) blow to getting your household chores done, though, is the amazing dual-mode D-pad. It allows for standard (digital) and proportional (like analogue but better) mode. The standard mode works like a normal digital gamepad, no big deal. The proportional mode, however, allows for fine, gradual movements like you'd get from a joystick. The more pressure you exert on the pad in any direction, the further and faster you move along the axis. That means that the SideWinder Game Pad Pro can be used equally well with games like NHL 2000 where you want instant control, and games like Need For Speed 4 or flight simulations where you need to steer gradually. This incredible versatility may allow you to eliminate a couple of gaming devices from your inventory.

Don't misunderstand: The Microsoft hardware isn't the only kid on the block in this respect. The Xterminator from Gravis also offers proportional and digital control on the same Gamepad. The difference is, on the Gravis there are two D-Pads, side by side. Definitely not as slick and ergonomic as the Sidewinder. The best part, though, is it actually works well, and doesn't take too long to get the hang of. If only the shape of the D-pad was as well thought-out as the operation of it. The darn thing is almost completely smooth, with a line on each of the four main directions, more for orientation than grip. So, when you are pressing hard on the pad (perhaps trying to get Yzerman to skate faster or the Jaguar to turn like a sports car, for crying out loud) your thumb slips right off of it. This problem becomes worse once your thumb gets moist with that hand-sweat that always accompanies long gaming sessions. To make matters worse, you can't help but rest your index fingers on the triggers below, so you are constantly pressing the left one while using the D-pad. This gets pretty annoying after the third or fourth line change accidentally made while on a three-man rush. The simple answer here is some careful button configuration before you start playing, but the design should be better. That said, those are really the only two problems ergonomically, and they don't seem too serious when you consider the positives of the gamepad's design and function.

The USB Advantage

As mentioned before, the SideWinder Game Pad Pro supports USB exclusively. That means some really nice functionality and convenience. Firstly, the pad is completely hot swappable, like most other USB devices. After you are finished gaming and it's time to go back to work, just pull the SideWinder out of the USB port and plug your USB printer (or scanner, or whatever) back in and away you go. No reboot, no fooling around in device manager, nothing. Also, the pad installs ridiculously easily. Simply plug the Gamepad Pro into a USB port and Windows 98 or 2000 will immediately detect it and prompt for drivers. Point it to the included CD and you're off and running. Further, the port size and versatility of the Universal Serial Bus has prompted most laptop vendors to include it on their products, meaning that you can now use the SideWinder on most new laptops. This was much appreciated on a recent trans-Atlantic plane trip ;) It's no secret that USB is the way the market is going, and the SideWinder Pro is a good illustration of why.

The Software

The drivers installed without incident on both Windows 98 and 2000, exactly as advertised, without requiring a reboot (which, in itself, is something to cheer about). Also included on the CD is Game Controller Software v.4.0, which contains, among other things, an online user's guide, a link to the MSN Gaming Zone, and schemes and a scheme editor. When installing on Windows 2000 the software warns that it might not work correctly as it is meant for Windows 98, but there weren't any apparent limitations or malfunctions once it was installed. Everything went very smoothly. The scheme editor can take advantage of the shift button, allowing you to place keystrokes, macros (several combination, or often-used, button presses or keystrokes bound together to produce a certain function in a game) or combinations of both on any gamepad button, in shifted mode or not. There are many well-made schemes included with the software, in case you don't feel like creating your own, and the fully customizable scheme editor allows you to make changes even to these. You can even run two macros simultaneously. Suffice it to say, if you are into schemes and macros, the Game Control Software v.4.0 won't disappoint you. The button testing and configuring utility included with version 4.0 is pretty standard, but it is worth mentioning that it works well. The entire software package, in fact, is easy to find things and navigate around in. There is even an extensive troubleshooting section in the user guide, but it is hard to imagine anyone having difficulty installing and configuring the SideWinder Game Pad Pro.

The Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad Pro has one big problem: The smooth D-Pad. It is probably intended to help with the precision needed in proportional mode, but it really is a major pain. Now, that unpleasantness aside, this gamepad is a killer! It has the shift feature that is great once you get used to it, the ease of USB, and a very ergonomic feel. Then there's the two-mode D-Pad. This thing makes the gamepad work well with almost any game, even oldies that were made for an analogue joystick, like X-com Interceptor. It's lighter and smaller-feeling than the Xterminator (it's main competition) and, with the ten-dollar rebate, comes in five dollars cheaper at $34.99.

Despite the fact that it doesn't support any connection type but USB, the word that comes to mind is 'versatile'. Not just because of the number of games it works with, but also because it can be used with a laptop, and almost any Pentium II or later machine. I would definitely recommend this for anyone, but especially for people who are looking to get rid of that old 2-button joystick, or business people with laptops. If you want to see just how well it works, look for me the next time you're trying to doze off to pass the time on a boring flight…. I'll be the one with my laptop on the fold-down tray and the SideWinder Game Pad Pro in my hands, dog-fighting with the Sons of Kilrah or racing Porsches through Atlantica.