Splitfish MotionFX for PS2 Dual Shock



Splitfish, the unsung makers of game periphery, is kind of an odd outfit. A couple years ago, the company's titular product was this weird, ergonomic game-controller-split-down-the-middle thing, and you could hold half the controller separately in each hand. Sound familiar? Back when the Wii was still called a Revolution, I happened to run into a Splitfish rep, and he expressed that the Wii remote, with its revolutionary "nunchuck" dongle, had essentially ripped Splitfish off. I can totally buy that.

Lately, Splitfish's controllers have been getting weirder and weirder, though. I don't know. Splitfish seems really passionate about bringing "next-gen" gameplay to the graying PS2, breathing new life into its twilight years, which is actually sort of charming. With great new games still being released for the PS2 constantly, as well as a back-catalogue of a jillion games you forgot to play, hey, why not insist on treating your PS2 right?

Anyway, the "FX Gameware series" is Splitfish's last hurrah for the PS2. We got our hands on the edgeFX controller, the motionFX adapter, and the eyeFX 3D goggles. (A look at the site tells us there are two new PS2 products--the dualFX and the glideFX--slated for release in the next ... two months ago.) I sat down with these Splitfish products because Garnett told me to, and tried to make sense of the instruction manuals included with each one.

The edgeFX is a controller replacement that turns first-person shooters on the PS2 into a PC-shooter-with-mouse extravaganza. The eyeFX goggles pledge to make some of your crappiest PS2 games look 3D. We'll get to these in our next Gear blog, so watch for 'em. But first: the motionFX.



The motionFX adapter combines tilt and rumble features into one amazing, last-gen package. We clipped the motionFX adapter onto a Dualshock controller and waited for the magic to happen. We've heard that the motionFX saved the Cheerleader, after all.

Physically, the motionFX is kind of strange. It's kind of a cheap plasticky visor that makes the Dualshock look very 1988. I was nervous, as I clipped it onto the Dualshock, that it might shatter. But it didn't. There's this LED crosshair on the face of the motionFX itself, constantly lit to indicate which-a-way you're tilting the device. It's also a good way to check whether the motionFX needs calibration, and also, whether it's on. Pretty helpful stuff.

The motionFX adapter makes some cool promises on the box, once in English and again in French: "MotionFX adds PS3/Wii type motion control to your existing PS2 controller. Now you can interact with PS2 games like never before. Compatible with all PS2 games." We take issue with the second part of that statement because Okami was a damn nightmare. It turns out you can't drive, or fly, a wolf...go figure.

Okay, admittedly, the adapter is probably intended for flight sims and racing games alone, but I actually decided to try it with Katamari Damacy first, just because I already knew it wasn't made to work with Katamari Damacy. Important to know: the motionFX adapter works by seizing control of one of the two analog sticks. The adapter defaults to the left stick, but it's easy to switch back-and-forth between the left and right sticks.

There's no "control both sticks" option, though, so Katamari was a little redundant; I tilted the controller and simultaneously used the right analog stick to control the game. Even with this janky layout, controls were surprisingly intuitive. It was easier to move up hills and ramps, I rolled stuff up into my katamari much faster, and it was sort of a neat new way to play Katamari Damacy. The adapter made it even more difficult to get out of tight spots, but ultimately, it improved the size of my katamari. No kidding.

Anyway, fine, it was unfair of me to test it with Katamari Damacy. But when it comes to racers and steering games, the motionFX ain't no slouch, either. Titles like Burnout: Revenge and Gran Turismo play really incredibly well. What's more, I discovered I could easily adjust the sensitivity to my liking.

I had some trouble in the menus, though--an accidental tip of the controller shot me through the menus like a bat out of hell--and that was how I discovered that, if the controller's newfound tilt functionality causes you ill, you can regain control of the analog stick. That's right! Moving the analog stick apparently usurps the tilt function. Pretty handy.

The motionFX used to retail at $39.99, and it's already dropped in price twice now. That's too bad because, except for its seemingly flimsy construction, the motionFX is pretty badass, and it delivers on all its promises, not to mention accomplishing what Sony couldn't: rumble and motion control in one controller. And at its current price--$19.99--it's literally a bargain at half price.

I'm withholding judgement on the other Splitfish peripherals until our next Gear Up review--so watch for it--but I'm going to say that so far this is the best little doohickie Splitfish has ever come up with. Um, since the Wii remote, that is.