The title may look like I accidentally included the PlayStation 3 in on a PC controller review. Well I am happy to say that the TORID Gamepad by SPEEDLINK does indeed work on both the PC and PS3. SPEEDLINK Inc. has been expanding their products to the US market since 2015, and the TORID follows the STRIKE NX Gamepad for PC. The STRIKE NX has been met with some mixed reviews. However, I think that SPEEDLINK has hit it on the nail with this new controller.
Upon first glance at the TORID, it looks like a standard wireless Xbox 360 controller. However, the sleek red accents you see are covered with comfortable grips that reduce slippage. The center button is replaced by the SPEEDLINK button with blue lights. There also appears to be a subtle difference in the shape when I compare it directly to my 360 controller I use for my PC, but don’t quote me on it. SPEEDLINK boasts that the controller has “optimal ergonomics”, but I can’t tell the difference with that respect.
The controller runs wirelessly over 2.4 GHz up to 8 meters for up 10 hours. It can take up to 2-3 hours to charge so the first thing you should do is unbox it and plug it in via the USB cord to charge it up. As we know and love, it also comes with that 3rd party TURBO button that you’ve come to expect from makers of these controllers and it works just like you think it would. The controller’s vibration function feels very beefed up, especially when compared to the 360 controller and the DualShock 3 controller when I was testing it out on the PS3. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag felt a bit more intense during ship battles when I got rammed by military boats, thrashing the controller around.
The TORID claims it works for all Windows Games through switchable XInput and DirectInput modes. This means that it should work on both older and newer games. My first test (after installing the drivers) was on Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition and it worked just fine on the first try. I fired up The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition and HITMAN and found the controller to work just as it was intended (and got lost in both games for a while before coming back to my review).
After taking it for a test drive on the PC, I next tried it out on the PS3. The gamepad comes with a micro USB stick to allow for wireless connectivity. After plugging in the USB stick into the PS3 and turning it on, the controller synced pretty quickly. There was no need to go into “Accessory settings” like I had been doing for connecting the DualShock 4 up. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag ran well using the TORID, but it was hard to wrap my head around using an 360-type controller on a PlayStation. After some brain calibration, I was able to use it just fine. I also jumped on the classic ICO for PS2 on the PS3 and found the controls to work just fine, if not slightly improved (although I’ll admit I never played ICO on PS2 so it may just be newer tech handling the controls better).
Overall, the TORID Gamepad is a solid wireless 360-style controller at a value price point (~$30). I don’t game for more than the allotted battery time so it was never a problem to plug in the controller when I was done so that it was ready for the next round. If you still haven’t jumped on a wireless controller for PC or if you like the feel of a 360-style controller for your PS3, then this is a solid controller to consider picking up.
Review was based on a retail version of the product provided by the manufacturer.
PS3 tested, PC approved!
Summary
Pros:
+ Wireless
+ Easy to install and use
+ Sweet vibration
Cons:
– It’s not a DualShock 4 (my personal favorite controller!)
