![]() ![]() ![]() Not only are there dedicated Home, Back, and Volume keys surrounding the glowing Nvidia button in the center – hold down Volume to mute – but Android also natively recognizes the controller layout exactly as you'd expect it to. It's also the primary way you'll navigate the Android operating system. The Shield's controller isn't just something you flip out for games. ![]() And in case you're wondering, those thumbsticks are buttons too, producing a satisfying click when you press down. The face buttons and triggers feel fantastic, though, with just enough throw and padding to hammer on repeatedly for hours. The shoulder buttons and D-pad are a little too much like their Xbox counterparts, all clicky and shallow, but I was able to toss some fireballs and dragon punches in a pinch. The twin thumbsticks are just as precise and comfortable as their Xbox 360 forebear, although Nvidia adopted a PlayStation-like symmetrical layout and I rather prefer the way that Xbox sticks sit. The plastic frame doesn't feel cheap, with only an occasional creak when you squeeze with force. The twin grips, covered in soft-touch rubber, give your hands an incredibly secure purchase on the device - secure enough that you can comfortably hold the 1.2-pound package up above your head while lying in bed. It's built for your hands.Ĭlose your eyes and grab the Shield, and things begin to make sense. It’s practically the size of a DSLR camera body, not a tablet or game controller.īut the Shield isn't designed for your eyes. ![]() At roughly 6 inches wide, 5 inches deep, and over 2 inches thick, it won’t remotely fit into a pocket. There are ugly seams in the plastic shell, particularly around the triggers, two visible screws, and the port arrangement feels lopsided. The bezels on the screen are ridiculously huge compared to today's smartphones, and the device's profile can seem grotesque. When opened, it's like an oversized Xbox 360 game controller mated with a giant Nintendo DS. When closed, it's a bulbous black manta ray of a device with green lips and a shiny silver forehead. The Nvidia Shield has a face only a gamer could love. Six months later, the Shield showed up on my doorstep. Nvidia even promised it would stream games from my home gaming PC. For $299, the graphics giant promised the most powerful hardware we’d ever seen in a portable console, running stock Android, with what basically amounted to a built-in Xbox 360 controller at the helm. Then, the next best thing came along: Nvidia announced the Shield at CES. I wanted the equivalent of a PlayStation Vita running iOS. I wanted the best of both: the physical controls to explore immersive worlds, and a store to convince developers to build them. But where “real” game systems like the PlayStation Vita are struggling to build a library of game titles, the iTunes App Store continually tempts me with addictive, artsy new games. It’s bulky, the touchscreen controls are pretty crappy for navigating 3D worlds, and the graphics are merely okay. Perhaps the saddest part is that my iPad isn’t a very good game system. The only time I actually pick up the iPad, sadly, is to play video games. I convinced myself I’d use it for everything: showing off wedding photos, reading all those neglected articles I save to Pocket, and as a second monitor for my laptop. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |