The controller from the Original Xbox is making a comeback under the name Hyperkin Duke. The name ‘Duke’ was what many referred to the original Xbox controller, and the company recreating this beloved device is called Hyperkin, hence Hyperkin Duke.
The Hyperkin Duke
The controller itself works on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. It is officially licensed by Xbox and is the first third-party controller to have both the original Xbox logo and design. The idea to revive the long-dead controller came when Seamus Blackley, part of the team behind the original Xbox, tweeted asking if people would like to see its return.
The response what overwhelmingly in the positive.
The team over at Hyperkin have replicated the look and feel of the original controller including its black chunky design and button placement. However, they have also brought it forward so that it can easily work well with modern games.
The controller recreates the old design with a new LCD screen. It remains comfortable to use and all the buttons and triggers work well. However, it currently doesn’t have a wireless option and is more expensive than an Xbox One controller. It also suffers from sticking too close it is heritage. Reviews site Tom’s Guide has criticised it for having unergonomic and cheap bumper buttons and said that the D-pad is as bad as it was back in the day.
However, they gave an overall very good 7/10 score.
The original Xbox
The original Xbox came out in November 2001 and struggled to compete with the massively successful PlayStation 2. However, the Xbox saw new life when the Xbox 360 was released and it went on to dominate the market. This meant that the original Xbox controller was used by comparatively few people and its revival in the form of Hyperkin Duke is a nice homage to a nearly forgotten controller.
That doesn’t mean that the original Xbox didn’t have some standout game releases. The original Halo game saw massive popularity and started one of the best selling gaming franchises in the world. A lot of other shooter games learned a lot from everything Halo did and it heralded in a new wave of first-person shooters.
The console had a short lifespan and the Xbox 360 released only four years later.
Compared to the lifespan of the PlayStation 2 (six years), it meant that there were fewer chances for people to experience the Xbox’s games and controller.
With the release of the Hyperkin Duke, players on the Xbox and PC platforms can experience this classic controller. It works as a regular third-party controller on both systems and is compatible with most games.
