Mad Catz, with their TRITTON line of Xbox 360 exclusive headsets, seem to be well on their way towards the construction of an auditory weapon of mass destruction. Don’t follow? Let’s take a look at their 360-exclusive range and see if things become more clear. Are you in the market for an entry-level wired stereo headset? Try out the Trigger, or the Detonator. Perhaps wired just doesn’t cut it for you, and you want your stereo headset to run wireless? Why not try the Primer, or the as yet unreleased Devastator? You want a full wireless 7.1 Dolby surround sound headset? The most recent offering, the Warhead, is the headset for you.  Read the full story

Drummers absolutely need one skill to be successful: rhythm. It’s a funny thing, rhythm; you either have it, or you don’t. If you have it, you know you have it. If you don’t have it, you either know you don’t have it, or you know you have it and the people who tell you otherwise are just JEALOUS. I know I have it. It’s what makes me a great drummer, an absolutely phenomenal dancer, a dynamite foot-tapper, and one of the most incredible human beatboxes ever to roam this earth. At least one of those things is true, and as a dynamite foot-tapper, I need something great to tap my foot to. That’s where the Mad Catz Wireless PRO-Drum and PRO-Cymbals kit comes in. Read the full story

I’ve always had an affinity for the musical arts. I picked up violin in the fourth grade after spending Kindergarten through third grade becoming a guitar virtuoso. To be fair, the guitar was made of plastic and had little buttons along the fret that played totally radical riffs, but I was a bloody rock god and I don’t care what anyone else says about it. Back then, in the late 80s and early 90s, I thought that I was experiencing the absolute best that the world would ever offer in the field of pretend rocking out. Nearly fifteen years later, Harmonix blew people away with Guitar Hero, and followed that up with giving people the ability to play as a full band with Rock Band. The quality of a game like Rock Band 3, Harmonix’s most recent outing, is entirely limited by the quality of the peripheral hardware used to play it. This is where Mad Catz comes in. Read the full story

I generally prefer wireless controllers for my everyday gaming experiences. I like the mobility and freedom that a wireless controller provides, especially since I fidget and move around quite a lot when sitting down. I can definitely understand, however, the functional benefits of a wired controller, like the Mad Catz Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Pro GamePad. So while I may prefer a wireless controller for the sake of convenience and comfort, a wired controller is almost always a better choice when you’re getting serious about your game and quick reactions are vital to your success. Read the full story

Last year, I had the pleasure of reviewing the TRITTON Detonator headset for the Xbox 360. Though it was, for the most part, a great entry-level headset, long-term use has uncovered an unfortunate structural weakness: it doesn’t maintain integrity when used by someone with a big head. Now, I have what I feel is a larger than average sized head (I need to store all of this incredible brainpower somewhere). This has caused two problems with the old Detonator. First, it has become, as my wife so delicately put it when she tried to use it last week, “stretched out by your massive head.” Second, it has caused the headband to snap. Luckily, the rubber casing around the plastic headband is keeping the unit together, so it is still functional. This year, I have the pleasure of reviewing another TRITTON headset; this time, the Ghost Recon: Future Soldier 7.1 Surround Sound headset, branded (obviously) for use with Ubisoft’s upcoming title. Read the full story

At last year’s E3, Mad Catz made passing mention of a game in development titled “War Wings: Hell Catz.” Well, as time has passed, so have passed the days of our lives. Er…I mean, as time has passed, one of life’s inevitabilities, change, has taken hold of the game. No longer “War Wings: Hell Catz,” this title will be moving towards release as “Damage Inc. Pacific Squadron WWII.” Originally intended to be a “historically accurate…recreation of World War II aerial maneuvers…,” the developers had an epiphany: gamers like shiny, explodey things. To that end, Damage Inc. is aiming to provide a historically accurate planes, campaigns, and story with arcade style gameplay keeping it all…you know…fun. Read the full story

As a disclaimer, we won’t have reviews for the products up until next week at the earliest, so don’t read these as recommendations, necessarily. Think of them more as a heads-up for products you may not have been aware of. To date, I haven’t had any problems with Mad Catz products, so they have managed to build a reputation for reliability so far, but there’s always a first time, so just be aware that these products exist, and that reviews will be forthcoming. That being said, with the holiday season upon us, it’s time to splurge and buy gifts not only for your friends and family, but for yourself! Here are a few of the items that Mad Catz has prepared for this holiday season…

Mad Catz Rock Band 3 Bundle

Are you a latecomer to Rock Band 3? Have you been interested, but never taken the plunge? With more and more content being released for the Rock Band 3 platform, there’s a veritable plethora of music to play with your friends locally or online. Mad Catz is providing a few guitar and bass bundles for you this season. Running from $69.99 for a standard guitar/bass controller bundle to $149.99 for a pro instrument bundle, the Rock Band 3 package also includes codes for five Red Hot Chili Peppers song downloads (Californication, Otherside, By The Way, Under the Bridge, and The Adventures of Raindance Maggie). An instrument (standard or pro), a popular and versatile game, and five free songs is a great way to start getting into musical multiplayer.

Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel

Do you feel the need? The need for speed? Are you a fan of driving/racing games, but not a fan of controlling a vehicle with a standard controller? Do you want something that feels more natural, and gives you a more realistic driving/racing control experience? A racing wheel is the way to go, then. But which racing wheel? There are so many, and some of them are absolute garbage. Mad Catz is offering up their Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel this year. At $249.99, the price tag is definitely on the steep side when compared to other racing wheels, like Microsoft’s. The Mad Catz WFFRW (it’s easier than continually saying Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel) has a very sturdy frame, featuring all metal construction. Unlike Microsoft’s wheel, this wheel includes a mount for table top placement. Additionally, a removable gear shift is included to further simulate a realistic driving experience.

Mad Catz First Person Shooter Gamepad

Do you have trouble with shooters? Alternatively, are you a fan of shooters looking for an extra edge in competitive online play? Mad Catz has a wired controller specifically designed for shooters. The FPS Pro GamePad includes “Combat Buttons” on the back side of the controller. The controller’s face buttons can be remapped to these “Combat Buttons” on the back of the gamepad, meaning that your trigger finger can rest more easily on your rat-a-tat-tat.

Mad Catz MLG Arcade Fightstick

One of the key features at MLG tournaments is the fighting game. Fighters can be played with controllers, but there’s always a distinct advantage given to those who play with and master fightsticks. True to the fighting game’s arcade roots, a fightstick provides you with a comfortable array of attack buttons and a sensitive joystick with a much better range and accuracy than a standard controller. A fightstick is the way to play a fighting game, and a MLG Fightstick is a well recognized fightstick. With genuine Sanwa Denshi arcade components, the MLG Fightstick was specifically designed for pro gamers, and is a customized version of the award winning Arcade Fighstick. At $159.99, it’s a pricey fightstick, but that price gives you accuracy and advantage.

I am the kind of person who appreciates a good headset, especially during the peak of my work year. During the busiest time of the year for my job, I generally have to be out of bed by 5:30 in the morning so that I can get to work by 6:30. I must be quiet as a doormouse to keep from waking my wife, who generally tends to wake up grumpy (sorry, love). On occasion, I get “sick,” and have to work from home. I’ll sleep in until 6:00, then get cleaned up and head into the living room to remotely access my work computer and run my morning analyses. When I’m done, the Xbox comes on, and the gaming begins…on mute. The Tritton Detonator, an officially licensed Xbox 360 headset from MadCatz, lets me play at any volume I like without waking she-who-must-not-be-awakened. Read the full story

Normally, we don’t post stuff about company finances here on Marooners’ Rock, but when something so newsworthy comes in, we just have to share. Today, Mad Catz reported that their fiscal third quarter was a pretty big deal, and one can’t help but agree.

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With all our suggestions for games, DVDs, and comics, of course we’re going to help pick out the things that make your electronics that much better! So, we’ve gone ahead and created a list of all the wickedly awesome accessories that go along with your cool consoles, PCs, handheld gaming devices, and even your iPhone or iPad. Enjoy!

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