First Look: Razer Atrox for Xbox One

As a Microsoft Xbox One launch release title, the Killer Instinct fighting game is best played with a fight stick.

The bad news is that existing Xbox 360 fight stick peripherals will not work with the Xbox One.

And the good news? There are a few Xbox One fight sticks in the market, including one from Razer.

This is significant because the long delay in the local launch of the Xbox One has given Razer enough time to have an accessory for sale, ahead of the console.

If the Razer Atrox fight stick looks familiar, it is because there is already an Xbox 360 version. Apart from a few renamed buttons, the two editions look identical.

Unfortunately, differences in the consoles mean that the fight stick for one will not work with the other.

A key feature of the Atrox are the customisable options for the rig. It comes with a Sanwa ball-top controller which is popular in Asia. To this, Razer has added a bat-top version, which is the controller of choice for North American players.

The spare parts are stored inside the body of the Atrox. A button release allows the top panel of the Atrox to open upwards, to reveal storage space and the connectors inside.

Gamers who prefer a different set-up to the eight-button arrangement can physically rewire the layout.

The button layout is based on the one used in Taito Vewlix arcade machines, where the eight buttons are arranged in two rows of four, and there is an upward slant to the buttons before they dip down at the end.

This positioning works as the buttons line up to match your finger tips.

Controls are smooth. I prefer the ball-top to the bat-top controller. The buttons are sensitive and a light tap is able to trigger an action.

Killer Instinct does have its fans and it was popular in the mid-1990s. It uses the Street Fighter button combos, so the learning curve for fans of that popular game will not be too steep.

The game is free-to-play, but the free version comes with only one character and you must pay to unlock the rest of the fighting crew.

For fighting fans, there are few choices for a fight stick and the Atrox for the Xbox One offers a combination of features, even if the price is a little high.

This article was first published on Sep 24, 2014.
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