LG Versa Gamepad hands-on

by Ross Miller posted May 23rd 2009 at 2:00PM

We've spent a week now fiddling with the LG Versa game pad module. How does the phone's first premium attachment fare? Does it amp up the gaming cred or join the ranks of ultimately forgettable peripherals? Unfortunately, we're inclined to think it falls in the latter category. Read on for full impressions.

Gallery: LG Versa Gamepad hands-on

The game pad adds enough bulk on the device to make it as thick as when it's got the QWERTY module, but with none of the screen protection. Surprisingly, then, the section with the slide out buttons is actually quite thin, and feels pretty flimsy when you've got the much-heavier Versa tilting above it. As for games, at this point it seems only three titles recognize and support it -- Pac-Man, Monopoly, and Need for Speed: Underground -- and none of those actually use the A-B-X-Y buttons. At all. In fact, in each of the previous examples, we found the keyboard to work just as well, and much more convenient for when we had to switch out of the games and send a SMS.

Of the other games available for purchase / subscription, most are pretty casual and only use the touch screen. We've heard more pad-supported titles are on their way, but no indication when or what. Don't get us wrong, the Versa is a pretty snazzy phone, but a gaming device it is definitely not, and this $30 attachment isn't gonna help that.

Filed under: Games, Features, LG, Verizon Wireless, Accessories

Tags: cell phone, CellPhone, dumb phone, DumbPhone, feature phone, featured, FeaturePhone, features, game pad, game pad module, GamePad, gamepad module, GamepadModule, hands on, hands-on, HandsOn, impressions, lg, lg versa, lg versa game pad, lg versa game pad module, lg versa gamepad, lg versa gamepad module, LgVersa, LgVersaGamePad, LgVersaGamepadModule, module, review, versa, versa game pad, versa game pad module, versa gamepad, versa gamepad module, VersaGamePad, VersaGamepadModule

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

carcomptoy @ May 23rd 2009 4:48PM

I still don't understand the point of the Versa, but to each his own, I guess.

Highly Ranked

aoi tsuki @ May 23rd 2009 5:00PM

i'm fine with the Versa concept, but you'd think LG would've had companies on board with game development, instead of following the "if you build it, they will come" model of product development.

What i don't understand is the point of the backwards X and Y buttons, while A and B are fine, but each his own, i guess.

Also, Ross... got enough tags there, man? :-)

Neutral