I Now Have The Coolest Xbox Controller, But It Sure Feels Old

There’s something about translucent tech that still feels deliciously retro, and the new Xbox controller I recently got my hands on is a fiery throwback to an era wherein a product’s trademark cool factor was directly correlated with its internal visibility. It was a simpler time, a time when candy-colored electronics proclaimed from the pixelated mountaintops that louder was, indeed, better. Play it loud, as it were, to cite an eternally Funtastic Nintendo.

Lady in Red (Xbox Edition)

The vibrantly red Pulse Cipher gamepad is Xbox’s latest entry in its Y2K-inspired line of wireless devices, preceded by both the deep blue Sky Cipher and the starkly robotic Ghost Cipher special edition controllers. Granted, you can make your own bespoke Cipher gamepad in the Xbox Design Lab, though admittedly, the see-through colorways are limited to the more expensive Elite Series 2. The vanilla XDL controller sports its own exclusive customizations, like a range of Vapor shells, which are essentially pearlescent options. But no Cipher choices, though.

Also, as of this writing, only Pulse Cipher and Ghost Cipher are available as custom pattern options for the Elite Series 2, with a lighter blue hue, Surf Cipher, standing in for the aforementioned Sky Cipher. That said, even with some of the matching parts, you can’t recreate each limited Cipher controller exactly within the Xbox Design Lab.

Each Cipher gamepad features its own subtle differences that make them desirable beyond what you could simply build in Microsoft’s online tool. For instance, the Pulse Cipher’s clear red shell extends all the way down to its handles, while the same translucent red shell on a custom Elite Series 2 via Xbox Design Lab forcibly stops at its front rubberized pads. Additionally, you also can’t change the color of the black rubberized grips in XDL, whereas the Pulse Cipher comes with exclusive (and bright red) rear grips.

I suppose these one-off special editions come across as more pure, in that the whole controller maintains a unique theming, one you can’t get anywhere else. Like I said, the differences are rather subtle, and it could easily be argued that Xbox Design Lab is still the way to go if you’re after something more aesthetically funky. But if you don’t want to spend time designing a custom controller, it’s easy to purchase one of the limited editions and call it a day. They’re also significantly cheaper, and of course, they don’t boast ‘pro’ Elite features: $74.99 for a vanilla Cipher versus an Elite Cipher gamepad that starts at $149.99.

An Xbox Story About PlayStation

I do think the Pulse Cipher is the coolest Xbox controller to date, in that it reminds me of my old Crimson Red PlayStation memory card, and I’m a sucker for nostalgia. Funny story: I actually owned two of these PS1 memory cards back in the late ‘90s, and that’s because my dog Tucker tried to eat the first one, which—naturally—contained my well-progressed Final Fantasy VII save data. After much pleading, I extracted the card from his slobbery maw, and immediately realized I’d have to start the game over. I was understandably livid, but I loved that dog, and I loved FFVII, so now I have a memory that still makes me laugh.

On that note, I detailed my affinity for Sony’s new Chroma Teal PS5 controller last week, citing similar nostalgic feelings, although Tucker never attempted to eat my Emerald Green PS1 DualShock, thank the heavens. Maybe what we’ve learned here is that manufacturing gaming devices to look like candy will lead certain dogs to occasionally treat them as such. Who knew. Man, was that memory card mangled. I should have framed it, honestly. Devastation art.

Judging by what’s currently available inside the Xbox Design Lab, I’m hoping the next limited controller we get from Microsoft is Astral Cipher. I’m rather partial to purple, and I do prefer the cleanness of these special editions over the XDL stuff. For now, I’ll enjoy my PS1-esque Pulse Cipher, but I won’t leave it laying around, no sir. I don’t want any wayward animals thinking it’s made of cherry Jolly Rancher and kicking off another Final Fantasy VII incident. Do you realize how many times I’ve visited the Gold Saucer?

Xbox’s Pulse Cipher controller is available to order now via Microsoft’s website and other participating retailers.

Disclosure: Xbox provided review product for coverage purposes.