We were happy to see that--unlike the DualShock 3--the Zero Wireless controller has a removable rechargeable battery pack. Also, Nyko includes a AA battery pack in case you don't want to play while recharging (which means being tethered to your PlayStation 3). Nyko even threw in an extra-long 10-foot USB cable for good measure.
We tested the Zero Wireless with Heavenly Sword, Condemned 2, and MLB 08: The Show. (The rumble feature is only available in a limited number of supported titles--though it's been retroactively added to some older games.) While the vibration wasn't as effective with a beat-em-up action game such as Heavenly Sword, the motion control worked just as well as the DualShock when we used it to direct the trajectory of an archer's arrow. The Nyko controller was also able to deliver varying amounts of feedback as needed in MLB 08 to distinguish the strike zone when pitching. The vibration was most satisfying when it was coupled with that of a gunshot, as in Condemned 2.
While Nyko prices the Zero Wireless at $60 on their company site, you'll have no problem finding it in stores for about $45, which is about $10 cheaper than the DualShock 3's retail price. If Nyko had been able to deliver the Zero a year earlier, it would've found a receptive audience. But now that the official DualShock 3 is out, the Zero is far less attractive, even with its slightly lower price (the street price is about $45.) As it stands, we'd recommend the Zero Wireless as a secondary controller only, as it can't match the comfort and performance of the Sony-branded DualShock 3.
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