This is yet another review in a line of reviews covering home versions of controller for arcade machine setups. The first one was a Pop ‘N Music controller, then DDR (8-panels), and now we’re at Pump It Up. Admittedly, I’ve never cared for Pump It Up since I felt like it was a competitor to DDR. But I think nowadays I’m able to look past that. At the beginning of this review I’m sitting here hoping and praying that this controller will get me into PIU and then I’ll have another rhythm game under my belt.
Description:
Introducing the Pump it up Controller – The Ultimate Arcade Gaming Package!
Experience the pinnacle of arcade gaming with our Pump Controller package. It includes top-of-the-line features to elevate your gaming sessions to new heights.
Effortless Connectivity: The high-speed USB cable, measuring 1.8 meters in length, ensures seamless data transfer and efficient charging, keeping you in the game without interruption.
Sleek and Protective: The Acrylic cover adds a touch of sophistication to your gaming setup while providing reliable protection for your equipment. The ABS housing offers excellent shock absorption, safeguarding against impacts while exuding a sleek and stylish design.
Precise and Tactile Feedback: Our high-quality arcade buttons, specifically designed for gaming enthusiasts, deliver unrivaled precision and reliability. Each microswitch button offers tactile feedback, allowing you to feel every press, enhancing your gaming performance.
Seamless Compatibility: With a standard size of 45CM, our arcade buttons effortlessly integrate into arcade cabinets, ensuring easy installation and compatibility. Additionally, our package supports popular games such as StepF2, StepPrime, StepXX, and PumpSanity, PIUiO~MK6/7/9/10 catering to a wide range of gaming preferences.
Minimal Input Delay: Powered by Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) , our controller ensures ultra-low input delay, providing highly responsive gameplay and allowing you to execute moves with precision and speed.
Unlock the full potential of arcade gaming with the Pump Controller package. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of gaming and enjoy an unmatched arcade experience like never before.
Features:
- High-speed USB cable enables efficient data transfer and charging. (1.8M length)
- Stainless steel provides excellent protection against impacts and shocks, with a sleek and stylish design.
- High-quality arcade buttons designed for arcade gaming enthusiasts
- Gateron MS-2 Series Microswitch buttons deliver precise and reliable performance with tactile feedback.
- The standard size of 45CM for easy installation and compatibility with arcade cabinets
- Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040)PCB minimizes input delay for highly responsive gaming performance.
- Stepmania / PIU MK compatibility allows seamless integration with the popular rhythm game software, enhancing accuracy during gameplay.
Pros:
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Build Quality. I just want to start by talking about how well these controllers are again. This controller is really no different than the last. It’s built like a freaking tank, inside and out. On the inside, the brains are the reliable Raspberry Pi Pico. My only minor gripe is the rubber strips on the bottom. I wish I could just take them off since they collect dust and slide around, thus failing to do what they’re supposed to do. Luckily, the controller is most comfortable in my lap, so it’s not an issue for me. But your mileage may vary. The USB-C cable that it comes with is a thick boi with metal plugs to prevent fraying. At 3 feet long, it stays securely connected during use. If you’re going to be further away you may need a different cord or a USB-C extension.
The controller uses ultra-sturdy ABS plastic, giving it a solid shape and shock resistance—no cheap, brittle materials here. ABS is likely to stand the test of time, it’s what’s used in devices from the past that still hold up today. Like the almighty Game Boy line of handhelds. As it mentions in the features, the buttons are incredibly resilient. They’re made of tough Gateron MS-2 Series microswitches. You’ll feel that satisfying tactile feedback that you’re expecting from arcade machines with buttons. Inside, the wires is a neat, organized masterpiece, running from a custom driver board controlled by the Pi Pico to each individual button. I’ve added pictures around this article for you to see the organization for yourself.
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Timing. I have never really played more than an hour, total, of PIU in arcades (more on that later). So I had to start with easy songs, just to make sure that the timing is correct. Because even if you don’t know a song inside and out, you can still treat it like any other rhythm game. The timing seems to be spot on, aside from my mistakes. Because on the easiest songs, I was still mainly nailing the hits. By the end of my first day of playing those basic step charts, the songs were almost always full combos of perfects. I love this controller, especially in my lap where I have it the closest to me. It reduces the chances of fatigue in my arms and wrists when playing, which would negatively affect my performance. The controller stays out of the way, letting me focus on my gameplay without impacting my scores. Just like the other controller I tested from B2L, I tested other USB-C cables and still found no lag—just a smooth, fun experience.
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Footprint. Despite its solid build, this controller is surprisingly light. When I think of arcade controllers, they’re usually dense, girthy, and cumbersome. The website says the weight of 5KG, but it actually only feels like 5 pounds. It feels substantial but it does not feel heavy. I don’t have a scale to confirm the exact weight. And it seems to have the same body as the other controller. So it’s also perfect for lap use, like a fight stick you’d take to tournaments. It’s portable enough for a backpack but large enough to span your lap, measuring roughly 13”x7”x3” (35cmx20cmx8cm). It’s a great balance, though I’d love a larger desk-only version. One that isn’t designed for travel with larger buttons like the Pop N’ Music controller I have reviewed.
- Introduction to PIU. I do want to say that I have never liked playing PIU the few times that I played the arcades. My feet and muscle memory are finely tuned to playing DDR. Even when I played ITG, I didn’t like it because the infusion of the bombs or potential pressing all 4 pads at the same time. I’m very DDR elitist, hell, I don’t even like when people use the bar. But…I actually love playing PIU like this. This really introduced me to the fun elements of this game and I understand why there is an overall love for this franchise now. And as I inevitably age out and my legs hurt and get tired easier, this is really the way to go. And it really makes it feel like this is how PIU should be played in the first place. Especially if you have a disability of the legs or body, but have full use of your hands/arms. I love this now and I spend a few hours a week playing on this and trying to get better and better so I can play higher difficulties and set high scores. Who knows, maybe the next time I see a Pump machine, I’ll play a round!
Cons:
- Cutting. This is a complaint I had for the other product that they sent me. So if you read the other article, don’t be surprised that the same is true here. But yeah, there is a bit of shotty cutting on the back around the USB-C port. To be fair, it does look to have been resolved in their newer iteration of this. So if you buy one based off of this review, they have made a custom plastic bit to surround the USB-C port. For mine, I did take it apart and filed the cut marks gently to just take off the residual plastic that was uneven on it. I didn’t go overboard and attempt full on professionalism as I was afraid of over doing it and ruining something.
- Setup. The first step was learning how to setup and run PumpSanity on my PC. This was quite the undertaking because I ran into about every issue someone could run into. I didn’t just have one bug or one driver issue, I had them all.
So then, the next thing that you need to know about this is that the device itself is not plug and play. It does not work straight out of the box. I mean the lights on the buttons don’t even turn on. The only way that you know that you have a successful connection to the PC is by the light on the USB cable itself illuminating. I reached out to B2L and their answer was this, “I think you have the MK / stepmania you need to install the zadig driver and only will work with Pumpsanity and stepxx”.
That means two things, the first being that I have to use the default driver option on Zadig driver installer, and I did this and that made it show up in PumpSanity. Great! And the second hurdle is that I was being forced to use Pumpsanity. I was really hoping just to use the PIU option on Stepmania which I already have. But once I got past those hurdles with the device, then I had to get PumpSanity working, and after I used Google to resolve all of my issues, it still wouldn’t detect all of my songs. I can’t discuss where PumpSanity comes from or how it works, so I can’t guide you. But if you buy this controller and set it up and then get PumpSanity working, you will eventually have a good time!
My next step will be to see if I can get Project Outfox to get it to recognize. Check out their software here>>https://outfox.wiki/en/user-guide/setup/getting-started
Final Thoughts:
If you can deal with setting up PumpSanity or StepXX, then you’ll be fine. Maybe you already have it setup. Then just set up the driver and you’ll be off to the races. Just be aware that I can’t test the longevity of the controller. You’ll remember that it’s assembled by hand, I’m not sure about how long it could last. That is the only true warning I can give you. Despite just how brilliantly it’s built, I can’t garauntee anything. But I’m willing to bet that B2L will help you if you get into a bind! Link:
Born to Lead Pump It Up Controller