So, I bought a Hyperkin DuchesS...
...the successor to the modern recreation of the famously large Duke controller for the original Xbox. You can read my story of the Duke here. In short; this is a Hyperkin release of the smaller, Controller S, controller model. This version, to be used with Xbox Series X/S or PC, goes into the series of classic Xbox controllers from Hyperkin, including the Duke and the Xbox 360 ones.
As usual from Hyperkin, it's built with solid quality but includes some significant upgrades in comparison to the Duke. Modern benefits like Hall Effect Sticks, electromagnetic sensors to avoid stick drift something the Duke suffered from, and Impulse triggers which basically is rumble built directly into the triggers. Thus, it feels closer to the quality you're used to from the standard Xbox Series X/S controller.
Sadly, it doesn’t offer a wireless option and so you have to use it with a cable, which is provided in high quality and length, but keep that in mind.
Back story
In a sort of reverse order from how Sega made their Saturn controller bigger for the Western market, the Controller S for the original Xbox, codenamed "Akebono" and referred to as the DuchesS, was released alongside the Japanese launch of the console in 2002. It would reach USA the same year and finally Europe in 2003.
It was reduced in size as Microsoft felt the Japanese market would not like the large size of the Duke controller. The DuchesS resolved the two-layered motherboard issue within the Duke and as a result could be reduced significantly in size. However, not just the Japanese market was seen as a potential for the new design and as such the DuchesS would become the standard controller for the western markets too.
This downsizing and reshaping of the ergonomics resulted in the most popular controller for system. It's widely regarded as the best controller on the console, although people with big hands still preferred the Duke! Its design would strongly influence the Xbox 360 controller and in many ways modern controllers from thereon.
Overview
The first noticeable change from the Duke are the smaller face buttons, a result of shrinking its size, and the white and black buttons have been moved down below the coloured A, B, X, Y buttons. Start and Back, represented here as the Menu and View buttons from the modern Xbox controllers, are moved to a left position beneath the left analogue stick.
The analogue sticks are identical this time around, serving closely to how modern sticks are, on the Duke they were two slightly different sticks for left and right. For modern convenience on this Hyperkin model, they've also added the screenshot/media button in the centre. In addition, they've made the Xbox logo, which originally was just a faceplate, as an Xbox Guide Button.
The beloved Xbox triggers are present but have less traversal than you're used to from the modern Xbox controllers. To make the controller compatible to modern titles, RB and LB buttons are added to this Hyperkin one. However, back on the original these weren't present, and thus typical ports of titles from the PlayStation 2 mapped the R1 and L1 buttons to the black and white face buttons.
Overall, the build quality is excellent and the way it closely resembles the original is done with great care. It truly feels like a step 20+ years back in time, but with added buttons, features and modern tech inside!
Playtest
Similar to how I used the Duke, I put the Duchess through its paces with some original Xbox classics on my Xbox Series X; Halo 1 & 2, Crimson Skies, SSX3 and even some Unreal Championship 2. It worked great!
With both analogue sticks now being identical and virtually the same as modern ones, it feels closer to controller from modern times in many ways. That includes the way you grip the whole controller too. Microsoft managed to hone in early on what I consider a modern design on controllers, just missing the extra shoulder buttons which evidently this Hyperkin model has added for convenience.
Take for instance SSX3, where all shoulder buttons are cleverly in use on the PlayStation 2 controller; well, on the original DuchesS you only had the triggers, so the white and black buttons were used to compensate the missing shoulder buttons. Resulting in a less logic placement for a title like SSX3.
That said, the six buttons on the face of the controller are great for fighting games, especially Street Fighter or SNK. Once again; I ask for six face button controllers to make a return!
The placement of the Menu and View buttons, Start and Back for those of old enough to remember, is still a little weird down to the left. A feature Microsoft would go away from with their Xbox 360 design. I guess there's some idea of symmetry gone into these small buttons on each side but feel a little like a relic from a bygone era.
Summary
While both the Hyperkin Duke and DuchesS are purely for nostalgia purposes to those familiar with them from the original Xbox, the DuchesS is the most fondly remembered one. While the Duke is indeed the more unique of the two, it requires large hands and making the DuchesS an objectively better controller.
It's easy to see how the Xbox 360 controller developed from the DuchesS and how many fondly remember playing endless rounds of Halo with such a upgraded design. With Sony doubling down on their DualShock 2 design, and the GameCube being built for more specific Nintendo use, this DuchesS controller probably is the most forward-looking design of its era, echoing a lot of features we take for granted now.
It sounds strange then, to say that for these Hyperkin recreations of the two, the DuchesS ends up as the least necessary one. Simply, because it feels closer to what an Xbox Series X/S controller offers and thus not worth buying outside of nostalgia. The Duke, although massive, has no equivalent in modern times and feels more interesting to play with as such.
Then again, this DuchesS model has all the modern benefits of hall effect sticks and impulse triggers, so if you want to travel back to your memories of the original Xbox and play the selection of Xbox classics on your Xbox Series X/S, then this is something to look into.
Overall, great build quality but lacks wireless, however it will perfectly align with how you remember the original for nostalgia.