When we first heard Sony's PlayStation 3 was debuting with motion controls instead of rumble, we nearly broke down in man tears. The SIXAXIS controller bites, and it bites hard. Not only do a limited number of PS3 games use the motion controls, but when they're actually implemented, the game usually becomes an exercise in frustration (we're looking at you Lair, and your demon dragons that go where we don't want them to go!). That's why when Sony finally settled its five-year-long lawsuit with Immersion, the brains behind force-feedback technology, we were anxiously counting down the days till the PlayStation's revered DualShock controller made its long-awaited return from the dead.

And finally, the day has come—at least for some. Japan got first dibs on the new DualShock 3 controller on November 11, but Americans won't be able to get their hands on it until Spring 2008. But we got one. And take our word—it's sweeeeeeet.

If you've been playing with a PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS controller for a few months, you will feel right at home with the DualShock 3—there's really not that much difference between the two in terms of size dimensions and button layout. The D-pad is still on the upper-left-hand side of the controller and the two analog sticks are still positioned parallel from each other on the bottom half. We would have preferred to have the D-pad and the left analog switch positions, which would really help with aiming in first-person shooters like Resistance.

There are some noticeable differences from the SIXAXIS, however. The new ceramic white color of the DualShock 3 (also available in original black) makes the controller look sleeker and prettier (too bad a matching ceramic white PS3 is only being released in Japan for the foreseeable future). There is also a considerable amount of extra weight to the new design, due to the addition of the DualShock motors—that's a good thing. We're very pleased with how the new controller drops in our hands, and it doesn't feel like it's made from cheap plastic (even though it says "made in China"), which was one of the major faults of the SIXAXIS' design.

As for how the controller performs, we've heard rumblings (pun intended!) that the feedback of the DualShock 3 was a bit different than its PS2 predecessor. We tried out several games and took notes:

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Demo (available at the Japanese PlayStation store)
We took one of the Nissan Skylines out for a spin around the track and were pleasantly surprised to feel how polished the rumble was in the game. On straightaways, our hands were greeted by the soft purring of the car's engine. On turns, the rumble softened as the brakes were applied, and ramped up as we accelerated into the next track section. Overall, the controller feedback was accurate with what was going on in the game, and the vibrations felt more refined than our previous experiences with rumble in the Gran Turismo series.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
The game play for Uncharted, one of our favorite games, only gets better with the inclusion of force-feedback. Each gun has its own specific rumble—a handgun produces short bursts, while a grenade will create a considerable shake. When blowing up barrels of dynamite, your controller emits a vibration that's dependent on where you are standing. If you're near the explosion, the controller goes crazy. If you're sniping from far away, you won't feel anything. Again, the controller reacts well with the game play on the screen.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
The thing you'll notice is that each one of Ratchet's weapons has a different rumble. For example, the Alpha Cannon produces a soft vibration when loading up the gun and a substantial rumble when the round is fired. Ratchet's wrench pound is even more awesome to execute now that your controller doesn't just sit in your hands limp and silent.

Our Take
The award-winning DualShock controller is back, and it has brought its ugly sister, SIXAXIS, with it. We're glad Sony finally settled their lawsuit and, though it's not really a step forward at all in game technology, our imported controller looks and feels great. The hardware developers put enough meat on the new design to give the controller a better presence in players' hands. While rumble was added to some games with the release of the PS3's 2.00 firmware update, it doesn't feel like it has been just tacked on. We expect, and have been told that, DualShock 3 will work with all PS3 and most PS2 games sometime in the near future. Till then, we're glad you're back, DS—we've missed you.