Bigbig Won Rainbow PC gamepad has an awesome smartphone app that we wish Sony and Microsoft could implement

In the past, third-party controllers were almost always inferior to the official Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo controllers that they were imitating. Nowadays, however, many newer third-party controllers are offering features not available on the official controllers while still coming close to build quality and feel. Bigbig Won has sent us one of these gamepads, called the Rainbow game controller, for our honest impressions.

Perhaps the defining feature of the Bigbig Won gamepad isn't its RGB colors, but its accompanying Android or iOS app. The app automatically scans and connects to the controller when it is active for users to adjust the lighting, input keys, macro keys, and even the sensitivity of the triggers or joysticks. There's a slight learning curve involved, but the level of customization is something we'd love to see on official controllers. The macro features in particular can come in handy for certain fighting games and combinations.

There are some key drawbacks to keep in mind. Firstly, the controller is not wireless which means that the app will not even work unless if the controller is plugged in to a PS4, Switch, or PC. To compensate, the box includes a 10 ft long Micro-USB to USB-A cable for home living room setups.

Perhaps the most egregious drawback to the Rainbow controller is that it does not support Xbox consoles despite the fact that the buttons and app icons are mapped as such. Thus, it can get confusing playing games on the PS4 or Switch since the buttons will not match onscreen prompts. It's clear that the manufacturer had designed the controller primarily for PC use.

The controller handles very well and looks attractive nonetheless which is what the target audience will likely care about the most. If we had to choose one thing to improve upon, it would be the LB and RB shoulder buttons which are too shallow and weak in feedback relative to the official controllers from console makers.

The Bigbig Won Rainbow game controller is now shipping on Amazon for $50 USD.