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by Nate Aguilera aka n8nmonster

*For this review, we performed testing using the original GH1 Black SG Controller and the GH2 Red SG Controller.

For Rock Band for PS3 and Guitar Hero III for PS3, both GH1 and GH2 controllers seemed to work almost flawlessly. We could perform hammer ons and pull offs, wammy bar, tilt for Overdrive / Star Power, and Select Button for Overdrive / Star Power.

When tilting the controller, there’s a slight delay in order for the Star Power to activate. The converter instructions mention the tilt must be held up for about 1.5 seconds in order for Star Power to activate and that this is necessary due to a difference in tilt sensor design in the PS2 guitars compared to the PS3 guitars. Literally, this means you may need to tilt the controller a bit longer than usual for Star Power to come out. Using the Select button, of course, remains as an alternative to activate Star Power instantly. Although, Select has it’s own problem which we mention next.

When in Rock Band or Guitar Hero mode, the converter allows special button combinations when using the PS2 guitars. Pressing the Start and Select buttons together activates the PS3 Home menu while pressing Select and Green or Orange together allow for D-Pad Left or Right. The latter of the button combinations, unfortunately, may cause problems during gameplay. As mentioned earlier, the Select Button can still be used to activate Star Power. However, if the Green or Orange button are held when trying to press the Select button, Star Power would not activate. Small bummer, yes, but you can still use the tilt to activate Star Power in its stead.

Of course, these are minor details. Whichever method you choose for activating Star Power, as long as you can rock out, you’ll be fine.

The converter itself has three mode options — Game Pad (GP), Rock Band (RB), and Guitar Hero (GH) — each of which can be selected by moving the onboard switch left or right. What we found interesting was that what mattered most was what mode the converter was set on when first plugging it into the USB.

If it was set on RB and you were ready to fire up Guitar Hero III, for example, despite being able to move the switch to GH, your controller would still be recognized to be in RB mode (along with improper button mapping). If you unplugged the converter, moved the switch to GH, and then plugged it back in again, -then- would your guitar be recognized for Guitar Hero III as normal. Obviously, this can be a little inconvenient when switching between games. Just be sure to be set in the proper mode before plugging the converter into the USB.

Another interesting thing we found was that the LED player indicator would only light up when in GH mode.

For PS2 game on PS3 compatibility, there are some ups and downs. First and foremost, the RB and GH modes are not supported since they’re meant for specific button mapping. So we’re stuck working with GP mode. Trying Guitar Hero II and Guitar Hero Rock the 80s, the GH1 and GH2 controllers, unfortunately, were not recognized properly, making both games unplayable. Trying Guitar Hero 1, however, both GH1 and GH2 guitars worked perfectly, including no tilt delays or Select Button + Color Button problems.

For other games like DDR and Taiko Drum Master, the special RedOctane Hard Pad and Taiko Drum controllers were unusable due to special button mapping. Although you can still play them using a regular Dual Shock 2 controller, we can’t knock off The Ant Commandos since the converter was meant for two bigger games in mind.

Despite the nitpicks we had on it, for the purpose of being able to use your GH1 or GH2 controllers on Rock Band for PS3 and Guitar Hero III for PS3, The Ant Commandos’ Universal PS2 to PS3 Controller definitely comes through and makes an excellent choice for those seeking to breathe new life into their old guitars.