Mad Catz has always had one of the most impressive hardware booths at the E3 show with their two-story mega-complex full of controller and live demos. This year they chose the "less is more approach" with a smaller "backroom" setting that was pretty much for the media only, but that still didn't stop them from showing an impressive array of upcoming hardware for next-gen consoles.

Universal Equipment
Mad Cats is one of the few hardware manufactures creating equipment that can be used for any console. Their impressive selection from last year has grown to include even more unqiue items that might seem like luxury items until you find you simply can't live without them.

Perhaps the single best, or least the most useful, piece of equipment being shown was the new PowerLine Ethernet Wall Mounts. This amazing device allows you to share your ethernet connect anywhere in the house by using existing electrical wiring. This is a great solution for those who don't want to run CAT#5 through their house or invest in expensive wireless networking solutions. You get no interference from the power lines and since the signal is still "wired" you will get faster bandwidth than a wireless solution.

Mad Catz is also keeping up with modern home theater technology with their release of switch boxes and high-definition cable kits for HDTV and component hook-ups. They are also updating their Blaster lightguns to work with HDTV signals. Of course if you are still living in the 80's they still have their line of quality RF adapters so you can hook those new consoles up to your antique TV.

Need to take you gaming on the road? Look for a new portable LCD game screen and power inverters, perfect for playing your favorite games on those long road trips. Having trouble keeping those discs nice and shiny. The new Electronic Disc Repait Kit will keep your discs in mint condition.

If you are a racing fan then you won't want to play any of the new racing titles without the Universal Racing Wheel. This stylish wheel and pedal combo works with all the major consoles and delivers an uncanny sense of realism to any of your favorite driving games.

And finally, if you have been wanting to hear just how good all these new games can sound, but your TV only has one or two tiny speakers, check out the new 2.1 and 5.1 surround speakers with sub-woofer. These speakers will rock your house and put you in the center of the action. They are easy to hook-up and small enough to store when not in use.

One of the more original controller ideas was the Arcade Stick, designed just like the stick and buttons you would find on any arcade cabinet, this controller will let give you the ultimate in control over your favorite arcade and fighting games. The unit is even designed so you can slip in your favorite "skins" to recreate that coin-op look. Just download your favorite arcade cabinet art, print, and slip the overlay onto the surface and you'll think you are at the arcade.

The coolest controller in the PS2 line-up had to be the new Zombie Pad, basically the same style controller as last year's LumiCON only now the gamepad has a wicked skin texture with transparent vein-like patterns that allow the light to pass through. Unlike the LumiCON where the controller was lit all the time, the Zombie Pad flashes in synch with the vibration effects of the game creating a very cool visual effect.

For those of you who enjoy playing three and four player PS2 games but don't like the traditional Multitap box that hangs from that short cable, Mad Catz has created a new Multi Port unit that plugs right into your existing controller port and still gives you access to your memory card slot. Add a second Multi Port and you have access to eight-player action with no mess and no clutter.

Again, the coolest controller in the Xbox line-up had to be the new Zombie Pad, basically the same style controller as last year's LumiCON only now the gamepad has a wicked skin texture with transparent vein-like patterns that allow the light to pass through. Unlike the LumiCON where the controller was lit all the time, the Zombie Pad flashes in synch with the vibration effects of the game creating a very cool visual effect.