Overview
The Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is a cabled gamepad that remains one of the best Razer control systems ever made. However, because this level of the competitive model has been on the market for decades, it may be difficult to obtain a brand new in 2022.
Design and Functions
On the surface, the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition appears to be a slightly modified standard Xbox Controller, and it is. With the exception of green arrow markings on a D-pad and a delicate Razer logo engraved above where coax cable, little distinguishes this gamepad from the one that has emerged as a benchmark with Microsoft’s two most recent consoles. There’s also a rubber non-slip covering here, which I think is a significant improvement over the console’s standard pad’s shiny, glossy finish.
When you plug it in and hold it in your hands, however, the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is a different story. You’ll notice the RGB lightbar that wraps from around the Xbox button right away, but more key differences emerge when you use it. For starters, all of the buttons here are supported by tactile feeling microswitches, resulting in a clicky, instant, and responsive feel. When you flip the controller over, you’ll notice two large programmable bumpers on the back, as well as trigger-stop toggles and a slew of smaller configurable switching devices on either side of the system lead.
It’s that simple: the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is one of the best control systems I’ve ever used. It should be noted that regardless of the controller used on the PC, which tends to be nearer to the gaming desk anyway, my personal choice is always to be wired in. Furthermore, when playing at a distance while plugged into other rigs, as I’ve done with this controller, the users never witnessed any delay or inadvertent disengages from the long and complex cable here.
In terms of programmable buttons, I can’t speak for everyone, but having the jump button charted to the back rather than having to pressing up on the D-pad in Tekken 7 won me a lot of games. Furthermore, having the left back button established to crouch in Mortal Kombat 11 allowed me to keep my hands over the face buttons and be a bit more advanced with my inputs. That is perhaps the most powerful feature of controllers like the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition, and this effort from the upmarket product definitely lives up to its name.
Is the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition worth your money?
It’s difficult to say whether you can buy the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition because the controller is getting old. While it works native code on Xbox Series S and X as well as PC, the main issue with this gamepad is its scarcity. The Razer Wolverine Tourney Edition has been out for over 5 years, and it has been largely replaced by the Wolverine V2 and V2 Chroma.