PDP Riffmaster controller review: Get ready to rock

PDP has finally released their long-awaited Riffmaster to the masses, but is the guitar controller a few years too late?

Between the Nintendo Wii and Sony’s PlayStation, there have been several iterations of making the perfect controller for rocking out. With famous titles like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, fans of the franchise could get a life-like experience by using a guitar controller to play.

But the last Guitar Hero and Rock Band games were released almost a decade ago in 2015, which makes the Riffmaster’s creation a bit of a head-scratcher. However, with the rise in popularity of Fortnite Festival, I think the Riffmaster couldn’t have come at a better time.

Key Specs

• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Battery Life: 36 hours per charge
• Charge Connection: USB-C
• Compatibility: Xbox, PlayStation and PC
• Price: $129.99, €149.99, £129.99
• Features: 3.5mm audio jack, ambidextrous controls, 30-foot low-latency wireless connection, adjustable strap, and collapsible design.

Design

The design of the Riffmaster is exactly what you would expect from a guitar controller. It has a long neck with two sets of buttons allowing the user to play their hand at the top or bottom.

At first, I thought the set of buttons at the bottom was completely useless. That was until I decided to sit down after a few hours in Rock Band. It felt right to stand up, but sitting with the normal hand placement was clunky. With the buttons at the bottom, I was able to hold it more comfortably while sitting down or reclining.

One of the unique features of the Riffmaster is that it is ambidextrous. As a right-handed person, this didn’t matter much to me, but I did try it both ways and felt that the actual controller-based buttons were easily accessible regardless of hand position.

The Riffmaster also boasts a joystick, which can be found at the very top of the guitar neck on the back. It’s in a great spot for easy navigation while in-game and navigating menus outside of it. The joystick makes the Riffmaster feel more like an actual controller and not just a big plastic peripheral.

To finish it off, the Riffmaster bends at the base of the neck, allowing for it to be fully collapsable for easy storage. When opening the box for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by how small and easy it was to fold up.

Charging and connectivity

A USB-C cable is included to charge the RIFFMASTER, although the cord itself is short. This would make it difficult to have the controller charging while trying to play.

One pet peeve, is that the controller has to be plugged in at the base, making it awkward to store the controller while it charges. I would have liked to see it added to one of the sides, that way you could stand the controller up, while letting it charge.

PDP boasts that the RIFFMASTER can last 36 hours on a single charge, and to my knowledge this is accurate. I haven’t sat down and played Rock Band for 36 hours straight, but the battery life should suit anyone who wants to game for long hours for multiple days in a row.

Like most third-party wireless controllers, the Riffmaster comes with a USB dongle that will need to be inserted into the console to have it connect via Bluetooth. Once the RIFFMASTER is charged and the Bluetooth USB is plugged in, you’re ready to go. No loading, downloading, or lag will cut into your rocking out time.

As the company states, the Riffmaster has a connection of up to 30 feet from the Bluetooth device. I moved around my room while playing and found that there wasn’t any lag or delay when moving further back. So you won’t have to be glued to your screen to keep the connection solid.

Should you buy it?

If you’re someone who loves the original Guitar Hero / Rock Band series, this controller is a necessity. Especially with the ability to play on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. It’s so easy to use and keeps the same functionality as the older models with new technology.

For those who have been wanting a guitar controller for Fortnite Festival, this is a great buy. However, at the time of writing this review, the Riffmaster is not yet compatible with Fortnite.

I was hoping to see how the controller navigated on Fortnite by switching between modes, but that’s just not yet possible. But, I’m looking forward to the compatibility update that PDP will be releasing in the future.

For $130, this controller isn’t in the everyday person’s budget. But, if you want a fully immersive experience, a specialist controller is the way to go, it’s the same thing as buying a racing wheel or arcade stick. They might be expensive, but they’re utterly fantastic at what they do, and the PDP Riffmaster is no different.

Verdict 4/5

The PDP Riffmaster is almost an absolute home run. However, the price tag and lack of Fortnite Festival compatibility at release is slightly disappointing. The product itself is solid, well-made, and easy to set up. But the price tag will prevent many fans from making the jump. Especially with Fortnite Festival where controls can be easily changed to fit the user’s needs.

As for PDP’s future with the Riffmaster, I would love to see some personality added. Some other guitar controllers on the maker offer different colors than just solid black. Even Guitar Hero’s Wii controller could change face plates, add stickers, or change the guitar strap.

I would recommend Riffmaster to anyone who enjoys Rock Band-type games of any kind. It’s so easy to plug and play, and makes the games themselves way more enjoyable.

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