Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller

Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller
Controller type	Guitar controller
Platform(s)	Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows Mac OS X
Producer	RedOctane
Bundled Game(s)	Guitar Hero II (Xbox 360) Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (wired bundle for Xbox 360 and PC)
Compatible Games	All Guitar Hero/Rock Band games on Xbox 360 and PC
Connection	Wired (Xbox 360 breakaway cable to USB-A)
Based On	Gibson Explorer

The Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller is a wired Xbox 360 guitar controller packaged with the Xbox 360 port of Guitar Hero II, as well as the PC port and the wired Xbox 360 bundles of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The X-Plorer is very different from the Guitar Hero SG Controller, the guitar controller bundled on PlayStation 2 Guitar Hero titles.

This controller was the last wired controller manufactured for the Guitar Hero franchise, and the only one with a direct USB connection, assuming you have the breakaway cable. It can be used any guitar music game on the Xbox 360 or PC, including Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and Rock Band.

Appearance

This controller has a white body in the shape of a Gibson Explorer, having polygonal inward curves, allowing comfort when playing and laying the body on the player's thigh. It is slightly larger and heavier than the Guitar Hero SG Controller, and the buttons stick out further from the neck, but smaller than the succeeding Guitar Hero World Tour Wireless Guitar Controller.

Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller's design on demo kiosks (not for sale).

The circular Xbox 360 D-Pad (➕), small Start (▸) and small Back (◂) buttons are near the near the bottom of the X-Plorer Controller's body, making it impractical to activate Star Power with the small Back button away from the strum bar, even more so than on the SG Controller. The Whammy bar is located in the corner below the bodyguard.

The design of the bodyguard is white like the body itself for consumer releases but Xbox 360 demo kiosks featuring Guitar Hero video games had a black bodyguard with "Guitar Hero X-Plorer Guitar" implanted on it.

Reception

Some Guitar Hero players dislike how skinny the neck is compared to the Wireless Les Paul Controller, while others find it more comfortable. Most of those who prefer the Les Paul played Guitar Hero III first, however.

Nonetheless, the Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller is often favored its buttons and for being a wired guitar controller with no input latency and an easy plug-and-play access to Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X computers with USB ports.

Trivia

Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (Xbox 360).

• In Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3 versions), the Guitar Hero X-Plorer Controller, along with the Wireless Les Paul Controller, can be played like real guitars. These controllers do not appear as playable guitars in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
• X-Plorer is a wordplay on the Gibson Explorer using the "X" from Xbox, hence why it may be an Xbox 360-exclusive guitar controller.