New 360 controller given the green light in Australia

It's well known among the gaming community that when it comes to D pads, the Xbox 360 controller falls short of the competition. The fact that the up, down, left, and right buttons sit on a raised pad with curves around the sides means that when you're using it for games like Super Street Fighter IV, you will be at a disadvantage because it's harder to accurately press the buttons. Countering this, Microsoft announced earlier this month that it would be bringing out a reworked controller with a transforming D pad.

From November 9 for A$99.95/NZ$109.99 ($92), Australian Xbox 360 owners will be able to pick up the new controller from their local gaming retailer. The controller also comes bundled with the Play and Charge kit, which means you'll no longer have to rely on AA batteries to power your controller.

Although the new D pad still looks from the outside nigh on identical to the old one, players will simply need to twist the D pad around to change it from a disc configuration to a classic four-button D pad. Other changes also include monochrome buttons and modified shoulder triggers and bumpers.

GameSpot AU called Microsoft Australia to find out how long it would be before the new controllers would come standard with new Xbox 360 consoles, but a spokesperson for the software giant was unable to comment at this time.

For a sneak peek at the new Xbox 360 controller, check out the video below, but keep in mind that it features US dates and pricing.