GamesRadar+ Verdict
The Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is a stellar controller for the Esports faithful which lives up to its namesake, however, its availability issues in 2022 mean you may not find it as reliably as others in the series this year.
Pros
- +
Beautifully designed
- +
Microswitch buttons
- +
Competitive functionality
Cons
- -
Could be difficult to find in 2022
- -
Superseded by the Wolverine V2 models
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The Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is a wired gamepad that I would still consider to be not only one of the best Razer controllers ever made. Keep in mind, though, having been on the market for some time, that this low-latency competitive-minded model may be difficult to get your hands on brand new in 2022. This means I can't quite recommend it as one of the best PC controllers because of this fact.
Design and Features
On the surface, the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition looks like a slightly modified standard Xbox Controller, and for the most part, it is. Little differentiates this gamepad from the ones that have come as standard with Microsoft's two most recent consoles from a distance, with the exception of the green arrow markings on a D-pad and a subtle Razer logo etched above where the cable goes. There's also a grippy non-slip coating here, which is a notable improvement over the shiny, gloss finish as found in the console's standard pad in my opinion.
Plug it in and hold it in your hands, though, and it's a different story with the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition. You'll note the RGB lightbar which wraps around the Xbox button straight away, but more core differences are revealed when in use. For one, all the buttons here are backed by tactile feeling microswitches for a clicky, immediate and responsive feel. Turning the controller over reveals two large programmable bumpers on the rear, as well as trigger-stop toggles, and a fair of smaller programmable switches on either side of the power lead.
These are features that you would expect to find on an Esports-focused gamepad, and the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition certainly lives up to the likes of the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller, with the obvious exception of wireless functionality. That's right; as with all Wolverine controllers, this version only works when hard-wired into your Xbox or gaming PC. The lengthy braided cable can be detached, though, making it easier to store, but if you're looking to go cordless with your controller, then this isn't the one for you.
Performance
The Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition is one of the best controllers that I've ever used, it really is that simple. I should state that my personal preference is always to be wired in regardless of the controller that I'm using on PC, where I tend to be close to my gaming desk anyways. What's more, though, when playing at a distance plugged into other rigs as I've done in my time with this controller, I've never experienced any issues with latency or accidental disconnects from the lengthy cable here.
I've had my hands on several Esports / competitive controllers in my time, such as the Nacon Revolution X Pro and the older Pro Unlimited model, and straight up, the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition just feels that little more premium in the hand than those other offerings. The microswitches found in the face buttons combined with the trigger stops, and programmable switches really do make all the difference here. It sounds like a small addition, but there's something to be said between shortening the time between trigger presses, which has proven to make or break in the likes of Mortal Kombat 11 with enhancing moves at the last second, as well as racing off the line just that little bit quicker in Ride 4.
Shooting games also benefit from this tech as found on the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition, too. As while on PC most people are going to want to gravitate towards a mouse and gaming keyboard, single-player games, such as Doom Eternal, Cyberpunk 2077, and Deathloop was a very pleasant experience with this controller. I personally felt like I had a little more control over where I was aiming for the most part. If you're gaming on Xbox, you may notice your response times being that little bit quicker, too.
As for the programmable buttons, I cannot speak for everyone, but I can tell you that having the jump button mapped to the back instead of having to press up on the D-pad in Tekken 7 won me a fair few games. What's more, in Mortal Kombat 11, having the left back button set to crouch meant I could keep my hands over the face buttons to be a bit more technical with my inputs. That's perhaps the greatest strength of controllers such as the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition, though, and this effort from the boutique brand certainly delivers on its namesake.
Should you buy the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition?
It's a tough question to answer whether or not you should buy the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition as the controller is showing its age now. While it works natively on Xbox Series S and X as well as PC, the biggest problem plaguing this gamepad is its availability. It's been over 5 years since the Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition was released, and it's largely been replaced wholesale by the Wolverine V2 and the V2 Chroma.
The closest possible current generation still being sold by retailers is the Razer Wolverine Ultimate. This controller shares the same visual design and feature set, but also includes the interchangeable thumbsticks and D-pad as well as a dedicated hot bar for in-game audio. What's more, this controller is typically sold nowadays at less than the Wolverine Tournament Edition's original MSRP. If you can find this one for its actual retail price or less though, I can personally recommend it.
