The Thin Skins That Win: Rockband Portable Drum Set

Peripheral manufacturer Mad Catz has found a solution to the problem, in the Rock Band Portable Drum Kit. When the unit first arrived at our offices, we were skeptical- the box itself was about the size of the MarioKart Wii packaging, only twice as thick. We were certain that an effectual drum kit could not fit within this diminutive package. Luckily, we were wrong.

Upon opening the package we found four solidly constructed drum pads with an eight inch diameter, two full-size drumsticks that broke down into smaller pieces, a foot pedal, and the controller unit that connects the drum kit. We were immediately impressed with the build quality- the drumsticks had an adequate amount of weight and didn’t feel flimsy, while the foot pedal seemed solidly built. The drum pads themselves had color-coded borders, and a no-slip surface conveniently applied to the bottom.  The kit’s controller closely resembled the Retrocon; a now-defunct, but fantastic retro-styled controller made by Mad Catz.

      Not visible in this picture is the headphone jack in the controller. When you have to play with yourself, quietly.

After plugging into the drum pads and pedal into the color-coded main controller, we were ready to unleash our inner Buddy Rich. Taking advantage of the versatility of the set, we placed the pads on the floor in front of us, and sat on a gaming chair. Having the pads lay flat before us forced us to lean forward, unlike the typical tilted position of the Rock Band drums. After a few songs, we added some cushion underneath each of the drums, so we didn’t have to lean forward to play; it was a simple tweak that added to our enjoyment. Each of pads matched the responsiveness of the standard issue Rock Band drums, while being a bit quieter.

Next, we set the pads on a low table, which simulated the elevation of a typical drum set. After a brief adjustment period, we were hitting the beats and cymbal crashes required by the harder difficultly levels of Harmonix’s signature game. Having the flexibility to move the drums pads came with one hidden vulnerability- we had to readjust our muscle memory to the new positions. We also noticed the pad performed better on a solid surface than a cushy carpet.

We tried the portable set with Guitar Hero: World Tour and found no compatibility problems, although players will have to use the d-pad on the drum controller to navigate menu systems, unlike Rock Band. Players that switch between the music games won’t have to reposition the pads, as GH:WT maps the pads to the same position as Rock Band.