Hitboxes are getting more and more common these days and finding the right model for you can be a challenge with so many models and brands around. Luckily, I can help you with that. Recently I was contacted by QRD Game, a Chinese controller manufacturer that is producing an excellent option for those looking for some good quality hardware to improve their gaming experience. Introducing the Maestro S3 Bluetooth Hitbox, a small, light, and very portable controller that might well be not only your next controller but also your next travel companion.

The Maestro S3 comes inside a pretty unimpressive box, really, not the most eye-catching box you will see today, and together with the controller, you will get a 2-meter USB-C cable (6.5ft), a clip to hold your phone, and a small assortment of colored buttons. There’s also a very helpful manual that I recommend you take a look at before using the unit. The buttons are easy to change, and it is always cool when you have to possibility to customize your stuff without having too much trouble. The clip can be inserted in the back of the unit, leaving a gap for the cable to connect to your phone or a power bank in case you need it. The clip stays firmly in place and you can shake your controller around without knocking your phone off, or having it shaking like crazy… but I am not sure why you would shake your Maestro S3. 

The USB-C cable has a pretty good length and you can recharge the Maestro S3 with a 5V phone adaptor. The battery lasts a long time. To be honest, I charged it once, and after countless hours of play, it still has juice. I miss a battery indicator, but since you can feed it with anything that has a USB-A connection, I don’t think it will be a problem for no one

The controller itself feels pretty good to touch. It’s all made of plastic, which helps with its weight, and the plastic feels solid and sturdy enough to resist the regular beating anything gets when you’re out and about. When it comes to the buttons they are excellent. They are great at touch and their response is very good. They are pretty silent too, especially compared to more traditional buttons that you will find in most hitboxes around, and that’s an awesome thing. You can use this controller anywhere you want being certain that you won’t be bothering anyone with the constant clicking. 

The Maestro S3 follows the Xbox button layout, with the “inverted” up and down buttons, or jump and crouch if you’re thinking of Fighting Games. Unfortunately, there’s no native way to change the direction of the buttons, so if you’re planning to get a hitbox for playing beat ‘em ups, you will need external software to do this for you. If you play a lot of emulators, like I do, so it’s super easy to solve. Talking about emulation, this is where I took out most of this controller. Playing beat ‘em ups, shoot ‘em ups, run and guns, was an amazing experience. The level of precision and urgency you get with a controller like this is unmatched by any traditional controller or arcade stick. I spent an entire afternoon playing Elevator Action 2 with this controller and I never performed so well in this game. Actually, my good performance was the reason I kept playing and beat the game with all three characters.

Some beat ‘em ups can also be improved with this controller. Games like Final Fight 3, Nekketsu Oyako, and AvP, among others that use fighting game commands, can be improved a lot with this controller. Pulling QCF or QCB is a walk in the park which makes these games way more enjoyable. Believe it or not, I was even using this controller to play some Diablo 4, where I mapped the keys to be my attacks while I moved the character with the mouse. If this doesn’t show how versatile this controller can be, I don’t know what would.
Aside from all that, the controller also has a Bluetooth connection, so you can hook the Maestro S3 with your favorite console, PC, or Android/iOS device and play your favorite games without worrying about cables. Sure, if you’re thinking of going competitive, cable is always recommended, but for some leisure time playing your favorite game, the lag here is negligible. 

The Maestro S3 also comes with some nice features, like the LEDs under the buttons, which you can pick one from the 8 colors available or let it cycle through, you can change the unit’s latency, to better suit the game you’re playing, and of course, you can pick one of three different SOCDs. This, for those who don’t know, is a feature that allows you to change what happens when you press two different directions at the same time.

I have only two complaints about this controller:

– Its size, which is a bit small for my ginormous hands, but since the idea here is being portable, at least, that’s how I see it, I think the size is great. 

– The lack of a built-in feature to revert the up and down buttons, because right now, it can be a little annoying if you’re not playing a fighting game. You can change these on Steam, on the Nintendo Switch, on emulators, or even using third-party software, but if it was as simple as it is to change the SOCD, it would be way better.

The Maestro S3, as I said, works with everything, PC, Android/iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PS4, and PS5. The latter works with only a dongle that you can buy separately but clicking here. The controller costs 169.99 on their site for the basic unity, or 199.99 if you want it bundled with the PS5 adapter and a good assortment of color caps for your controller. You can also get the controller in their shop at Ali Express.

Overall, the Maestro S3 is an amazing piece of hardware. Light, reliable, and versatile, this is a controller that I will be using for years to come. It has been a great experience not only to crush in some beat ‘em ups with it but also to experiment with other games. It’s way more comfortable than a keyboard, and way more precise than a traditional D-pad, so the possibilities are endless here. If you’re looking for a new controller that can change the way you play, or if you’re looking for a hitbox that you can take around on your travels, the Maestro is easily the perfect candidate for that. 

If you want to learn more about the Maestro S3, or see it in action, check out my review on YouTube: