So, I let my eleven-month-old son play with my DualShock 3 controller, thinking he could do no harm. So, he drops it a foot and a half from his play saucer. So, now the left button on the d-pad no longer works.

Lessons learned: Babies are not to be trusted with electronics. DualShock 3 controllers should not be dropped from ANY height.

Fortunately, the broken button didn't stop me from getting my first platinum trophy over the weekend for God of War. The only thing I couldn't do with the broken button was select Medusa's Gaze. (Luckily, I was past the part of the game where you needed MG to solve a puzzle.) I know that the God of War trophies are a cakewalk, but I'm still happy to have gotten my first platinum. I was getting discouraged after trying so hard with SFIV and WipEout HD.

So, how long can I hold out before I give up and buy a new controller? Let's see:

• Critter Crunch: d-pad needed to play! Crud!
• God of War II: Can't select Cronos' Rage. Is this spell essential to completing the game or Challenge of the Titans?
• LittleBigPlanet: SackBoy has lost an emotion. No problem. I only use 'happy' anyway.
• Shatter: d-pad not needed for gameplay. Not sure about menu navigation.
• Street Fighter IV: I have a fightstick for SFIV.
• Super Stardust HD: d-pad not needed for gameplay. Will probably play this through while I decide what to do.
• Virtua Fighter 5: I'm used to playing this with my d-pad. Maybe now's the time to learn to play VF5 on the fightstick.
• WipEout HD Fury: d-pad not needed for gameplay. Not sure about menu navigation.