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Sportster Racing Wheel
Score: 94%
Developer: Pelican
Device Type: Controller


Function:

If you want to get the most out of your racing games, you?ll want to use a steering wheel. Nothing beats a steering wheel and first-person view for that ?you?re there? experience. Usually a steering wheel will come with pedals to control acceleration and braking. Pelican?s Sportster Racing Wheel doesn?t use pedals, but instead has paddles (Formula 1 style) behind the wheel.

Performance:

The unique gas and brake ?paddle system? may sound a bit odd at first, but -- in practice -- it actually works pretty well. At the very least, it prevents you from having to deal with a lightweight, plastic pedal cluster that springs away from you the first time you lift your foot off of it (if not before). In addition, the Sportster Racing Wheel has a ?digital acceleration gauge,? which is made of a series of LED indicator lights at the top of the steering wheel that display how much acceleration you are currently applying. This gives you instant visual feedback on the relative amount of acceleration, instead of having to judge based on reactions in the game (which can be heavily modified by traction conditions and other factors).

One unique feature to the Sportster Racing Wheel is a feature that Pelican calls ?TCS,? or Traction Control System. By monitoring the quickness (jerkiness?) of your actions, the steering wheel can actually compensate, lessening over-steer and improving handling on tight curves. This feature actually works. You will have to ?tweak? the sensitivity settings to fit the game and your style of driving, but the TCS actually can help keep your car in control in those ?overly exciting? close calls.


Features:
  • Dual vibration motors
  • Gas and Brake analog paddles
  • Rubberized steering grips
  • Digital acceleration gauge
  • Floor or table top play
  • TCS - Traction Control System

Drawbacks & Problems::

There?s a small bit of difficulty in changing modes, but that?s indicated in the instructions and merely requires the button to be pushed a few times to get it to change to analog. The biggest problem I have is that there?s no clamp mechanism. The Sportster Racing Wheel is designed to be either playable on the floor or on a table top. However, the suction cups and rubber pads that may work fine in normal circumstances don?t always do the job in those tense ?tight squeeze? moments. And it?s nearly infallible if you have any doubt as to whether you?ll make it through a tough spot. If your steering wheel slips -- you won?t make it. I?m an advocate of clamps on steering wheels -- at least as an option. Suction cups work great on glass surfaces. If you?re playing on a non-polished wooden table, they?re not going to do a thing...

-Geck0, GameVortex Communications
AKA Robert Perkins

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