SideWinder Freestyle Pro

Published on 12/04/99

Introduction:

When most people thing about game pads they also think of Playstation or Nintendo. That is because a well designed game pad can be used for almost any game. That is also why many gamers on a tight budget purchase one. The basic game pad is composed of a D-pad, located on the left on the game pad, and 4 buttons, usually found on the right of the game pad.

The use of game pads with computer orginally started with simple action games or 2D games like Jazz Jack Rabbit. But as time has passed the use of game pads has slowly been decressing, to a point now where they are rarly every used.

Features:

The Freestyle features:

- "Motion Sensing Technology"
- A Sensor button
- A Throttle wheel
- A Shift button
- 6 Regular buttons
- Two Trigger Buttons
- Both USB and gameport Support

The biggest feature design change between this game pad and its predicesors it is design, the Freestyle Pro now is designed to make holding it a easier, and allows you to keep it at a neutral level easly. But the greatest feature of this game pad is its "MOTION SENSING TECHNOLOGY". This feature allows you to controll your movements by tilting the game pad in which ever direction you which to move. This is then allows you to use the game pad as both joysitck and a game pad at the same time.

The Freestyle pro like all good game pads features 6 buttons. But the Freestyle also includes 2 trigger buttons and a throttle wheel. Also the it has a shift button which combined with the SideWinder Controller Software, allows you to double the amount of buttons and use the D-pad as a hat. The Controller software also allows you to program each button with keys, or marcos (a sequence of keys, including duration and spacing). This allows you to program comblicated moves to a single button, instead of trying to move at amazing speeds. The SideWinder Controller software I have to say is very well desinged and is incrediable easy to use.

Installation of the game pad is also very easy, all you have to do is plug it in. This game pad also features both USB and gameport support. The SideWinder Controller Software, on the other hand does give trouble every now and then, and is loaded into your system try. But the software does allow you to program the buttons, and lets you switch game pads, with out turning of your system or changing system settings.

Author:
Kaos

Type:
Hardware

Developer:
Microsoft

Requirements:
Pentium 90 or higher
Windows 95 or 98
16MB of RAM
SoundBlaster Compatible auido card with gameport
25MB of hard-disk spaces (for the controller software)

Software:
96%

Usability:
85%

Value:
87%

Price:
70%

Innovation:
95%

Overall Grade:
87%