HKS Racing Controller Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just received the controller and so far it's amazing. Keep in mind that these are simple first impressions, but thus far, color me impressed. Right off the bat the controller itself feels solid. Build quality is easily a 7 or 8 out of 10. The auto-entering wheel is going to be great for oval races in GT5 and the new NASCAR game. For once I can hold a fairly steady racing line, which has definitely improved my laptimes a bit. So far I've only tested the controller with Burnout Paradise and F1 2010. Burnout I noticed the tighter analog stick helped out while on F1 2010 the steering wheel was smoother. The pressurized gas and brake pedals are phenominal, specially on F1. The great thing about this controller is the ability to change setups on-the-fly. There is a little switch on the back that is labeled "NFS/GT" which swaps the Square/X with L2/R2.

For fast maneuvers like in Burnout, the steering wheel doesn't respond *quite* as fast as I would like, but it still works very well. I think the best part about this controller is how versatile it is. With F1 2010 the steering wheel really helped in the middle of turns where I usually have to put a bit more wheel into it and often spin or get really loose requiring me to get off the throttle. Speaking of which, the throttle on the controller compared to R2 on the official PS3 controller is like night and day. Everyone knows how loose the analog sticks and triggers feel on the official PS3 controller. That is all tightened up quite nicely with the HKS controller. Much more control.

With Gran Turismo 5 now out, I have been putting this controller through it's paces and am happy to report it is holding up quite nicely. The steering wheel on the controller really shines through on the license tests where the difference between Gold and Silver can .001 of a second. With the steering wheel I can hold a steady line through the turns which allows me to keep as much speed as possible. What I'm finding I like most about this controller though is how I can use the analog stick for the hard turns but I can immediately switch to the steering wheel if I come up on a turn that requires just a little more finesse.

My only complaints would be the digital led readout...it's not so much a complaint, but rather that I find it useless as I'm paying attention to the screen, not the controller. This leads me to my second complaint; the controller is wired. While InterWorks has included more than enough length in the USB cord (which is gold-plated, MAJOR props for that, excellent connections!), I'm curious to see if they could have possible removed the led and put in a bluetooth chip and small battery...perhaps gen 2?

Overall, I'm really digging this new controller. There are a few racing games coming out in the future that I look forward to more now that I have this controller. NASCAR 2011 for instance should really benefit from this controller. For anyone who can't afford a racing wheel/seat, or who just don't have enough room for a racing wheel/seat, this is a near-perfect substitution. Definitely recommended!

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Product Description:
This is no ordinary driving wheel for PS3!

Interworks Unlimited's HKS Racing Controller for PS3 employs new controller engineering to deliver more realistic game simulation with your Playstation 3. The idea is to place you behind the wheel as you race down a track or conquer a galaxy. You'll feel the curves and each tug of excitement as you veer and turn at shockingly high speeds.

You may be comfortably sitting in front of your TV. With this controller, there's a fine line between reality and how you interact with what's on screen. The Interworks HKS Racing Controller features analog pressure acceleration and brake pedals - these full range pressure sensors allow real world control over gas and brake pedals, so you have the absolute control necessary to execute the advanced heel-toe racing technique for drifting. The light up numerical indicator displays your real-time pressure being applied to the accelerator and brake pedals. Dynamic digital readout incrementally displays pressure readout in every millisecond.

Broad Features:

Light up numerical pressure indicator Race Mode Switch Joystick Switch for dual access Full rotational range for left and right turn control Automatic re-centering

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