Today I learned about the Jogcon controller for PS1 & PS2:
This was a dualshock where the analog sticks are replaced by a dial with force feedback, so players could play Ridge Racer and really FEEL the road as if the dial was a steering wheel. I have no clue if it was good (probably not), but I do miss a good weird controller.
This is a Nyko Air Flow controller. I had one for the original Xbox. It was supposed to keep you from sweating during long sessions of gameplay, because it was ventilated and had a fan on the back. To be honest, I don’t remember it being excellent at keeping you cool. I think the fan was pretty lousy, but it was a great gimmick none the less.
I had a lot of weird controllers back then. Some good, some bad. Most of them Mad Catz.
Mad Catz and their controllers that seem like they were designed by two actual, mad, cats. They still make ridiculous stuff like their R.A.T. mouse with like a dozen different dials and sliders and removable parts for customization:
Of course, I think Mad Catz was absorbed by some other company at some point, so i’m not 100% on if it’s even the same people anymore. But the spirit is alive and well, it would seem.
LOL I had completely forgotten about this controller. One of my roommates in college had one of these and I usually wound up with it. I didn’t hate it, though, for a third party controller it was surprisingly decent. The fan was mid, but you could feel it, from what I remember.
I remember it being one of my favored chosen out of the plethora of random third party devices I had laying around. This was a step above Mad Catz for sure, but definitely still below the original controllers.
NYKO were a decent third party, back in the day. Not great, but a step above the competition. Downside, I don’t think they ever really changed their plans that much. I swear I saw PS3 controllers with the “air cool” marketing still on it, just now with RGB through the controller!
