Annual Review: Six Gamepads

Enzo Must Have Had Small Thumbs

The wheel is clamped by two suction pads and a screw, a simple and effective system. The vertical movement you get doesn't matter once you are in place. You next plug in the power and the pedal set. You find you have a really good hold on the wheel with its rubber handgrips on either side. There is just a problem, which might be a sizeable one depending on your size. The thumb notches are too narrow for some people who want to grip the wheel as I do. Other folk here at Tom's who don't hold the wheel in the same way did not mind, but some were as bothered as me. It really is a shame this ergonomic mistake was made.

Apart from that, there are swathes of buttons, eight to be precise, plus a D-pad which is perfect for views. Behind the wheel are four levers, two for gear shifting and two analog ones for accelerating and braking if you don't want to use the pedals. The pedal set is more classic in looks, though the latticed pedals are nice. The idle position is a bit upright and could get tiring. On the other hand, the travel is long enough and the brake is stiffer than the accelerator.