Hands On with the Thrustmaster Wireless 3-in-1 Gamepad

 

In that time, I played everything from twitchy arcade shooters and rapid-fire adventure games to long RPGs using the gamepad, and found that how I fe;t about it depends heavily on the type of game that I was playing.

The Thrustmaster Run N' Drive 3-in-1 Wireless Gamepad may have a name that runs on for miles, but I was surprised to find that its range is almost as long as its name.

I was able to use the Thrustmaster Run N' Drive Wireless Gamepad for weeks;

Wireless gamepads are known to be flaky, especially when you begin to move further away from the console.

Some gamers believe that if you buy a gamepad or controller--especially a wireless one--from an off-brand instead of the one recommended by (and probably manufactured by) the console manufacturer, you're dooming yourself to a glitchy experience.

Plus, you can make peace between your PC- and console-gamer friends by using it with your PC as easily as with your PS2 or PS3.

it all but replaced my standard Playstation 2 controller, as well as the controller I use for arcade games on my PC.

My girlfriend was fanatical about it when she played Katamari Damacy, but I wasn't such a huge fan when I tried to play Onimusha on the PS2 or Gunbird on my PC.

 

 

All the buttons are programmable, which is especially useful if you plan to use the Run N' Drive with your PC, and the gamepad has internal memory so it can remember your custom configuration.

The Run N' Drive was designed for use with your Playstation or your PC.

Both the buttons and the analog sticks on the Run N' Drive were very sensitive.

At the same time, in games like Katamari Damacy, where the analog sticks are the only element of control and sensitivity matters, the Run N' Drive is a windfall and really improves gameplay.

The gamepad used 2.4-GHz wireless for extended range, and works equally well if you're lounging on the couch in front of the TV or standing a couple of dozen feet away.

The design is different enough from the standard PS2 controller that the handhold will take a little getting used to, but once you've used it for a few minutes you won't have a problem.

The controller resembles the original Playstation 3 controller, with long handles that made some people call the original PS 3 controller the In some games--third-person shooters, for example--in which you need some control over how quickly you turn to fire on a monster that's just leaped out of the shadows, oversensitivity can lead to turning too far, too fast, which was frustrating.

Even so, the Thrustmaster wireless gamepad was comfortable to hold and play with for extended periods.

Thrustmaster claims a range of up to 10 meters, and that's accurate as long as you don't have any serious obstructions.

 

The USB plug stays safely tucked into a port on the receiver when it's not in use, so if you move the gamepad from your Playstation to your PC frequently, you don't have to worry about carrying another cable or component around.

All in all, I found the Run 'N Drive fun to use, and a pleasure if you're playing the right game.

Similarly, the controller is great if you're playing PC or console games and want to be free of wires stretching across your living-room floor.

The controller is gorgeous, and the dual PC/Playstation receiver is pretty cool.

The PC version is $39.99, and comes with Windows drivers for the force-feedback motors.

I may be a little lukewarm to it, but my girlfriend swears by how much it improves her gameplay in Katamari Damacy, and that's enough to make it worth the $34.99 for the console version.