SpeedFreek Score: 96% Developer: KontrolFreek Device Type: Accessory Compatible With:

Function: The PS3 and the Xbox 360 controllers both feature small analog sticks, which compared to the sticks found in the real arcades (huge) and even the stick in the Atari 2600, for that matter, are diminutive in size. It seems as though, through the evolution of the modern game controller, they have become almost vestigial appendages, dangling off the front. Meanwhile, while the huge, lumbering sticks of yesteryear were merely digital, the small nubs that pass for control sticks these days are analog, which means games can expect you to not only indicate a direction, but indicate a precise amount of movement in a specific direction. It can be extremely difficult to control those small analog sticks with precision. The SpeedFreeks are small plastic adapter type things that fit over the analog sticks (on the PS3 or the 360) and extend the height and provide a "U"-shaped trough for your thumbs to rest in, removing the need to hold the stick down while using it.

Performance: The standard gamepads for the Xbox 360 and PS3 are wholly inadequate for playing games. Before you start objecting... I didn't realize this, either, until I tried the SpeedFreeks. In fact, I didn't immediately realize it at first, myself. I played for a while with the PS3, but it wasn't until I was playing on the Xbox 360 late at night and I was getting a bit tired that I found the true purpose of the SpeekFreek add-ons. They feature a curved slot that your thumb sits in. This curved slot removes the need to push down (at all) on the stick to hold it in place. You can actually play you game just as if you were playing normally, but then lift your thumb up off of the stick, slightly, so you're not even touching the stick itself... and still play. The walls of the SpeedFreeks touch your thumb on either side, so even if you're not touching the stick itself, when you move your thumb to the right or left, you'll be pressing the SpeedFreek and, hence, controlling the analog stick. This greatly reduces the amount of stress and rigor you have to hold in your hand to control the game when playing racing games. Also, this greatly reduces the likelihood of accidentally pressing down on the button activated when pushing the analog stick down. It's great that controllers have found a way to add another button, really it is, but a game can go from fun to merely aggravation when you have to use the Left Analog Stick and (L3) triggers a disruptive function... and you keep accidentally pushing down on the stick. In addition to giving your thumb a way to move the analog stick without resting on the stick, it also raises the total height of the stick (to the top of the "U") to about twice as high. I found that I can get extra precision out of the analog stick by sliding my thumb up to the top of one side of the "U" and merely using the added height to my advantage. You see, the longer the stick, the easier it is to precisely control the stick. This gives you the same advantages as the FPSFreek, but in an even more unsightly (read, "strange-lookin'") package. With the mix of added precision-on-demand and zero-downforce control of the stick, the SpeedFreek can help to change - or at least refine - your game, with practice.

Features: Compatible with 360 and PS3 First Party Gamepad Controllers Simply Press Fit on Top of Analog Sticks of Controller (Left or Right) Two SpeedFreeks Included

Drawbacks & Problems:: The SpeedFreek fits on both original 360 controllers and original PS3 controllers, but if you get really aggressive and push on them a whole lot, it is possible to start to dislodge them from the analog stick. Mind you, I noticed this when using the SpeedFreek with my thumb up high on the top, which is not really the intended usage, and, even so, the SpeedFreek didn't come off the analog stick, but merely slipped a little bit to the side. One thing that I noticed about the SpeedFreek is that if you place them on both analog sticks of a PS3 controller, they can come into contact with each other. Quite frankly, I find the SpeedFreek to really only be desirable on the stick used for steering in a racing game, so this probably won't be a problem for most people/games. I, personally, do use a driving method that would end up in the positions that would cause the SpeedFreeks to hit each other, although doing so might be rare. I find that in games that allow me to use the right analog stick to control accelleration, I can control the car better by either pointing the accelerator in the direction I want the car to go (along with the steering stick), or to "mirror" the steering stick, meaning that if I'm taking a tight right (with the left stick), then I have the gas almost completely off (while pressing straight left - the left and right aspects of the stick aren't read when forward and backward are controlling gas/reverse). However, by mirroring the steering stick, the fuel is reduced as the turn gets tighter and is increased as you straighten out of the turn. Like I said, it's not likely to be a big problem, but it can happen. The only other drawback, really, is that they are a bit weird looking. If you're a gamer that's more into fashion than performance, you might not want to mess with the SpeedFreek. Also, they're small and, if removed from the controller, could be easy to lose. This could be remedied a bit if they were hot pink or safety orange, instead of a non-descript and easy to lose black, but then the fashionistas wouldn't be able to game in the same room, so I guess you have to draw the line somewhere. If you're looking for a way to clean up your driving skills and get more precise control to beat that Drift race you're stuck on or to keep from slamming into the wall in that turn, you might want to pick up a pair of SpeedFreeks, because the fashion police can't ticket you if they can't catch you.

-Geck0, GameVortex Communications AKA Robert Perkins

Related Links: Game Vortex's Review of the FPSFreek