Customer Reviews

Logitech Driving Force Wheel for PlayStation 2

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I've recently tried this wheel controller. I own a PS2 that came with GT3. This controller works well with "Gran Turismo 3 A-spec" and "Test Drive Off-Road: Wide Open", but it doesn't work with any of the PlayStation1 games, and it doesn't work with many PlayStation2 games. This is the main problem with this controller. Very few games support it. Even very popular PS2 games like "Crazy Taxi" and "Extreme G3 Racing" don't support this controller! If you want a controller that works with all your PS1 and PS2 racing games then don't get this controller. However if you want a wheel with "Driving Force Feedback" this controller is your only choice.

"Driving Force Feedback" is a nice concept. Its not the same as the simple vibration found in most PlayStation controllers. With "Driving Force Feedback" you can feed the wheel turn against you, fighting you as you attempt to turn. This effect is done using motors in the wheel that can turn the wheel right or left to simulate certain driving conditions. It sounds nice, and it might be nice if it was done right. But in this wheel the effect is not very realistic. I find the simple vibration effect in other wheel controllers to give a more realistic feel.

In comparing the Logitech Driving Force Wheel with another popular wheel, the Mad Catz MC2 Racing Wheel, which is half the price, and the Interact Blue Thunder Racing Wheel which is about 3/4 the price, I've come up with the following comments:

1) The Logitech's feel isn't realistic. Its too loose and grainy feeling. I've never driven a car that feels the way this wheel feels. The other two wheels have a much more smooth realistic feel to them.

2) The Logitech's "driving force feedback" feature is very rough feeling. Its not very realistic, and its quite annoying. I find it better to use the controller with this feature turned off. The other wheels do not have this feature. But it isn't missed.

3) The Logitech controller's directional pad and X, O, triangle and square buttons are easily pressed accidentally while driving, because they are too close to the wheel's edge. The Mad Catz controller doesn't have this problem at all. The Interact Blue Thunder Racing Wheel has this problem a little with the placement of the L1, L2, R1 and R2 buttons. But you can remap them to different buttons if it becomes a problem. You can not do this on the Logitech Wheel.

4) The Logitech's controller doesn't work with any PS1 games and very few PS2 games, while the Mad Catz and Blue Thunder controllers work with every game I've tried, they even work better for "Gran Turismo 3 A-spec" than Logitech's does. They feel more realistic (even though there is no "Driving Force Feedback" effect).

5) The vibration effect of the other controllers is more realistic than the effect found in Logitech's controller.

6) Logitech's controller did not work all the time. Sometimes the PS2 would fail to see it, other times it wouldn't work right. Sometimes the buttons are hard to press in some games ("Test Drive Off-Road: Wide Open"). I had to reset my PS2 several times before it worked right. There are definitely bugs in the controller. The other controllers always worked great.

7) There is no stick shift on Logitech's controller. The Mad Catz controller and the Blue Thunder controller both have a stick shift.

8) You cannot remap the buttons on the Logitech's controller. The Mad Catz controller lets you remap all its buttons except the foot pedals. The Blue Thunder wheel lets you remap everything including the foot pedals.

9) The Logitech controller's foot pedals are VERY NICE. Better than any other one's I've used. The Mad Catz controller's foot pedals are not very realistic but give good reaction and have a wide range of analog activity. Both pedal sets work about the same. The Blue Thunder wheel's pedals seem to have a smaller range of analog activity.

10) Logitech's controller cannot work like a normal analog or digital controller making it incompatible with most PS2 games and all PS1 games. The Mad Catz controller can work as a standard analog controller with digital buttons or a digital controller, and as a wheel controller, allowing it to work with all PS1 and PS2 games. The Blue Thunder can work both as a digital controller and a complete analog controller, allowing it to work with all PS1 and PS2 games.

11) All three wheels have analog wheels and analog foot pedals. The Logitech's buttons are all analog. The same is true for the Blue Thunder when in analog mode. The Mad Catz controller has only digital buttons even when the wheel and pedals are in analog mode.

12) You cannot configure anything in the Logitech wheel unless your game has a setup screen made specifically for it. The Mad Catz and Blue Thunder wheels allow you to program all the buttons and set the wheel's sensitivity using setup buttons on the controllers. The Blue Thunder will remember its settings even when unplugged. The Mad Catz wheel lets you set the min and max positions in the wheel. The Blue Thunder lets you program the foot pedals.

13) Only the Blue Thunder Wheel's colors match the colors of the Sony PS2 and its Sony controllers.

Logitech's controller is good but it needs a few things modified and a few features added to it to make it worth the price. After all it is twice the price of the Mad Catz controller, but has less features, works with only a few games, and lacks a stick shift. For twice the price I expect: re-mapable buttons, analog and digital controller emulation, compatibility with all PS1 and PS2 games, a stick shift, and buttons placed in an area where you can't accidentally hit them. Until Logitech can come up with a better version of this controller I recommend buying one of the other wheels.

I couldn't find the PlayStation wheel anywhere so I picked up the red WingMan Force Feedback wheel for the PC at EBX and it works perfectly. This may give some hope to those GT fans who want the wheel but cannot find one (it appears that Logitech is no longer making the blue wheel for PlayStation)

Trust me, it works! I bolt mine to the dinette table and put the pedals on the floor and camp out right in front of the TV. It beats the arcade by a long shot.

The wheel itself is amazing. The rolling resistance, scuffing around corners, and the transition between road surfaces (from asphalt to gravel) are incredibly articulated. I found my game performance dramatically improved after ditching the DualShock for the wheel. It is a worthy successor to my favorite driving controller for the PS1, the NeGeCon (anybody have one of those?)

If you are a driving fan, grab the Logitech Wingman for the PC. It works great. Also, it works perfectly on the PC, unlike the PlayStation wheel, which for some reason doesn't deliver force feedback when on the PC.

I had a Mad Catz Wheel with my PS1 and only a child would have thought it was like driving a real car. BUT with PS2 it's a whole differnt story. Just plug in the electrical cord for the Logitech Force Feedback Wheel (YES, it's electrified) connect it to your PS2 and get ready for the closest thing to a real car without leaving your couch. This wheel doesn't just SHAKE it actually RESPONDS to the imaginary road and many a time you will have to fight the wheel and the laws of inertia to maintain control of your car, especially at high speeds (talk about realistic). On Rallye courses you can feel the gravel beneath the tyres and the slight jolt of a wheel bounce. Super Speedways have a tendency to pull your car to the outside (due to your high speed) and you'll be fightin' the wheel alot. With F1 2000 you can calibrate the Wheel for precise handling of the G.P. Circuits (you'll feel like Michael Schumacher winding your way around the course). I liked this wheel so much I bought a 2nd one!

Ever feel the "need for speed" but wanted to stay safe within the boundries of the speed limit?.... Logitech introducesthe Force Feedback Wheel to up the dream a bit, and yes, it is as close to racing as you'll get without turning the ignition. This wheel gives gamers the chance to feel the road as if the wheel is part of an actial car driving on the streets of...lets say..Rome?....then again, Maybe streetracing isn't your thing and preffer the rough and complicated terrain of rally racing in the Tahiti Maze?...either way, thius wheel will satisfy even the most passive of gamers...both car fans and not. The pedals are preasure sensitive, as well as the wheel itself. There are a few set-backs...the buttons do get in the way sometimes and the paddel shifters are annoying to work with unless you've driven a Ferrari 360 Spider equiped with paddel shifetrs. (Paddel shifters rest behind the wheel on both sides. The right paddel is for up-shift and the left for down-shift) It would have been in the best interest to have included a stick shifter or better yet an actual clutch. Either than that. this wheel is the best out there. Its was designed for the GT Serries so it's compatibility with other games are dependent on the game compatibility with the wheel. If you can afford to spend for this wheel, then go for it. If your worried about worth, then compare this to spending housrs in the arcade. ...there is no substitute for this wheel

I bought this wheel a little while ago and din't really play with it much. But this week I got it out and was stunned!!
The handling is good and the wheel notices all the little movments you make!! Its not at tall lose so as soon as you move it you see it on screen! There is no wait between turning the wheel and moving the wheels on screen the pedals have a nice feel to them aswell! I would recomend this product!

The force feedback on this weheel is phenomoenal, althought it takes some adjustment to get used to the forced "sway" the car goes into at high speed straightaways!
I unpacked it, hooked it up and was using it in (no lie) ten minutes, and I even made a mistake (make sure you hook it into the top USB port). these devices are tricky and are rarely usable across all game platforms, I don't care what they say. But Logitech has set a standard that I would hope other game manufacturers will follow. Just on GT3 it will take me weeks to adjust my cars, adjust my play and improve my score.

What fun!

Bought this wheel after using a Logitech wheel for the PC and loved it, ... Feed back is a little inconsistant while taking large corners but you have to remember, this is a game not real life. Wheel response is more than acceptable for making your PS2 driving games more realistic ... Logitech pedal base could be bigger with better grip for whatever floor it is on. Based from my personal experience, if you are stuck ... buy the Logitech and let the wanna-be's have the Madcatz. The logitech is well worth the extra [money].<P...

Hey I just wanted to make a note... I noticed when playing GT3 that if you had the driving Aids turned on the wheel would kind of drive itself a bit and that caused the who feel of the game to be a bit funky... But when turned off the wheel behaves and feels great!

We bought one each of this wheel and the less [costly] brand, in order to compare quality. This wheel was far superior and we soon returned the other one for another Logitech. Better control with the Logitech was the biggest difference. To solve the "wheel between the knees and sliding pedals" awkwardness, my husband constructed a "racing station" to support both.

this wheel is very nice and fun to use with GT3. BUT it's the only game that it works with besides Nascar 2002 .does not work with any of my other games like WRC , F1 2001 , or my brand new long waited V Rally 3 . since i have already beat GT3 and bored with driving in circles with nascar...