" Why do I feel so dirty when I put it on my lap? "

      Title: Cyborg 3D Force Stick by Saitek

      Format: PC Force Feedback Stick

      Reviewing Monkey: Dungapult

      The Hype: The Cyborg series joysticks are some of the most critically acclaimed and award winning sticks around. With 3D force they make the jump into the force feedback market. But will it prove to be a good move or simply double as an 8 button vibrator? Read on, my monkeys…read on.

      What This Monkey Thought...

      Ergonomics: Without question, the stand out feature of the Cyborg series in the past has been the amazing amount of ergonomic control you have had. Adjustable to a number of customized hand positions, it has been, hands down, the most comfortable series of sticks on the market. Thus, I was more than a little disappointed when the 3D Force (3DF) came in and lacked that critical feature. The stick, a design amalgam of their standard line, is your run of the mill vertical post angled top button faire…and while that isn't a bad thing in and of itself is unfortunately bears the high water mark established by its name sake predecessors. Still, the stick itself isn't uncomfortable and fits nicely into your paw…just no more or less than any other stick on the market. 3.5 out of 5

      Features: If it was just a standard joystick the Cyborg would probably still be considered fairly feature packed. It's got 8 buttons, an 8 way hat, throttle, rudder twist, and a truly ambidextrous feel. Not too shabby. And at the $49.99 price point it's primary competition would be Saitek's own Cyborg Gold adjustable stick (which typically clocks in at 10 to 20 bucks cheaper). But that, of course, is not including the biggest selling point of the 3DF-it's force feedback ability. Add that in, and compare it to many of the $80 or $100 force feedback sticks on the market, and you have a serious bang for your buck. Kick ass! 5 out of 5

      Performance: Well, I moved the stick to the left and I turned left. I pushed the button and I fired. It was…ah, hell-who am I kidding. All you care about is the force feedback so let's jump right to it. And, not being one to string you along more than I already have, let us just say it's awesome and be done with it. The feedback is everything it should be and will finally take the place of the old ogre sticks on the market. And speaking of ogres…one of the most surprising and impressive things about this stick is the amazingly small footprint and height it offers. For those of us who are familiar with old dinosaurs like the Sidewinder this things small base size will actually come as a shock. 4 out of 5

      The Verdict:

All in all, this is a wonderful new joystick and its force feedback capabilities are top notch. Though hard core gamers might be put out by the lack of ergonomic customizability, casual gamers or those more interested with flashy feel than cutting 3/10ths of a second off their banking dive will find a good fit here.

      The Good: Great force feedback, small footprint

      The Bad: Not ergonomically customizable

      The Overall Ugly: Why do I feel so dirty when I put it on my lap?

      What it's Worth: Market