" Quit your whining there could be worse fates. "

   Title: Wing Man Rumble Pad by Logitech

   Format: PC Control Pad

   Reviewing Monkey: Cornelius

   The Hype: : Fully programmable, dual analog, with a sliding throttle, your gaming needs have been met.

      What This Monkey Thought...

   Ergonomics: Imagine your favorite PS controller, and then plug it in to your psx. I have large hands, (you know what that means ladies… large gloves) and this controller fits perfectly in my paws. The rumble motors give it a near perfect heft. It doesn’t feel heavy, but it stays away from flimsy as well. The only complaint I have is the buttons on the right side. Whereas a psx controller has 4 buttons in a "diamond" setup, the wingman has 6 buttons in two rows of three. The problem is the buttons are too spread out and the outer two buttons are a little hard to reach. Otherwise the wingman is among the top gamepads for the PC. 4.5 out of 5

   Features: Fully programmable with Profiler software, and an auto configure feature with 8 buttons, a throttle slider, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad. Rumble capable, and the motors shake the hell out of the pad. Also it's USB so that rocks. Unfortunately the analog sticks don’t act as buttons, but 8 are usually enough for most games. 3.5 out of 5

   Performance: The pad handles well, the USB connection is fast, and the response time is lightning fast. The pad feels great in your hands, and the rumble reacts very quickly, and appropriately. The analog controls have been designed wonderfully. They are tall enough to allow for precise movement, without being uncomfortable to use. I never thought I’d be writing kudos to a D-pad but Logitech has designed a great one. Smooth and fast, your thumb won’t get tired or sore destroying your enemies. The throttle slider is an interesting addition. Some games it really handles well, while others it becomes a burden to try and use. Still, hand it to Logitech for the innovation. 4 out of 5

   Installation: Installation is taken care of for you. Plug in the CD and let the machine do the rest. I have installed and re-installed (major reformatting; damn beta version games) and never once had a problem. One thing to look out for—if you are using a USB hub, the pad may not be able to draw enough power to run the rumble, so it may need to be plugged into the back of your machine. Quit your whining there could be worse fates. 5 out of 5

   System Compatibility: Has run great on every game we tried. And so far haven’t run into any problem, even with Microsoft games, which are notorious for only accepting MS peripherals. The software included in the pad will even search your games and create basic profiles for the controller for you. This is very keen. 5 out of 5

   How it Compares: Definitely one of the top 5 gamepads out right now. I don’t think you will be disappointed if you pick it up. While it doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles of other similar pads, it is a solid, and easy pad to get used to, the addition of the throttle slider and the ease of use push it ahead of the pack. 4 out of 5

   The Verdict:

       A pad you will be happy to own, with almost all the features you want. I wouldn’t change much about the Wingman even if Logitech asked.

   The Good: Solid feel, great responsiveness, and super easy installation.

   The Bad: Buttons could use a little work, and the analog sticks could be buttons as well.

   The Overall Ugly: Great buy if you need a gamepad.

   What it's Worth: Whatever insane markup retailers decide to gouge you for.