recorderdude
12-01-2012, 12:20 AM
So, a few months ago, I picked up this gimmicky looking controller from a "pay-$5-and-fill-your-bag-with-junk-we-can't-sell" bin (which i've always had luck with; some highlights were a perfectly working eyetoy w/CiB eyetoy play, a game gear "suitcase style" carrying case and about 30 game gear protective cases (which I desperately needed since my games were getting dusty) and a perfect condition ace combat zero that another store near me sells for $20!). It's called "Air Racer" and looks like this:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JY1LiNMBL.jpg
It claimed to use "motion sensing technology" to work as a driving wheel (really, as the analog stick/DPAD of a PS1 or N64 controller) and right away I expected it either didn't work well like old NES motion sensing controllers (powerglove, anyone?) or wouldn't work at all due to being broken. I set it up, threw in crash bandicoot and...holy shit. It actually worked. WELL. It sensed analog movement by how far you tilted it and I was even able to beat a few levels rocking it around as the analog stick!
Now, of course, never hearing of this thing before, I looked it up and found barely any information on it. From what I can tell, it was released in '98 and didn't sell well...no idea how, considering it's a 3rd party controller that retailed for 90 bucks. What was even more confusing to me is that there's not a single one of these on ebay, and there's been one on amazon for $30 that's yet to move since I checked it here: http://www.amazon.com/Air-Racer-Optical-3d-Controller-PC/dp/B000H8N9C6
At this point I have to wonder how much a functional one of these bad boys is worth, and if anyone in the world actually is after one?
(Admittedly, it is an amazing peripheral for the time in my opinion and I'll likely keep it for myself if the value's normal to low)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JY1LiNMBL.jpg
It claimed to use "motion sensing technology" to work as a driving wheel (really, as the analog stick/DPAD of a PS1 or N64 controller) and right away I expected it either didn't work well like old NES motion sensing controllers (powerglove, anyone?) or wouldn't work at all due to being broken. I set it up, threw in crash bandicoot and...holy shit. It actually worked. WELL. It sensed analog movement by how far you tilted it and I was even able to beat a few levels rocking it around as the analog stick!
Now, of course, never hearing of this thing before, I looked it up and found barely any information on it. From what I can tell, it was released in '98 and didn't sell well...no idea how, considering it's a 3rd party controller that retailed for 90 bucks. What was even more confusing to me is that there's not a single one of these on ebay, and there's been one on amazon for $30 that's yet to move since I checked it here: http://www.amazon.com/Air-Racer-Optical-3d-Controller-PC/dp/B000H8N9C6
At this point I have to wonder how much a functional one of these bad boys is worth, and if anyone in the world actually is after one?
(Admittedly, it is an amazing peripheral for the time in my opinion and I'll likely keep it for myself if the value's normal to low)