review: Jogcon vs. Negcon (updated)
I've had two brand new Negcons sitting around for a couple years now, and a Jogcon which I had only tried once, so I thought I would give them both a day in court.
The Jogcon was made for Ridge Racer Type 4, and was packaged in the "big box" version. I played R4 for years with an RC-style digital controller, so I was curious to see how the Jogcon would compare.
The Jogcon looks like a PSX digital controller but there is a wheel right in the middle. You steer the wheel with your thumbs and use the shoulder buttons for accelerate and brake.
I was disappointed when I first held the Jogcon that the wheel rotates completely, kind of like the VCS Indy 500 controller. But when you set it up in R4 you can make it so that you can only turn it 45 degrees to the right and left. I know that sounds strange, but something in the software prevents you from completely rotating it. Neat.
The thing has crazy force feedback, and actually moves on it's own like a real arcade racing wheel. Unfortunately, as cool as it is, ultimately it makes R4 harder rather than easier. You will be spinning this thing all over the place just to keep your car moving straight. I could scarcely complete the first two races in third place.
After getting tired of the Jogcon I tried the Negcon. Why two of these things have been sitting in my closet brand new for two years is beyond me. Knowing what I know now, I would have busted one of these bad boys out the minute I got home. In fact, if I happened to find another one I would buy it, because two may not be enough.
This controller actually came out before the Sony Dual Shock. Pretty surprising, since this thing is analog all the way. The controller is actually split into two parts, and you twist it in order to steer.
And that's not the only strange thing. The X and square buttons (now labeled I and II) protrude about a third of an inch off the controller and are analog. The are "squishy", sort of like the shoulder buttons on a Gamecube controller, and like those buttons they recess into the controller when pressed down fully. It's pretty odd to find analog buttons on a PSX controller, but these make a lot more sense than the "analog" buttons on the PS2 controller that provide no feedback. The circle and triangle buttons are labeled A + B and are just regular buttons.
I tried Wipeout XL first with the Negcon because I have heard the controller works really well with that game. "works really well" is putting it mildly...using a Negcon to play Wipeout XL is a revelation. If you are a fan of the game you need to find one of these controllers immediately. Here's why:
-at the beginning of a race you get a boost if you accelerate roughly 3/4. When using a digital pad I would tap the X-button three times with variable results. With the Negcon you hold the I button down 3/4 of the way. You will never fail to get the boost.
-the analog twisting motion is amazingly accurate. You can thread the needle between two craft, dodge mines, and scrape the surface of walls without hitting them.
-when you come out of automatic pilot, you just twist the controller accordingly instead of automtacially crashing into a wall or running into a bunch of mines.
-you can aim your weapons instead of hoping for the best.
-no more air braking. Just let off the gas a little through the turns.
Sound good? Playing Wipeout with this controller is like getting a new game. It's no longer flying by the seat of your pants, but it controls more like a good precision shooter. It's that much better. If they made a new version of Wipeout XL that was Dual Shock compatible, it still wouldn't touch this (in fact, for years I have used the d-pad for all Wipeout games, analog or not...now that will change).
There were only two problems I encountered. One is entering a series of short turns...that is easier to do with a d-pad rather than rapidly twisting the Negcon (and the d-pad is there for that option). The other is the placement of the start button right below the d-pad. Since your left thumb naturally falls right on top of it, stay tuned for some involuntary pauses.
I thought I would give R4 a try to make a direct comparison between the Jogcon and the Negcon. Just as I suspected, no contest. The experience of playing R4 was not as profound as Wipeout XL...there is a learning curve involved. Specifically, normally when playing Ridge Racer I would oversteer and powerslide going into a turn, and then tap the d-pad in the opposite direction to regain control. With the Negcon this isn't necessary...just let up halfway on the gas and steer through the turn. This takes some getting used to, but I ended up finishing the races later in the game more quickly than the earlier races. It was one of those "let me try this for 5 minutes" experiences that ends in 90 minutes with the credits rolling.
Verdict:
-the Jogcon is kind of cool, but not a very good controller. And as far as I know it only works with R4. (Chandler you can have it back now)
-the Negcon is an absolute must have for every Playstation owner. With 3 hours of experience I can tell you it is better than any steering wheel I have ever laid hands on. Now excuse me while I replay every PSX racer I own as if it were a new game.
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