by Tim "Flyboy" Henderson December 19, 1999

  You haven't had the cash or interest to get into the full twin stick plus rudder pedals HOTAS, so where do you go for that single stick solution? In this article we compare four sticks with roughly the same feature set, and then close with two non twist action sticks for the kids.

• Logitech Wingman Extreme Digital 3d
• Saitek Cyborg 3d
• CH Gamestick 3d
• Thrustmaster Millennium

The Logitech Wingman Extreme Digital 3d is an updated version of the old Wingman Extreme. In reality this is an entirely new stick and probably should have had an entirely new name. But heck.. the best names are all taken.. TM Millennium, Cyborg 3d (VBG). Hmm... coulda been the Logitech Wingman 2000.

Anyway, whatever you call this stick it is one mean mutha in a tight package. Gotta love it! This stick has it all, USB or gameport interface, excellent feel, HEAVY base, 8 way hat, 7 buttons, six... er, sexy throttle, twist handle for rudder, great software and you can pick it up for $39 US! I had no problems with my regular software suite: EAW, WWII Fighters and Falcon 4.0.

The earlier Wingman had some problems with pots wearing prematurely. We asked Logitech about this and Fred Swan replied:

"POTs are design to rotate or twist along a single axis. They "wear out" when they are twisted, pulled, or stressed along other axes. This happens with typical joystick designs constantly. This can also lead to jumping or skipping."

"We have developed a way to essentially eliminate any off-axis motion using proprietary POTs design and associated mechanical parts. This means that the parts move exclusively as they are designed to and thus will last much longer, while being simultaneously more precise."

The Saitek Cyborg 3d, similar to the Logitech WME, comes in two flavors, gameport or USB, but not on the same stick. The Cyborg 3d gameport version is more programmable, with a four way hat and 16 buttons for a total of twenty four functions including the dual trigger.

The Saitek C3d also has a twist rudder function and a throttle lever. This stick is very nice in use, though not as heavy as the Logitech WME. The software, however, is excellent, and the stick can be quickly rebuilt by the user for left or right hand use. You can even adjust the angle of the head and the height of the hand rest. VERY nice!

This little delight can be had for about $52. I've owned the Cyborg for around a year now and only had a single problem when I somehow corrupted the software; a re-install solved that.

By the way, any of these "all-in-one" controller solutions are also great for travelling. When we head to the cabin for the weekend in the summer I often packed my laptop along with the Cyborg 3d. I may make a switch in favor of the Wingman Extreme this next summer.

Click to continue

CH Products Gamestick 3d, like the Cyborg3d and the Logitech WME has both pitch and yaw and rudder control in a single stick solution. This one comes in either USB or gameport, and the software is also easy to use.

The Gamestick 3d lacks the programmability of the Cyborg or Logitech sticks, however, being limited to four fire buttons and a four way hat. It's also fairly light. This one goes for around $44 US.

The Thrustmaster Millennium completes the four way roundup. No longer being manufactured by Thrustmaster, it can still be found on the net for about $44.99.

The Millenium is a completely digital stick, including optical-digital technology replacing the typical pots. Sporting six programmable buttons and a four way hat, this one has an unusual feel to it. The twist action and rudder work great, and the Millenium has almost the same heft as the Logitech WME or the Top Gun Platinum. The Millennium runs about $45.

Other: Sticks Without Twist Action

For those on a severe budget or those looking to supply a simple stick for the kids, or if you are looking for a stick to mate with rudder pedals, the Logitech Wingman Attack and the Thrustmaster Top Gun Platinum are good choices.

The Top Gun Platinum is a heavy bruiser for the game port. Like the wingman attack, it includes a throttle and four way hat. Price tag is the lowest of this roundup at $25. This is a really nice stick to pair with the Attack throttle for a complete HOTAS at $85.

The Wingman Attack is much lighter than the Top Gun Platinum, but includes programmability for its three buttons plus trigger. The Wingman Attack is a bit lighter than the WME Digital, sports the obligatory throttle, but lacks a four way hat.

Last spring I reviewed SUNCOM's SFS Flight Controller, and it's worth checking out if you already own a separate throttle.

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