If you're a racing game fan but don't want to foot the bill for a racing wheel, KontrolFreak might have the product for you. It's an accessory which attaches to a standard Xbox 360 controller to complement your racing skills.
You can always find those gamers playing online racing games without a racing wheel by the way they drive. Racing on a banked curve is the easiest way to find them, their the folks waving around the track with a slight tick as if slaloming down a hill. This zigzag effect is popular amongst stock controller racers because the joystick makes it very easy to over steer and under steer your way down the track.
KontrolFreak is a company that arrived to change this zigzag behavior with a little product called Speed Freek. The goal of Speed Freek is to allow your thumb to sit on top of the right joystick without having to push and pull the stick to make turns or slight corners. The concept is extremely simple but powerful and effective.
The plastic device plugs into the top of the right joystick and has two little wings that flare out from the left and right, this keeps you in control much like the rails of a train keep the train moving in the correct direction. By placing your thumb between the flares you're able to slightly touch either side to make your right or left turns. This removes the need to push the stick in one direction and pull the stick back with your thumb which causes a zigzag pattern and potential car crashes.
At first the device didn't seem to do what it should have, but much like learning to drive you must learn to utilize the power of the Speed Freek accessory. After about twenty minutes of racing I found myself making tight passes in a packed set of cars, leaning to the right and left with ease on motorcycles in PGR4 and fast U-turns on tough tracks.
The Speed Freek doesn't impact your ability to use the controller in any way, you have full range of movement and it plugs onto the top of the rubber joystick tightly yet without damaging your hardware.
The device is made for the left analog stick but will also work on the right stick, however it becomes a hindrance because the side rails impact your ability to quickly reach the buttons; this issue is stated right in the manual.
I didn't try the Speed Freek on many non-racing games but I cannot imagine it would impact game play in a negative manner. The manual states the product should work well in racing, simulation, action, adventure, sports, first person shooters and role playing games.
The only complain I have about the product is the fold-out manual it comes with has some obvious type-o's and errors in it, which makes me wonder if anyone proof read the pamphlet. Things like "How is SPEEDFREE(tm) is improving your game?" followed by an email address with a space in the middle or the word "placementmay" which should clearly be two words.
The most entertaining warning message on the manual is "Please use SPEEDFREEK(tM) responsibly. Do not eat SPEEDFREAK(tm)."
Overall
Product works as designed and assists you in racing games like no other product on the market today besides an expensive racing wheel. You'll obviously have a full game experience with a racing wheel but for USD $9.95 for a pair of these little guys, it's hard to pass up the savings.
You can checkout KontrolFreek.com for more, or buy it online from their site.
