No surprises on the design front. All the familiar Gamecube buttons can be found on the joystick (Y, X, B, A, triggers and the C-stick). The d-pad has been replaced by a rather unsightly button, but more on that later. You can toggle the turbo button and feel more power if the urge becomes to great.

The d-pad has been replaced by a large round button emblazoned with the Big Ben logo. Even though its use is not always essential in a flight-simulation game, when playing combat simulators (such as SW: Rogue Leader) it is virtually impossible to direct accurately with this button. The joystick is well sized for the average hand, but the buttons located on the right of the base make control difficult for a left-hand person.

At first glance, the Big Ben Joystick seems ideal for games such as combat or aerial flight simulatiors, such as Rogue Leader which is currently the only one which can suitably be played. However, the joystick makes the game more difficult for the gamer - complicated joystick manouvers must be learnt before any real game progress can be made.

Shooting is also a problem - the buttons are located in an irregular fashion and more thinking on the designers part could have resulted in bigger thrills for the gamer. The Big Ben joystick should make the game more fun and not a chore to play. A mediocre effort from Big Ben - not terrible but not truly fantastic either. A little innovation wouldn't have gone amiss either.

Up close and personal.



Fancy a hoover anyone?



Just so you know what to look for in your local games emporium.

Images courtesy of Big Ben.