Peripheral Review: Kontrol Freaks’ FPS Freak Sticks

Available: PS3/PS2/Xbox 360/Xbox

Peripheral Type: Controller Supplement

From: Kontrol Freak

In a late 2007 issue of Game Informer, I saw in the Gear section an advertisement for something called Kontrol Freaks controller sticks, available for racing games and shooters. The idea behind them, says Game Informer Magazine, was to improve reaction time and precision with respect to the aforementioned genres. The FPS freak sticks caught my attention, as your typical 20-something hardcore gamer in love with shooters, and I read more about them. Game Informer made a totally boneheaded remark regarding Kontrol Freaks claims that “the 50% increase in length of the FPS freak sticks allows for 50% more precision when aiming,” which Game Informer preceded with “we cannot back up that claim.” Forgive me Game Informer, I know by reading your reviews and more importantly your responses to the readers who write in that you are the end all-be all of gaming journalism, and therefore anything anyone has to say that isn’t to your liking, be it a customer paying for your livelihood or otherwise, is dead wrong. Well try this on for size: I went to college as physics major. Granted I switched majors, but along the tumultuously mathematical ride that was that original major I learned a great deal of equation intricacies. One of those theories, not even of the college level, is centripetal velocity. The theorem of centripetal velocity states, in laymen’s terms, for every millimeter of growth to a circumference (in this case the x or y axis of an analog stick), the speed increases and the variation of circular degrees increases. When applied to the analog sticks, yes, Kontrol Freaks makes an accurate claim. By increasing the distance from the base of the stick to the platform on which your thumb rests, every degree of motion is exaggerated and thus you are more accurate (assuming of course you have enough control to maneuver the increased sensitivity derived from this example).

That being said, I strongly suggest these peripherals to any gamer, regardless of their preference to shooters or skill thereof. One area in which Kontrol Freak messed up their marketing campaign is placing them in front of the shooter crowd, because I use these bad boys in just about everything—racing included, although I don’t play many racers—and they just enhance your precision like nothing I’ve tried before.

The idea, as stated above, is both simple and complicated. Complicated has been established through my physics rant, but I also pointed to the simplicity: it boils down to length equals precision. Where Kontrol Freaks have made the most ideal decision is in the length of these sticks. At first, they feel awkward and way too long. It was hard for me to accommodate the new length of my analog sticks (as a Playstation fan I’ve essentially been using the same controller since the original Dual Shock was released, something a Playstation fan like myself is more than happy about), as I had a hard time getting my thumbs to move from stick to face buttons with ease. I was just about to call the meager $10 investment a small waste, when I turned the FPS Freak package over: “Note to Gamers: Give the sticks at least four hours of your time before asking us for a refund.” Simple statement, seemingly honest; okay, I’ll play another 2 hours before calling it a loss.

That was the right choice. After another hour and a half, I felt like I’d never played a first person shooter before, openly mocking myself as a hack two hours prior. The amount of precision in already precise games like COD: Modern Warfare and the like are unbelievable. COD already had an excellent grasp on the x/y axis and subtle movements therein, but this just enhances it; suddenly I was hitting 8 out of 10 baddies in the head with the utmost of ease, specifically on the flashback level where you play a young Captain Price and engage the now infamous mile-long sniper rifle attack. That level, though doable with little real frustration, now became an exercise in absolute precision, making me feel more than able to get away with little hassle. Kontrol Freaks made an excellent and critical choice here, because shorter would have obviously reduced the precision and longer would have made it too difficult to move from stick to face button.

As far as the Racing sticks go, I cannot comment exactly, but if the junior physicists at Kontrol Freak know half of what they’re doing in this respect as they did for the FPS sticks, you racing fans out there should be in for a real treat. Instead of lengthening the analog sticks, they are just U-shaped so your thumbs fit inside and you can move left or right without the normal pressing down and left and right (I’m not really certain how to explain it more clearly having never used them). In terms of my original rant, it makes sense that it would work as claimed.

To digress, go out and buy yourself some FPS Freak Sticks from Kontrol Freaks. They are around $10 a pair, and as a Playstation fanboy, I was even more surprised to find the indented-textured thumb pad found on the Xbox 360, one of the redeeming qualities of their game pad in my mind. In no time flat, you’ll be blowing heads apart with double the finesse of a previous frag session.

Usability: As stated, after the four hour package recommendation, all roads led to headshots (it only took me about half the time, too). And once you get used to the extensions, the only problem involves gaming with a friends controller and being perplexed as to how you were ever able to function without them.

Controls: Superior in just about every way. Again, there was a brief two-hour period where I would spin to the right as I tried to hit a face button or strafe to the left while planning on hitting a d-pad button, but after a little while it seems normal again.

Total: 98, A+