A mini review on the eSwap XR Pro controller product.
This post is marked as an #AD to follow the rules from the ASA here in the UK as this controller was provided to me from Thrustmaster.
It's a limited edition release based on the eSwap X model which includes a 1 month coupon of free Xbox Games Pass Ultimate and a new module to insert into a main slot, the racing wheel module.
Now personally I don't play many realistic themed driving games such as Burnout, Forza, etc but I had a few in my Steam library to take advantage of, mainly Dirt 3 Complete edition.
By inserting the wheel add-on to the top left slot, it has its logo not facing upright despite the boxart clearly showing it having the logo upwards. Like many wheel related controls, the steering wheel itself will reset into neutral when left alone.
Context: Look at the wheel's logo that is attached to the controller and the one that is on the box art.
As it is based on the older X model, it uses the older style USB cable, not type C as seen on the eSwap S controller.
The racing wheel module extra replaces two suitable alternative analogue sticks that have a different metal pole height when compared to the default sticks that were already connected to the controller.
So I tried using my thumb on the edge of the wheel and rotate to turn my car and it strangely works, I could start turning the wheel from any position and the wheel add-on will stop going further (so don't expect full 360 spins) indicating that I've hit max [x] value on a certain direction.
The add-on isn't just for driving games.
It can function as a pseudo-spinner for retro gaming too. I tried this out using the MiSTER FPGA.
The success of using the wheel varies from game to game. The main rule is that games with less buttons tend to have an easier time for optimal play.
Arkanoid: The current settings on the wheel doesn't have the perfect sensitivity. It's probably better to play the game with a slower ball speed settings.
Forgotten Worlds: Capcom's first arcade game to use the CPS-1 board. It's a shmup but the gimmick is that your player can rotate 360 degrees to aim. This wheel controller does it pretty well and only a single action button which is used to fire makes it possible to bind the controls to a comfortable layout with LB/RB as the firing button, D-pad in either top/bottom left slots to move and the wheel in the right side slot to aim your weapons.
Midnight Resistance: An early run n gun game with some resemblance to Contra where the player has powerful guns but in return can die in 1 hit, the main gimmick is 360 aiming rotation which allows the player to aim backwards or crawl and aim at any direction. This one doesn't work as well as Forgotten Worlds and the fact it requires 2 action buttons (Jump and Fire) makes it a bit harder to get an optimised control layout.
Hang On and Outrun - Partly based on the Sega System 16 arcades but with super scaler effects. This wheel setting does make it easier to get a certain X value when steering left/right giving it a true analogue feel.
Eco Fighters: A CPS 2 side scrolling shooter that's similar to Forgotten Worlds in terms of controls. The rotation control on the wheel makes it naturally easier to operate the cannon in the correct direction, especially if it is currently placed below the ship. You get various powerups including a spike ball which becomes huge by charging up the weapon before firing. Optimized controls had the D-pad placed to the lower left side, racing wheel to the right side and RB mapped as the firing button.
The Japanese SEGA Mark III (Master System in the west) had some games that either required or supported the Paddle Spinner as a controller. I've tested 4 games and they're actually work very well. Galactic Protector and Alex Kidd BMX Time Trial stood out for being obscure spin-offs to popular IPs from the mid-1980s.
Galactic Protector has Opa-opa circling around defending a planet by destroying asteroids/meteors. It's a straight forward arcade game aiming for the high score.
Alex Kidd BMX Trial, a japan only SEGA MARK III game where you use the spinner to adjust his steering direction.
Megumi Rescue, is a game that's technically a port of the arcade System E build of the same name, one notable difference is that the screen's orientation is horizontal rather than vertical (TATE mode) which means it requires the camera to pan upwards/downwards depending on the player's positioning. It's an interesting take on the Arkanoid's paddle and ball genre.
WarioWare: Twisted! Is a hit and miss with this wheel module. One of the reasons is that it's very sensitive, a lot more than the Arkanoid arcade games. The other reason is that, the input going to the other direction feels odd, like during the arm pumping microgame, if you "steer" to the right to pump his right arm for 2 seconds, the game wouldn't accept the other direction's input unless it is held for two seconds to pump his other arm. Lastly the gravity theme microgames aren't really suited for the more complicated challenges such as the Stumblebot's many micro-adjustments as you're unable to look at the screen's adjusted rotation(s).
While the add-on may lack the gears and probably the pedals from the more expensive big steering wheel sets, it does have the utility of being a suitable control method for certain arcade games from before the year 2000s.
The add-on is available to buy separately for the recommended retail price of £27 which is compatible on previous eSwap X and eSwap S controllers. If you have access to a retro device like the MiSTER, the ideal purchase combo is to buy both eSwap S and the wheel add-on if you want to experience a huge library of modern & retro titles that can cover both traditional controls and niche spinner games. This combo costs £136.98 (RRP) from their website and while it does nearly cost as much as a premium spinner controller for roughly the same price, the eSwap controller method is far from limited to a few titles.
The new Forza themed eSwap XR bundle package is okay but notably pricey being £40 more dearer than the eSwap S + racing wheel combo with ability to have 1 more swappable slot. Personally, I wish that the X module gets an update to take advantage of supporting USB type C and a more up to date D-pad as this one had a hard time to input diagonals, mainly the upper right direction.
That's my thoughts on the controller/racing wheel module for now.
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