Logic3 USB Intruder

USB Intruder Gamepad (JP 269U)

Manufactured By: Logic3

Retail Price: $14.99

Review Date: 02-06-99

Logic3 products, popular in the European community, burst onto the shores of the Americas last year. They can be found on the shelves of retail computer stores such as Electronics Boutique next to the likes of Microsoft, Logitech and others. Their advantage is price. Many of the same features found in the competitors products are found in Logic3 gear but the price is typically more competitive.

My first PC game controller was a gamepad. It was a simple 4 button controller with a D-pad. I used it for flight sims, sports games, etc.; essentially every game I had. Luckily, there are more sophisticated controller available for the different game types but the gamepad is still a useful device. When it comes to sports type games, some side-scrollers and arcade games the gamepad is still the ultimate control device.

Features 85%-

• Universal Serial Bus (USB) platform
• 8 fire buttons
• Multi-player usage
• Digital signal Transmission
• Friendly Plug and Play action
• Works under Windows 95 (OSR2 release) & 98

Appropriate For-

• Sports games (NHL 99, FIFA Soccer, NFL 99, etc.)
• Action/Arcade games (Atomic Bomberman, Star Wars: Phantom Menace, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, etc.)
• Others (racing games, space sims, etc.)

**System Requirements

**Windows 95 (ORS2) or 98, USB port

Price-

At $15 its easy to justify this purchase if you have just one game you're using the keyboard for. It offers comfort, natural and accurate control.

Warranty-

1-year limited warranty.

Performance 89%-

The USB Intruder gamepad was put through the paces with a variety of games. It performed well with each.

I use the pad with Star Wars: Phantom Menace, an action/arcade game. I programmed each of the buttons to my liking; assigning more common actions to the 4 buttons on the face and important but less used actions to the trigger buttons. The D-pad was comfortable to use and provided good control. There were no problems even when I needed to use multiple buttons at the same time thanks to its layout allowing you to access all of the buttons at the same time. Even the 4 face buttons are arranged so you can access two at the same time with your right thumb.

Sports games such as NHL 99 and FIFA World Cup also played well with the Intruder. Extended hours of use did not result in any discomfort or cramping. I found the gamepad comfortable in all aspects.

Other games such as space sims and racing games played alright but the d-pad is not the best axis control device because it is not proportionate. Without proportionate control it is difficult to make minor adjustments to the steering in racing games and spin in space sims. The d-pad action is an "all or nothing" action meaning pressing the pad to the right gives you full right without any in-between. You can see how this works in the test panel of the game controller applet.

Setup 100% -

As with most USB devices, setup is quick and easy. Plug-and-play! The manual describes setup but it is so simple I plugged the Intruder into my USB port, It was automatically detected and the drivers were installed from the Windows 98 CD in one swoop. The USB Intruder is detected and listed as a HID-game controller 2 Axis 8 Button Gamepad.

Software NA%-

No software is required except your Windows CD.

Documentation 100%-

The USB Intruder is inherently easy to setup and use so the manual is brief. The 3 fold sheet has the instructions printed in 6 different languages; each taking one side of a fold. If you have never installed a USB device the manual is useful.

The manual also contains URL information for the Logic3 web site. The Logic3 website has grown in recent months and includes product details and pricing.

Overall Rating 89.7%-

The Logic3 USB Intruder is a gamepad that offers a nice layout, is easy to connect and setup, and best of all is highly affordable. The CC recommends the USB Intruder Gamepad.

Pros-

• Affordable
• Easy to setup and use

Cons-

• No button programming utility or profiler