COMCON CONTROL

Frel Ltd has announced its new ComCon programmable joystick interface for the Spectrum. Any key on the keyboard can be programmed, including both shift keys, and there is provision for two independent fire buttons.

The interface has arrays of pins which correspond to the keyboard and six leads representing the four directions and the two fire buttons. To program it you must plug the relevent lead into the pin you want. That can be done with a program running and the keyboard is not disabled. Any joystick with an Atari-style plug can be used. To allow for other add-ons there is an extender card which rises vertically from the front of the board.

The two joysticks that Frel markets are the Flightlink and the Quickshot II which has been adapted to have two independent fire buttons. The joystick usually has an Auto-Fire feature but that has been removed.

At £19.95, the interface is one of the cheapest on the market. The Flightlink joystick costs £10.50 and the Quickshot II is £13.95; a £2.00 reduction on either can be obtained if ordered at the same time as the interface. Further details from Frel Ltd, Hockeys Mill, Temeside, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1PD.

Spectravideo's Quickshot II must be one of the best arcade-style sticks around for video gamesters. Its solid design promises hours of trouble tree playing. And you can use it with the Atari VCS, or Atari home computers, the Vic-20, CBM 64 and many others.

The Quickshot II has a number of interesting features. Starting from the top of the aircraft style stick grip, you'll find the primary shooting button - for those games players who like to blast away using their thumbs. Below this is a trigger style fire button which lets those weary thumbs take a rest!

Spectravideo say that the moulded stick grip is "ultra-ergonomic" - and who are we to contradict them. Suffice it to say that the slick is comfortable - even after an extended session of River Raid!

The base at the stick is very sturdy and has a neat little innovation built in - an Auto-Fire switch. This allows you to unleash a continuous stream of bullets by simply locking the shooting mechanism.

To make the stick stable, there are four powerful suction cups on the bottom of the base - this allows you to play one-handed. And the stick won't come unstuck even during the most exciting space battle!

The Quickshot II is available from Spectravideo stockists and costs £12.95.

THE VERDICT

A winner from top to toe. The C&VG joystick jury voted the Quickshot II the best stick to come into the office for same time.

Umpteen games players still swear by the Quickshot 2. It's lightweight and efficient. It fits well into the hand, and is comfortable for long-term use.

Performance on Uridium:

This is a bit of an improvement! It's a lot better than the Q.Shot 1. The autofire works well, giving a nice, healthy stream of bullets. Movement is still a little on the unresponsive side, causing the user to exert more force than is actually necessary on the stick. Its possible to be accurate enough to achieve a reasonable score.

Performance on Winter Games:

It's certainly of a higher quality than the Quickshot 1. It's easier to use, and the firing is more accurate. Movement isn't much cop, and when you need speed and precision you may as well forget it.

QUICKSHOT II

Spectravideo £6.95

A few years ago this was the most popular joystick available. With suction feet, pistol grip handle and trigger fire button, it can be operated easily with just one hand - great on games where you still need to use the keyboard. The fire buttons give a good click when pressed, but they're a bit stiff and it's hard to build up rapid fire without resorting to the autofire switch. The actual stick responds well, although, as time has told, it's not too sturdy. The stick doesn't snap, the directions just become less reliable.

JOYSTICK CONNOISSEUR CHARLTON APPLEBY TAKES A CRITICAL LOOK AT ESTABLISHED SPECTRUM JOYSTICKS AND ALSO PLAYTESTS CHEETAH'S NEW 128+2 COMPATIBLE STICKS.

Spectravideo
£11.95

Probably the best known stick in the business. The Quickshot II has a contoured grip that fits the hand in a manner so perfect that it is a miracle of design. Two fire buttons are provided, one in a pistol trigger position and one on the top that fits your thumb. The base has four suction cups on it to grip the stick to a flat, smooth surface for one handed operation. Also on the base is a little switch for 'autofire' operation. This switch connects to a small circuit inside the joystick that creates a machine-gun effect when using the fire button. This is achieved by pulsing the fire button's output to the computer. This allows multiple firing in a game that allows such things, though a few of the more modern games can detect when an auto-fire switch is being used and will disable the fire button all together - with disastrous results.

Internal construction is with collapsible domes, though with the large amount of leverage that such a stick affords, you may find that in some circumstances this stick will not have a long-life span - especially with younger players.

[ZXSR NOTE: The overall scores are an average of the marks given individually by the three reviewers over the three games tested (Daley Thompson's Supertest, Wanted: Monty Mole and The Way of The Exploding Fist). The actual reviewer scores are included in the review text.]

IT'S A STICK UP!

Are you still scraping by using a keyboard on the latest arcade games - and scraping the skin off the ends of your fingers into the bargain? What you need's a 'stick to bring the joy back to your gamesplaying. To help you choose the right one for the job, we asked three YS readers to take a grip of themselves and review the top ten. Peter Shaw joined them and came in for some stick!

How d'you go about choosing a joystick? We're all guilty of believing that a joystick is a joystick is a joystick - so why not plump for the cheapest. After all, they all work in the same way, don't they? No, they jolly well don't. Even leaving aside an obvious novelty like the Suncom Joysensor, you'll find that each 'stick has its own feel, almost its own personality. (What is yours called? Ed). There are big 'uns and little 'uns, some with flexible shafts, others stiff. You'll come across some real neat ones and some that are just plain ugly.

And, to make things even more complicated, you'll soon suss out that a joystick that hits the heights on one game is of no earthly use on another. In an ideal world, you'd have a different joystick for every game in your collection - but then in an ideal world we'd be picking pound notes off the pavement! So, if you play more than one game, you're now faced with a very tricky bit of decision making. Do you pick a joystick that'll allow you to excel on your fave rave but only lets you plod along with pedestrian scores on the rest - or do you choose an all-rounder that'll give you better than average scores on a variety of games? But then you'll have to resign yourself to the fact that you may never receive the ultimate accolade of being chosen as one of Hex's Heroes.

Of course, for most of us, our minds are made up by the weight of our wallets. (What's a wallet? Ed). But whichever way you want to choose a joystick, you'll find all the information you need in our comprehensive review of the top ten. Each 'stick; has been thoroughly put through its paces by three great games players who've been hand picked from Hex's Heroes. And then they did the rough stuff on three very different types of game - a platform, Monty On The Run, a hand-to-hand combat, Way Of The Exploding Fist and a joystick waggler, Daley Thompson's Supertest.

So, if you're in the market for a new 'stick, turn the page and get stuck into the full reviews from our team of joyriders.

HIT & MISS STICKS

DALEY THOMPSON'S SUPERTEST - OCEAN

This is the ultimate game that'll push any joystick to its limits. If a 'stick can cope with a day's pounding from DT then you can be sure it's tough. And it's not just the shaft - The fire buttons need to be good too - easily accessible and very responsive for that last minute press before taking a penalty or diving from the spring board.

Quickshot II

Martin: I like the reactions with this one an' it's got some of the best positioned fire buttons of all the sticks.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Darren: I don't think this joystick wanted to co-operate and building up speed was tricky.
On The Stickometer: 2/10
MISS

Noel: The length of the shaft tires your arm out too quickly with all that waggling. Not keen on this one at all.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

Gunshot 1

Martin: Quite a good design but not as good as most joysticks. I don't think the omission of rapid fire matters.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
HIT

Darren: Not exactly a special joystick - very standard 8-directional. Still I did get some good scores with it.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
HIT

Noel: Looks too much like the Quickshot for my liking, and I don't reckon it'll take the strain of Supertest
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Formula 1

Martin: A good joystick with a good reaction time. The fire buttons are also well positioned. Where can I find fault?
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Darren: It's a good joystick - what else can I say? The colour's a bit garish but that doesn't bother me.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Noel: Oh dear, this one's deafening me! The reaction's
OK, but the size of the shaft made my arm ache.
On The Stickometer: /810
HIT

Formula II

Martin: Wonderful design job and a really good response to back it up. This has it all apart for big buttons.
On The Stickometer: 8/
HIT10

Darren: Great stick. Well designed, good response and above all, the fire buttons are in the right place!
On The Stickometer: 9/10

Noel: This one's too flimsy. I prefer a good stiff stem, and this joystick definitely hasn't got what it takes.
On The Stickometer: 3/10
MISS

Kraft

Martin: Don't think much of this one. The design's too fragile and it just ain't good with Supertest.
On The Stickometer: 3/10
MISS

Darren: I reckon it's good. I prefer the small 'sticks as long as the control's still in there.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Noel: This joystick is just right for Supertest. A short shaft means less work for me and it's tough enough.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Micro Stick

Martin: Not much cop for this sort of game. The rotation of the shaft makes it pretty awkward to use.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Darren: Don't really like this one - the fire button is much too stiff to be of any use in this game.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
MISS

Noel: Well it's very nice but it tires your arm out after only a few waggles of the shaft.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
HIT

The Champion

Martin: It's got nice fire buttons and a good reaction but it doesn't seem to work with Supertest too well.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Darren: Well it's easy to grip and easy to fire. I quite like the stylish design too.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
HIT

Noel: It's got very quick reactions and an excellent grip. I'll go for this one any day.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Le Stick

Martin: Oh it's so easy to win on Supertest - you only have to shake the joystick vigorously!
On The Stickometer: 10/10
HIT

Darren: Excellent joystick to use with Supertest - I've got my best score ever on nearly all the games.
On The Stickometer: 10/10
HIT

Noel: Ideal for this game, you only need to wiggle the joystick - it's that simple!
On The Stickometer: 10/10
HIT

Command Control

Martin: Well it's a good joystick and it's got a decent sized base to grab hold of. Bigger is better, eh?
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Darren: I don't think the vigorous action of Supertest is going to do this one any favours!
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Noel: Brilliant joystick to use with Supertest - very sturdy and reactions are fast.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Suncom Joysensor

Martin: Ugh. It's terrible. Too much like using a ZX81 keyboard. There's no real control at all.
On The Stickometer: 1/10
MISS

Darren: It's really useless for this game - how can you do left/right quickly on a membrane?
On The Stickometer: 4/10
MISS

Noel: It reacted well but took the skin off the end of me finger while rubbing.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

MONTY ON THE RUN - GREMLIN GRAPHICS

For a platform game like this, a joystick's gonna need pinpoint accuracy so you can get as close to the edge as possible. And as you'll expect to spend a fair dew hours meeting Monty's goal, you don;t want a grip that'll leave you with sweaty palms and a slippery shaft. And the button had better be big so a thumb can easily be dumped on it for those long jumps.

Quickshot II

Martin: This joystick definitely works well with platform games. It's nice and accurate with a well-designed shaft.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Darren: This is the one I've got at home, and I'm used to the action but that's not to say it's the best there is.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Noel: OK, so it's not bad at coping with platform games, but I still reckon that the shaft is too flimsy.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

Gunshot 1

Martin: Quite a good joystick to use on the old platforms - everything seems easy to control.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Darren: It's got an average response and all-in-all it's a pretty average joystick. Nothing to write home about.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Noel: Stem seems to spindly and the grip gets as sweaty as Bumpry's armpit. Not for me this one.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Formula 1

Martin: Very easy to get used to. I like the design and its accuracy overwhelmed me. I'll take one!
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Darren: Nice shaft though it could be longer and the reaction is OK. The overall effect is good.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
HIT

Noel: This one went very well with Monty. Its reaction is very fast - not bad at all.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
HIT

Formula II

Martin:Very good. The fire buttons react very well. Overall, perfect for this kind of game.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Darren: It's very similar to the Gunshot. I like it, the design's very hi-tech and the reaction's fast.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Noel: It's still too flimsy for my liking but it works well with Monty though.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

Kraft

Martin: I don't rate this joystick at all. the response is OK but I find it too fragile for the game.
On The Stickometer: 2/10
MISS

Darren: It's a good joystick. I like this design more than most and the shaft's very comfortable.
On The Stickometer: 10/10
HIT

Noel: Oh, it's horrible - Monty, just doesn't work with it. I'd get more response from a garden gnome.
On The Stickometer: 4/10
MISS

Micro Stick

Martin: It's too stiffm very slow and unresponsive. But the design is quite good so I'll be gentle.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Darren: Better in this game, possibly because everything doesn't go so fast. Still not impressed.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
MISS

Noel: It's quite good. It's got fast action and a good grip design. I like it even if they don't.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

The Champion

Martin: It's very pretty but I don't think much of the overall effect. The controls seem a bit dodgy.
On The Stickometer: 4/10
MISS

Darren: It's a smooth joystick, but I don't reckon it works to well with this game.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

Noel: It's the best desiigned joystick of the pack and to top that the reaction speed is fast too.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Le Stick

Martin: It's a lot of hard work stopping Monty running into things when you haven't got a leg to stand on.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

Darren: It's much too awkward to use in this game - you really can't control what's happening.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Noel: Ooops - no good for Monty as he keeps running off the end of all the platforms.
On The Stickometer: 3/10
MISS

Command Control

Martin: Directional control on this joystick is quite good. Unfortunately the top button lets it down.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
HIT

Darren: The shaft's the right size, it's the right shape and offers good control. Just right for platforms.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Noel: Well apart from getting a little too sweaty in my paw, this one works really well.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Suncom Joysensor

Martin: Even worse than with Supertest. The movement control is absolutely tosh. Double ugh!
On The Stickometer: 1/10
MISS

Darren: It's not quite right for platforms somehow, but it was great fun trying!
On The Stickometer: 6/10
HIT

Noel: It's useless with platforms as you can't change direction accurately enough.
On The Stickometer: 4/10
MISS

WAY OF THE EXPLODING FIST - MELBOURNE HOUSE

If you're ready to face the karate challenge, your joystick will need the combined powers of both shaft and button. If the shaft won't react quickly enough, or its directional flexibility is dodgy, then a joystick can be considered worthless with a game like this. Plus you'll need a fire button that's easily accessible and very responsive - or it's the chop for you, matey!

Quickshot II

Martin: Hmmm, it;s realy easy to use with Fist, The reaction is good and the buttons are just right.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Darren: Can't say I like this combination. Maybe it's me but it sure seems a bit unresponsive.
On The Stickometer: 3.5/10
MISS

Noel: It's got a well designed grip and fire button positioning, but the movement feels too limp and flimsy.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Gunshot 1

Martin: Nothing special, but the reactions are fast enough to keep up with Fist and fire buttons are OK.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Darren: Well I like it. I found it very co-operative an' I'd be quite happy having one on my Speccy. So there!
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Noel: The shaft's too spindly and I reckon it'll break if you sneeze on it. Please take it away!
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Formula 1

Martin: Not so good for use with Fist. The size of the shaft seems a disadvantage. Fire buttons are nice though.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Darren: I think it gives you a lot of control. The fire buttons are in exactly the right position and they're BIG!
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Noel: Reacts quite well and the size of the fire buttons are a big plus in this joystick's favour.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Formula II

Martin: This one seems made for Fist, the reaction time is good - control is easy and the fire buttons are fab.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Darren: It's great. The case design is very smart and the reaction time is good too - I'm tempted to get one.
On The Stickometer: 10/10
HIT

Noel: It's really too flimsy. I know I keep going on about it but I rather hold a piece of raw liver than this joystick.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
MISS

Kraft

Martin: Reactions are quick enough but the shaft's too small. You won't find me buying one.
On The Stickometer: 3/10
MISS

Darren: Pretty good - it responds well with this game. I like the four-way, eight-way feature.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Noel: Shock, horror - it reacts quite well with Fist. You wouldn't think it was the same joystick.
On The Stickometer: 6/10
HIT

Micro Stick

Martin: Don't like it a great deal, it's a bit too stiff. You get massacred using this one for Fist.
On The Stickometer: 4/10
MISS

Darren: Oh dear... maybe the fire button has actually packed up. Not a good mark in my book.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
MISS

Noel: Quite a good joystick (The fire button must still have been working! Ed). Good response.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
HIT

The Champion

Martin: It''s a pretty design but being left handed I find it quite awkward to use.
On The Stickometer: 5/10
HIT

Darren: Another one of the joysticks has packed up on me this time the directional controls are up the spout!
On The Stickometer: 3/10
MISS

Noel: It's got quite good reactions and responsive diagonal controls. Good joystick.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Le Stick

Martin: Terrible! Very hard to judge where it is and diagonals are nigh-on impossible to achieve.
On The Stickometer: 2/10
MISS

Darren: I think it's quite good but if you get too excited then you might lose track of where you are.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Noel: Very slow reacting - I reckon it's a miss for Fist. (More, Adrian Mole poetry huh? Ed.)
On The Stickometer: 4/10
MISS

Command Control

Martin: A good stick with an easy-to-handle shaft but the choice of etierh top or bottom fire button is naff.
On The Stickometer: 7/10
HIT

Darren: The buttons are good although I'd have preferred to use both. Works well with Fist though.
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Noel: You can really kick the proverbial out of the other player with this stick. Very responsive!
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

Suncom Joysensor

Martin: It's not really very practical. As joysticks go, this one's more of a novelty than anything.
On The Stickometer: 2/10
MISS

Darren: Seems to work better with Fist than with any of the other games. Quite a good sore with this one.
On The Stickometer: 8/10
HIT

Noel: Reacts really well. I've just beaten my all-time high score. I might even buy one!
On The Stickometer: 9/10
HIT

THE JOY OF STICKS

We've waggled our way through the joystick jungle to bring you the latest on the firepower of ten top joysticks.

If you're a real games addict you'll know how important a good joystick is. Games have moved on a bit since Pacman and Space Invaders where all you had to do was move left and right and blast the fire button every now and again. Then you could use the same joystick for all the seven games on the market.

Nowadays, however, computer games are much more demanding and varied - shoot 'em ups, beat 'em ups, fly 'em ups, waggle 'em ups, steer 'em ups and even fry 'em ups - they all need differing degrees of precision, manoeuvrability and strength. Which is why you need a damn good joystick for the job - and there are plenty to choose from. So there's no excuse for a bad game player to blame his tools!

But which joystick is best for the games you play? Which joystick do you choose? There are thousands. And you've only got twenty quid.

Well, it just so happens that we've got a run-down on 10 of the most popular sticks on the market - read on to find out which one covers your every need.

THE GAMES

A joystick's performance varies considerably from game to game. The precise movements needed in a martial arts game become redundant in an out and out waggle 'em up. And then, the strength and slackness of one stick might not help in a steering game where full control and manoeuvrability is necessary. So, in order to test the joysticks fully, we chose three different titles to strain those sticks to the limit. Target Renegade tests for precision, Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge for strength and Skate Crazy for manoeuvrability. And to make the contest even harder we asked three hot gamesplayers to give us their opinions on which sticks they preferred.

TARGET RENEGADE

A beefy beat 'em up. All that punching and kicking and butting requires a stick with easy access to diagonals and fire buttons, plus the ability to move slightly and quickly in any direction.

SKATE CRAZY

A loose and bouncy roller skate game, needing a combination of ease-of-movement and well positioned fire buttons for that sudden leap. A stick for this game will also need a strong shaft to resist those frantic circular steering motions.

DALEY THOMPSON'S OLYMPIC CHALLENGE

The meanest, the baddest and the toughest waggle 'em up in existence. The constant waggling environment requires a stick with excellent strength and good speed, coupled with a sturdy desk hold and well contoured grip.

THE JURY

Yes, solemn of face, tough of opinion, stingy of money, and ravenous of hunger, here are the three jury members, unswayable by money (or cheeseburger), ready to deliver their verdicts on the guilty sharp sticks.

STEVEN BREWER

Age: 16
Sex: Male
Dist Features: Inane grin
Computers: Speccy, QL
Fave Rave: Gauntlet
Hobbies: Grinning inanely, being enthusiastic about nothing
Fave Music: U2

MILES TUDOR

Age: 16
Sex: Twice a... (Snip. Ed)
Dist Features: Bloodshot, knackered eyes
Computers: I ain't got one, but if anybody's offerin'?
Fave Rave: Target Renegade
Hobbies: Sheep-spotting, train-spotting, spot-picking
Fave Music: Prince

HOWARD KING

Age: 16
Sex: Male
Dist Features: 'boyish good looks' Spluuter!
Computers: Speccy 48K
Fave Rave: Robin O' the Wood
Hobbies: Boasting about his handicap (gold), kicking the dog 'bout a bit'
Fave Music: Queen

SPECTRAVIDEO QUICKSHOT 2

The Quickshot 2 is the father of most joysticks today, but its age does not show in its design. It has a square base, and a wide, sharply contoured handle as well as three fire buttons and an auto fire switch. It's four suckers stick relentlessly to any surface. The shaft is long and loose, which provides a fairly slowish response. The diagonals are difficult to locate in a hurry and it can't handle double movements (such as flying kicks) too well. It excels waggle-wise and the auto-fire switch is easily flicked on by the wrist. But despite all these faults, it works remarkably well in all games.

Steve: 'Its slackness click irritated the hell out of my moody sister.'

Miles: 'One old timer that's still up there with the new ones.'

Howard: 'Ooh I'm a sucker for the suckers!'

A little slow, a little temperamental, a little noisy - but what do you expect from a four year old joystick? Recommended.

SUNCOM TAC 5

Now here's a very striking joystick - its beige and grey colouring is very chic, good-looking and elegant. The bulky square base sits on four studs and its size makes it unmoveably solid on a desk top even during savage waggling. There are three fire buttons. The stick moves with a very distinctive microswitch click that would annoy your parents and dogs.

Movement is pretty good. The diagonals are excellent and there when you want them, although the stick does twist disconcertingly when you move it. It shines in all four departments but the granulated grip is a little too soft.

Steve: 'I felt in full control when using this one. Great stuff.'

Miles: 'Though it looks very "Habitat" I didn't find it very responsive.'

Howard: 'I sweated so much the red directional marks rubbed off and I thought id cut myself!'

Extremely attractive number with solid build, good diagonals and response. Annoying microswitch click, impotent fire button positioning and rub-off-when-wet paint let it down a little. Recommended.

CHEETAH 125+3

The design of this joystick is very authentic, attractive and similar to the Quickshot 2. The base is robust and granulated for extra grip. It has four fire buttons. The stick, however, looks very plasticy and the seams were bluntly evident.

The wide grip and tight throw allow magnificent handling although its size tends to make delicate or slight movements tricky. It responds quickly and smoothly especially in abrupt direction changes, despite the loud groans the stick emits under stress. Precision is perfect but in waggle-'em-ups, the stiffness of the stick prevents a good fast momentum. And it is simply perfect for games requiring manoeuvrability.

Steve: 'The Cheetah 125+3 is the one for me - it's a beauty to handle!'

Miles: 'I found this stick particularly useful in Skate Crazy which requires a lot of direction changes.'

Howard: 'If only it would waggle better!'

Outstanding all round joystick, authentically designed, furiously responsive, unbeatable steering but disappointing waggle-ratio. Recommended.

POWERPLAY CRUISER

The Cruiser is an instantly appealing and very attractive joystick, with its blue curved base, two-deep set white base buttons, and red standard stick. It rests solidly on four suckers on any desk top, but the curved design also suits the hand.

The feature that really makes this joystick is the variable tension feature that allows you to select one of three degrees of tightness. The fire buttons are very well placed and click responsively. Diagonals are easy to find and direction changes are good.

Adjusting the tension to number two helped in games requiring manoeuvrability, and as for waggling, number three seemed the best. The tightest tension (number one) worked best with Renegade. One of the less muscle-bound reviewers observed that the way you changed the tension (lifting then turning the stick) was quite difficult and a weak and feeble gamesplayer may find it a touch difficult.

Steve: 'I'm a wimp so I found changing the tension awkward - I was so tired I couldn't play the game.'

Miles: 'Not a bad little number for the all round gamesplayer. Worth, the money!'

Howard: 'This is my top stick. It caters for everything and looks neat too!'

Noisy but powerful joystick with unique variable tension option and multi-coloured "spaceship" look. Recommended.

RAM DELTA

The RAM Delia's design is very distinctive, futuristic and angular. The base is shaped like the front of a car while the shaft looks like a gear-stick. It's supported on three suckers placed at each corner, but holds just as well in the palm of your hand. Unfortunately it's shortness restricts precision, especially during hectic Renegade combat.

Response is very polished and light, and the microswitches make the direction changes quick and substantial. While waggling, the small throw (the distance the stick moves in any direction) of the stick creates a good rhythm, but excess exertion leads to a sweaty slippery grip. All directional movements are springy, and the clicks of the switches are quiet and unobtrusive, yet loud enough to indicate when you had forced the joystick far enough.

Steve: 'I liked the design but found handling a little awkward.'

Miles: 'This one is definitely my favourite - I've never gripped such a nice stick!'

Howard: 'Control is superb - and I loved those suckers!'

Superb sculptured joystick, dedicated to those who like looks, body and character in their sticks. Recommended.

EUROMAX PRO-ACE

The Pro-Ace is a sturdy-based joystick with a long slender shaft and two fire buttons. The shaft is good and stiff but feels rather flimsy - as if it might break off at any moment. The lack of suckers and a firm base make it rock drunkenly on the desk during any frantic action.

The fire buttons, however, are well placed and responsive. The throw is microscopic and renders waggling virtually useless. Described as emphatically pedestrian (What?? Ed) the Pro-ace steers quite well considering the limited throw, but the diagonals have to be forced and the shaft is too long for the field of Renegade movement.

Steve: 'Not bad, not bad! I've used a better tool though!'

Miles: 'Nice looking stick this - and it handles well too!'

Howard: 'Cor this is rather good. I quite like it.'

A stiff and flimsy affair, which rocks on the table and reacts very slowly. Steers well though.

SUNCOM TAC 2

This small, square based joystick is the most solid on a desk top, and is compact, durable and quite rugged. It has two buttons The stick only moves slightly in each direction but triggers first-rate responses. However this light operation is let down by the overly (or underly) short shaft.

The sensitivity is excellent and made both steering and diagonals a piece of cake. After a bout of waggling though, the handle became quite wet and one of the more sensitive reviewers suffered from a sore thumb after a heavy game of Renegade.

Steve: 'This one was in a class of its own in playing Skate Crazy.'

Miles: 'Not as good as the Suncom Tac 2 I'm afraid.'

Howard: 'Tac is an apt name 'cos it's one of the tackiest objects I've seen.'

Sturdy solid joystick, attractively metal-plated, is not so hot precision-wise but practically boiling in the steering field.

KONIX SPEEDKING

This unusually shaped joystick looks a little like a lost jigsaw piece and half a pelvis. It's very well designed for a hand held grip but so does not sit easily on the desk. The stick is a short red affair in arcade-machine stumpy style and is microswitched.

It slides quickly into diagonal position and the small throw allows very fast direction change. But the same smallness restricts steering and makes the joystick feel disconnected in games like Skate Crazy where it only gives a fair degree of control. The smoothness of response is great for Renegade, and perfect waggle rhythm is a cinch to get going. The disparity of the design is difficult to get used to, and a sweaty session of waggling can make the stick very slippery.

Steve: I just couldn't decide how to hold this one.'

Miles: 'It looks quite natty and is a good all round joystick.'

Howard: 'It's a bit small for my tastes.'

Originally and economically designed, the Speedking is perfect for those who don't have a desk to lean on and don't sweat much while waggling.

TERMINATOR

Believe it or not this strange looking object really is a joystick. Shaped like a hand grenade (for the Rambo addicts?) this joystick is aimed more at the novelty and toy market rather than our serious 'executive' gamesplayer. The metallic fire button is the clip on the side, while the small Meccano stick juts out of the top. It sits well in your hand and is lighter than its explosive counterpart.

As a joystick it's pretty useless, a nightmare to use and makes you want to go "aaarrghhh!". The fire button is awkwardly positioned and is easy to press unintentionally. The stumpy stick is awful for precision and all movements have to be shoved into direction, although the diagonals are easy to obtain. Obviously an excellent novelty and gimic but not very useful as a serious tool.

Steve: 'The slippery stick is hideous and waggling is bleuuuch!'

Miles: 'I really couldn't get to grips with this one.'

Howard: 'I reckon you'd get arrested if you walked into a bank carrying this!'

Excellent 'macho' gimic that looks exactly like a grenade with a piece of Meccano stuck in the top. Absolutely rubbish as a joystick though.

VOLTMACE DELTA 3S

The old fashioned prehistoric design makes the Volt mace Delta an instant turn off, but it's not as bad as it looks. Shaped like a door wedge, the Delta has three fire buttons and a small orbiting stick. It's quite awkward to hold and is happier on a desk top. The three red base buttons are too far away and tiny - rather like TV remote control buttons. The stick is also too small and weedy making small turns and movements virtually impossible - to go anywhere you have to exaggerate the movements.

Changes in the direction and precision are easy because of the movable stick and the wide gap for movement, but the diagonals are spindly. Waggle-wise it performs surprisingly well and with the minimum cramp or restriction.

Steve: 'I wish I could say this is a pleasure to use - but it isn't.'

Miles: 'Urrggh! This one looks like a bar of Dairy Milk - shame you can't eat it!'

Howard: 'If you like waggling, you'll like this!'

Prehistoric design is not too attractive but it sits comfortably on your desk despite spindly diagonals and misplaced fire buttons. Comparatively outstanding at waggling.

VERDICT

It was a close thing with each reviewer snuggling up to their favourite sticks, and beating each other about the head with their not so favourite ones. But in the end the Cheetah 125+ scraped into first place, with the RAM Delta and Powerplay Cruiser coming second and third respectively, closely followed by the Konix Speedking and Quickshot 2.

The overall positioning was:

1. CHEETAH 125+
2. RAM Delta
3. POWERPLAY Cruiser
4. KONIX Speedking
5. SPECTRAV1DEO Quickshot 2
6. SUNCOM TAC 5
7. SUNCOM TAC 2
8. VOLTMACE Delta 3s
9. EUROMAX Pro-Ace
10. TERMINATOR

Now for the votes on the best and worst buys. Here's what the reviewers had to say and they mean that most sincerely folks!

STEVEN

BEST - Cheetah 125+ "Magnificent handling... brilliant fire buttons... a real treat."

WORST- Terminator "Aaarghhhhh... awful... my goldfish steers better than this."

MILES

BEST- RAM Delta 'Looked quite sexy... the knob was really nice... good and springy."

WORST- Terminator "Bleuchhh!... Terrible... Looks too much like a hand grenade and 1 didn't know to hold it."

HOWARD

BEST - Powerplay Cruiser 'Fits well in the hand... stands out... good stuff and the stick variable tension - wow!"

WORST - Terminator "Yicckkk!... a nightmare... it's bad, really, really bad."

1st Place
Supplier: Cheetah Marketing Ltd, Norbury House, Norbury Road, Fairwater, Cardiff CF5 3AS (Tel: 0222 555525)
Price: £12.99
Guarantee: 1 year
Features: A C D E F G

STICKING TO THE BEST

Zap in style. John Lambert juggles with joysticks.

Joysticks are the most popular add-on for the Sinclair computers, not just for playing games but also for drawing, cursor control in word processing packages and for moving anything around the screen. The keyboard can be used for all of those things but it is so much easier with a joystick.

Choosing a joystick from the hundreds available is not an easy decision, but this guide will show you what to look for, and how to connect it to a Spectrum or QL.

Joysticks are generally all the same. They may be different shapes and sizes but they all contain a number of simple switches which get turned on or off as the stick is moved. That type of digital joystick was first used on a home computer by Atari and, therefore, is sometimes known as the Atari standard. All Sinclair machines use this type of joystick interface.

The switch used can vary a great deal. The cheapest joysticks, such as Quickshot 1, us a bubble which when compressed by the stick makes contact. Those can wear fairly quickly and cannot stand up to heavy use.

Next in price and strength are leaf spring switches where the stick causes two pieces of metal to make contact. Finally, the most expensive joysticks use microswitches. Those will last a long time and can easily be replaced should they go wrong.

Generally, you should buy the most expensive joystick you can afford as that way it should last a long time. Try to get one with a metal shaft in the handle - plastic ones break - and, if possible, try it out in the shop. The feel of a joystick is very important, some are sloppy and others require a lot of movement before they register.

it is within the interface that the complications arise. All interfaces have at least one Atari standard socket where the joystick is plugged in, but those vary in how they tell the computer when the stick has been moved.

Which type of interface you buy will depend on what software you want to use with it. The most common method is known as Kempston - named after Kempston Microelectronics who invented it. What that does is to configure the interface as part of the Z80 I/O map so that it can be read - to find what position the joystick is in - using the instruction IN 31.

Another method is for the interface to emulate the cursor keys - five to eight plus zero as fire. For obvious reasons that is known as Cursor.

The third method is known as Sinclair and emulates the six to nine keys, with zero as fire. That is based on Interface 2 from Sinclair. Why Sinclair wanted to bring out yet another method is anybody's guess!

The problem is that until you but the software you have no way of knowing which of those three methods it will use. Many programs give you a choice but unfortunately not all. The way to get round that is to use a programmable interface.

Those allow you to let each stick direction and fire represent a key on the keyboard. All games have a keyboard option and you just set the interface to the keys it uses. That also gets round the problem of game that do not use any of the three normal methods - Psion is very bad in that respect.

Unfortunately, programmable interfaces tend to be the most expensive, and in some cases can be very difficult to set up. For playing arcade games a Kempston standard interface is the most useful, and the cheapest. Some interfaces combine more than one method in the same box, but the more facilities it has the more expensive it will be.

Some joysticks offer extra facilities and you should take care when buying those. Although it is popular to have two fire buttons on a joystick, in many cases they are joined electrically and perform the same function, so it does not matter which one you press. Some joysticks, however, have two, independent, fire buttons and some interfaces can take advantage of this. That type of joystick can also be used with interfaces which normally only expect one fire button, and so are particularly worth considering. Care should be taken, though, as pressing the used button on some interfaces, will cause the computer to crash.

Another common extra is auto-fire, giving an auto repeat on the fire button.

In order to make their interfaces more attractive some companies add extras which are not related to joysticks. The best known is probably the Nidd Valley Slomo which lets you slow down the computer so that - in theory - the games are easier to play. Two other products, the Opus Discovery 1 disc drive, and the Mikro-Gen Mikro-Plus include Kempston compatible interfaces.

As far as the QL is concerned life is much simpler. The two control sockets on the back are already wired to emulate either the cursor keys and space, or the function keys. All you need to plug in a joystick is an adaptor which fits the control socket at one end and a standard joystick at the other. Joysticks are available which plug straight into the QL - ones that have a QL style plug rather than the Atari standard. The problem with those is that when you upgrade to a different computer you will have to buy another joystick, as it is unlikely it will fit the new machine.

Buying a joystick and interface can be a harrowing experience. Don't be afraid to try out half a dozen in a shop - and don't buy from a shop which won't let you experiment. Ask your friends and, of course, read the reviews in Sinclair User.

Quickshot II
Company: AGF
Telephone: 0243-823337
Price: £9.95

Popular joystick, rather fragile and hence, tends to wear out quickly.

BATTLEFIELD JOYSTICK

Joysticks are your most immediate connection with any game you play - the man-machine interface. The melting joystick makes a nice image for an advertiser who's suggesting that his games can beat anything, but do joysticks in real life really stand up to the beating they receive, are they tough enough for the job, do they move well, are the handles right, will the buttons fire?

The CRASH reviewing team settled down for a weekend of joystick bashing on several types and makes, and here we look at the results...

There are now many makes of joystick available, and almost as many types as there are makes. Each boasts design innovations so that it is better than all the others - and they come in a range of prices too. We all know that joysticks on arcade machines take a battering, so too do those at home. Do they stand up? We tested 19 joysticks from well known manufacturers to see how they all compared.

A joystick must be able to withstand games that require fast and repeated movement, so what better than Ocean's Daley Thompson's Decathlon? We used the Commodore version of the game because it is more violent than the Spectrum! But it isn't only toughness; joysticks must also be capable of fine and positive movement, comfortable to use with sensible fire buttons. Several arcade skill games were used to test four major points for both the stick action and the fire button action.

TRAVEL means the maximum movement between opposite poles (e.g. up/down) on the stick, and how far the fire button had to be depressed. On stick action over 1.5 inches was considered to be very long. Oddly, some of the short sticks had longer to travel than the taller sticks.

ACTION FORCE means the amount of hand or finger pressure required to keep the stick pressed over or the fire button down.

REACTION SPEED indicates how fast contact is made, how quickly the action affects the game, and how well rapid movements can be made (especially rapid fire buttons).

RESPONSE/FEEDBACK indicates how positive the stick or fire action feels and whether there is any physical or audible feedback to tell the player that contact has been made.

ERGONOMICS how useful is the stick for hand held playing, and how well does it operate on a table top. Is the stick well designed for comfort, ease of fire action and general stability.

After preliminary testing, the joysticks all went through ten minutes of the Decathlon to see how long they were likely to stand up to use. During this test, some joysticks broke.

Finally, all the sticks have 9 pin D connectors and are Atari compatible on the pin outs. They all need an interface of one sort or another to work with the Spectrum (except the clip-ons). Some offer 2 independent fire actions, but these only work with either a Cambridge interface or the programmable Comcon from Frei Ltd., which was the interface used for this test.

Each joystick review is split into two halves; firstly a brief technical breakdown; secondly the review team's report.

QUICKSHOT 2

Supplier: Spectravideo Ltd., 165 Garth Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 4LH, Tel (01) 330 0101

Price: £11.95

Lever Action: Plastic shaft supported between pivot point and upper shoulder support. Plastic actuator ring activates 4 dome switches on pcb. Defamation of ring creates self centering force.

Fire Action: Large trigger fire button and lever thumb switch both activating dome switches.

Ergonomics: Average size moulded body for handheld operation. 4 suction feet for table top operation.

Lead: Moulded D type connector and integrally moulded sleeved retaining grommet.

Special feature: Rapid fire action increases firing power on single shot games. Provided constant stream of firing signals. Will not work with all interfaces, as it requires non standard 5V supply on the D connector.

Weak point: Plastic actuator ring will wear and snap.

STICK ACTION

Travel: medium long
Action force: medium
Reaction speed: good
Response/feedback: no feedback, overall rather soggy feel to it.

FIRE ACTION

Travel: very short.
Action force: light.
Reaction speed: good - reasonable rapid fire.
Response/feedback: good, positive feel and audible click.

Ergonomics: no good for hand held use with large base and suction cups in the way, although this makes it good on a table. This joystick has a Rapid Fire slide switch, which is badly placed so that the supporting hand tends to knock it on, and it doesn't always work with the Spectrum, causing all sorts of disasters! Top stick and trigger fire buttons are usefully placed.

Life expectancy: better than Quickshot 1, medium expectancy - the long stick and travel means it gets rather a battering in fast games, especially with the full hand grip required.

STICKS IN THE MUD

Christmas time seems to have brought forward quite a few new joysticks, with the Navigator in particular being heavily-hyped. Most of them look really good, but how do they play? Two of the CRASH lads put them to the test, on all types of software ('cept word processors, of course!)...

Quickshot II Turbo
Spectravideo
£10.99

MARK: The original Quickshot joysticks were among the most attractive around when they first appeared, unfortunately their beauty did not wear well, many breaking quite quickly. The Quickshot II Turbo is their best-looking joystick yet in my opinion, and moreover it has microswitches so it should last longer. The length of travel is still a little long however - not really suitable for precision games. The other drawback is the adult scaling, personally I found it quite comfortable but for little hands it could be really awkward. There is autofire though and two good fire buttons.

PHIL: Nice casing, but what about the responsiveness? The huge, moulded shaft looks and feels great for flight simulators etc, but for other game-types it's far too cumbersome. Otherwise, it feels fairly solid and responsive, but where other sticks are too small, this one is just that fraction too big.

That's all folks, remember that the opinions of the CRASH lads are only meant as a guide. There are many joysticks on the market, we've covered what we could get hold of (further updates when we receive any more - hint, hint). Opinions on joysticks are as individual as those on games - 'every hand is different' as Lloyd's granny says. Certainly you should ask to try one before buying it, and of course keep your receipt, especially for those with long guarantees. You should also bear in mind none of these joysticks, with the single exception of the Navigator, will work with the +2 or +3 joystick interfaces without a small converter, such as the Frei adaptor (£2.50 - see the CRASH Hypermarket, page 95). But whichever one you choose it's got to be better than the Sinclair SJS-1...!