Not bad for playing
classic gaming titles or arcade action games.
Anyone who has tried to
play a flight simulator using a mouse and keyboard will probably agree that it
is not the most effective method for that type of game. Anything from
Battlefield 1942 to Dawn of Aces III just proves to be more accurate using a
flight stick … period. Well, at E3 this year Saitek introduced three new
joystick models to the public, each having it’s own neat look and unique style.
One of these is called the ST90 and it comes sporting retractable tripod legs,
is packaged in a cylindrical tube, and is set to retail at around $15 … but is
it worth the price?
There are a couple of cool
features to the ST90, one of which being a digital throttle that uses buttons up
at the front top of the stick versus using a manual lever. It even lights up to
show you how much throttle you have applied and was very responsive to the
touch.
The tripod legs were also
a nice feature that was included, and it makes it really easy to pack up and
store if it isn’t being used, making it an ideal possibility to take to a
friend’s house or to a LAN party. The bottom of the base swivels to lock the
legs in place so that it doesn’t fold up or bend on you while playing, and then
just as easily unlocks to fold up and store away.
Now on the downside, the
ST90 doesn’t have a swiveling ability to it like a lot of other sticks out
there, making things like yawing or doing something like rotation versus turning
something that has to be done on the keyboard or using a mouse. Basically, using
this joystick in a flight sim isn’t going to work too well, nor is it going to
be the most effective thing for playing a game like MechWarrior either for a lot
of gamers out there. In addition, it only has three programmable buttons on it,
which of course can cause issues with trying to program multiple functions to
the stick instead of having to use the keyboard. It’s not the most horrible
thing out there, but if you like all of your “most used” functions to be on one
joystick, this probably isn’t the one that you are looking for.
Overall the ST90 is a
great joystick for playing some classic arcade games, is very responsive, and
works really well with some action titles as well that don’t involve a lot of
twisting action or multiple button functions like some futuristic racing titles
or more arcade based flight games. If you’re thinking about buying it for a
title like Microsoft Flight Sim or MechAssault though, it probably won’t be
worth the $15 if you’re not a fan of having to use the keyboard or mouse a lot
as well.
Pros :
The ST90 not only looks cool, but it
also uses a nifty digital throttle instead of the typical manual one that is
found on most sticks today. The tripod legs that fold up and lock into place
allow for easy storage and makes it really handy if you plan to take it to a
friend’s house or to a gaming get together. I was also impressed with the
responsiveness of the stick itself and the digital throttle that did what I
needed them to do.
Cons:
The lack of a swiveling base made it
really difficult to play things like flight sims or tank style games since two
of the joystick buttons had to be used to control yawing or rotation vs. turning
instead of being able to just twist the stick. While this isn’t a bad thing if
you are looking for an arcade only kind of buy, it does knock out some universal
appeal if you plan to move into other things. There are also only three buttons
that can be programmed in, so if you are planning to play a game that uses a lot
of functions be prepared to keep using the keyboard a lot.
Verdict : 7.5
If you are planning to get the ST90
to use with some classic gaming titles, futuristic racing games or different
action games out there then the $15 is a good purchase price and this is a great
joystick to get (add 1 point to the overall score if that’s the case). If you
are low on cash and thinking about picking this up to play the most recent WWII
combat flight sim though, I would recommend tossing in an extra five or ten
bucks and getting something else since this one might still have you relying on
the mouse / keyboard combo again.
