Gimme the Stick!
A Review of Jane’s Combat Stick
Ron Enderland
Let’s see the hands of those out there who only use their computers for business. Just as I thought, the only ones making that claim are those IS department employees whose bosses are watching. When the supervisor steps out of the room, they’re filling slack time like the rest of us, by blasting aliens, laying the black eight on the red nine, etc.
Gaming has contributed as much to the advance in computer technology as has any other application, with the possible exception of the space race. Flight simulations are particularly addictive, especially when the plane you’re piloting is an F-16.
CH Products has released Jane’s Combat Stick, which duplicates the F-16 
joystick. The hefty package features eight buttons which control firing, weapon selection, throttle vector, and other features (depending on the game that you are running). There is also a throttle wheel and two trim wheels.
The stick, when matched with supporting software, is just incredible.
If your favorite jet fighter simulation doesn’t support the Combat Stick, take heart: Included is Advanced Tactical Fighters. This nifty game, in addition to allowing you to use every feature on the stick, also lets you fly twenty different single player as well as ten different multiplayer missions. Most of the single missions give you a computer controlled wingman. In the multiplayer mode, other players can join you via modem, serial port, or LAN. You can also create your own missions with your choice of waypoints and game goals.
You can choose from fourteen different aircraft, ranging from the B-2 Stealth Bomber to numerous fighters.
There are also other Jane's simulations that will utilize the stick's features.
Control is readily transferred from the stick to the screen, with the buttons quickly learned and utilized. The seven-by-seven-and-a-half inch footprint lets you know that this is no wimpy controller. It has a heft that the serious gamer will like. It also fits in flawlessly with other Jane’s products, including the Pro Throttle, Pro Pedals, et al. 34 programmable functions are claimed when used in conjunction with the Pro Throttle.
The potentiometers and switches are rated for heavy-duty use. My death grip and herky-jerky flying style (which has been known to wreck cheap joysticks) didn’t daunt the Jane’s.
Summing up, if you want to invest 130 bucks (retail, but a lot cheaper on the street) in a controller that has the feel of the real thing, this is it. The only step up that this reviewer sees is in the feedback-type sticks, which will dent your pocketbook even further.
Gamer's Zone Scorecard
| Product: | Jane’s Combat Stick |
| Company: | CH Products Corporate Headquarters |
| Cost: | $129.99 |
System Requirements:
MS-DOS 5.0 or higher
8 MB RAM
30 MB hard drive space
486 DX2-66 or faster CPU
256 color VESA compatible super VGA video card with 1 MB RAM
2X CD-ROM drive (for ATF)
Sound card recommended
Breakdown:
Fun Factor 5
Graphics 5
Sound 5
Interface 5
Replayability 5
Overall Score:
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