Novint Technologies, Inc. has finally started shipping its first round of preorders of the “highly anticipated” Falcon game controller. It was definitely on the verge of being vaporware. Actually, were it not for the fact that I kept seeing it show up at trade shows, I totally would’ve thrown it into the “hey, whatever happened to…” pile in the back of my brain.
It’s tough to express in words what using the controller is like, but basically it’s force feedback on steroids. You can feel the effects of weight, texture, dimension and shape. Ever force your finger through Jello? Well that’s the sort of sensations you can realistically experience, but without the fun, sticky part and needing to lick your finger after. It works well with the kickback from a gun in first-person shooters, too.
The limited-edition bundle is priced at $189 and comes with a bunch of games including Newton’s Monkey Business, with 24 minigames, and the Feelin’ It: Sports Pack, with full versions of Table Tennis, Golf, Top Pin Bowling, Homerun Smashout, and 3-Point Shootout. And if you’ve completed Half Life 2, but want to “experience” it again, the Falcon works with that as well. Free standard shipping is included with a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year product warranty.