December 2, 1999
Web posted at: 3:58 p.m. EST (2058 GMT)

By John Robinson
CNN Interactive Senior Associate Editor

Want to add a little more realism to your favorite PlayStation racing game? InterAct Accessories Concept 4 Racing Wheel may be just what you're looking for. Featuring a heavy, rubber-coated wheel, metal shifters and large foot pedals, its obvious that this wheel is not a toy.

After you plug the Concept 4 into your PlayStation, you can mount it on a table using the provided clamps or suction cups, but the best way to use this baby is to sit on it. Thats right, you sit on it. The base of the unit is designed to be narrow with little wings that stick out so you actually hold the wheel in place with your legs.

While sitting on a large piece of plastic may not seem like much fun, it actually works well. The real reason for not mounting the wheel though is the fact that it has dual rumble motors inside the steering column. The first time you hit the wall in "Gran Turismo", you'll get a low rumble that is nearly powerful enough to shake out a filling.

If you want to use the gas and brake pedals too, just plug them into the wheel and place them on the floor in front of you. However, it may be necessary to re-map the pedals in games that don't use the right stick on the Dual Shock controller. Mapping buttons is an easy three-button operation.

The Concept 4 has three modes that help it to work with any PlayStation racing game. The digital mode will work with all games that don't support analog but is nearly impossible to use because you are either turning all the way or not at all. A digital game pad is a much better option if the game you want to use is not analog compatible.

The two remaining modes are Sony analog mode and NegCon analog mode. A NegCon is a third party analog racing controller made by Namco for use with its "Ridge Racer" series. The Concept 4 allows you to mimic that controller for use in the Namco games as well as a few others. Sony analog mode is the setting used by the Dual Shock analog controllers.

The Concept 4 wheel worked very well with most titles tested including Sony's awesome racing sim, "Gran Turismo". However, that game is almost unplayable in Sony analog mode due to a huge dead spot in the wheel rotation. NegCon mode is the only way to go with this game because it allows you to calibrate the wheel as well as the pedals.

The only real problem with using the Concept 4 wheel is that it is extremely hard to get the hang of when using it with a realistic racing game. You'll have to put in some serious time to re-learn how to play each game. It can be very frustrating at first but also very rewarding once you figure it out. On the other hand, the Concept 4 wheel is very easy to use with arcade-style racing games like "Crash Team Racing" or "Test Drive 6".

Of all the games tested, the easiest to play using this wheel is "Need for Speed: High Stakes". Playing this game with the wheel feels natural and is much more fun than playing with a standard controller. Overall, the Concept 4 Racing Wheel is a quality product that offers tons of options to suit your personal preferences. It is highly recommended product for anyone interested in adding a bit of realism, or just a new twist, to nearly any PlayStation racing game.

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