The Adaptoid is a N64 controller to USB interface. With other words, you connect your N64 controller to the The Adaptoid, which is connected to one of your USB ports in your computer. As easy as it sounds.
After I had ripped up the small package in which the The Adaptoid was sent, I quickly screened through the installation instructions, before I connected the The Adaptoid. I had of course downloaded the latest Adaptoid drivers before I started as well. The installation program asked for my Windows 98 CD, but basically, that was all that was needed to get going.
I assume that most people who visit Emulation64 on a daily basis are using N64 emulators. Most N64 emulators have very good controller support, and here's where the Adaptoid is getting real sweet. Can you imagine playing N64 games on your computer with your N64 controller? The feeling is amazing, I can tell you that.
Wish Technologies are releasing new drivers every so often, and the latest release improves rumble support in PC games. Talking about PC games...the Adaptoid is great for PC games as well. The first game I tried with the The Adaptoid was Half-Life, and although I prefer playing games like Half-Life with the keyboard and the mouse, the N64 controller is the best non-keyboard controller I have played it with so far.
Another game I tried it with was The Need for Speed 3, and the precise stick of the N64 controller gave me the chills. One thing the The Adaptoid has that many other N64 to PC adaptors is rumble pak support. The Rumble Pak works excellent, I've tested it with many games with different N64 emulators. If you want to take a look at all games supporting rumble pak, click here. What's even great with the The Adaptoid's rumble support is that it works with all PC games that support force feedback! Plug in your N64 controller into the The Adaptoid, slap in the Rumble Pak, and get force feedback in games like for example Need For Speed 2: Hot Pursuit 2. You can adjust the rumble strength by pressing L+R+Z+Start on your N64 controller.
The Adaptoid uses the N64 controller's stick as the primary axix control by default, but you can change this at any time to use the D-pad as the primary axis control by holding he L+R+Z buttons on the controller and by pressing the D-pad up 3 times. To return to using the stick as the primary control, hold the L+R+Z buttons and press the stick up 3 times. Very easy and useful.
Conclusion: The Adaptoid have nothing but great features, and it takes advantage of all the N64 controllers advantages over other, normal PC controllers. The N64 controller is known as maybe the best controller all categories, and why buying a PC controller that isn't half as good, yet twice as expensive as a The Adaptoid? The Adaptoid is yours for only $26.95 (MSRP $29.95) and is definitely a must-have. Emulation64 approved. :)
