The oddly shaped Falcon gaming controller from Novint has been kicking around at trade shows for a while, most recently at CES 2007. Recently the company brought the haptic device out for another round of demos, and I was lucky to have the chance to give it a whirl.

To be honest, I have no idea why the Falcon is so named, since it looks more like a robotic eyeball than anything remotely avian. Big and heavy, this sucker won't budge easily when positioned on your desk. That's probably a good thing: It takes a little pressure to maneuver the controller's grip where you want it. Perhaps the best thing about the Falcon is that this grip, which functions as a mouse would, and transfers a wide range of tactile feedback to your finger tips. Able to move in a full six directions, the grip can simulate many surface textures as the cursor is dragged across objects. I found this effect surprisingly realistic.

Since the Falcon is billed as a gaming mouse as well as a 3D input device, I was able to try my hand at a special Half Life 2 mod designed especially for it. Control was actually pretty good. During heated engagements, I could lock onto multiple bad guys, drop them with a few targeted bursts, then spin around swiftly to check my six. I think old Space Orb 360 jockeys will be pleased. What may prove to be an issue is arm and finger fatigue, though, because the Falcon uses an odd upright grip arrangement. We'll have to see how that plays out. Also off-putting is the Falcon's steep sticker price of $239. I can nab a Belkin Nostromo N52 for $40 bucks, though it has no tactile or force feedback. Also, for the Falcon's price, you'll get Newton's Monkey Business, including 24 minigames along with a Feelin' It sports pack that has five more playable titles.

Expect to find the Novint Falcon on sale in June of this year.

Post by Brian Bennett