Nascar Charger 2 Review

I'd buy that for a dollar...

Sometimes, the difference between the thrill of the checkered flag and the shame of watching someone else's taillights whiz past as they grab all the glory can be found in the controller you're using. You wouldn't try to win the Indy 500 with a keyboard mounted to the dash of your F-1 racer, so why settle for substandard control of your favorite games? As games get more involved and more realistic, it takes tighter control to earn that checkered flag. Keyboards and mice may be fine for FPS games, or even RPG's, but a hard-core racer demands a wheel.

So you say, "I don't know... peripherals are so expensive, and the cheap ones are exactly that...CHEAP." Oh p'shaw...the Nascar Charger 2 from Thrustmaster will do ya just fine. At around 40 bucks (which, incidentally, is about the cost of a new game), you can enhance the experience of any racer.

The NC2 is a solid feeling wheel. Out of the box it seems a little heavy, and almost clunky. But I assure you, the V-shaped clamp really makes this wheel a part of whatever surface you clamp it to. It's even got a quick release tensioner to give that added stability. After several rounds of 4X4 Evolution, the NC2 never slipped, not even a little.

Added to the stability is Thrustmaster's Bungee Technology. Inside of each NC2, there are real bungee cords. Designed by and for NASA, the bungee cord really helps hold things in place. The stable clamp and firm resistance make for some really accurate cornering.

The wheel is molded hard plastic - nothing fancy, but the shape is comfortable. The four buttons on the face are conveniently placed for easy access to your e- brake, view changes or whatever else you need. Plus, the shift paddles are HUGE, making shifting effortless, which is a good thing. Again, after countless laps I never once had to fumble for a button or a shifter.

The package boasts: "Stable pedals for quick acceleration and braking." Now, I don't know what size feet these guys have, but the pedals that come with the NC2 are on a small, unstable base that slides across carpet like butter off a hot pancake. Most of the time I found myself playing barefoot to hold the pedals in place. This was pretty much the only drawback to the NC2.

Installation of the unit itself is a breeze, the software installs easily and the wheel plugs into your PC's game port. From there, you can access the wheel's own software through the control panel. The software provided doesn't seem like it calibrates thoroughly enough, but I never had any actual calibration problems or control issues around calibration, so no harm done.

Overall, the Nascar Charger 2 is a great introductory wheel. It feels solid and really brings racers to life. Considering the low price, I would recommend it - unless you have big feet.