Now I have to admit that I play my racing games with a controller as I don’t have the room for a steering wheel set-up, and it is just the way that I play them.  I really enjoy sitting in my leather theatre chairs and watching the on-screen racing action take place while I control my vehicle of choice. That being said, I have dabbled in the world of racing with a steering wheel now and then. Most recently I had the chance to take more then a few laps with the Mad Catz Wireless Force FeedBack Racing Wheel for Xbox 360. This is a budget conscious mid-level wireless wheel with force feedback technology.  So what did I think? Well, as you’ll read below, I was somewhat impressed with my time with it.
The first thing I noticed when I pulled the wheel out of the box and set it up was the quality. It is a combination of plastic and metal that, when combined the way it is, makes for a very solid feeling wheel. The wheel incorporates metal within the actual build of the wheel itself (e.g. the faceplate) for a noticeable look and finish. The paddle shifters on the backside of the wheel are also metal, giving them not only a solid feel, but also improved functionality as they feel strong, and as you click them they feel just right when you go through the gears of your virtual car.
Also of note is the sequential shifter, for those who may not want to use the paddle shifters. Not only is the build quality good, given that metal is incorporated into it, the shifter itself can be moved as you can put it on either the right or left hand side of the wheel. So those who are left handed are not left in a lurch here. It’s a small but very functional feature that I think lefties should really appreciate.
If I have any complaint about quality, it is in in construction of the pedals. The pedals and base are constructed out of plastic. Unfortunately this causes them to feel cheap and flimsy and there is no resistance to the pedals like those that you may feel in a real vehicle or when using a higher priced wheel (e.g. Fanatec). That being said, you do learn to adjust, but it just doesn’t feel as realistic as I had hoped. On a more plus note, the pedals feature a non-slip rubber on them, and the base doesn’t move too much. My gaming area has carpet on the floor and I found that I did have to adjust it now and then, especially after some really close races where my feet became a little too animated.
Another thing that die-hard racings fan will notice is that the pedals do not include a clutch. It only has a brake and gas pedal. For me this was not an issue, as I tend to play my racing games with an automatic transmission (don’t hate me), but for those looking for the full sim-based experience, clutch and all, Mad Catz’s wheel and pedal combination will disappoint a bit here.
If there is one thing I have learned over my gaming life, it is that die hard racers who want to use a steering wheel usually use some sort of set up, from old tables or desks, to well designed and custom made racing chairs (e.g. PlaySeat America). Our Community Manager has the latter and loves it. Regardless, Mad Catz’s wheel has a plastic clamp to allow you to secure the wheel to any of these types of set-ups. For those with no extra money, furniture, or no extra room, Mad Catz includes a lap rest to attach to the wheel, which allows you to play with the wheel resting on your lap. Now this is far from perfect, but it is very functional for sure. I for one can appreciate that there is this option as some people, myself included, do not have the room to pull out any kind of racing set-up, so to be able to use this wheel on a lap is much appreciated.
Mad Catz’s wheel employs force feedback from Immersion Technologies. This company is a well-known company when it comes to force feedback in everything from controllers to full on racing wheels.  Mad Catz employs dual vibration feedback motors that help provide a realistic vibration experience. My review time was spent playing DiRT3 and Forza 4. When I played DiRT 3 I was amazed with how the gravel surfaces below my virtual car’s wheels was transmitted from the game to the steering wheel. You could feel the chatter of the ground as you raced over it. The wheel also made sliding around a snowy, gravel, or sandy corner quite smooth and somewhat rewarding. As for Forza 4, I was just as amazed as I raced around the various tracks found in the game. From the famed Rahal Corner on Laguna Seca to the wide sweeping final turn on Sebring Raceway, it was amazing to feel the feedback of the wheel start to react to wheels slipping in the game depending how hard and fast I entered into or exited out of a corner. I could also feel the rumble strips below my wheels as I tried to ride a corner to cut off precious 10ths of a second. All in all I thought the feedback technology that was used for Mad Catz’s wheel was very well implemented and motors in the wheel did a good job of transmitting this.
Mad Catz states that the wheel is wireless, although this is true in theory, you’ll still use a wire or two when playing. Indeed the wheel is wireless when connected to the Xbox 360, but you still need to plug-in an AC adapter into the wall to power the wheel’s force feedback motors. As well, should you wish to play online there is a jack for you to plug your headset into.
There is also a USB port on the wheel. This is to allow you to plug the wheel into your computer and update it with any new firmware. I didn’t use this feature as the wheel worked without any issues right out of the box.  It synced up with my Xbox quickly and without issue. This was a good thing given that the wheel is made specifically for the Xbox 360.  It also has the Officially Licensed badge for the Xbox 360, so I would expect that there should be no issue here.  In regards to the wireless capabilities of the wheel, I used the wheel about 15 feet from my Xbox 360 and had no problems with the connection.
There is no doubt that there are some better racing wheels out there, but they are all way more expensive and quite an investment, whereas Mad Catz’s wheel offers up great force feedback, a quality build, and a great feel for the budget conscious racer. Although the pedals leave a bit to be desired, one can adjust to this deficiency with ease. At the end of the day I have no problem recommending the Mad Catz Wireless Force FeedBack Racing Wheel for Xbox 360, as the value is great ($249.00 USD/$259.00 Cdn) and the strengths far outweigh any negatives that have been noted.
