Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS

When I was a little kid, the humble joystick was an essential part of the equipment for anyone who claimed to have more than a passing interest in gaming. Not only could it be used in any of the myriad of simulation games (whether a popular flight sim, or even a tank sim), it was also handy for 2D side-scrolling platformers. Then came the dark days – sims fell out of fashion, and the joystick all but disappeared only to be replaced by the gamepad (a decidedly inelegant option as far as simulations go).

Happily, now, simulations – whether it’s the superb WWI flight sim Rise of Flight, Microsoft’s latest Flight Simulator, and the brilliant Star Wars: Squadrons – are back in vogue (in fact, Microsoft Flight Simulator is expected to generate nearly $9b worth of peripheral sales), and there’s never been a better time to get a joystick. For those looking for a better-than-entry-but-doesn’t-break-the-bank option, Thrustmaster’s T.16000M is definitely worth consideration.

This symmetrical joystick is also fully ambidextrous, with a left-right toggle on the underside and three components can be removed and swapped, to suit both left and right-handed people. It also, importantly, features Hall Effect magnetic sensors. This means you no longer have to worry about analogue pots failing (as was the case with old joysticks), and the trouble of endlessly recalibration. With 16 buttons, a pov hat switch, a throttle slider, and a yaw option (engaged by simply twisting the stick) it pretty much has everything you need for a single joystick setup.

Having used it for quite a while, it has a decent weight (so it doesn’t get lifted off the surface during particularly violent maneuvering), firm springs and comfortable grip, making it quite easy to use. While it does have 16 buttons, its worth noting that 6 of those will be extremely awkward to reach, as you’ll have to go around your other hand to get to them. While this isn’t too much of a concern in general, it does occasionally make me wish for my old Gravis joystick which, while nowhere near as good, did have two hand control – so if you’re playing games which require lots of different controls at your fingertips, you’ve been warned. That’s really my only niggle with this stick – you could have more buttons at your disposal, but, at the end of the day, you get what you pay for – and the magnetic sensors are terrific. All in all, the Thrustmaster T.16000M is solid, reliable and easy to use, and can be definitely recommended for anyone searching for a singe joystick setup. ■