Genius Metalstick Pro joystick review

If you want a little more immersion in flight simulators, the next step is usually a force feedback joystick. As the name suggests they give some sense of the resistance that a real pilot feels when they move the controls.

The Genius Metalstick Pro is a halfway house because it has a vibration motor, the joystick judders during flight, but it is not directional.

It's also made from plastic but it is built solidly enough that this is unlikely to be a problem. It’s comfortable to hold if you are right handed and the buttons on the base are numbered.

This helps keep track of what button has been assigned to each function. It is just a shame this hasn’t been done to the top buttons.

Otherwise controls are standard with twist for rudder control and a throttle control. It’s not a stick like a real joystick but it does make it easier to access the four buttons on the left-hand side while controlling the throttle with your thumb.

The unique feature of this joystick is a fan built into the stick itself to keep your hand cool during gaming. There’s a button on the front of the stick to turn it on. It’s a little noisy but did keep our hands cool while we were using it.

But it is hard to justify whether this is worth £40. The Saitek Aviator joystick doesn’t have vibration but is a much better joystick, comes with dual throttle and is significantly cheaper at £25.

Products at a similar price include the Logitech Force 3D Pro, which has proper force feedback, and the Thrustmaster T-Flight, which has a proper throttle control.

It’s a comfortable joystick to use and the fan is a good idea for extended gaming sessions, but if you are serious about flight sims, you may want to look elsewhere.