Air Flo EX Controller

nYko's Air Flo EX for PS2

There's nothing like having a few buddies over and taking turns on the citizens of Vice City. Likewise, there's nothing like having your turn come up and someone hands you a controller that feels like a dead carp. Palm sweat makes a controller slippery, hard to manage and is just plain gross. Luckily, the think tank that is nYko Technologies realizes this and has put their best men on the problem. Their solution: put an air conditioning unit in it. Thus was born the Air Flo EX Controller for the PS2 and Xbox.

With an internal variable-speed 5V fan, air is drawn through an intake in the bottom and blown out vents in the handles. This not only keeps both hands cool and sweat-free, but also adds a little sensory stimulation during game play. On its lowest setting, the Air Flo EX moves five cubic feet of air per minute and eleven CFM on high. The fan draws power directly from the console itself, so no batteries are required. It can also be turned off if palm scum doesn't happen to be a problem that day. These guys think of everything.

But how does it play? Very, very well. We tried the PS2 version and not only does the Air Flo system work as it should, but the controller is actually quite a comfortable fit for the hands. All the bells and whistles have been carried over with a few extras: rubberized grips, dual analog sticks, 8-way D-pad, shoulder triggers, and a variable vibration function. Surprisingly, the brushless and bearingless fan runs fairly quietly and doesn't add any significant weight; one can still play for hours without getting unduly tired.

Unlike its Xbox cousin, the fan on the PS2 version of the AirFlo EX draws power from one the USB ports on the front of the console. This is fine, but it limits the AirFlo EX to the PS2; the controller itself works on the PSOne and original PlayStation, but the fan has nowhere to draw power from on these systems.

All in all, the Air Flo EX controller delivers what it promises and then some. It keeps the hands cool and dry without slowing down the action. For about thirty bucks, you can get one just about anywhere games are sold or online at www.nYko.com.