The Speedking from Konyx Computer Products is called a 'gripstick' rather than a joystick because of the shape of the hand unit. This is shaped in such a way that it fits comfortably into the palm of your left hand, and as your hand curls around the unit, your index finder (the one next to your thumb) naturally comes to rest over the fire button.

The conventional joystick part of the unit, the stick controlling direction and movement, is quite small and projects upwards from the face of the joystick as if it were growing out of the palm of your hand. It does look a bit odd, and not at all streamlined, but it fits the hand quite comfortably unlike the large bases on some move conventional models and the directional control stick, though small, is nice and solid and handles well.

Of course, the real test of any joystick is how it handles a good shoot-'em-up. So I loaded in Cyberun and Flying Formula and managed to run up higher scores than I usually do, then I tried it out on Sai Combat which, being a kung-fu game required more than just fast blasting skills. On all counts, the Speedking performed really well.

It works so well because the hand-shaped grip allows you to hold it comfortably and concentrate on the game rather than on trying to stop the joystick from flying out of your hand. The position of the fire button is also well thought out and isn't likely to induce cramp after a few bursts of fire. My only criticism of the Speedking is that its probably useless if you're left-handed, since it will only fit into the left hand and can only be controlled with the right. However, for the right-handed majority it's well worth the price and I personally would rather use the Speedking than just about any other joystick that I've yet come across.