Gyroxus Game Chair – because rumble pads are for poofs
Continuing in the grand tradition of game chairs, the Gyroxus is packed full of weird tech and looks ridiculous. That doesn’t matter though because you won’t be looking at the chair when you’re sat in it – you’ll be gawping at the telly and hanging on for dear life.
The Gyroxus is being dubbed as a full-motion game chair, and this is where its facade starts to crumble. There aren’t motors guiding it, or speakers to blast your eardrums into total videogame immersion; it is essentially a complicated rocking chair guided by a rod. Oh, there’s a control pad attached to the end of that rod too.
That means that wherever you lean, the chair will move accordingly. Go for a desperate lunge to the left and the chair moves with your weight. It doesn’t actually have any direct effect on your control of the game.
Perhaps I’m being unfair, but then I did just spend over half an hour trying to establish how exactly the Gyroxus worked and what precisely it does for you. That implies to me that the maker is trying to pull the wool somewhere along the lines.
So in its defence I’ll say that no one ever said the chair itself had to control, or be controlled by, the game. You will naturally make various physical movements while you play and the fact that the chair catalyses them can only help you feel more immersed. I’d also like to see someone get pitched headlong out of it by trying to duck incoming fire too enthusiastically. Also, the website has a healthy number of video reviews of the chair that all seem pretty enamoured by it. But then again, they would, wouldn’t they?
Two versions are available – one supporting Xbox 360 and PC games, the other PS2 and PS3 games. It’s pricey too at $479.00 – but it does have 30 day money back offer. My guess is it would be best to try it for yourself before making the commitment.
Gyroxus (via BornRich)
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