I cast another vote for the sidewinder 3d pro. Its what I use on my DOS 486.

I hope nobody minds me bumping an old topic. I was looking up joystick info and wound up discovering this topic.

And I have to ask, just how are you people getting the Sidewinder 3D Pro to work in DOS? When I boot up in DOS, it can't even see the device at all--the only way I can use it with DOS games is to run them in windows (which, fortunately, I've been able to do for every game that really needed it).

And I've downloaded official microsoft drivers, a backup of the driver disk floppy, and have even tried some of the alternative drivers mentioned in this thread. In fact I was going to try using drivers for completely different joysticks to make this thing work, that's how unsuccessful I've been.

I read in the Readme file that the reason the Sidewinder 3D Pro might not work in DOS for me is because I have a Soundblaster 16 and it apparently has issues with that card. So if you have a Soundblaster 16 then the Sidewinder 3D Pro might not be the best choice for you, unless you only ever intend to use it in windows.

Hope this helped someone.

Quick tip: if you are looking for old PC joysticks, I see them all the time at my local Goodwill. I've seen old Sidewinders, old Logitech, and even old Thrustmasters pass through. Cheap too, 5 bucks usually. I found an original Gravis gamepad new in the box for 2 bucks.

My fav was the Gravis gamepad for platform games and even Wolf3D. For everything else, I did use a SideWinder 3D Pro. These days I use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro when I need a simulator joystick. Being USB, not really DOS compatible, but still works well for Win9X era games.

I know of a 4-axis joystick with 4 buttons and a 4-way hat switch that works in DOS perfectly:

CH Products GameStick 3D

These came in both a gameport and USB version. You definitely want the gameport version for DOS.

You'll have a hard time finding one of these. They weren't one of the better offerings from CH Products and sold poorly. That doesn't mean it's a bad stick. A bad CH Products stick is still better than almost anything else. The big flaw I found with the GameStick 3D is its rudder/twist. Don't use a heavy hand on it, or it will crack.

I purchased a couple GameStick 3D's on clearance/closeout back in the day. I keep one fresh for my old DOS stuff and also because it's an ambidextrous stick. I really can't think of a better all-in-one stick for DOS, but I can certainly think of better HOTAS systems. I much prefer my FlightStick Pro with throttle and pedals.

There was also another product called the GameStick 14. It was similar to the GameStick 3D except that it had more buttons and two d-pads on the base. You could program this one with the CH software in Windows. In DOS, it would function like the GameStick 3D. There are a few overpriced examples available on eBay. If you want a single stick for both DOS and Windows, the GameStick 14 is probably your best choice.

I think the runner-up would probably be the MS SideWinder 3D Pro. However, these have issues. Some faster PCs won't even see them as being connected. There is a patch to fix this, but YMMV.If you want to try one of these, check around at your local GoodWill stores. I see them all the time for around $3. You can get the software for it here.

Edit: I just realized I have responded to a 3 year old thread. Oooops!

Responding to an old post is not bad if the info is still helpful and relevant. Thanks for bringing that GameStick to light, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for one on the cheap.

Also, anyone having "device not connected" errors with the Sidewinder 3D Pro should take a gander at this topic. My Sidewinder was a waste of space until I tried his alternative drivers (you have to just keep trying different ones until you find one that works for you. I would write down which one worked so you won't have to go thru that again in case of a reinstall).

Edmond:

Thanks! I tried it out and was able to get my old SW3DPro working with my 1Ghz NetVista. Except for rarely using it with my P200, it has mostly been a dust-catcher. Now I can put it back in service!

A note to others: this fix is only for Win9x systems.

Thanks again! 😀

If you just want a small joystick with DOS compatibility and at least all 4 axes and buttons, then the Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro's probably the safest bet. Fairly common in thrift shops, has analog mode emulation for both the Thrustmaster FCS and CH Flightstick Pro, some DOS games actually support the digital mode natively so you can use all 8 buttons and the hat switch simultaneously with the throttle axis, and it uses LEDs and an optical camera in place of potentiometers.

The main downside is that the stick throw is fairly short and fine adjustments around center are difficult due to the spring system.

Now, if you were to ask me what I felt the best DOS-compatible stick setup was? Thrustmaster F-22 Pro + F-16 TQS + a good set of gameport pedals. Great ergonomics, logical programming that lets you map the four joystick buttons however you want, and keyboard emulation for all the extra buttons and switches. HOTAS + pedals is the only way to go for me, really.

Gimbals could use a replacement, though; the F-22 Pro gimbals are a lot like the later HOTAS Cougar's, complete with their flaws.

I like the SideWinder 3D Pro, but the only game I like to play with a joystick is MechWarrior 2 which supports it with no problems. If I was an avid joysticker I'd probably look for something with simpler compatibility.

I found a Gravis Blackhawk at a Goodwill, but I can't find much info about it. It looks like a super base model though; very few features. I'll have to test it once I get my Pentium II machine to start.