Joystick And Gamepad Tester

Pros

• Free program to use
• Very simple to use
• Clean, minimal interface
• Can read controllers from myriad manufacturers

Cons

• Cannot tweak performance
• Useless, other than testing performance

While computer games are certainly fun and have millions of players, using a keyboard isn't always the best option for gamers, and so a lot of them use programs like Joystick and Gamepad Tester to ensure they can play with third-party hardware.

Overview of Joystick and Gamepad Tester

Many gamers have been through this scenario before, whereby they download and install a fun game, but just cannot get the hang of the controls using the keyboard and mouse. This is where items like pads and joysticks come into play, and it's also why a program like Joystick and Gamepad Tester is great for gamers who want to test the compatibility and functionality of their hardware to ensure that they can game with their equipment. This is a program that allows you to plug your hardware in and really test how well it's going to perform with your game.

As a gaming utility program, Joystick and Gamepad Tester was created and released by AlphaOmega Software, and the good news is that it still updates quite regularly, so you'll always have the latest version. It's available for free, no hidden fees, and is compatible with the Mac, Mac OS X, and anything later.

How Joystick and Gamepad Tester Works

This is a very easy install and will be intuitive to walk through once you open the program. You basically get what looks like an old-school 1980s graphics box that pops up, and it's mostly blank until you plug something in. Gamepad or joystick, the program is going to recognize the equipment and should give you a rundown on the manufacturer, model, make, and its various capabilities like ranges, buttons, axes, etc.

This isn't really complex at all, unless you're brand new to gaming. Though if you're already a gamer, you already know about functionality and directional function and button function, and you get to test to see that everything's working properly before you enact the labor of syncing it up with your game.

Joystick and Gamepad Tester Features

Since this program is simply a way to test your controllers, and will not allow you to make any tweaks or to rearrange anything, it's pretty light and basic on the feature set. Perhaps the best overall feature of Joystick and Gamepad Tester is the fact that it will actually read the vital information from most gamepads and controllers currently on the market, so the system will know exactly how your controller is supposed to perform optimally.

Other than that, perhaps all one could say is that, for a gamer, this is about as easy as it gets. Open up the program, plug your controller into a USB port, and allow the tester to read the diagnostics of your controller so that you can see if everything's running smoothly.

Pros and Cons of Joystick and Gamepad Tester

Pros

• Free program to use
• Very simple to use
• Clean, minimal interface
• Can read controllers from myriad manufacturers

Cons

• Cannot tweak performance
• Useless, other than testing performance