<s>
The	O
,	O
stylized	O
as	O
neGcon	B-Device
,	O
is	O
a	O
motion-based	O
game	B-Device
controller	I-Device
manufactured	O
in	O
1995	O
by	O
Namco	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
controller	O
also	O
replaces	O
the	O
"	O
symbol	O
"	O
buttons	O
on	O
the	O
original	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
controller	O
with	O
two	O
"	O
A	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
B	O
"	O
buttons	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
"	O
I	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
II	O
"	O
buttons	O
that	O
allowed	O
for	O
analogue	O
control	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NeGcon	B-Device
was	O
created	O
to	O
replicate	O
the	O
analog-stick	O
movement	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
Cyber	B-Application
Sled	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
;	O
the	O
name	O
comes	O
from	O
the	O
Japanese	O
word	O
"	O
nejiru	O
"	O
,	O
meaning	O
"	O
to	O
twist	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
controller	O
was	O
intended	O
for	O
use	O
in	O
racing	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
,	O
Gran	B-Application
Turismo	I-Application
and	O
Wipeout	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critical	O
reception	O
for	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
was	O
highly	O
positive	O
,	O
being	O
praised	O
for	O
its	O
responsive	O
control	O
in	O
games	O
and	O
unique	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NeGcon	B-Device
is	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
peripheral	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
by	O
Namco	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
also	O
compatible	O
with	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
left	O
of	O
the	O
controller	O
features	O
a	O
D-pad	B-Device
and	O
a	O
start	O
button	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
right	O
features	O
two	O
blue	O
"	O
A	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
B	O
"	O
buttons	O
and	O
two	O
red	O
"	O
I	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
II	O
"	O
buttons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
D-pad	B-Device
opts	O
for	O
a	O
cross-shaped	O
design	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
one	O
found	O
on	O
consoles	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
,	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
the	O
directional	O
button	O
layout	O
found	O
on	O
the	O
original	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
controller	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
halves	O
of	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
are	O
connected	O
by	O
a	O
large	O
swivel-joint	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
twist	O
both	O
halves	O
relative	O
of	O
each	O
other	O
to	O
allow	O
for	O
precise	O
movements	O
in	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
swivel-joint	O
is	O
operated	O
by	O
gears	O
that	O
turn	O
the	O
shafts	O
of	O
two	O
potentiometers	B-Device
within	O
the	O
device	O
,	O
the	O
central	O
pivot	O
utilizing	O
a	O
ring	O
gear	O
driving	O
a	O
pinion	O
on	O
the	O
shaft	O
of	O
the	O
potentiometer	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
neGcon	B-Device
's	O
design	O
was	O
prompted	O
by	O
Namco	O
's	O
desire	O
to	O
accurately	O
replicate	O
the	O
dual-lever	O
controls	O
of	O
their	O
arcade	O
game	O
Cyber	B-Application
Sled	I-Application
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Examples	O
of	O
racing	O
games	O
that	O
took	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
are	O
the	O
original	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
iterations	O
of	O
the	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
series	O
(	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
Type	I-Application
4	I-Application
also	O
supported	O
the	O
Namco	O
Jogcon	B-Device
)	O
,	O
Gran	B-Application
Turismo	I-Application
,	O
Motor	B-Application
Toon	I-Application
Grand	I-Application
Prix	I-Application
,	O
Motor	B-Application
Toon	I-Application
Grand	I-Application
Prix	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
Destruction	B-Application
Derby	I-Application
,	O
Colin	B-Application
McRae	I-Application
Rally	I-Application
,	O
TOCA	O
,	O
Rally	B-Device
Cross	I-Device
,	O
V-Rally	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Pole	B-Application
Position	I-Application
games	O
on	O
Namco	B-Device
Museum	I-Device
volumes	O
1	O
and	O
3	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
V	I-Application
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Wipeout	B-Application
series	O
(	O
including	O
Wipeout	B-Device
Fusion	I-Device
on	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
)	O
also	O
supported	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
number	O
of	O
non-racing	O
games	O
which	O
supported	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
was	O
limited	O
,	O
almost	O
solely	O
confined	O
to	O
Namco	O
's	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
series	O
(	O
which	O
also	O
carried	O
over	O
to	O
PS2	B-Device
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
was	O
not	O
strictly	O
protocol-compatible	O
with	O
the	O
standard	O
PS1	B-Device
controller	I-Device
,	O
Sony	O
's	O
libraries	O
seemed	O
to	O
support	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
as	O
a	O
standard	O
controller	O
even	O
at	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
this	O
,	O
a	O
neGcon	B-Device
could	O
be	O
used	O
in	O
most	O
games	O
that	O
did	O
n't	O
require	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
R2	O
,	O
L2	O
or	O
select	O
buttons	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
built-in	O
memory	O
card	O
manager	O
and	O
CD	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
library	O
was	O
also	O
used	O
to	O
provide	O
finer	O
controls	O
for	O
third-party	O
steering	O
wheels	O
,	O
with	O
long	O
throw	O
I	O
and	O
II	O
buttons	O
used	O
for	O
pedals	O
in	O
such	O
controllers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
said	O
long	O
throw	O
of	O
the	O
I	O
and	O
II	O
buttons	O
makes	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
not	O
a	O
top-quality	O
substitute	O
for	O
a	O
regular	O
PS1	B-Device
controller	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gran	B-Application
Turismo	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
A-Spec	I-Application
and	O
Gran	B-Device
Turismo	I-Device
4	I-Device
for	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
do	O
not	O
support	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
had	O
the	O
effect	O
of	O
breaking	O
compatibility	O
with	O
steering	O
wheel	O
controllers	O
that	O
previously	O
used	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
protocol	O
,	O
although	O
other	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Le	B-Application
Mans	I-Application
24	I-Application
Hours	I-Application
and	O
World	B-Device
Rally	I-Device
Championship	I-Device
(	O
with	O
control	O
mode	O
set	O
to	O
digital	O
)	O
allowed	O
for	O
compatibility	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GT3	O
and	O
GT4	O
are	O
compatible	O
with	O
the	O
standard	O
PS2	B-Device
DualShock	O
2	O
which	O
provides	O
analog	O
throttle	O
and	O
brake	O
input	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Logitech	O
wheels	O
were	O
large	O
and	O
non-portable	O
but	O
were	O
well	O
matched	O
to	O
the	O
Gran	B-Application
Turismo	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NeGcon	B-Device
was	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
Namco	O
designer	O
Satoru	O
Kuriyama	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Best	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
production	O
manager	O
for	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
,	O
Kuriyama	O
envisioned	O
the	O
idea	O
for	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
while	O
observing	O
a	O
fellow	O
Namco	O
employee	O
,	O
Valkyrie	B-Application
no	I-Application
Densetsu	I-Application
creator	O
"	O
Ms.	O
Okawa	O
"	O
,	O
playing	O
a	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
racing	O
game	O
while	O
simultaneously	O
tilting	O
the	O
controller	O
in	O
the	O
direction	O
the	O
car	O
was	O
turning	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Namco	O
's	O
console	O
game	O
division	O
caught	O
wind	O
of	O
the	O
idea	O
and	O
suggested	O
that	O
if	O
the	O
controller	O
was	O
drastically	O
different	O
from	O
other	O
game	B-Device
controllers	I-Device
already	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
,	O
it	O
could	O
help	O
create	O
new	O
,	O
interesting	O
game	O
concepts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
name	O
NeGcon	B-Device
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Japanese	O
word	O
"	O
nejiru	O
"	O
,	O
meaning	O
"	O
to	O
twist	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yutaka	O
Isokawa	O
,	O
a	O
Namco	O
engineer	O
,	O
was	O
assigned	O
to	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
production	O
team	O
shortly	O
after	O
completing	O
work	O
on	O
two	O
Yu	O
Yu	O
Hakusho	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
a	O
developer	O
at	O
Asmik	O
that	O
designed	O
Catrap	B-Application
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
,	O
he	O
was	O
integrated	O
into	O
Namco	O
's	O
console	O
game	O
division	O
to	O
begin	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
new	O
controller	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Isokawa	O
believes	O
that	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
idea	O
behind	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
was	O
based	O
on	O
Namco	O
's	O
desire	O
to	O
create	O
hardware	O
for	O
the	O
home	O
console	O
market	O
,	O
rather	O
than	O
be	O
strictly	O
a	O
third-party	O
publisher	O
for	O
companies	O
such	O
as	O
Nintendo	O
and	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
—	O
this	O
idea	O
was	O
further	O
fueled	O
by	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
Namco	O
's	O
rival	O
,	O
Sega	O
,	O
was	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
largest	O
hardware	O
manufacturers	O
in	O
the	O
home	O
video	O
game	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Isokawa	O
believes	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
intended	O
to	O
begin	O
producing	O
controllers	O
and	O
potentially	O
consoles	O
before	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
designing	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
,	O
the	O
production	O
team	O
turned	O
to	O
racing	O
games	O
for	O
inspiration	O
;	O
they	O
specifically	O
looked	O
at	O
steering	O
wheels	O
and	O
how	O
they	O
moved	O
to	O
potentially	O
create	O
a	O
controller	O
that	O
allowed	O
for	O
quick	O
,	O
responsive	O
turns	O
around	O
corners	O
in	O
tracks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
production	O
of	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
,	O
Isokawa	O
began	O
work	O
on	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
that	O
could	O
show	O
off	O
the	O
controller	O
's	O
capabilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
a	O
golf	O
game	O
that	O
had	O
the	O
player	O
twist	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
to	O
simulate	O
the	O
action	O
of	O
swinging	O
a	O
golf	O
club	O
to	O
hit	O
the	O
ball	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Isokawa	O
scrapped	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
Namco	O
would	O
have	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
Sony	O
's	O
Everybody	B-Application
's	I-Application
Golf	I-Application
,	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
was	O
not	O
possible	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
latter	O
's	O
widespread	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
was	O
cancelled	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
used	O
it	O
to	O
test	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
prototype	O
units	O
as	O
a	O
way	O
to	O
help	O
correct	O
potential	O
issues	O
and	O
finalize	O
the	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
+	O
List	O
of	O
NeGcon-compatible	O
video	O
games	O
Year	O
Title	O
Platform	O
Publisher	O
1994Ridge	O
Racer	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1994Motor	O
Toon	O
Grand	O
Prix	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
1995Ridge	O
Racer	O
Revolution	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1995Cyber	O
Sled	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1995Air	O
Combat	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1995Wipeout	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Psygnosis	O
1995Destruction	O
Derby	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Psygnosis	O
1995Namco	O
Museum	O
Vol	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1996J-League	O
Soccer	O
Prime	O
Goal	O
EX	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1996Studio	O
P	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Argent	O
1996The	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
PlayStation	B-Device
Electronic	O
Arts	O
1996World	O
Stadium	O
EX	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1996Wipeout	O
2097	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Psygnosis	O
1996Rage	O
Racer	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1996Motor	O
Toon	O
Grand	O
Prix	O
2	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
1996Galaxian3	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Namco	O
1996Namco	O
Museum	O
Vol	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NeGcon	B-Device
has	O
been	O
built	O
in	O
three	O
variants	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
First	O
Generation	O
model	O
is	O
a	O
basic	O
white	O
neGcon	B-Device
with	O
curved	O
shoulder	O
buttons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Third	O
Generation	O
model	O
is	O
a	O
black	O
slightly	O
smaller	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
designed	O
as	O
a	O
cheaper	O
version	O
of	O
white	O
neGcons	B-Device
,	O
but	O
it	O
has	O
never	O
been	O
officially	O
sold	O
outside	O
of	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
black	O
neGcon	B-Device
had	O
reshaped	O
handles	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
more	O
ergonomic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
black	O
NeGcon	B-Device
was	O
released	O
on	O
April	O
29	O
,	O
1998	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
,	O
upon	O
release	O
in	O
Japan	O
the	O
neGcon	B-Device
"	O
received	O
rave	O
reviews	O
from	O
the	O
gaming	O
press	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
unusual	O
design	O
,	O
shape	O
and	O
method	O
of	O
control	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
coverage	O
of	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
has	O
been	O
similarly	O
positive	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
noted	O
its	O
outlandish	O
,	O
unique	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Time	O
,	O
who	O
ranked	O
it	O
as	O
the	O
4th	O
strangest	O
gadget	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
,	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
"	O
stands	O
apart	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
few	O
simultaneously	O
bizarre	O
and	O
functionally	O
intrepid	O
"	O
of	O
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
controllers	I-Device
,	O
commending	O
its	O
responsive	O
button	O
input	O
and	O
general	O
suitability	O
for	O
racing	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
agreed	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
controller	O
helped	O
redefine	O
the	O
overall	O
design	O
of	O
the	O
traditional	O
PlayStation	B-Device
controller	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
said	O
its	O
design	O
was	O
strange	O
and	O
bizarre	O
,	O
yet	O
responsive	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
an	O
excellent	O
controller	O
for	O
racing	O
games	O
like	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
expressed	O
disappointment	O
towards	O
the	O
NeGcon	B-Device
's	O
poor	O
sales	O
due	O
to	O
it	O
being	O
seen	O
as	O
strange	O
by	O
the	O
general	O
public	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
just	O
goes	O
to	O
show	O
where	O
genuine	O
innovation	O
will	O
get	O
you.	O
"	O
</s>
