With the world still recovering from the cumbersome black plastic aftermath of the music game craze, you’d think awkward peripherals were a new phenomenon in the gaming world. “Not so!’ says the Sega Action Chair. The Action Chair, a peripheral so rare it doesn’t even have a Wikipedia entry, is a virtually unknown hunk of metal and plastic that makes the Power Glove look like a triumph of ergonomics.

Above: Genuine vinyl seat and damp fart smell included!

The Action Chair is a controller that, unsurprisingly, has you sit in it. Two hand grips provide some stability, and contain the ABC/Start Select buttons. What makes the Action Chair so unique is that the D-pad controls are programmed into a sensor in the bottom of the chair, meaning you control the game via rocking and leaning in the direction you want to go. While it's an atrociouschoice for sidescrollers, platformers, andevery other type of game,the setup theoretically makes sensefor games like Road Rashand After Burner. Of course, whoever thought this idea made any kind of fiscal sense is currently huddled around flaming barrel, eating a fish skeleton they just pulled out of a trash can.

Above: The only chair clinically proven to get you less "action"

The example up for auction is in fairly good shape considering it’s been moldering in a basement for at least a decade, rust is minimal and the disgusting vinyl seat is rip free.All jokes aside, the Action Chair is a legitimately rare and historical piece of gaming ephemera. Even so, the Buy it Now asking price of $500 is enough to drive off all but the most die-hard gaming fans. So unless you’ve got some shelf space between your U-Force and Sega Activator that needs filling, it’d be a good idea to keep your wallet closedfor this one.

Jun 2, 2010