Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack review: earns its place

Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack: one-minute review

When I sent a picture of my Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack review unit to my editor, he called it a “ridiculous product”. He meant it flatteringly, of course – how could anyone not want a chunk of a fighter jet’s cockpit ripped out and placed on their desk? That’s exactly what’s on offer with the catchily titled Mission Pack (which sounds like Flight Sim DLC as opposed to a peripheral).

To get the important thing out of the way, though, there’s no stick included here. You can, of course, connect up any traditional flight stick, but for $549.99 / £449.99, it’s worth remembering you’ll still need one.

That plus the price tag puts this firmly in ‘enthusiast’ territory for many, and yet as soon as you take the hefty unit out of the box, it’s hard not to let out a small gasp at just how neat it is. From the switches, to the throttle and its assorted inputs, it only gets cooler when you plug it in and engage the backlights throughout.

There are a staggering 64 buttons included on this 1:1 model, and it’s possible to get even more out of it with some remapping. It’s in a nice spot where it’s approachable (as long as you can afford it) because you can plug it in and most games will recognize it almost instantly, but there’s the potential for some light tweaking with adjustable lights and friction that mean it can be as smooth as you’d like.

The Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack won’t be for everyone, but if you’re in the target demographic, you’ll likely already have an order placed.

Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack: price and availability

• List price: $529.99 / £449.99
• Available worldwide
• Very much in premium territory

The Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack, as mentioned above, doesn’t come with a flight stick but it does come in three different configurations if you’d like to keep costs down.

The first is the throttle, which is available solus, while the second is just the control panel of switches and the like. Finally, you can get the complete version that we’re reviewing here, but if you already have a throttle and just want some switches, or vice versa, the option is there.

Still, there’s no getting around that price tag, but there are much more affordable options available for newer pilots – we’ll come to those shortly.

Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack: specs

Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack: design and features

• Sturdy construction means it won’t move
• Adjustable friction
• Plenty of inputs

What struck me when removing the Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack from its box was just how weighty it is. It’s not necessarily what I’d describe as heavy for heavy’s sake, but it’s got enough heft to it where you can tell it’s been made of materials that will last.

It arrives fully assembled, but with the option to adjust the friction. I found it a little too easy to push at first, and lacking in dramatic effect, but in order to engage afterburner or idle your in-game engine, you’ll need to lift the throttle over a sort of ‘hard stop’ which adds a fun mechanical feel. Once you then dial in the friction, it just feels right.

There’s even a ‘slap button’ which can trigger flares with your backhand, which is a nice touch, and then you have a whole bunch of buttons and knobs on the throttle handle. There’s comfortable, if overwhelming at first, and relative novices (that’s me) will likely not press them often, but we’ll come to mapping shortly.

For the panel, you get an adjustable green backlight once you plug it in (there’s a USB-C port at the front), and every switch has a satisfying click when engaged. Add to that the variety of knobs that are easy to turn but don’t get too close to the throttle, and there’s plenty of space for some quick maneuvers.

I also really like the landing gear switch, which you can’t accidentally nudge because it has to be lifted before it can be moved. When I started playing Elite Dangerous I was on Xbox, playing with a controller, fumbling with modifier buttons and all sorts to get my landing gear up. Having a bespoke switch now is a testament to how wide the gamut of flight sim control options are.

If the game you’re playing supports an eject button, you’ll find one of those, too – here’s hoping you never need it.

Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack: performance

• Plug and play
• Customizable elements
• T.A.R.G.E.T software feels a little dated

Thrustmaster recommends using its T.A.R.G.E.T software, but I barely dabbled with it in my testing.

It’s a small install, but outside of using it to install drivers, I found the interface a little too dated to use for button remapping. Still, you can set up various premade layouts within it, mimicking the behaviour of real aircraft, if that’s your thing,

I’m more a space ace myself, so I was keen to test it at two ends of the spectrum: Star Wars Squadrons and Elite Dangerous.

The former was nice and easy, with the game instantly recognizing my stick as one input, and the Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack as a secondary one. Within minutes I was chasing ‘Rebel scum’ in my TIE Fighter, locking on and looping the loop.

Elite Dangerous is a slower-paced space sim, but again it was easy enough to get going after switching my input method over in the settings. After a quick auto-launch procedure, I was out space trucking in comfort, safe in the knowledge I was able to react to any situation.

Naturally, sim-based games will have more use for many of the panel’s various switches and knobs. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 dropped during testing, and I found much more use for the array of inputs there than I did in more sci-fi settings.

Should you buy the Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider…

Still not sold on the Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack? Here’s how it compares to two similar products.

How I tested the Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack

• Tested over multiple weeks
• Used on a gaming PC with an RTX 4070Ti
• Tested using Elite Dangerous, Star Wars Squadrons and Microsoft Flight Simulator

I’ve been using the Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack for a couple of weeks now, switching between multiple titles.

While I enjoyed using it for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, I primarily tested it using Elite Dangerous, an expansive space sim, and Star Wars Squadrons for testing tight turns and dogfighting, as well as Microsoft Flight Simulator for longer, more realistic flying sessions.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2024