Need advice on getting an arcade stick...

[Flak Beard]

Well before I decide anything, I'm going to head out to my local flea market tomorrow and see what the game store there has. I recall seeing one of the Namco PS1 sticks for less than $30 a while back. Hopefully it'll still be there.

[skate323k137]

if you guys are going to spend the kind of money it takes to get a hori, you should seriously consider something like this:

http://www.aiabstore.com/product.sc?cat ... oductId=16

$139 with Happ parts (which honestly, i like just as much as J-style parts, so long as the buttons are convex), and you can get sanwa buttons for $15 more, and a JLF for $14 more. it may take a month or two but you can even pick the most comfortable button layout for you (i like the curved close layout)

[Flak Beard]

if you guys are going to spend the kind of money it takes to get a hori, you should seriously consider something like this:

http://www.aiabstore.com/product.sc?cat ... oductId=16

$139 with Happ parts (which honestly, i like just as much as J-style parts, so long as the buttons are convex), and you can get sanwa buttons for $15 more, and a JLF for $14 more. it may take a month or two but you can even pick the most comfortable button layout for you (i like the curved close layout)

The Hori EX2 is about as expensive as I'll go. $50 - $60 is my cap. It's just not reasonable (for me at least) to drop $100+ on a controller.

[Flak Beard]

I watched a few videos of various sticks being used. I guess the "clicking" stick is normal right? That'll happen with just about any arcade stick right?

[wip3outguy7]

Japanese sticks seem to click more audibly than US sticks. In the case of the US manufactured HAPP perfect 360 the stick does not click at all. Sanwa JLFs are still not that loud. Some Hori fighting sticks may look like they contain a JLF but it is indeed a Hori copy. These are usually very loud. I'm not positive but I think the joystick on the Hori EX is a Hori made one and not Sanwa. The only way to be sure you are at least getting a Sanwa JLF (and some cases a Seimitsu) is to buy a "Real Arcade Pro".

Also, most Real Arcade Pros that do contain Seimitsu sticks are going to be the LS-32 or the newer. The travel on the stick is a little shorter than the Sanwa JLF. The LS-32 is usually used for shmups but I have heard it works very well for fighters. It isn't quite as bulletproof as a JLF, though. HRAPs containing LS-32s are rare.

I'm going by memory here so don't take the above as definite. Do the research for the absolute facts.

[Flak Beard]

Japanese sticks seem to click more audibly than US sticks. In the case of the US manufactured HAPP perfect 360 the stick does not click at all. Sanwa JLFs are still not that loud. Some Hori fighting sticks may look like they contain a JLF but it is indeed a Hori copy. These are usually very loud. I'm not positive but I think the joystick on the Hori EX is a Hori made one and not Sanwa. The only way to be sure you are at least getting a Sanwa JLF (and some cases a Seimitsu) is to buy a "Real Arcade Pro".

Also, most Real Arcade Pros that do contain Seimitsu sticks are going to be the LS-32 or the newer. The travel on the stick is a little shorter than the Sanwa JLF. The LS-32 is usually used for shmups but I have heard it works very well for fighters. It isn't quite as bulletproof as a JLF, though. HRAPs containing LS-32s are rare.

Just reading about this stuff (here and other forums) is although informative, a tad overwhelming. Maybe I'm looking too much into the hardcore crowd who use sticks religiously. I really am going to be casual about the one I get. A couple SHMUPs here and there and some arcade beat-em-ups. Maybe I should just go with a Mayflash after all and call it a day. I can get one right now for $40 shipped.

[wip3outguy7]

Sorry, I have a tendency to rant if it's a topic I'm familiar with. I would just suggest getting something in your price range that you know you could upgrade later if you wanted to.

[skate323k137]

if you guys are going to spend the kind of money it takes to get a hori, you should seriously consider something like this:

http://www.aiabstore.com/product.sc?cat ... oductId=16

$139 with Happ parts (which honestly, i like just as much as J-style parts, so long as the buttons are convex), and you can get sanwa buttons for $15 more, and a JLF for $14 more. it may take a month or two but you can even pick the most comfortable button layout for you (i like the curved close layout)

The Hori EX2 is about as expensive as I'll go. $50 - $60 is my cap. It's just not reasonable (for me at least) to drop $100+ on a controller.

I hear you. That ex2 should be a good choice. as far as other 'less expensive' sticks, my only other argument is that a cheap joystick may break within a year or two, while a good one can last for longer than you'd believe. If i drop money on a stick i'll be getting used to, i want it to last. I've been beating the crap out of my mas systems for about 4 years now on several consoles, and the thing is as good as the day I bought it. The other thing is higher end sticks can be repaired for cheap instead of replaced. If you just want to find out if arcade sticks are right for you, theres no problem getting a cheap to midrange stick (even though deep down i'd advise against it), however if you play any fighting games (and for me, shmups) there's no going back to a d-pad or your thumb; you can get so many more button presses rapidly out of any joystick.

[Flak Beard]

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I'm going to go for a less expensive stick right now (Mayflash or Hori EX2), and who knows maybe I'll get into arcade gaming enough to buy myself something really nice later on. I'm approaching this as a "starter stick" for now.

I admire the fondness some of you have for the arcade experience. I used to play SF2 back in the day, but I lost interest in fighters soon after that. I think the only fighting game I've bought since then was DBZ Budokai 3, but mainly because I found it new for $5 and I like me some DBZ.

Anyway, I'll let you know what stick I get and how I like it. Thanks again for the advice.

[bobbynewmarkiii]

late to the party...

I've got the Hori fighting stick/ex2 for both my ps3 and xbox which are fine for my purposes i.e. pretending to be hardcore (and a pair of DC agetec sticks). I think that a hori stick will be better than an unknown cheapo product, but the guys here are right in that you get what you pay for... even with the nice genuine hori ex2 and fighting sticks that i've got, and the dreamcast sticks, you can still get the feeling that they're just not quite as responsive as they could be... I'll be saving up of a nice top of the range ps3 stick, but for the time being the cheaper Hori sticks are fine. I feel that for shmups you need good buttons, and for fighting games you need good sticks... so overall, you just need good everything