If you’re a big fan of arcade games, you’ve landed in the right place, because today we will help you navigate the murky waters of game controllers. As usual, we might add. Speaking of game controllers, we’ve already covered joysticks, PC controllers and racing wheels in previous “episodes”, and since we’ve started today’s piece with fighting games, its pretty obvious that the emphasis of this article will be on how to choose the best fight stick, or arcade stick, whatever parlance you’d like to use in regard to your gaming gear.
The thing about arcade sticks is that they arguably make for the best way to play fighting video-games, as they’re built and designed to be the perfect hardware for this particular genre. Not even the best fight stick in the world will necessarily make you a better player, as they’re no magic wands by any metrics; however, they are clearly superior to game-pads or keyboards for fighting games. Finally, it’s up to you to decide if you’re a fight stick guy, or you’ll “stick” to your gamepad or keyboard.
However, keep in mind that Street Fighter inspired fight sticks are tailor-made for the best virtual fighting experience, and if you’ve ever watched professional E-sports events like East Coast Throwdown, you may have a clue about why pros never use Xbox One or PS4 controllers but fight the good fight with an arcade stick.
Now, if you’ve already decided to go the way of the samurai with a fight stick, keep reading, as we’ll give you the basics on how to choose your gear, and we’ll also provide you with some of the best fight sticks to suit anyone’s budget.
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Last update on 2022-06-27 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon
How to Choose an Arcade Stick
There are quite a few options with regard to arcade/fight sticks, whether we’re talking about Qanba, HORI, Mayflash or Razer. Since Mad Catz “has left the building”, HORI is now arguably the best-known arcade stick manufacturer out there. Speaking of budgets, there are $99 or less and over $100 fight sticks. The latter fall in the “premium” category so to speak.
Experience
If your fight-stick experience is very limited or zero, we’d recommend you to buy a cheaper model until you figure things out. Since we’ve been using loosely the words arcade stick and fight stick, you should know that they’re basically the same thing, except the fact that fight sticks are specifically designed for fighting games, especially in terms of joystick responsiveness and button layout.
They’re “fine-tuned” so to speak to deliver more accurate input in order to bring a more realistic gaming experience to your home console. An “arcade-like” experience if you want, as arcade fight games were played back in the day in arcade cabinets, but we are getting nostalgic here.
Compatibility
So, novice players should stick with cheaper fight sticks, that’s rule number one. Rule number two: be careful on how you’re spending your money, as these bad boys are hugely addictive. Besides fighting games, you can use them also for other arcade style video-games, such as Puzzle Fighter, Metal Slug 3 or Ikaruga. So, you should be extra careful on what gaming platforms are you going to use your arcade stick.
Some of them are specifically designed for Xbox, others work exclusively on PlayStation. The good news is that all of them work on PC if you know a bit or two about how to tinker with the drivers.
Size and Weight
Size and weight come to mind next. This is important for a number of reasons: do you have small hands or big hands? Where do you keep the fight stick, on your lap or on the table? If you’re far away from the console, you should also consider cable length, for cable management issues. Size matters, in all these situations. If you have big hands, stay away from extremely small fighting sticks, such as the Hori Fighting Stick Mini 4. On the other hand, there are beasts like Hori Real Arcade Pro 4 Premium VLX KURO out there, and this one’s an absolute unit.
Modding
Finally, there’s the modding and parts thing. If you’re going deep down the arcade rabbit hole, you may want to engage in “modding”, as in to swap the buttons/joystick at some point in the future. Even if it sounds intimidating, modding your fight stick is very easy, once you get the hang of it. Modding is defined as replacing (as in upgrading)original parts of your arcade stick, things like the joystick, actuators, restrictor plates, plexis, Sanwas, boards, bat-tops, different size buttons and so on and so forth.
Replacing them with what, you asked? Well, with “tuning parts”, as in better parts, from brands like Seimitsu or Sanwa. Usually speaking, all is needed for these “complex tasks” is a screwdriver, so don’t sweat it too much, as most arcade/fight sticks are designed to be easily customizable. The golden standard when it comes to “tuning parts” for one’s fight stick is the brand Sanwa Denshi, followed closely by Hori Hayabusa and Seimitsu, so keep that in mind for future upgrades. Also remember that modding your gaming gear usually voids manufacturer’s warranty, but not necessarily.
Razer-made arcade sticks are cool with modding, i.e. Razer is a mod-friendly company (it doesn’t void warranty), as long as you’re not modifying the printed circuit board. As the general rule of thumb, HORI’s RAP models (Real Arcade Pro) are excellent for beginners, as they’re not very expensive, yet they’re built with high-quality parts, hence you won’t feel like modding them right away, thus risking voiding warranty.
On the other hand, the Razer Pantera or Atrox can be modded anytime, without fear of voiding the warranty, but the question is: can you afford them?
Ideally, you should go for a high quality/premium fight stick, provided you’re in it for the long haul, as these bad boys are built with arcade quality components that will last you forever, as they’re designed to support unimaginable levels of abuse. The next level is to buy a custom fight stick, but that’s another story altogether. So, let’s get right into it.
Best Fight Sticks (Arcade Sticks)
HORI Real Arcade Pro 4 Kai
Best Bang for the Buck
The HORI Real Arcade Pro 4 Kai is a top-tier fight stick, specially designed for PS3 and PS4 (also PC compatible), and comes with Sony certification.
If you’re into fighting games, this arcade stick would make for a great choice, as it’s built with high-quality components and reasonably priced. Besides offering excellent value for money, the HORI Real Arcade Pro 4 Kai comes fully packed with arcade-grade components and features, including a Hayabusa joystick, which is blazing fast and extremely accurate, and professional Hayabusa buttons, for instant response and faster actuation.
Also known as RAP4 Kai, this fight stick can be described as the standard in the industry, quality wise, and it will make for an excellent purchase for both beginners and fighting-games enthusiasts, as it’s been spotted often in EVO competitions.
- great value for money
- plays and feels premium
- mod friendly
- built with arcade-grade Hayabusa components
- some users complain about insufficient grip for the bottom side of the unit
Qanba Obsidian
No-nonsense PS4 Fight Stick
The Qanba Obsidian is a high-end fighting stick designed for Playstation 4 (also PC compatible), with a price of less than $200. To describe it in a few words, the jewel in Qanba’s crown, the Obsidian that is, would make for the perfect choice if you’re an average fighting-game enthusiast looking for a no-nonsense fight stick. Built using high-quality Sanwa parts, the Obsidian is ready to go right out of the box, and if you’re not obsessed with modding, this baby has your name on it.
The only issue with this tournament-grade piece of gaming gear is that modding it is rather difficult, as it’s not designed for easy access and all that. However, the Obsidian is built like a tank, i.e. it will never give up on you, and that’s extremely important in a tournament scenario.
- premium design and build
- Sanwa components are Arcade-grade quality
- compact appearance, cool design
- focused on simplicity and quality
- aluminum-made panels, solid-metal balltop
- oozes class
- rather expensive
- not the best choice for modding enthusiasts
Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Stick
A Fight Stick Intended for True Gamers
Victrix Pro FS is a high-quality fight stick that makes an exceptional gaming option and overall a great device thanks to the combination of great performance, comfort, and portability. However, this isn’t a tool that is meant for mainstream gamers – it’s aimed at more niche-oriented players that are willing to spend their time adapting to the new conditions and as a result, enjoy every benefit this outstanding device is bringing to the table.
To be exact, Victrix Pro FS delivers excellent 5ms response time, durable build, as well as great customization capabilities that allow for easy remapping of its Sanwa Denshi action buttons.
Also, this stick comes in two versions, one that is dedicated to Xbox users and another that is designed for PS4 fans. Both of these two sticks are compatible with PCs; however, they come with different layouts. Xbox version offers nine programmable buttons, while the PS4 version incorporates eight buttons and a touchpad.
More importantly, this stick comes with USB Type-C connectivity and a removable joystick, as well as a great design that allows for easy reaching of all of its buttons. In other words, if you are after the best fight stick on the market, Victrix Pro FS should be among your top picks.
- Premium quality
- Portable
- Good compatibility
- Comfortable to use
- Great responsiveness
- Expensive
- Not that easy to setup
Mayflash F500 Arcade Fight Stick
Another Affordable Option
The Mayflash F500 fight stick can be best described as the jack of all trades, master of none. The thing is, the F500 excels in regards to cross-platform compatibility (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, switch, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Android, NEOGEO mini), and it’s also relatively cheap.
Basically, this is the universal arcade fight stick, and also fully customizable, as it supports Sanwa Denshi joysticks and buttons. Obviously, those would cost you extra. However, the stock parts are quite good, if you’re not a hardcore gamer, but it’s quite obvious this platform is built for modding.
- amazing cross-platform compatibility
- solid build quality, adequate performance out of the box
- affordable price
- designed for easy modding
- makes for a great starter kit
- Mayflash’s MAGICBOOTS dongles provide wireless connectivity (sold separately)
- none really at this price
HORI Real Arcade Pro N Hayabusa Arcade Fight Stick
Running with the Best
The HORI RAP.N fight stick is designed and built for PlayStation 3 and 4 platforms but it also works on PC as well. Featuring a cool Noir button layout and Hayabusa parts (joystick and buttons), the RAP.N is an excellent mid-range fight stick, which offers a lot of bang for the proverbial buck. Actually, this product boasts SIEA certification, which means that the HORI RAP.N is a tournament grade arcade fight stick, with a minimalist and sleek design.
All these features make the RAP.N to be one of the best fight sticks on the market, especially due to its short throw buttons and excellent joystick, along with its exquisite matte surface, and its awesome black and gold color scheme.
- fantastic value for money
- mod friendly
- Hayabusa parts
- stylish panel art design
- feels solid and sturdy
- low input lag compared to previous generations
- the Noir panel layout may not be everyone’s cup of tea
- doesn’t work so great on older Windows versions (older than Windows 10 that is)
Mayflash F300 Arcade Fight Stick
Great Choice for PC
The Mayflash F300 can be best described as the “universal fight stick”, as it can be used on a multitude of platforms, the likes of PS4, PS3, XBOX ONE, XBOX 360, PC, Switch, and NeoGeo mini.
On top of that, the F300 can be easily customized, i.e. it’s moddable/upgradable with Sanwa Denshi/Seimitsu gear, joystick and buttons respectively. Obviously, those would cost you extra, but truth be told, modding the F300 is worth the stretch if you’re taking arcade games seriously.
- easily moddable
- works on basically everything
- comes with XINPUT and DINPUT on PC
- a great buy for beginners
- not suitable for seasoned arcade players
- stock buttons don’t “feel right”, as in they’re mushy and not very responsive, and the same goes for the joystick
Razer Atrox For Xbox One
The Best Xbox One Arcade Stick
The Razor Atrox is arguably the best arcade stick for Xbox One, yet be advised: quality comes at a price. However, you’ll get a lot of arcade-grade quality for this kind of money, as the Atrox is an incredible controller with state of the art buttons and remappable controls. On top of that, the Atrox is built for modding, and doing so won’t void the product’s warranty, which is as good as it gets.
Razer designed the Atrox to be very user-friendly in regard to modding, and, to put it bluntly, this arcade stick will rock your world if you’re an Xbox One owner who wants to upgrade his gaming rig. That stands true especially if you’re into fighting games.
- premium build quality and feel
- feels sturdy, looks awesome
- makes modding a child’s play
- tournament-grade stock components (Sanwa buttons and joystick)
- none really, except for the price tag
Qanba Dragon
Enter the Dragon
If you’re a PS3/PS4 “playa” looking for the best fight stick money can buy, budget be damned, the Qanba Dragon is definitely worth a look. Dragon is an officially licensed Sony product, featuring a high-end aluminum-made dragon scale interior, with LED-lighting, and, most importantly, Sanwa buttons (OBSF-30 pushbuttons).
This fight stick oozes style and high performance, is designed for hardcore arcade aficionados and e-athletes (if there is such a thing), and it also makes for a fine collector’s piece, being the “creme de la creme” in the “stick world”. No kidding. One of the coolest thing about the Dragon from Qanba is that it’s designed to be incredibly easy to mod, boasting “one-touch modifying” technology, i.e. the top panels can be stripped off instantly, thus allowing you to upgrade/replace the components hassle-free, even if you’re a total “noob”.
- looks and feels high end
- full sized JLF Sanwa joystick with chrome balltop
- built like a tank
- perfect for modding aficionados
- Turbo function
- too large and heavy for traveling purposes
- USB cable cannot be detached
- pricey
Mad Catz The Authentic EGO
Mad Catz is Back in the Fighting Business
The Mad Catz The Authentic EGO is an arcade fighting stick that works for most gaming consoles out there, including PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC via Windows Direct and X-input. With a retail price of under $200, the Authentic EGO offers a genuine arcade feel at a reasonable price for old-school gamers out there, and features tournament grade components, more precisely Japan-made Sanwa Denshi joystick and action buttons, for precise timing and unrivaled accuracy.
For the price asked, the Authentic EGO from Mad Catz is hard to beat, which makes it the ideal choice for both console and PC gaming. The fighting stick comes with a ball-top 8-way joystick that can be easily configured to suit all fighting games, and can be customized to replicate the left or right thumb stick or D-pad on a traditional controller.
There are also eight fully customizable buttons in Vewlix layout plus two extra buttons which can be programmed for increased command flexibility. There’s also a Turbo function for reducing fatigue and adding rapid fire to an action button.
Build quality is solid, the buttons are snappy and crisp, and if you’re looking for a conventional yet competitive fighting stick, it doesn’t get much better than the Authentic EGO in this price range.
The chassis is large enough at 15.63” x 9.72” x 3.16” (WDH) and weighs 6.08 lbs, featuring rubber tipped feet to reduce movement on surfaces, and it’s also well balanced and light enough to be used on your lap.
- Well built
- Sanwa joystick and buttons
- Secondary buttons can be locked
- Turbo mode
- May feel too heavy to some
Qanba Drone
Cost-Effective
The Qanba Drone is a cost-effective (the politically correct term for cheap) arcade stick, lightweight and designed for portability, making for the ideal choice for players looking for decent performance at affordable prices. This arcade stick is sturdy, light, reliable and it’s excellent for first-time buyers looking to improve their gaming experience without breaking the piggy bank. Keep in mind that the Drone is designed for PS3/PS4 and PC only.
- well priced and fully functional out of the box
- PS4 certified
- genuine arcade feel
- responsive stick
- cuts the right corners without sacrificing performance in the process
- modding-friendly
- the joystick’s throw range is rather disturbing compared to Japanese-made products
- kind of small to hold it in your lap