I just ordered a bunch of japanese fighters and was thinking it might be more fun to play with a stick. Thing is, I'm not one of the super awesome 2D fighting players, so it's more of an LOL ARCADE thing to me. I don't want to build one (maybe someday though). So far what I can find on eBay is the US Virtua Stick and Eclipse sticks. They look to be around 20$ new which isn't too bad. Are they absolute garbage? The Virtua stick looks pretty decent. Anyone have one/something better they can sell me? I don't want to pay a ton. There's also a pack of 2 Eclipse Sticks for 30$, which would be cool for instant 2 player, but not if there trash.
Honestly I think most arcade sticks you'd find in the US for consoles are trash. They might last for awhile but I generally think they are all doomed to break on you. What you really want if you want something solid is something with real arcade quality parts. You said you don't wanna build but you can still probably find a good controller maybe on ebay or something. I think Hori had one that was black with green buttons that looked good. But in the end if whatever it is doesn't have actual arcade parts it'll probably break sooner than you'd be willing to accept. So don't pay too much.
Japanese Virtua Sticks are the best, as well as Japanese Hori Sticks, american versions are garbage, nothing else(cheap though).
I decided to wait awhile and just get some more games, and maybe later go for the full monty and get a Virtua Stick. It would work out better in the long run, but right now I have maybe 3 games that can even use it really. I love that Virtua Stick Pro, but I doubt I'd ever buy one, lol. It really does piss me off how much the US got fucked over with the Saturn.
Before you piss any money away on an arcade stick What type of Saturn Controller do you have? Honestly that right there is the best fighting game pad ever made and SOME arcade cabs did use it a full decade before tekken 5 had a controller input.
I have a japanese style pad. 2nd gen one I guess. Yeah, I figure I'm good with that for awhile, then I'll get a stick. I do want one of the first gen Saturn controllers...just for fun.
i got a Virtua Stick and i love it. still looking for a virtua stick pro... the sticks are fun with shooters, too. not just fighters.
I prefer the Ascii stick, which is what I think everybody is describing as the Hori stick. Clicky SNK-like directional action and nice tactile buttons. GameQuestDirect always seems to have them in stock for cheap: http://www.gamequestdirect.com/093992058401.html I do have a pile of the Virtua sticks, but even with the ball grip they're not quite as satisfying to use. The stick contact is mushy to me, and I'm never quite sure if I'm getting positive input or not.
If you never really played fighters in the arcade with the sticks and are more used to using pads with fighters or any other games then it's a waste of money believe me! you will be bored with it sooner then you think... as sucking in something is no fun!
I might get a Virtua Stick later then, I guess. They look really fun but I'd rather have more games for now. This whole importing thing is cool, tons of awesome games. There's a spider in my room....and it's behind where my saturn is hooked up. I guess I have to move out now.
How about some pictures then? I'd forgotten that the Ascii/Hori buyout didn't happen until after 1996.
The third picture (the black unit with the blue buttons) is what I was describing as the mushy Virtua stick. That's the American hardware I have like six of. The arcade-styled unit in the second picture is the JPN-region unit and is much sexier.
