MadCatz is producing three peripherals to coincide with the release of Street Fighter 4, two joysticks and one special pad. The standard edition FightStick is $69.99 while the Tournament Edition is $149.99. The FightPads are $39.99.
About the Joysticks
The Standard Edition FightStick is designed for the average player who may be new to the game or is unlikely to spend a lot of time playing it. The FightStick is a high-quality product that surpasses standard controllers and can be upgraded if so desired. The FightStick features eight buttons on the face, a turbo mode option for rapid-fire button inputs, and start, select and Home buttons placed out of the way to prevent them being pressed accidentally during play. The face features a design with all of the Street Fighter 4 characters on it. It can also be easily taken apart so that players can upgrade the stick with better parts if they wish. While the stick is certainly more than acceptable for most consumers, reviews have stated that those looking for a truly high-end experience should invest in the Tournament Edition, as the Standard Edition's parts can sometimes feel a bit stiff.
The Tournament Edition FightStick is designed for hardcore, competitive players who are Street Fighter enthusiasts. Priced at nearly $150 and built out of authentic Japanese arcade hardware, the stick is meant to replicate the arcade experience as completely as possible. Like the Standard Edition, it features eight face buttons, turbos and toggles in a panel on the left, and start and select buttons placed on the side to be out of the way. There is also a cord case in the front for housing the cord, and knobs on the bottom that can be unscrewed and then screwed in with bolts to fasten the stick to a table. The Tournament Edition stick has seen extremely high demand and low supply, so interested customers should look to pre-order when they get a chance.
The FightPads are designed for people who enjoy fighting games but prefer to use a controller rather than an expensive arcade stick. Modeled after the Sega Saturn controller, the FightPad features eight buttons on the face, a d-pad on the side and clicky shoulder buttons on the top. They come with various designs featuring different characters, including Ryu, Akuma and more.GameSpot: Street Fighter IV Arcade Stick Round Up
Street FIghter 4 Joystick Message Boards
- NeoGAF: NeoGAF Arcade Stick Thread
References
Fast Facts
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Two joysticks, one fightpad
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Designed for Street Fighter 4 play
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Joysticks come in Standard and Tournament Editions
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Tournament Edition features real arcade parts
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FightPads come in different designs with characters
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Tournament Edition currently limited in quantity, more on the way
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Retail prices range from $39.99 on the low end to nearly $150 on the high end.GameSpot: Street Fighter IV Arcade Stick Round Up
