I bought a stick back in ‘09 when I wanted to really explore this “fighting game” thing. I both wanted to be “just like the pros” and wanted a “more genuine” arcade experience. I will say slapping buttons is way more fun than just using a controller, IMO.
And both of your personal reasons are symptomatic of the whole matter. And it's also funny that both are coincidentally invalidated at this point. Because the idea of SF as an "arcade fg" died after SF4, and the whole arcade experience is a kinda ancient reference to many western gaming circles. And a big number of pros of different world regions quit arcade sticks. So a new SF player won't have these same heavy community influences (that also were heavier because the community was more offiline than now).
@@carlosaugusto9821 Oh yeah, I completely agree! Sorry, I didn't mean to invalidate the experience of pad players. One of my favorite US SF players, Smug, plays on pad! That man can play Dudley on an analog stick?! That is beyond me. But yeah, my fightstick origin story is probably mundane for many older console players, lol. I AM happy that there are so many options nowadays, though, and I've been wanting to try transferring to a Hitbox. If slapping buttons with one hand is good, then doing so with two must be AMAZING!! But a stick or a box is by no means mandatory, and you can reach the highest levels of skill with just a default pad!
A few words for all who are playing with pad/controller. In order to play with it without feeling hurt or pain at all in your finger, place the mushy center of your thumb right in the middle of the D pad, and then just like roll it from there to press the rest of the directions. Don't press each direction with the edge of the thumb, that will make your finger hurt very quickly.
@@Chroma710 you can use joystick, it's just sometimes very inconsistent. a lot of controller players use the d-pad to get precise movements. im gonna be using keyboard as well and its super good :)
I am somewhat new as well. I thought initially that an analog stick made more sense but found it to be difficult to be precise with... For eg. Too many accidental jumps. I couldn't even do a dash on the analog stick. So I switched to dpad. Now other things are hard.. I learned the quarter circle but I still can't do the shoryuken motion well but I'm learning.. Edit: and I'm now considering switching to a keyboard
I will always suggest getting a ps3 era stick with sanwa parts and slowly upgrade it to make it yours. Get a $30 adaptor for your consol of choice. Eventually drop $90 on a brook ufb for it. At any point drop $20 for some custom art. You'll have the best console compatibility and a custom stick by the end of it, for a fraction of modern sticks.
@@pulguitadavid1608 yeah it definitely was. i love it. i still use it till this day. all i’ve done was replace the joystick with a sanwa joystick (since personally i didn’t like the one it came with [hayabusa stick] it felt too loose and it would bounce back and jiggle kinda if i smash the stick and let it go back to neutral) i didn’t change the buttons since i think they r rlly nice and quiet and i barely have to press down on them to get an input (but obviously in the midst of fighting an opponent im mashing them so it’s rlly up to u on which u like better for buttons) so yeah i think it’s rlly good if ur on a budget and i didn’t have any trouble putting in the sanwa joystick btw if u wanna do that too. nice solid base imo just not that flashy but idm. also it works on ps5 as well as ps4. i’m not sure ab sf6 yet but i know ggst ps5 version and kof ps5 version work on it
If you play SF6 on PC , keyboard is pretty much small key hitbox and you dont need any thing else .im not sure if you can use keyboard on console but if you want stick or hitbox try keyboard first , you may actually find you enjoy gamepad more . for one thing pad is more comfortable to hold and less straining on your hands/wrists .
I think a fightstick (and also hitbox) makes you want to play FGs cause they're dedicated controllers, it's like buying a wheel for racing games it makes you wanna play and it's more fun.
Definitely agree with you. I too have my own Driving Setup. I refuse to play Racing/Driving Games with a Pad. Same with my Fighting Games. Fight Stick & Leverless Controllers are definitely a big part of the enjoyments in Fighting Games. Couldn't play these games without it.
As someone that drift since years on AC with my own driving setup I agree it's so much more satisfying than anything else. Same goes for a hitbox for playing figthing games (always been a keyboard user so I adapted super quickly to it)
I use stick for two reasons: easier access to the buttons and I got so damn sick of replacing controllers the most expensive pads became the cheapest option but I never thought for a second it would give me an advantage. If nothing else I always thought you can move your thumb much faster than your whole hand. The only reason a lot of pros use stick is because they still have arcades in Japan and they simply got used to it.
Pro tip : wait untill the end of 2023 and do yourself a favour and buy the razer kitsune , best hitbox ever made . Aluminium chassis, low profile mechanical seitches which arent loud , very slick , rgb , secured usb c cable , ps5 supported as well as pc . Best controller period .
i actually struggled for years trying to play stick, my execution and wrist movement just isnt there, i only really mainly playing pc rhythm games so I have good finger independence, moving to hitbox was the best thing ive ever done and have achieved more in 2-3 months than literal 6+ years
this is why i will get an all button controller, i thought about stick because it seemed fun but i have been using a keyboard since i was like 7 so it most definitely will feel more natural to me due to both the good finger independence and strength i have built up over the years. i did not grow up with arcade sticks, and the hitbox was in large part made to feel like a keyboard, so why shouldnt i buy it?
If you buy an Arcade Stick, just spend up and get a nice one. It’ll last you 10-20 years. If you really want to get a true arcade experience, get a stick. If you are just interested in playing SF6, you don’t need a stick to succeed.
I bought a stick because my thumb chafed on the D-Pad. I probably would never have gotten one if not for that. Even if you play Zato, button mapping is a cheaper solution than shelling out $60 at the absolute minimum.
The sticks do help because of the button layout. You have all 8 buttons in a row and can customize the light, medium, hard, and super buttons. Where on a controller the buttons you want to use are also in the back of the controller. I own game controller pads where the button layout is more like the sticks and that makes a huge difference in getting to be able to hit each button in order to perform combos way easier. I believe that they should make both the stick version and the thumb pad versions with layouts like they did for the previous systems prior to PS5.
Playing on an arcade stick is just more fun in general so for that reason alone I recommend it to everyone. Also arcade sticks don't break. Arcade buttons may break after a few years but those cost pennies. And if you commit your game, you can always upgrade your stick with mods (mine has a custom pcb that allows it to connect to ANY console) or even better custom art. And nothing is more badass than bringing a custom stick to your local tournament or even your homies house. As a Dead or Alive player, it's funny to hear the pros complain about going through pads constantly when I've been using the same hitbox since the beginning.
I also want to add something, for SF6 even if you play with an arcade stick it's a good idea to have a gamepad connected, as well, at least on pc. Moving with your character in the world tour or in the battle hub with the arcade stick is a bit annoying (moving the camera doesn't look natural at all), so you can use a gamepad for that and once a fight starts just grab your stick (you can have both connected and at the same time, so you don't need to unplug anything). That's what I ended up doing in the closed beta and it was better than just using the stick to move around. And about the Arcade Sticks.... I agree that it won't make you a better player per se, but in my opinion, it's extremely fun to play a fighting game with a stick, and it makes you want to take it more seriously. Also, it adds a "hardware" component to fighting games, get a good stick, customize it with art, levers or buttons of your choice... to me that's like an extra that adds interest in the fighting game universe.
Consider this - arcade sticks are much more durable pieces of hardware than pads. A decent one costs 2x the price of an original pad and lasts 10x longer. Moreover, you can easily replace buttons or shaft yourself if it starts to screw up. I also find them much more comfortable to play on instead of pads, but that's just a personal preference.
Good advice. Many moons ago, I bought a Madcatz TE for SF4. And the biggest blow was to my ego. Losing to randoms that I could easily destroy using pad. I eventually got pretty comfortable with the stick. But anyone new to fighting games needs to understand. Buying a stick is adding an additional 6 -12 months to your journey of becoming simply a intermediate level player. Not to mention the money spent upfront. P.S To all those set on buying a stick. It definitely is more comfortable than playing on pad. Once you put in that initial (time) investment.
Do u have any tips? Ive always played on pad my whole life and im 14 n my mom bought me my first stick. Im decent on tekken on pad,but stick omg…. I lose every match against noobs. Ik how to do combos and movement but my skill jus goes out the window😕
@@exima2106 There is no real trick to get past those initial stages of struggling with the controls. Look up guides with advice on inputs and shortcuts for motions you have issues with. And stick to it. Be happy with the small improvements in your play. And it'll help you stay motivated.
I'm actually going through a peripheral crisis right now. I've been playing fighting games for years now and have always used pad. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older and I use my hands a lot (between typing, playing piano, making gunpla, and playing games) but the ergonomics of pad just suck. Especially the base PS4 pad I regularly play on. I got back into grinding SFV to prepare for 6 and it was WORSE than when I play GG or GBVS. Part of the reason is SF forces you to play with the shoulder buttons for example to activate V-trig in 5 or DI in 6 you have to hit R1 and R2. The difference in the travel distance for the trigger button just really screw up my wrist muscles after just 30 minutes of gaming. I play Ibuki and she has different EX moves depending on the strengths that you combine, so when I want to go for EX kunai with mid length I have to hit LP+MP forcing me to use my thumb to hit both the Square and Triangle which is highly uncomfortable. I know there are other pad options, but often times reviews don't give me confidence in the action and durability of the d-pad to put money in a fight pad. For that reason, I've been considering making the switch to stick or hitbox, but if I'm being honest, I hate the hitbox layout (too unintuitive for my liking) and I've never played stick beyond playing on the occasional KI or SF2 cabinets I find sometimes. The crossup stick looks very interesting to me (there's even a smash loadout for it for when I play casually with friends) but it's expensive and I'd rather use those funds to get a new PC or a PS5. I just don't know how much longer my hands could hold out on pad and if I get a stick at least playing the piano has my finger muscles developed for it. I don't know. Like I said. I'm in a bit of a crisis.
False. It makes me feel better, and that's what counts. In all seriousness, your dont need to spend that much. Get the Mayflash F300 stick. Works on PC, PS4/5, Switch, etc, fits in your backpack. I got it for less than 100. Watched a review by @JoystickNY (his channel was in the pic at 3min as well, sorry if BM to @him here) who not only has reviews etc but many helpful videos for arcade stick noobs/those coming back. Extremely helpful. I'm so happy that it was my return stick back to learning on stick. It might not make you more optimal but you feel way more powerful, who doesn't wanna hear and feel the pounding of buttons while you smashing heads in.
Everyone should use an arcade stick for all fighting games. It's not an esy input method at first but it's the most exciting and the most interactive experience and it's keeping the arcade tradition alive.
I learned how to play on stick 9 years ago because I went to Galloping Ghost Arcade and when I got there and played my favorite fighting games, I realized that I didn’t know how to play stick at the arcade. So I bought a crappy ps2 stick and practiced on 3rd Strike. I love the arcades and whenever I visit at the arcade, I’m always ready to throw hands. And now I use them because I believe it’s more fun to play on it, even if it’s a little harder on certain games. Another thing that factors in my decision is that I usually break my dpads on my regular controllers but with Arcade stick, they can take the abuse. And if a part breaks, they are so easily replaceable and fixable. But yeah. You don’t need a stick to play fighting games, especially if they’re super new.
I don’t agree cause the PlayStation 5 controller has the most horrible d pad ever it’s so delayed and the is so hard to do inputs now I don’t think the arcade stick is better either I think the best controller for a fighting game is ps4 DualShock controller it’s the best I would recommend it if you want to get into fighting games very goodly
It really is a matter of preference. I was born during the arcade era and have used controller during the 90s on console but would still go to the arcade. When great quality stick became available I got one have preferred using that ever since. Also have a all six/eight buttons laid out is a really convenience because you have a piano clicking.
I actually just got a Qanba Titan this past weekend but in my defense I recently killed my xbox controllers dpad lol. Its very nice but now I gotta learn how to nail inputs with a lever.
Definitely takes a lot of getting used to but it’s really fun once you get the hang of it. Thing I would recommend the most is learning how to hold and use the stick the proper way from a RUclips video. It would have saved me so much trouble when I initially made the shift to stick bc after learning it immediately cleaned up all my inputs. Best of luck!
It could make you a better player depending on your reflexes. Sticks are better if you don't have super fine finger motor controls. When I am using a D-Pad my "dragon punch" movements are not very precise, I basically just do two half circles forward, I'm just flailing. On an arcade stick, I'm not able to respond as faster ... but when I want to do a move, I know exactly what I am doing to execute that move.
My reason for getting a stick was that I was hurting my thumb so bad on the dpad of my controller.... now I'm stuck with it, I can't even enjoy fighting games without a stick.
I bough an arcade stick not for myself but for my dad since he finds pads very finicky and causes pain since only one thumb is controlling the stick. With arcade joysticks he can use his entire hand to control it and is much more comfortable over long playing sessions for him
Those are some good points. Your advice reminds me of when I first tried arcade sticks and expected a big advantage. At first, I struggled with playing on stick and gave up on it for a while. Now I decided not to worry about playing better, and I’m getting back into playing on stick for fun.
I'm one of those newer people to fighting games that are thinking of grabbing a stick. I've always just played them casually by mashing and not really thinking too much about combos or anything else, but i started getting into Tekken 7 and Street Fighter 5 a lot recently but noticed that i tend to press in the d-pad a little too hard, hard enough for it to actually cause blisters or a painful sensation on my thumb which has motivated me to look up sticks and boxes. But looking at these prices, it's a bit much to commit to and also having to learn it from scratch sounds somewhat demotivating. I'm still currently debatting if i should spend the amount for a stick or box. I wouldn't get it because i think i could be better, but more for being able to play fighting games for longer since i've been enjoying them so much lately.
comfort is definitely a good reason to pick up a different type of controller, but its definitely a real shame that the cheapest stick with native ps5 compatibility is over $100 and leverless controllers in general get pretty pricey
I mean if you dont want to spend too much, theres always the option of buying a cheap moddable one and then upgrading it later. you could get a mayflash f300 or hori fighting stick and then upgrade the buttons, the lever, add customization etc. and its almost the same with leverless, the only problem being that the brook pcb inflates the cost by a lot
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI Thanks for the advice! That's not a bad idea, i'll have to look into my local area and see if there's someone who's selling a stick for cheap. My area isn't known to have many places to find sticks but i'm sure there's a way.
@@lukelun I'd say as long as it's not too complicated to mod then that isn't too bad of an idea. I'll look into the Mayflash and Hori sticks to see if it's possible to grab one close by. Thanks for the advice!
I don't care. I pre-ordered the street fighter 6 theme hori alpha. I want the ultimate experience and that feeling is only achieved by playing with a stick. This will be my first stick and I am very excited to play sf6 with it. This is not about getting better or having a non-existing advantage etc whatever you mention in this video. I have only been in an arcade once or twice as a child so I am very excited to have this feeling with buttons etc back at home. Sf6 is very important to me bc it is the first time I am truly interested in a fighting game and became one if not my most hyped/anticipated game of 2023.
I'm one crusty dude, def hearing hype on sticks, and I'm extremely grateful to learn it won't matter to my casual butt at all. Hearing there are even people doing well in tournaments using a controller... thanks. Subbed. Would appreciate some real basic stuff, as much as you can spare. Great work!
I wanna buy an arcade stick just for the fun of it honestly. Also, I've been playing fighting games all my life with controller, so now I just wanna mix it up. I plan on getting good by practicing anyway. Thoughts?
you're bein' a real man of the people with this one. hard facts. sad as it is to leave the past behind, it makes sense to either move to hitbox or stick to what you know with pad.
Started on ds4 pad and didn't like how much it hurt my thumb after long sessions. My hands would get cramped/sore too sometimes. I decided to switch to hitbox after a friend recommended it when I was looking into sticks. Played around with it and found it very awkward and gave up and went back to pad. Still didn't like pad so before Strive came out I bought an obsidian. Tried it for a month after release and noticed I'd get execution errors more often than both pad and hitbox. I FINALLY decided to go back to hitbox and have been using it since. Once I got around the awkwardness of it I found I really do genuinely think it is the most comfortable and accurate of the 3. Highly recommend. I still think stick the most "fun" to use in terms of feel, but hitbox is also very tactile and satisfying if you like typing your combos.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI It all comes down to preference in the end. It just sucks that you won't know what you prefer until after you try it for a bit. I agree, though, and think new players should try pad before buying a new controller. The controller won't make you a better player, but it may help with comfort.
My first fighting game was Rev 2, and I started with a PS4 controller. I bought a stick because I was curious how it would feel, but I ended up sticking with it to this day. IMO, playing with a stick versus a pad or leverless is just more fun for me. There was a learning curve, for sure, but it feels a lot more satisfying playing with a lever and big buttons versus a tiny D-Pad or only buttons.
As real as you can be with your opinion and not schilling (even though they are sponsored or something) but thats the reason i tune in to your streams and videos cause you keep it real and we appreciate your honesty
I just played beta. Pressing a button to do special moves instead of actually doing the moment is like handing out a participant ribbon. I'm still gonna use my fightstick.
I've been using hitbox for almost 10 years and felt like I got really good at USFIV. But then I went back and realized Luffy won Evo playing Rose on the original PS1 controller. Yes, the one that didn't even have sticks. Anything is possible.
I played with a pad for years, and buying a stick did make me better. I still suck, but slightly less - combos are easier, motions are easier (especially DPs). Just being able to consistently do a DP when I need it because the motion is bigger and therefore easier was huge for me. I definitely recommend it, especially if you have big hands. I do however suggest you start cheap - I got the original qanba obsidian for about 50$, and added a 8 way octagonal gate and a better level for 20$, and it's still the one I use, since I play on PC. It's great and not an over blown expanse for a starting player.
hi I have a question, I am a completely new player to fighting games (just bought SF6 [PC] few days ago) and haven't use a controller to play games for so long ( last time was more around than 10 years ago playing Gundam: Extreme Vs. on PS3/4), and my ring finger is not agile enough for doing the commands on the keyboard, (sometimes feels modern are somehow harder than classic for some characters), should I practice playing with my controllers ( somehow still working) or should I go to somewhere to try an arcade stick and get one? Thank you🙏
I got a new stick for SFV when it came out. I watched a lot more SF4 then I played, and I was like, "I'm gonna play it from the start, and it's gonna be my game!" ..... It wasn't, and I still play on pad.
There's plenty of people that get good on pad, but I will say that if you want to learn a new device like stick or hitbox, it's best with a brand new game, that way you're not fighting (as much) old muscle memory during the learning process, and since it's early in a game's life cycle it's easier to find new people to play with instead of trying to play against only seasoned people. I made the switch from pad to stick with Street Fighter 4 after playing 3rd Strike and Guilty Gear XX on pad. I really wanted to be able to enjoy playing at Arcade UFO, and it also worked out that my main Honda really benefitted from stick because of the mash inputs for Hundred Hand Slap and the need to piano quickly to do jab > fierce HHS
I gotta say, even as a solidly mid-tier player, switching from stick to hitbox during SFV helped me a lot. So it's definitely not exclusively for the .001%. But I'm someone who had played for years and knew exactly where my shortcomings were, and was able to identify the advantages the different control scheme offered me specifically. If you're fresh and don't have that knowledge, I don't think the same logic would apply.
I just bought myself a Mayflash F300 like 3 years for $45 and then swapped the buttons and joystick for sanwa parts for like $15. I couldn’t even fathom spending $300 on a game controller 😅
Tbh ive dabbled and was decent in fighting games like naruto, and mortal kombat X but was always wack at the other ones. Just too technical, and fustrating for me to pull off combo's and etc. After playing sf6 open beta with modern controls and 4-0 some kid from spain, the feeling was immaculate. Not just winning, but the art style and everything with sf6 u can just tell they poured out everything into it. With that said, i pre ordered my first stick, the sf6 hori alpha version and plan on switching to sanwa silent joystick and buttons down the line(maybe in a few months after) Sf6 just felt way too fun, and its deff gonna be the gateway for ppl to come back and try fighting games. I know im one of em, and im down to relearn from zero with the stick. But for my pad players who will use modern(no shame) luke and guile are broken af😂
Speaking as someone newer to fighting games though not quite a novice- I have to quibble a bit when you say that there aren't advantages for most players in using specific controllers. Specifically I think that learning on a leverless controller is incredibly helpful for a newbie because it means you have much, much cleaner inputs from the start. No, I do not think everyone should run out and buy a hitbox because that shit is obviously expensive. Frankly I'm not sure what I think the right move for someone in your position is. I appreciate what you're trying to do here, I absolutely do. It is good and responsible and I'm glad you made this video. I just have to quibble a bit because I was lucky enough to have a supportive spouse who bought me a hitbox (for our anniversary no less) and I have been having dramatically more fun playing Strive since because I don't feel like I'm fighting against my controller anymore. I think that others may find they have a similar experience if they pick the game up using a leverless controller from the start even if that controller is a simple keyboard. Just sharing my own experience here I suppose.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI You have a lot of experience with the other controller types and were already generally good at fighting games though, right? I think it is very difficult to be skilled at fighting games and then to transfer that experience from a stick or pad to a leverless controller, but it is in my experience at least somewhat easier all around when you move to the leverless controller early on. It could totally just be me being weird, I'll admit it. It has been such a game changer for me though to be able to consistently do something like a DP input where before it was a struggle. They seem like breathing once you have them down but when you're just starting motion inputs are a real struggle.
What if I have never played a fighting game before? Wouldn't it be fine to start on a stick since I have no muscle memory on a pad? I'd be starting from zero either way. Just a thought
I feel like you buy a fight stick for the same reason someone who plays flying games gets a flight stick and thruster or people who are into racing games get a steering wheel and pedals. You get it for the immersion and adding some excitement and additional fun to the game. You definitely need to practice with a fight stick to become efficient with it and SF6 has the best practice mode in a fight game to do just that. Not to mention you’re teaching yourself something new even if it’s a “gamer” thing. Everyone knows a GamePad and the layout. Teaching your brain to learn a fight stick will be something new and fun. Now, if you want an actual advantage get a hitbox or lever less fight pad like the one from Victrix. All preference at the end of the day. I purchased the Hori Fight stick Alpha since it’s more fun and reminds me of playing in an arcade
Joy stick started fighting games. Buttons on a stick are and it has been proven faster then a controller. If you want a fighting stick get one. They have been around forever. PS5 Dual Sense is complete dog crap for SF6.
After Years playing in pad, when Tekken 7 has launched I buy an arcade, the learning curve was long, but it's a path of no return. But now I'm preparing to go to leverless arcade (Hitbox style). Personally I think Hitbox be the best control.
I bought a cheap Hori Mini just to see if sticks in general are for me. What I knew already even before making that purchase, was that I really don't like executing input motions on D-PAD (my only gamepad is Dual Shock 3 from my PS3 which already has quite good D-PAD from what I've heard, so its definitey not the quality of the controller that would give me a wrong impression). I can play some very casual DNF Duel on pad but then again, it's so simple I can even play it on my phone via Remote play... I'm planning to eventually get something like that Obsidian 2 if only because it looks really nice and even if I don't feel like playing, it will just look awesome on my shelf.
Due to my time in the Army, I have some nerve damage. Pulling off stick inputs on a gamepad, even with a dpad, is absolute hell. A stick gives me a lot more control over what I do. So I bought a cheap one (Mayflash 300) and I'm modding it to be quiet (polyfil, silent Sanwa buttons, sound baffling on the inside of the top using moleskin, etc.) I do appreciate you putting the word out that people need to smart about what they buy, though.
I love my stick. I learned on it, even though it was the era of the controller (pre hitbox). Its personally very natural to me. Play what's natural to you.
If anyone still wants to get a stick but doesn’t want to break the bank. Get a mayflash300 for 60 bucks, I’ve been playing on mine throughout the majority of strive and it’s been great.
I like having a stick with a long shaft and a red knob. Jokes aside, Sanwa sticks and Brook Zero-Pi fighting board is a great combo for DIY. Latency makes a big difference with stick, and I'm not sure how all the commercial options stack up but, for $300 you should expect them to be good.
I have only played mbtl. I have wanted a hitbox for many months. This video is good though I still don't know whether to buy one or not. Reading the comments is fun.
Hitbox will, in fact, make you a better player. Artificially. Because it removes execution from the equation. It also introduces carpal tunnel, so enjoy that in 20 years.
I only bought a stick because it was hard holding juri's fireballs in ssf4 on pad and just stuck with playing on the fight stick. It helped if you wanted to play on arcade cabinets, but those are pretty much dead now. Another benefit was that it was hard for me to do dp motion on dpad and joystick, but with a fight stick that has the square gate it was much easier.
I am a controller player i buy a stick i start losing games and demotivate, if you think on buy one a stick dont make you better player and is not fun because you gonna lose a lot in the beginning, but i believe practice will make me better
Fighting games FEEL so much more visceral when playing on a stick IMO. I was a pad warrior but then made the leap, and fighting games have only been more fun as a result of it : ) Did it make me better ? Of course not. But playing more certainly did !
I bought my PS3 Madcatz TE in 2011 for $150 and it's still going strong with no part replacements needed. Seeing these manufacturers charge nearly double that amount for new sticks is insanity to me. The greedy price gouging is why it's hard to recommend "budget" sticks these days that actually use quality parts.
I've been using the same etokki stick since 2012. Just swapped out the PCB so it can work on newly released consoles. The metal casing is so nice, you'll fucking NEVER see me use a plastic stick again. That said, if I play without pants, the metal can be pretty cold on my legs.
I say if new players to fighting games want to buy a stick, then let them! There is nothing better than the sunk cost fallacy to motivate new players to stick through the struggle of learning fighting games.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI yeah that snackbox looked nice af, nothing can beat KBD on my Korean lever but unfortunately I had to sell my sticks due to my thumb joint being dodgy, would’ve been cool to have a collection but I can’t have money just sitting there and now someone is making use of a good stick, E-waste isn’t good imo😂
The only reason I want a stick-like device is because I don't want my hands to be cramped on the buttons side. Ideally I would want a stick with a d-pad left side and an arcade buttons right side. I saw some Go Fund Me project for it a while back, but I would want something official and affordable (and ideally with a decent warranty).
Solid advice, another thing to keep in mind as well is if your planning on going to tournaments (besides just for the first year) we dont really know what the tournament standard will end up being. I got a cheap hitbox last year but ended up having a lot of hand pain from using it so went back to stick. I regret not just borrowing one first to see if it was for me or not haha
Are yall 60 yr old grandpas with arthritis? I never have the hand pain thing and I play on hitbox for hours and never get that not flexing but that's a common complaint
@Ultraheaven nope im 30 lol, funny enough Japanese players that switched have said similar things. (So wouldnt exactly say its uncommon). I talked to a friend that uses hitbox due to hand issues and he said Its due to not using it in an ergonomic way and how my hands rest (due to arcade stick habit)
@@ultraheaven8968 I normally rest my wrist on it when im playing, pain normally becomes noticeable the next day and last a few days. My friend said it would be due to that and would need to float above it. Makes sense since i've had similar issues with smallers/flat keyboards at work
I bought a stick for plinking and piano shenanigans for Chun...but even after 15 years, I still prefer segmented Ps d-pads or the floaty one on the Horizon Octa Fighting Commander. Best would be a stick with a classic d-pad but with cabinet sized Sanwa buttons. Not a fan of Hitboxes either
Ah yes, the stick fallacy. It's like with me and writing; "Oh if I get an iPad it'll make it easier for me to organize my thoughts, I need an iPad, I need flash card apps!" Now I have an iPad that I watch RUclips on, and a paper notepad with Post-Its..... Never sleep on Old Reliable!
I think this a big thing to bring up too. SF6, even with all of the new additions, is a lot slower than, say, MvC or any non Strive anime fighter, and the game is far more forgiving when it comes to combo timings than other games. If you want a stick just to be better, don't. There is a massive learning curve you have to go through to get back where you were. If you want to get a stick because playing on pad is uncomfortable but you still want to play, I'd say thats a valid reason; hell, that's why I got one. The only case where a stick can be argued to be the 'superior' choice is the above games, but that is less of a advantage and more so people not wanting to have carpal tunnel doing an infinite in UMvC3, and the fact that anime fighters typically have a macro for dashing, so it's more convieniant to have right there instead of reaching for it.
Fgs even stopped being seen as products from arcades and are already being made with the console experience in mind, unlike SF4, that was still an arcade game that just had a console port later.
And this is why you have a hard time getting sponsorships. You need to show that you can shill a product and get these suckers to spend their money on things they don't need, not the opposite!
dont buy an arcade stick, buy yourself a suit and tie and get yourself a job! you wont win capcom cup! the prize pool is all mine!
🤣🤣🤣
We're firing shots already? Damn 🤣
Tell em to Go home and be a family man
Imagine thinking playing videogames professionally a real job.
*Balrog voice* MUH FIGHT MONEH!
I bought a stick back in ‘09 when I wanted to really explore this “fighting game” thing. I both wanted to be “just like the pros” and wanted a “more genuine” arcade experience.
I will say slapping buttons is way more fun than just using a controller, IMO.
The tactile feedback is sooo much nicer than mushy buttons and pad, especially ps5 pad
same i cant play fighting games on pad anymore my hands hurt on pad
And both of your personal reasons are symptomatic of the whole matter. And it's also funny that both are coincidentally invalidated at this point. Because the idea of SF as an "arcade fg" died after SF4, and the whole arcade experience is a kinda ancient reference to many western gaming circles. And a big number of pros of different world regions quit arcade sticks. So a new SF player won't have these same heavy community influences (that also were heavier because the community was more offiline than now).
@@carlosaugusto9821 Oh yeah, I completely agree! Sorry, I didn't mean to invalidate the experience of pad players. One of my favorite US SF players, Smug, plays on pad! That man can play Dudley on an analog stick?! That is beyond me.
But yeah, my fightstick origin story is probably mundane for many older console players, lol. I AM happy that there are so many options nowadays, though, and I've been wanting to try transferring to a Hitbox. If slapping buttons with one hand is good, then doing so with two must be AMAZING!! But a stick or a box is by no means mandatory, and you can reach the highest levels of skill with just a default pad!
It definitely is.
A few words for all who are playing with pad/controller. In order to play with it without feeling hurt or pain at all in your finger, place the mushy center of your thumb right in the middle of the D pad, and then just like roll it from there to press the rest of the directions.
Don't press each direction with the edge of the thumb, that will make your finger hurt very quickly.
Thanks! Just tried that and feel much better haha
Am i supposed to use the dpad? Isnt the joystick there to do the motion input? Ill just use keyboard then as an alpha hitbox.
@@Chroma710 you can use joystick, it's just sometimes very inconsistent. a lot of controller players use the d-pad to get precise movements. im gonna be using keyboard as well and its super good :)
im new to fighting games but ive been using the joysticks to move 0.0 people use the D-pad? maybe that's why I suck XD oopsie
I am somewhat new as well. I thought initially that an analog stick made more sense but found it to be difficult to be precise with... For eg. Too many accidental jumps. I couldn't even do a dash on the analog stick. So I switched to dpad. Now other things are hard.. I learned the quarter circle but I still can't do the shoryuken motion well but I'm learning..
Edit: and I'm now considering switching to a keyboard
I will always suggest getting a ps3 era stick with sanwa parts and slowly upgrade it to make it yours. Get a $30 adaptor for your consol of choice. Eventually drop $90 on a brook ufb for it. At any point drop $20 for some custom art. You'll have the best console compatibility and a custom stick by the end of it, for a fraction of modern sticks.
faxxx
Not really a fraction when you've dropped $200 buying the stick, upgrading it and all the extras you've mentioned.
@@haggisman0812 i did it for ab 130 after buying a horirap4 for 100 dollars
@@omegawaffles7348 Was it worth it? I just order the hori a day ago because it was super cheap and i want to customize it later (buttons and artwork)
@@pulguitadavid1608 yeah it definitely was. i love it. i still use it till this day. all i’ve done was replace the joystick with a sanwa joystick (since personally i didn’t like the one it came with [hayabusa stick] it felt too loose and it would bounce back and jiggle kinda if i smash the stick and let it go back to neutral) i didn’t change the buttons since i think they r rlly nice and quiet and i barely have to press down on them to get an input (but obviously in the midst of fighting an opponent im mashing them so it’s rlly up to u on which u like better for buttons) so yeah i think it’s rlly good if ur on a budget and i didn’t have any trouble putting in the sanwa joystick btw if u wanna do that too. nice solid base imo just not that flashy but idm. also it works on ps5 as well as ps4. i’m not sure ab sf6 yet but i know ggst ps5 version and kof ps5 version work on it
If you play SF6 on PC , keyboard is pretty much small key hitbox and you dont need any thing else .im not sure if you can use keyboard on console but if you want stick or hitbox try keyboard first , you may actually find you enjoy gamepad more . for one thing pad is more comfortable to hold and less straining on your hands/wrists .
I think a fightstick (and also hitbox) makes you want to play FGs cause they're dedicated controllers, it's like buying a wheel for racing games it makes you wanna play and it's more fun.
Definitely agree with you. I too have my own Driving Setup. I refuse to play Racing/Driving Games with a Pad. Same with my Fighting Games. Fight Stick & Leverless Controllers are definitely a big part of the enjoyments in Fighting Games. Couldn't play these games without it.
This is not true I just got a fighting commander and now I wanna play even more lol
@@FREEZA_AKA_MR_COOLA Which is a pad dedicated to fighting games and not a standard pad 😉
It also puts less stress on your fingers than controller. My thumb gets numb playing any fighting game on controller.
As someone that drift since years on AC with my own driving setup I agree it's so much more satisfying than anything else. Same goes for a hitbox for playing figthing games (always been a keyboard user so I adapted super quickly to it)
I use stick for two reasons: easier access to the buttons and I got so damn sick of replacing controllers the most expensive pads became the cheapest option but I never thought for a second it would give me an advantage. If nothing else I always thought you can move your thumb much faster than your whole hand. The only reason a lot of pros use stick is because they still have arcades in Japan and they simply got used to it.
Pro tip : wait untill the end of 2023 and do yourself a favour and buy the razer kitsune , best hitbox ever made . Aluminium chassis, low profile mechanical seitches which arent loud , very slick , rgb , secured usb c cable , ps5 supported as well as pc . Best controller period .
I definitely want one.
i actually struggled for years trying to play stick, my execution and wrist movement just isnt there, i only really mainly playing pc rhythm games so I have good finger independence, moving to hitbox was the best thing ive ever done and have achieved more in 2-3 months than literal 6+ years
this is why i will get an all button controller, i thought about stick because it seemed fun but i have been using a keyboard since i was like 7 so it most definitely will feel more natural to me due to both the good finger independence and strength i have built up over the years. i did not grow up with arcade sticks, and the hitbox was in large part made to feel like a keyboard, so why shouldnt i buy it?
HitBox is badass. Easy to input DP.
If you buy an Arcade Stick, just spend up and get a nice one. It’ll last you 10-20 years.
If you really want to get a true arcade experience, get a stick. If you are just interested in playing SF6, you don’t need a stick to succeed.
You don’t need a stick to succeed in any fighting game, especially MK
I bought a stick because my thumb chafed on the D-Pad. I probably would never have gotten one if not for that. Even if you play Zato, button mapping is a cheaper solution than shelling out $60 at the absolute minimum.
Was going to comment the same my thumbs would blister and my d pads would break too
Oh yeah, I’ve lost my “gamer callouses” since moving from digital to analog and arcade sticks. :D
I would want a stick just to challenge myself more and get more of a true feel of old-school gameing
Stick is fun.
The sticks do help because of the button layout. You have all 8 buttons in a row and can customize the light, medium, hard, and super buttons. Where on a controller the buttons you want to use are also in the back of the controller. I own game controller pads where the button layout is more like the sticks and that makes a huge difference in getting to be able to hit each button in order to perform combos way easier. I believe that they should make both the stick version and the thumb pad versions with layouts like they did for the previous systems prior to PS5.
Playing on an arcade stick is just more fun in general so for that reason alone I recommend it to everyone. Also arcade sticks don't break. Arcade buttons may break after a few years but those cost pennies. And if you commit your game, you can always upgrade your stick with mods (mine has a custom pcb that allows it to connect to ANY console) or even better custom art. And nothing is more badass than bringing a custom stick to your local tournament or even your homies house.
As a Dead or Alive player, it's funny to hear the pros complain about going through pads constantly when I've been using the same hitbox since the beginning.
Sticks are the most fun, I agree.
use what ever your used to unless you want to try something new but it will take time learning to play on stick if you are used to a pad
Exactly.
I also want to add something, for SF6 even if you play with an arcade stick it's a good idea to have a gamepad connected, as well, at least on pc. Moving with your character in the world tour or in the battle hub with the arcade stick is a bit annoying (moving the camera doesn't look natural at all), so you can use a gamepad for that and once a fight starts just grab your stick (you can have both connected and at the same time, so you don't need to unplug anything). That's what I ended up doing in the closed beta and it was better than just using the stick to move around. And about the Arcade Sticks.... I agree that it won't make you a better player per se, but in my opinion, it's extremely fun to play a fighting game with a stick, and it makes you want to take it more seriously. Also, it adds a "hardware" component to fighting games, get a good stick, customize it with art, levers or buttons of your choice... to me that's like an extra that adds interest in the fighting game universe.
The Only reason i use Stick for SF is because of the 6 buttons layout, however GG, NRS games and Tekken are perfectly fine with a controller.
I'll just mention that there are indeed pads with 6 button layout (Hori Fighting Commander probably being the most well-known example).
Gamepads are a scam. Dpad goes bad in a year if you're lucky. Thats why I built myself a leverless. Best decision
Leverless probably the easiest to build at home? See a lot of custom ones.
Get a stick. It feels better when you smack buttons while getting beat up.
I have a controller that makes me never drop combos.
Real gamers know PS4 dualshock Analogue is the way to go.
It is what people wanna do. Some people just want to experience a fight stick and feel the old days
Consider this - arcade sticks are much more durable pieces of hardware than pads. A decent one costs 2x the price of an original pad and lasts 10x longer. Moreover, you can easily replace buttons or shaft yourself if it starts to screw up.
I also find them much more comfortable to play on instead of pads, but that's just a personal preference.
Yeah this is why I’m getting one. I don’t want to ruin my controllers and have to constantly replace them
Good advice. Many moons ago, I bought a Madcatz TE for SF4. And the biggest blow was to my ego. Losing to randoms that I could easily destroy using pad. I eventually got pretty comfortable with the stick. But anyone new to fighting games needs to understand. Buying a stick is adding an additional 6 -12 months to your journey of becoming simply a intermediate level player. Not to mention the money spent upfront.
P.S To all those set on buying a stick. It definitely is more comfortable than playing on pad. Once you put in that initial (time) investment.
Nigga I ain't reading all that shit
It's an investment for sure.
Do u have any tips? Ive always played on pad my whole life and im 14 n my mom bought me my first stick. Im decent on tekken on pad,but stick omg…. I lose every match against noobs. Ik how to do combos and movement but my skill jus goes out the window😕
@@exima2106 There is no real trick to get past those initial stages of struggling with the controls. Look up guides with advice on inputs and shortcuts for motions you have issues with. And stick to it. Be happy with the small improvements in your play. And it'll help you stay motivated.
I'm actually going through a peripheral crisis right now. I've been playing fighting games for years now and have always used pad. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older and I use my hands a lot (between typing, playing piano, making gunpla, and playing games) but the ergonomics of pad just suck. Especially the base PS4 pad I regularly play on.
I got back into grinding SFV to prepare for 6 and it was WORSE than when I play GG or GBVS. Part of the reason is SF forces you to play with the shoulder buttons for example to activate V-trig in 5 or DI in 6 you have to hit R1 and R2. The difference in the travel distance for the trigger button just really screw up my wrist muscles after just 30 minutes of gaming. I play Ibuki and she has different EX moves depending on the strengths that you combine, so when I want to go for EX kunai with mid length I have to hit LP+MP forcing me to use my thumb to hit both the Square and Triangle which is highly uncomfortable.
I know there are other pad options, but often times reviews don't give me confidence in the action and durability of the d-pad to put money in a fight pad. For that reason, I've been considering making the switch to stick or hitbox, but if I'm being honest, I hate the hitbox layout (too unintuitive for my liking) and I've never played stick beyond playing on the occasional KI or SF2 cabinets I find sometimes. The crossup stick looks very interesting to me (there's even a smash loadout for it for when I play casually with friends) but it's expensive and I'd rather use those funds to get a new PC or a PS5. I just don't know how much longer my hands could hold out on pad and if I get a stick at least playing the piano has my finger muscles developed for it. I don't know. Like I said. I'm in a bit of a crisis.
Whatever you decide, you have to stick to it. Switching takes time.
False. It makes me feel better, and that's what counts.
In all seriousness, your dont need to spend that much. Get the Mayflash F300 stick. Works on PC, PS4/5, Switch, etc, fits in your backpack. I got it for less than 100. Watched a review by @JoystickNY (his channel was in the pic at 3min as well, sorry if BM to @him here) who not only has reviews etc but many helpful videos for arcade stick noobs/those coming back. Extremely helpful. I'm so happy that it was my return stick back to learning on stick. It might not make you more optimal but you feel way more powerful, who doesn't wanna hear and feel the pounding of buttons while you smashing heads in.
Everyone should use an arcade stick for all fighting games. It's not an esy input method at first but it's the most exciting and the most interactive experience and it's keeping the arcade tradition alive.
I learned how to play on stick 9 years ago because I went to Galloping Ghost Arcade and when I got there and played my favorite fighting games, I realized that I didn’t know how to play stick at the arcade. So I bought a crappy ps2 stick and practiced on 3rd Strike. I love the arcades and whenever I visit at the arcade, I’m always ready to throw hands. And now I use them because I believe it’s more fun to play on it, even if it’s a little harder on certain games. Another thing that factors in my decision is that I usually break my dpads on my regular controllers but with Arcade stick, they can take the abuse. And if a part breaks, they are so easily replaceable and fixable. But yeah. You don’t need a stick to play fighting games, especially if they’re super new.
Legendary arcade.
You do the “alright guys” too fast at the beginning of your videos now. I’m not quick enough to skip it anymore 👁👄👁
This was the 3rd take so I was rushing.
I don’t agree cause the PlayStation 5 controller has the most horrible d pad ever it’s so delayed and the is so hard to do inputs now I don’t think the arcade stick is better either I think the best controller for a fighting game is ps4 DualShock controller it’s the best I would recommend it if you want to get into fighting games very goodly
It really does
You guys must know, he's not ONLY telling us as a
Seasoned
Experienced
Veteran player
BUT ALSO as a
SOUTH EAST ASIAN CHAMPION 🏆🏆🏆
Nah, if he was he'd have been given a pair of shorts as a prize and I've never seen him show them off at all!
I think learning multiple controllers has made me a better player in general. Stick is my favorite.
It really is a matter of preference. I was born during the arcade era and have used controller during the 90s on console but would still go to the arcade. When great quality stick became available I got one have preferred using that ever since. Also have a all six/eight buttons laid out is a really convenience because you have a piano clicking.
same here I played on controller at home but Sticks at the arcade.
I actually just got a Qanba Titan this past weekend but in my defense I recently killed my xbox controllers dpad lol. Its very nice but now I gotta learn how to nail inputs with a lever.
Definitely takes a lot of getting used to but it’s really fun once you get the hang of it. Thing I would recommend the most is learning how to hold and use the stick the proper way from a RUclips video. It would have saved me so much trouble when I initially made the shift to stick bc after learning it immediately cleaned up all my inputs. Best of luck!
It's frustrating, but stick with it.
It could make you a better player depending on your reflexes. Sticks are better if you don't have super fine finger motor controls.
When I am using a D-Pad my "dragon punch" movements are not very precise, I basically just do two half circles forward, I'm just flailing.
On an arcade stick, I'm not able to respond as faster ... but when I want to do a move, I know exactly what I am doing to execute that move.
My reason for getting a stick was that I was hurting my thumb so bad on the dpad of my controller.... now I'm stuck with it, I can't even enjoy fighting games without a stick.
I bough an arcade stick not for myself but for my dad since he finds pads very finicky and causes pain since only one thumb is controlling the stick. With arcade joysticks he can use his entire hand to control it and is much more comfortable over long playing sessions for him
Those are some good points. Your advice reminds me of when I first tried arcade sticks and expected a big advantage. At first, I struggled with playing on stick and gave up on it for a while.
Now I decided not to worry about playing better, and I’m getting back into playing on stick for fun.
I'm one of those newer people to fighting games that are thinking of grabbing a stick.
I've always just played them casually by mashing and not really thinking too much about combos or anything else, but i started getting into Tekken 7 and Street Fighter 5 a lot recently but noticed that i tend to press in the d-pad a little too hard, hard enough for it to actually cause blisters or a painful sensation on my thumb which has motivated me to look up sticks and boxes.
But looking at these prices, it's a bit much to commit to and also having to learn it from scratch sounds somewhat demotivating.
I'm still currently debatting if i should spend the amount for a stick or box. I wouldn't get it because i think i could be better, but more for being able to play fighting games for longer since i've been enjoying them so much lately.
comfort is definitely a good reason to pick up a different type of controller, but its definitely a real shame that the cheapest stick with native ps5 compatibility is over $100 and leverless controllers in general get pretty pricey
I mean if you dont want to spend too much, theres always the option of buying a cheap moddable one and then upgrading it later. you could get a mayflash f300 or hori fighting stick and then upgrade the buttons, the lever, add customization etc. and its almost the same with leverless, the only problem being that the brook pcb inflates the cost by a lot
There are good cheaper sticks like the Qanba drone. Or even finding a used Stick; they are quite durable so even old ones still work.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI Thanks for the advice! That's not a bad idea, i'll have to look into my local area and see if there's someone who's selling a stick for cheap. My area isn't known to have many places to find sticks but i'm sure there's a way.
@@lukelun I'd say as long as it's not too complicated to mod then that isn't too bad of an idea. I'll look into the Mayflash and Hori sticks to see if it's possible to grab one close by. Thanks for the advice!
60 bucks for a hori fight commander octa pad, and I’m super satisfied. It works on my pc for SFV and my PS5 for when SF6 drops
I don't care. I pre-ordered the street fighter 6 theme hori alpha. I want the ultimate experience and that feeling is only achieved by playing with a stick. This will be my first stick and I am very excited to play sf6 with it. This is not about getting better or having a non-existing advantage etc whatever you mention in this video. I have only been in an arcade once or twice as a child so I am very excited to have this feeling with buttons etc back at home. Sf6 is very important to me bc it is the first time I am truly interested in a fighting game and became one if not my most hyped/anticipated game of 2023.
Me too
FGC players will spend $700 on a PC, $350 on a fight stick, and $100 for the ultimate pre order release date games, but can't afford a car
Dashing is a struggle on stick and dashing has never been more important in SF because of drive rush
Hit Box my friend
You can use a bat top
Hitbox dash is cheeeeap.
Exposing the hitbox/arcade stick manufacturer's propaganda. Sasuga Jiyuna.
I'm one crusty dude, def hearing hype on sticks, and I'm extremely grateful to learn it won't matter to my casual butt at all. Hearing there are even people doing well in tournaments using a controller... thanks. Subbed. Would appreciate some real basic stuff, as much as you can spare. Great work!
I wanna buy an arcade stick just for the fun of it honestly. Also, I've been playing fighting games all my life with controller, so now I just wanna mix it up. I plan on getting good by practicing anyway. Thoughts?
As long as your motivation is fun, go for it.
you're bein' a real man of the people with this one. hard facts. sad as it is to leave the past behind, it makes sense to either move to hitbox or stick to what you know with pad.
I prefer using a stick because using a d-pad shreds my thumbs after a while. I find things like dashing and SPD motions easier/quicker too.
Started on ds4 pad and didn't like how much it hurt my thumb after long sessions. My hands would get cramped/sore too sometimes. I decided to switch to hitbox after a friend recommended it when I was looking into sticks.
Played around with it and found it very awkward and gave up and went back to pad. Still didn't like pad so before Strive came out I bought an obsidian. Tried it for a month after release and noticed I'd get execution errors more often than both pad and hitbox.
I FINALLY decided to go back to hitbox and have been using it since. Once I got around the awkwardness of it I found I really do genuinely think it is the most comfortable and accurate of the 3. Highly recommend.
I still think stick the most "fun" to use in terms of feel, but hitbox is also very tactile and satisfying if you like typing your combos.
Switching controllers is a BIG commitment, definitely have to get over that period of losing to people you could have beaten on your original device.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI It all comes down to preference in the end. It just sucks that you won't know what you prefer until after you try it for a bit.
I agree, though, and think new players should try pad before buying a new controller. The controller won't make you a better player, but it may help with comfort.
"Invest a lot of money without knowing something"
Sounds like me and boardgames on Kickstarter XD
My first fighting game was Rev 2, and I started with a PS4 controller. I bought a stick because I was curious how it would feel, but I ended up sticking with it to this day. IMO, playing with a stick versus a pad or leverless is just more fun for me. There was a learning curve, for sure, but it feels a lot more satisfying playing with a lever and big buttons versus a tiny D-Pad or only buttons.
like jiyuna said, i dont think stick made me any better at games, but i sure as hell enjoy fighting games more after i switched to stick
I used controllers but switched to stick during MvC3. The learning curve was real but I've never looked back. Too much fun.
As real as you can be with your opinion and not schilling (even though they are sponsored or something) but thats the reason i tune in to your streams and videos cause you keep it real and we appreciate your honesty
I just played beta. Pressing a button to do special moves instead of actually doing the moment is like handing out a participant ribbon. I'm still gonna use my fightstick.
I've been using hitbox for almost 10 years and felt like I got really good at USFIV. But then I went back and realized Luffy won Evo playing Rose on the original PS1 controller. Yes, the one that didn't even have sticks. Anything is possible.
I played with a pad for years, and buying a stick did make me better. I still suck, but slightly less - combos are easier, motions are easier (especially DPs). Just being able to consistently do a DP when I need it because the motion is bigger and therefore easier was huge for me.
I definitely recommend it, especially if you have big hands.
I do however suggest you start cheap - I got the original qanba obsidian for about 50$, and added a 8 way octagonal gate and a better level for 20$, and it's still the one I use, since I play on PC. It's great and not an over blown expanse for a starting player.
The advantage is if your thumb is slow and hard to use the controller and if you cant execute the inputs like me with out a simple 6 way joy stick
hi I have a question, I am a completely new player to fighting games (just bought SF6 [PC] few days ago) and haven't use a controller to play games for so long ( last time was more around than 10 years ago playing Gundam: Extreme Vs. on PS3/4), and my ring finger is not agile enough for doing the commands on the keyboard, (sometimes feels modern are somehow harder than classic for some characters), should I practice playing with my controllers ( somehow still working) or should I go to somewhere to try an arcade stick and get one? Thank you🙏
I got a new stick for SFV when it came out. I watched a lot more SF4 then I played, and I was like, "I'm gonna play it from the start, and it's gonna be my game!"
..... It wasn't, and I still play on pad.
At least you already have a stick if you still want to learn it.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI Yeah, that's not a bad idea. Might be fun to play around with it some.
There's plenty of people that get good on pad, but I will say that if you want to learn a new device like stick or hitbox, it's best with a brand new game, that way you're not fighting (as much) old muscle memory during the learning process, and since it's early in a game's life cycle it's easier to find new people to play with instead of trying to play against only seasoned people.
I made the switch from pad to stick with Street Fighter 4 after playing 3rd Strike and Guilty Gear XX on pad. I really wanted to be able to enjoy playing at Arcade UFO, and it also worked out that my main Honda really benefitted from stick because of the mash inputs for Hundred Hand Slap and the need to piano quickly to do jab > fierce HHS
Now is definitely the time to switch IF you want to.
God I hope the next video is Jiyuna showing off the stick Obsidian has sent him and talking about how much we need to buy one
Qanba, DM me.
I gotta say, even as a solidly mid-tier player, switching from stick to hitbox during SFV helped me a lot. So it's definitely not exclusively for the .001%. But I'm someone who had played for years and knew exactly where my shortcomings were, and was able to identify the advantages the different control scheme offered me specifically. If you're fresh and don't have that knowledge, I don't think the same logic would apply.
I bought the Hori Fighting Commander recently. Familiarity of a pad and the button layout of a stick. I also have 2 sticks but I use them for fun.
I just bought myself a Mayflash F300 like 3 years for $45 and then swapped the buttons and joystick for sanwa parts for like $15. I couldn’t even fathom spending $300 on a game controller 😅
Tbh ive dabbled and was decent in fighting games like naruto, and mortal kombat X but was always wack at the other ones. Just too technical, and fustrating for me to pull off combo's and etc.
After playing sf6 open beta with modern controls and 4-0 some kid from spain, the feeling was immaculate. Not just winning, but the art style and everything with sf6 u can just tell they poured out everything into it.
With that said, i pre ordered my first stick, the sf6 hori alpha version and plan on switching to sanwa silent joystick and buttons down the line(maybe in a few months after)
Sf6 just felt way too fun, and its deff gonna be the gateway for ppl to come back and try fighting games. I know im one of em, and im down to relearn from zero with the stick.
But for my pad players who will use modern(no shame) luke and guile are broken af😂
same here my man. placed my order last night.
Speaking as someone newer to fighting games though not quite a novice-
I have to quibble a bit when you say that there aren't advantages for most players in using specific controllers. Specifically I think that learning on a leverless controller is incredibly helpful for a newbie because it means you have much, much cleaner inputs from the start. No, I do not think everyone should run out and buy a hitbox because that shit is obviously expensive.
Frankly I'm not sure what I think the right move for someone in your position is. I appreciate what you're trying to do here, I absolutely do. It is good and responsible and I'm glad you made this video. I just have to quibble a bit because I was lucky enough to have a supportive spouse who bought me a hitbox (for our anniversary no less) and I have been having dramatically more fun playing Strive since because I don't feel like I'm fighting against my controller anymore. I think that others may find they have a similar experience if they pick the game up using a leverless controller from the start even if that controller is a simple keyboard.
Just sharing my own experience here I suppose.
Been using Snackbox for 16 months and I think it's the hardest one to learn!
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI You have a lot of experience with the other controller types and were already generally good at fighting games though, right?
I think it is very difficult to be skilled at fighting games and then to transfer that experience from a stick or pad to a leverless controller, but it is in my experience at least somewhat easier all around when you move to the leverless controller early on.
It could totally just be me being weird, I'll admit it. It has been such a game changer for me though to be able to consistently do something like a DP input where before it was a struggle. They seem like breathing once you have them down but when you're just starting motion inputs are a real struggle.
What if I have never played a fighting game before? Wouldn't it be fine to start on a stick since I have no muscle memory on a pad? I'd be starting from zero either way. Just a thought
Start on what you like! Just no there is no major benefit.
You clearly don't know how to use a fightstick.
I have played on one for 20+ and won multiple tournaments. Who are you?
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI then what did you play with it.. Shmups??
I've been looking to get a hitbox, do you have any recommendations besides snackbox? looking forward to learning it!
I can only vouch for Snackbox, MPress, and Hitbox brands. But I haven't heard of any brands to avoid, just find what you like.
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI Appreciate it, gonna look into MPress now
I feel like you buy a fight stick for the same reason someone who plays flying games gets a flight stick and thruster or people who are into racing games get a steering wheel and pedals. You get it for the immersion and adding some excitement and additional fun to the game. You definitely need to practice with a fight stick to become efficient with it and SF6 has the best practice mode in a fight game to do just that. Not to mention you’re teaching yourself something new even if it’s a “gamer” thing. Everyone knows a GamePad and the layout. Teaching your brain to learn a fight stick will be something new and fun. Now, if you want an actual advantage get a hitbox or lever less fight pad like the one from Victrix. All preference at the end of the day. I purchased the Hori Fight stick Alpha since it’s more fun and reminds me of playing in an arcade
Joy stick started fighting games. Buttons on a stick are and it has been proven faster then a controller. If you want a fighting stick get one. They have been around forever. PS5 Dual Sense is complete dog crap for SF6.
After Years playing in pad, when Tekken 7 has launched I buy an arcade, the learning curve was long, but it's a path of no return. But now I'm preparing to go to leverless arcade (Hitbox style). Personally I think Hitbox be the best control.
I bought a cheap Hori Mini just to see if sticks in general are for me.
What I knew already even before making that purchase, was that I really don't like executing input motions on D-PAD (my only gamepad is Dual Shock 3 from my PS3 which already has quite good D-PAD from what I've heard, so its definitey not the quality of the controller that would give me a wrong impression).
I can play some very casual DNF Duel on pad but then again, it's so simple I can even play it on my phone via Remote play...
I'm planning to eventually get something like that Obsidian 2 if only because it looks really nice and even if I don't feel like playing, it will just look awesome on my shelf.
Sticks are great collectors items, yeah. But they take up so much space.
Due to my time in the Army, I have some nerve damage. Pulling off stick inputs on a gamepad, even with a dpad, is absolute hell. A stick gives me a lot more control over what I do.
So I bought a cheap one (Mayflash 300) and I'm modding it to be quiet (polyfil, silent Sanwa buttons, sound baffling on the inside of the top using moleskin, etc.)
I do appreciate you putting the word out that people need to smart about what they buy, though.
Yup, buy what works for you!
I remember getting the SF x Tekken Madcatz pad and it didn't work with the pc version of SF x Tekken 😢
Compatability issues are always a pain in the ass.
I love my stick. I learned on it, even though it was the era of the controller (pre hitbox). Its personally very natural to me.
Play what's natural to you.
If anyone still wants to get a stick but doesn’t want to break the bank. Get a mayflash300 for 60 bucks, I’ve been playing on mine throughout the majority of strive and it’s been great.
Doesn’t work on PS5
I like having a stick with a long shaft and a red knob. Jokes aside, Sanwa sticks and Brook Zero-Pi fighting board is a great combo for DIY. Latency makes a big difference with stick, and I'm not sure how all the commercial options stack up but, for $300 you should expect them to be good.
I have only played mbtl. I have wanted a hitbox for many months. This video is good though I still don't know whether to buy one or not. Reading the comments is fun.
Hitbox will, in fact, make you a better player. Artificially. Because it removes execution from the equation.
It also introduces carpal tunnel, so enjoy that in 20 years.
I only bought a stick because it was hard holding juri's fireballs in ssf4 on pad and just stuck with playing on the fight stick. It helped if you wanted to play on arcade cabinets, but those are pretty much dead now. Another benefit was that it was hard for me to do dp motion on dpad and joystick, but with a fight stick that has the square gate it was much easier.
DPs , qc and half circles are so freaking easy on dpad . The problem is the charge motions for me
I am a controller player i buy a stick i start losing games and demotivate, if you think on buy one a stick dont make you better player and is not fun because you gonna lose a lot in the beginning, but i believe practice will make me better
Wait until mexican akuma is released so you can optimize your orange chicken cooking.
Bro I’m old and my whole family has had arthritis. I can’t hammer and mash a dual shock for hours on end. Leave me and my fight stick alone.
Thank you for motivating me to stop waiting for my Brook Converter to show up and just jump in the game with pad for now 😌
This man is throwing away the chance of getting stick brands sponsors just to give us this solid piece of advice. I really respect that.
Fighting games FEEL so much more visceral when playing on a stick IMO. I was a pad warrior but then made the leap, and fighting games have only been more fun as a result of it : ) Did it make me better ? Of course not. But playing more certainly did !
Yup, Stick is the most fun.
Trying out a fightstick after years of only pad actually helped my dpad game once I went back to it, helped me focus more on technical movements
I bought my PS3 Madcatz TE in 2011 for $150 and it's still going strong with no part replacements needed. Seeing these manufacturers charge nearly double that amount for new sticks is insanity to me. The greedy price gouging is why it's hard to recommend "budget" sticks these days that actually use quality parts.
Sticks are definitely the most durable.
I've been using the same etokki stick since 2012. Just swapped out the PCB so it can work on newly released consoles. The metal casing is so nice, you'll fucking NEVER see me use a plastic stick again. That said, if I play without pants, the metal can be pretty cold on my legs.
I say if new players to fighting games want to buy a stick, then let them! There is nothing better than the sunk cost fallacy to motivate new players to stick through the struggle of learning fighting games.
I bought a stick when I started getting into fighting games because my thumbs got blisters from using a pad
I’ve used pad, stick (Korean lever and Japanese) mixbox and now finally hitbox, I got an okiboard v2 hitbox and it’s amazing, I’ll never change now
I'm on Snackbox but I miss my stick...
@@ANIMEILLUMINATI yeah that snackbox looked nice af, nothing can beat KBD on my Korean lever but unfortunately I had to sell my sticks due to my thumb joint being dodgy, would’ve been cool to have a collection but I can’t have money just sitting there and now someone is making use of a good stick, E-waste isn’t good imo😂
The Titan is such a good stick, I wasn't sure at first with the distance of the buttons but it's very smooth
The only reason I want a stick-like device is because I don't want my hands to be cramped on the buttons side.
Ideally I would want a stick with a d-pad left side and an arcade buttons right side.
I saw some Go Fund Me project for it a while back, but I would want something official and affordable (and ideally with a decent warranty).
I'm too cheap to buy an arcade stick..
Just play with what you got.
Solid advice, another thing to keep in mind as well is if your planning on going to tournaments (besides just for the first year) we dont really know what the tournament standard will end up being.
I got a cheap hitbox last year but ended up having a lot of hand pain from using it so went back to stick. I regret not just borrowing one first to see if it was for me or not haha
Are yall 60 yr old grandpas with arthritis? I never have the hand pain thing and I play on hitbox for hours and never get that not flexing but that's a common complaint
@Ultraheaven nope im 30 lol, funny enough Japanese players that switched have said similar things. (So wouldnt exactly say its uncommon). I talked to a friend that uses hitbox due to hand issues and he said Its due to not using it in an ergonomic way and how my hands rest (due to arcade stick habit)
@@exiaR2x78 Yeah im assuming you extend your elbow when you play? That puts stress on you ulnar nerve which causes referred pain to your hand.
@@ultraheaven8968 I normally rest my wrist on it when im playing, pain normally becomes noticeable the next day and last a few days. My friend said it would be due to that and would need to float above it. Makes sense since i've had similar issues with smallers/flat keyboards at work
@@exiaR2x78 sounds like carpal tunnel. try putting a tiny cushion under your wrist when you play
I bought a stick for plinking and piano shenanigans for Chun...but even after 15 years, I still prefer segmented Ps d-pads or the floaty one on the Horizon Octa Fighting Commander. Best would be a stick with a classic d-pad but with cabinet sized Sanwa buttons. Not a fan of Hitboxes either
Hitbox takes a long time to get used to.
Ah yes, the stick fallacy. It's like with me and writing; "Oh if I get an iPad it'll make it easier for me to organize my thoughts, I need an iPad, I need flash card apps!" Now I have an iPad that I watch RUclips on, and a paper notepad with Post-Its..... Never sleep on Old Reliable!
I think this a big thing to bring up too. SF6, even with all of the new additions, is a lot slower than, say, MvC or any non Strive anime fighter, and the game is far more forgiving when it comes to combo timings than other games. If you want a stick just to be better, don't. There is a massive learning curve you have to go through to get back where you were. If you want to get a stick because playing on pad is uncomfortable but you still want to play, I'd say thats a valid reason; hell, that's why I got one.
The only case where a stick can be argued to be the 'superior' choice is the above games, but that is less of a advantage and more so people not wanting to have carpal tunnel doing an infinite in UMvC3, and the fact that anime fighters typically have a macro for dashing, so it's more convieniant to have right there instead of reaching for it.
Fgs even stopped being seen as products from arcades and are already being made with the console experience in mind, unlike SF4, that was still an arcade game that just had a console port later.
And this is why you have a hard time getting sponsorships. You need to show that you can shill a product and get these suckers to spend their money on things they don't need, not the opposite!
Good point. Only shills get far in fgc business.
I'll stick to shilling Mobile Games.