Best Arcade Stick Levers for Shmups

[Gooders5000]

Hi everyone, firstly apologies if this is a tired topic, but after reading numerous old forum posts on the topic I would really like to touch base with some people on their preferred levers for their arcade sticks.

I've recently switched from a NES pad to a Mayflash F500 Elite which comes with a Sanwa JLF, which I've seen people say isn't the best for Shmups.

I emulate everything from NES to modern Cave stuff, and find the travel of the JLF creates a sort of artificial form of input lag, as my brain is working faster than my inputs, which when I was on the NES pad was not an issue, and I had really worked out micro-movements with the d-pad, I guess I want to sort of re-create the closest to that in a stick as I can.

From my preliminary research I'm drawn to the Seimitsu LS-62, possibly with the KOWAL short throw mod also, this seems like it might be good for micro-movements in newer CAVE and bullet hell stuff, which is what I am after.

Very keen to hear what people here use, and any information/opinions in general would be very much appreciated before I drop any cash on a new lever.

Thanks in advance.

[SCARTicus]

Everyone agrees that the zippy joystick is the best

[bigbadboaz]

I posted this just a few days back:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=68466

[Gooders5000]

I posted this just a few days back:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=68466

Fantastic, that's really helpful, thank you!

[bigbadboaz]

Regarding the LS-62, it has the "weird stubby shaft" from the LS-32. This is all preference, but that's one of the main reasons I prefer the 56 so strongly.

[Ms. Tea]

I've always been an LS-32 gal. The "weird stubby shaft" doesn't bug me in the last, and I love the short engage time. Just feels good to use. I'll admit I've never tried an LS-56, but the 32's a classic for a reason.

[Gooders5000]

I've put an oversize actuator and a 4lb spring in my stock Sanwa JLF since I posted this which feels infinitely better.

A good friend of mine has an LS-32 so I'm gonna wait until lockdown is officially over and try that out at his, the shorter shaft actually appeals to me from a micro movement stance.

I may even buy the 62 just to try out, and swop back if I don't get along with it, it's certainly the lever that appeals to me most.

Cheers all.

[Syntax]

I run a JLF with bigger actuator and stronger spring also, but have a shaft that is 11mm shorter and a bat top.

This makes the bat top sit at the same height as the ball top would normally but you have the advantage of being able to hold the bat lower if you need a super short throw.

Dashes in fighters are a breeze but im running circle gates and I dont really like the feel of them for shmups.

Maybe because I played so many hours of Raiden as a kid on an MCA but I think those with a square gate are the king of shmups joysticks.

Long fixed shaft with a short throw.

[Mad Grab]

LS-56 w/ octo gate feels really short to me, try it out!

The LS-40/LS-32 have always felt slightly longer to engage.

[thchardcore]

Prefer LS-33 or LS-40 myself.

[Enemy]

on the subject of the Mayflash F500 Elite, have you noticed any lag as it offers so many options of the devices it can be used on

[D]

LS-56 w/ octo gate feels really short to me, try it out!

The LS-40/LS-32 have always felt slightly longer to engage.

For me it's the ls-56 without octo gate. (Octo gates make no sense, but that is a subject on it's own.)
I would however recommend a ls-56 with a smaller 3d printed square gate to reduce post activation throw and any other mods to reduce post activation throw like extra spacer(s)

[Bassa-Bassa]

Octogonal gates help a lot with Commando-likes when you want your character facing diagonals and stay. I don't play them without it.

[orange808]

Octogonal gates help a lot with Commando-likes when you want your character facing diagonals and stay. I don't play them without it.

+1

They exist for a reason.

[emphatic]

I love riding the gate, so octogate is my jam.

My preferred shmup joystick these days is a SANWA JLF with third party enlarged actuator and octo gate. SANWA has (IMHO) a higher quality feel than Seimitsu.

[D]

Octogonal gates help a lot with Commando-likes when you want your character facing diagonals and stay. I don't play them without it.

Oh wow, never thought of that. I love overhead games! Seems like it would work good for those indeed!

[donluca]

I've suffered through the Sanwa JLF for a long time before trying, after endless research, the Seimitsu LS-40.

It was like light and day, I'll never use another stick in my life.

YMMV.

[Lander]

I mained an LS-56 with throw restrictor plate and square gate before going leverless, and it was pretty good. Not as razor-short as it'd be in a perfect world, but stacking 2 restrictors and an octo caused the dreaded stick-popping effect and introduced a rightward bias, which made it feel like a total hack. Might be a build-quality lottery thing, but 1 restrictor + square gate ended up a workable compromise, and much better for shmups than my JLF and Hayabusa ever were.

Seemed the closest I could get to ideal at the time without going full lunatic and shelling out hundreds for a custom Suzo Inductive and accompanying deep-fit case, at any rate.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yes, the Sanwa Denshi, Seimitsu, Hayabusa, Qanba and 8bitdo based arcade sticks all have their positive merits and drawbacks. Qanba's first pro-grade gaming arcade stick with it's Crystal arcade stick setup comes with a factory installed square gate + an impressive array of blue colored LEDs for that slick futuristic aesthetics/vibe going on (of course, led lighting functionality can be disabled if so desired at any given time) -- I don't recall any other gaming arcade stick manufacturer (besides Qanba) offering internal led lighting effects from the get-go with a console gaming based arcade stick (Paradise Arcade offers such internal led lighting mods for arcade sticks and push buttons but at a pricy premium).

There's the PC-based Qanba Q8 arcade stick with changeable led colors to choose from "on the fly" as well but it's priced at $199.99 usd on Amazon as of right now (Arcade Shock sells the Qanba Q8 modded for both PC and console gaming compatibility for greater versatility and usage).

The 8bitdo Xbox wireless arcade stick is cool with it's BT receiver dongle -- it's the only official Xbox Series S/X arcade stick with wireless capability from the get-go (which is a rarity/novelity these days but it works like a charm nevertheless -- means not having to deal with a pesky usb wired interface) + square gate is already installed.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Rastan78]

I mained an LS-56 with throw restrictor plate and square gate before going leverless, and it was pretty good. Not as razor-short as it'd be in a perfect world, but stacking 2 restrictors and an octo caused the dreaded stick-popping effect and introduced a rightward bias, which made it feel like a total hack. Might be a build-quality lottery thing, but 1 restrictor + square gate ended up a workable compromise, and much better for shmups than my JLF and Hayabusa ever were.

Seemed the closest I could get to ideal at the time without going full lunatic and shelling out hundreds for a custom Suzo Inductive and accompanying deep-fit case, at any rate.

You can get down to ultra short throw and engage with an otto diy jlf mod and the sanwa tpml adjustable microswitch pcb. Of course there are pros and cons. Extra short throw might not be the holy grail some people imagine once you actually experience it. Hand movements can feel restricted, and it can be fatiguing bc you end up using the muscles in your fingertips more.