Klatrymadon wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 11:19 am
Haven't had any Neo Geo hardware in a while, but I have a MiSTer hooked up to a CRT, so I've bought an original AES stick and Daemon adapter so that I can have a somewhat 'period-accurate' controller to use for Neo games (it's been modded with OBSF-24s but uses the original stick). I did this mainly because I still enjoy sticks from before the MadCatz/Hori standardisation of consumer stick parts in the mid-2000s, and I was just curious to see how the AES one would feel these days. It has a surprisingly high-quality feel, almost like an LS-32 that's been shrunk down a bit, and I've no idea as to the specific history of this particular one but it feels almost brand new - sharp and with plenty of resistance left in the leaf switches, etc. It's every bit as playable as the myriad modern sticks I've hooked up to the MiSTer, even with the slightly unusual upward arc of the buttons (since I'm mostly playing shmups that only use A and B, this hasn't really demaded much adjustment). If, like me, you're looking for something like an 'original hardware' experience but absolutely can't justify the expense of collecting Neo stuff, I highly recommend this setup.
Yes, I too, bought a Neo-Geo AES arcade stick many moons ago and it's fully stock. The arcade stick used in those AES arcade stick setups is a Seimitsu manufactured "short-throw" based one -- it's quite responsive as it is (despite being in used condition). I, primarily, use it with a supergun from time to time. Quite an impressive high-quality console arcade stick considering it's debut with the AES console back in the day.
The below listed PC Engine based arcade sticks that are world-class and worthy of your PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 gaming hardware collection (both are, indeed, in my PCE/TG-16 collection alrighty):
If you go back to 1993, Hori made a dedicated PC Engine "Fighting Stick PC" with a six-button layout scheme (has a switch to enable six-button mode and two-button mode as well). Auto-fire is "on tap" for all six buttons if it needed be. I got it off of eBay brand new for just $20.00 usd (however, it costed me an extra $35.00 with shipping from Japan via EMS method to the USA). I find my PCE/TG-16 stg scores getting higher & higher with using it. The joystick shell is all-metal based which gives it some serious heft and weight (absolutely no plastic used in construction with the joystick base/shell layout giving it a premium look and feel through and through) -- it wont budge/shift during heated stg sessions. It, originally, came with a MSRP of 7,800 yen when it was made available to the general public. Hori went all-out when creating/manufacturing this masterpiece world-class PCE arcade stick with no expenses spared and has it in spades -- Hori uses an older "OOP" (Out of Production) Seimitsu LS-33 arcade stick with a square gate setup (that is quite HTF nowadays and is considered rare) with both it's "Fighting Stick PC" and "Fighting Stick SFC" (for the Super Famicom console) releases.
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The Micomsoft branded arcade stick for PC Engine, the XE-1 HE Pro, is quite an extravagant one with the following attributes:
features an elaborate internal mechanism to change from an eight-way control scheme to a four-way control scheme -- Tengen of Japan's port of PCE/TG-16 Klax arcade puzzler benefits from a four-way control scheme (just like how the original Atari Games' Klax cab sported two four-way digital joysticks on it's control panel setup back in February of 1990 during it's initial arcade debut release)
joystick is micro-switch based from the get-go (NEC's 1st-party TG-16 Turbo Stick is rubber membrane based/activated but still regarded as a solid arcade stick for it's time when it debuted in the USA back in the summer of 1989 -- NEC nor TTI did not release a proper 1st-party arcade stick for the Turbo Duo console whatsoever back in 1992-1994 -- they could've easily released a Turbo Duo themed/rebranded Turbo Stick with a smaller 8-din connector interface but that would've meant spending more $$$ to do so -- it was from a shrewd business decision/standpoint that it'd be more cheaper to release/sell a 1st-party NEC "TG-16 to Duo" controller adapter to use the existing TG-16 lineup of Turbo Pads & Turbo Sticks still available at retail - TTI sold it's 1st-party Turbo Duo multi-tap (assuming that Turbo Duo owners would pick up four more Duo gamepads)
has four controller ports making it a cool handy PCE multi-tap (in addition to being a console-based arcade stick as well making it a true dual purpose PCE 2-in-1 wunderkind "must have" piece of gaming hardware)
"hands free" auto-fire capability + auto-fire applied when button is pushed/held down in addition to fully adjustable auto-fire via slider switches for buttons I and II (akin to NEC's TG-16 Turbo Stick with it's adjustable sliding switches for buttons I and II as well)
semi-rotational capability for both buttons for better ergonomics layout if so desired
built-in LED light status bar to show the rate of auto-fire (if it's activated)
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PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Very functional too; it's not like you can read all of it during Cozmic itself's loadtimes, but it'd be nice to have during system bootups etc. 
| My games - 
