Best Controller to play Shmups?

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Rastan78
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Rastan78 »

pegboy wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 9:21 pmthe face buttons never made sense to me why they are different sizes.
I guess because the design started with the genesis 6 button pad. They needed to figure out how to get six buttons on the face to make SF2 playable and maybe didn't want to make the controller much bigger.

The funny thing is the 6 face button "fight pad" layout isn't great for fighting games and most pad fighting game players prefer a PS modern style pad with 4 quality shoulder buttons. It's easier to have access to multiple buttons with different fingers than to have to move your thumb around or play claw style.

Even for shmups I'd rather have a good shoulder button on pad because I'll put extra actions (ie option switching in garegga, lock shot in ray force, C button auto etc) on the shoulder so I can leave my thumb on shot.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Starfighter »

I usually use a shoulder button as well, for the bomb. I use the tip of my right thumb to always hold down full auto/C, then the button "underneath" that is the normal shot, so when I push down on that with the rest of my thumb it goes into whatever "holding shot" means (usually focus shot and slower movement). To not have to move my thumb from that position I use a shoulder button to bomb. :)

Edit: When I used pads for shmups, that is. I've been using sticks for many years now.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by professor ganson »

The Sega Saturn pad is my absolute favorite. It was amazing when a version was released for the PS2. I bought a handful of them, which I cherish to this day. And then retro-bit's Sega pad is my go-to for shmups released on the Switch.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Here's Monoprice's budget fighting stick that's at a reasonably price for $139.99 usd: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id= ... v8dI9dNqf4

It has all Japanese Sanwa Denshi parts for the arcade stick and push buttons as well. Has the obligatory "square" gate factory-installed which is crucial for shmups indeed. Even has turbo/auto-fire functionality for the push buttons if needed saving valuable "wear 'n' tear" on your fingers (which is a "plus in my book"). You can even use it with the Microsoft Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, PC/Steam and PS5 gaming consoles.

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CIT
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by CIT »

Japanese Sega Saturn pad for me. Also have the PS2 and USB versions of this Pad.

Also like playing with a joystick. On my cab I have Seimitsu sticks and Sanwa buttons.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Whiskers »

davyK wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 10:51 pm Whatever your used to
Agreed. I grew up playing the PlayStation, so of course I’d find the DualShock gamepad to be the most natural. The X360 gamepad has always felt unwieldy to me.

That said, I am now playing shmups with the keyboard. Primarily because I can quickly press the save state/load state hot keys. Now, couldn’t you assign those keys to the gamepad, you might ponder? Well yes, you could. And yes, I did. But let’s just say it had caused some... unfortunate incidents in the past.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by MOSQUITO FIGHTER »

I use a Hori kai stick most of the time. I like the Hayabusa lever a little more than a Sanwa Jlf. So I left that in. I don't care for the Hori buttons so I swapped those for Sanwa buttons. I've been using it for quite a few years now with no issue.

Can't say that for most modern controllers which I've found to break easily. I've killed so many ds4 and 360 controllers. Recently got a $40 Nacon wired PS4 controller that I actually like more than the original DS4. It feels way more sturdy. The dpad is quite responsive. But the analog stick is kind of janky. It makes a squeaky sound and they sit kinda high.

I like the Saturn controller but it does feel like it's kinda too small to me. The top row tiny of convex buttons can get annoying if your playing a game that uses them frequently. I've found the dpad to wear out pretty quickly on those too.

I actually prefer the snes pad over the Saturn pad. I've never managed to wear out a snes pad and it's just about as good.
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Gojiguy
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Gojiguy »

I still think a good arcade stick is best. Not only is it excellent for digital inputs, if you ever find yourself in an arcade you will naturally be able to enjoy them. These games were built for arcades.

That being said, nothing wrong with d pads, keyboards, etc.

For game pads my favourite is the gullikit elves 2 pro.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Faith »

Gojiguy wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2026 9:46 pm I still think a good arcade stick is best. Not only is it excellent for digital inputs, if you ever find yourself in an arcade you will naturally be able to enjoy them. These games were built for arcades.

That being said, nothing wrong with d pads, keyboards, etc.

For game pads my favourite is the gullikit elves 2 pro.
Feel biggest problem with arcade... is not arcade stick... is which side they put stick >.<!~

Faith is left hand for shot person... so ~_~"...

Always found it so silly that it is not standard to have stick in middle and mirror set of shot on left and right side, so player can choose!~
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Steven »

Gojiguy wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2026 9:46 pm I still think a good arcade stick is best. Not only is it excellent for digital inputs
It really isn't. It's far too easy to make unintentional diagonal inputs, and I've gotten game overs because of this because it happens to me. All levers also inherently have a giant-ass dead zone that's probably equivalent to playing with at least 10 frames of input lag for opposite direction movements. Awful controller. Better than Kinect or Sega Activator, at least, and I'd take it over the Switch Joy-cons because of how uncomfortable I find them, but the only thing levers do better than a keyboard or leverless is to make 360 movements easier, which is probably not very useful for most games in the genre. It may help somewhat for those stupid fighting game commands in Cotton 2, but I strongly feel that fighting game inputs have no place in shooting games, and you can just use the XYZ buttons for those shot types anyway.
Gojiguy wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2026 9:46 pmThese games were built for arcades.
Some of them were. Many were not. It does make me wonder if non-arcade STGs outnumber arcade STGs, but there are quite a lot of non-arcade shooting games.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Bassa-Bassa »

^Non-arcade STGs came later and were made with arcade STGs as models, though. And, as a friend would say, control pads are just a bastardization of arcade panels for deskless usage. Stick into d-pad may well imply gains in digital precision for the own nature of it (albeit those games were coded to be far easier, paradoxically?), but it also goes with a loss of ergonomics and well, fun.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Mero »

Any recommendations for a good stick that I can use with my laptop? Now that I've finally bothered to get Mame up and running I want to have another go on Donpachi.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Mero wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 2:22 pm Any recommendations for a good stick that I can use with my laptop? Now that I've finally bothered to get Mame up and running I want to have another go on Donpachi.

Here's a PC-based arcade stick with a Qanba Silent lever + Gravity RGB LED push buttons: https://qanbausa.com/q8-gr/ It's shipped from a Oklahoma wharehouse.

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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

I use a Hori Octa Commander for shmups/Arcade, but I was wondering how much it would cost to make my own Arcade Stick, I saw that quality components don't cost as much as I thought, but then I don't know where to get the chassis, nor how much everything would cost, but I'm guessing it would definitely be less than the 300 euros they're asking for around. For consoles though...
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Lemnear wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 4:28 pm I use a Hori Octa Commander for shmups/Arcade, but I was wondering how much it would cost to make my own Arcade Stick, I saw that quality components don't cost as much as I thought, but then I don't know where to get the chassis, nor how much everything would cost, but I'm guessing it would definitely be less than the 300 euros they're asking for around. For consoles though...

Here's a completely customizable "MojuBox" innovative modular-based joystick chassis setup that can be swapped with panels for use as a stickless hitbox layout/setup if so desired and is sold through Etsy (the seller is based out of Canada) + add a Brook fighting board for various gaming console support is your best bet: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1311627544 ... eeb6f728d6

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With this particular modular setup, the ability to swap from a joystick layout to a hitbox layout just takes a few minutes tops -- I've, personally, never seen another custom-made arcade stick chassis with this type of innovative swappable parts from the "get-go." If you want to go "all-out," add an LED back-lit illuminated arcade stick + LED illuminated push buttons for that unmistakable awesome "extra high-tech bling" factor, especially at night time -- the customization factor alone is unlimited/endless as to what you want in a custom-built arcade stick.
----------

You can add either Sanwa Denshi or Seimitsu arcade stick and push button parts for a true Japanese "arcade-spec" grade arcade stick setup. Can't get any better than that nowadays -- you definitely do get what you pay for in the end, results-wise.

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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 6:03 pm
Lemnear wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 4:28 pm I use a Hori Octa Commander for shmups/Arcade, but I was wondering how much it would cost to make my own Arcade Stick, I saw that quality components don't cost as much as I thought, but then I don't know where to get the chassis, nor how much everything would cost, but I'm guessing it would definitely be less than the 300 euros they're asking for around. For consoles though...

Here's a completely customizable "MojuBox" innovative modular-based joystick chassis setup that can be swapped with panels for use as a stickless hitbox layout/setup if so desired and is sold through Etsy (the seller is based out of Canada) + add a Brook fighting board for various gaming console support is your best bet: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1311627544 ... eeb6f728d6

----------
With this particular modular setup, the ability to swap from a joystick layout to a hitbox layout just takes a few minutes tops -- I've, personally, never seen another custom-made arcade stick chassis with this type of innovative swappable parts from the "get-go." If you want to go "all-out," add an LED back-lit illuminated arcade stick + LED illuminated push buttons for that unmistakable awesome "extra high-tech bling" factor, especially at night time -- the customization factor alone is unlimited/endless as to what you want in a custom-built arcade stick.
----------

You can add either Sanwa Denshi or Seimitsu arcade stick and push button parts for a true Japanese "arcade-spec" grade arcade stick setup. Can't get any better than that nowadays -- you definitely do get what you pay for in the end, results-wise.

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Damn, that's really cool!
But now that I think about it, don't the components go on some board? The buttons and the stick, you know? Otherwise, I'll get a Hori Arcade Mini for PS4/5 and replace the buttons and sticks? Bypassing the adapter like that, hmm, I don't know.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

MOSQUITO FIGHTER wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2026 4:27 pm
Can't say that for most modern controllers which I've found to break easily. I've killed so many ds4 and 360 controllers. Recently got a $40 Nacon wired PS4 controller that I actually like more than the original DS4. It feels way more sturdy. The dpad is quite responsive. But the analog stick is kind of janky. It makes a squeaky sound and they sit kinda high.
The Nacon's D-Pad is actually really, really good, while the analog sticks, as you said, suck, but the slightly larger buttons than the regular DS4/5 are great. It was for me a great pad for shmups until I destroyed it.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Lemnear wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 8:54 pm
PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 6:03 pm
Lemnear wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 4:28 pm I use a Hori Octa Commander for shmups/Arcade, but I was wondering how much it would cost to make my own Arcade Stick, I saw that quality components don't cost as much as I thought, but then I don't know where to get the chassis, nor how much everything would cost, but I'm guessing it would definitely be less than the 300 euros they're asking for around. For consoles though...

Here's a completely customizable "MojuBox" innovative modular-based joystick chassis setup that can be swapped with panels for use as a stickless hitbox layout/setup if so desired and is sold through Etsy (the seller is based out of Canada) + add a Brook fighting board for various gaming console support is your best bet: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1311627544 ... eeb6f728d6

----------
With this particular modular setup, the ability to swap from a joystick layout to a hitbox layout just takes a few minutes tops -- I've, personally, never seen another custom-made arcade stick chassis with this type of innovative swappable parts from the "get-go." If you want to go "all-out," add an LED back-lit illuminated arcade stick + LED illuminated push buttons for that unmistakable awesome "extra high-tech bling" factor, especially at night time -- the customization factor alone is unlimited/endless as to what you want in a custom-built arcade stick.
----------

You can add either Sanwa Denshi or Seimitsu arcade stick and push button parts for a true Japanese "arcade-spec" grade arcade stick setup. Can't get any better than that nowadays -- you definitely do get what you pay for in the end, results-wise.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Damn, that's really cool!
But now that I think about it, don't the components go on some board? The buttons and the stick, you know? Otherwise, I'll get a Hori Arcade Mini for PS4/5 and replace the buttons and sticks? Bypassing the adapter like that, hmm, I don't know.

Yes, it'd be wiring up to the Brook fighting board for console compatibility. The Etsy Mojubox seller would gladly walk you through the necessary steps to hook up your chosen arcade joystick & push buttons to the Brook fighting board so that it works 100% from the "get-go." So no worries in that respective department if you're clueless as exactly what to do in this particular instance/situation.

The Hori Arcade Mini for PS4 & PS5 doesn't allow for swapping the joystick & push buttons as they use smaller than normal Hori arcade parts that are soldiered in at the factory level.

----------
You'd want to get the PS3 & PS4 "Madcatz Fight Stick Alpha" SFV Edition listed here to swap out the stock arcade parts for either Sanwa Denshi or Seimitsu arcade parts: https://arcadeshock.com/products/mad-ca ... 1eb0&_ss=r They are sold brand new through https://www.arcadeshock.com
----------

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Last edited by PC Engine Fan X! on Mon Mar 23, 2026 11:16 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by R79 »

I thought LS-32 was generally considered the gold standard for this genre..? Some of you live in Japan, why not ask them what was in the cabs, days gone by? I guess some high scorers in the West today play on keyboard... personally I'm reduced to Switch thumbstick at the moment, but amazingly not as hideous as you might think.

Used Saturn pad for many years, actually on a Saturn, but always felt a bit cheap and floaty. Neo Geo small balltop is nice 'n' precise, shame only have Ghost Pilots for it. I quite like the Avenue Pad 3, or even 2 buttons, Gun-Nac on short wired in cable Famicom :wink:
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

R79 wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2026 11:08 pm I thought LS-32 was generally considered the gold standard for this genre..? Some of you live in Japan, why not ask them what was in the cabs, days gone by? I guess some high scorers in the West today play on keyboard... personally I'm reduced to Switch thumbstick at the moment, but amazingly not as hideous as you might think.

Used Saturn pad for many years, actually on a Saturn, but always felt a bit cheap and floaty. Neo Geo small balltop is nice 'n' precise, shame only have Ghost Pilots for it. I quite like the Avenue Pad 3, or even 2 buttons, Gun-Nac on short wired in cable Famicom :wink:

Yes, in the Japanese game centers of yesteryear, the almighty Seimitsu based LS-32 arcade-spec joystick was the "gold standard" for the arcade STGs and for fighting games, it was the Sanwa Denshi based joystick here, the JLF-TP-8YT-SK: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/san ... -tp-8yt-sk for the FTG-based games.

The PC Engine based arcade sticks like the Hori "Fighting Stick PC" with it's Seimitsu LS-33 arcade stick factory installed had a MSRP of 7,800 yen back in 1992 -- I bought one brand new off of eBay for a mere $20.00 usd but with $35.00 for shipping from Japan to the USA via EMS shipping method (with tracking number + insurance included) back in 2000 -- using it causes my scores to easily go up considering it's a Japanese arcade-spec grade arcade stick through and through.


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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

It's time to get a nice, serious arcade stick for the PS5, the final step towards making it a fully-fledged modern arcade cabinet.

NACON Daija Arcade Fight Stick
Damn cool! And damn expensive, but damn is it beautiful!

Qanba Drone 2
Accessible but ugly strong...and light it seems

PDP Victrix Pro BFG
Apparently it seems to be "the ultimate controller" but I would always stay in the territory of classic controllers... I don't know if it's worth it, the Tekken 8 version is as badass as hell.

HORI Fighting Stick Alpha
It seems like a usual choice, but that blue cover absolutely needs to be changed, it's horrible!

I really don't know what to choose, I don't know the quality of the internal parts and none of them have a Seimitsu LS-32. Self-assembly from scratch seems too much to me...especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are. DIY assembly from scratch seems like a bit too much to me... especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are, and the options offered by PC-Engine Fan end up costing me the same, if not more, with shipping...
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Lemnear wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 3:34 pm It's time to get a nice, serious arcade stick for the PS5, the final step towards making it a fully-fledged modern arcade cabinet.

NACON Daija Arcade Fight Stick
Damn cool! And damn expensive, but damn is it beautiful!

Qanba Drone 2
Accessible but ugly strong...and light it seems

PDP Victrix Pro BFG
Apparently it seems to be "the ultimate controller" but I would always stay in the territory of classic controllers... I don't know if it's worth it, the Tekken 8 version is as badass as hell.

HORI Fighting Stick Alpha
It seems like a usual choice, but that blue cover absolutely needs to be changed, it's horrible!

I really don't know what to choose, I don't know the quality of the internal parts and none of them have a Seimitsu LS-32. Self-assembly from scratch seems too much to me...especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are. DIY assembly from scratch seems like a bit too much to me... especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are, and the options offered by PC-Engine Fan end up costing me the same, if not more, with shipping...

The PS5/PS4 Nacon Arcade Stick has all Japanese Sanwa Denshi parts including a Sanwa arcade joystick already factory installed from the get-go.

Just buy a Seimitsu LS-32 arcade joystick and swap out the Sanwa joystick -- easy as pie. Here's one: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/sei ... n-ls-32-01

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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:25 pm
Lemnear wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 3:34 pm It's time to get a nice, serious arcade stick for the PS5, the final step towards making it a fully-fledged modern arcade cabinet.

NACON Daija Arcade Fight Stick
Damn cool! And damn expensive, but damn is it beautiful!

Qanba Drone 2
Accessible but ugly strong...and light it seems

PDP Victrix Pro BFG
Apparently it seems to be "the ultimate controller" but I would always stay in the territory of classic controllers... I don't know if it's worth it, the Tekken 8 version is as badass as hell.

HORI Fighting Stick Alpha
It seems like a usual choice, but that blue cover absolutely needs to be changed, it's horrible!

I really don't know what to choose, I don't know the quality of the internal parts and none of them have a Seimitsu LS-32. Self-assembly from scratch seems too much to me...especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are. DIY assembly from scratch seems like a bit too much to me... especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are, and the options offered by PC-Engine Fan end up costing me the same, if not more, with shipping...

The PS5/PS4 Nacon Arcade Stick has all Japanese Sanwa Denshi parts including a Sanwa arcade joystick already factory installed from the get-go.

Just buy a Seimitsu LS-32 arcade joystick and swap out the Sanwa joystick -- easy as pie. Here's one: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/sei ... n-ls-32-01

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Is the Japanese Sanwa Denshi...bad? Compared to the famous Seimitsu LS-32?
I read that the Qanba has a stick more suited to fighting games, the Qanba OV7 Omron... and the Hori has a Hori Hayabusa. I don't know the differences that well, though...and which is the best for this purpose "out of the box" then custom buttons and lever will be seen at a later time.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Lemnear wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 6:08 pm
PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:25 pm
Lemnear wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 3:34 pm It's time to get a nice, serious arcade stick for the PS5, the final step towards making it a fully-fledged modern arcade cabinet.

NACON Daija Arcade Fight Stick
Damn cool! And damn expensive, but damn is it beautiful!

Qanba Drone 2
Accessible but ugly strong...and light it seems

PDP Victrix Pro BFG
Apparently it seems to be "the ultimate controller" but I would always stay in the territory of classic controllers... I don't know if it's worth it, the Tekken 8 version is as badass as hell.

HORI Fighting Stick Alpha
It seems like a usual choice, but that blue cover absolutely needs to be changed, it's horrible!

I really don't know what to choose, I don't know the quality of the internal parts and none of them have a Seimitsu LS-32. Self-assembly from scratch seems too much to me...especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are. DIY assembly from scratch seems like a bit too much to me... especially since I have no idea how reliable the adapters are, and the options offered by PC-Engine Fan end up costing me the same, if not more, with shipping...

The PS5/PS4 Nacon Arcade Stick has all Japanese Sanwa Denshi parts including a Sanwa arcade joystick already factory installed from the get-go.

Just buy a Seimitsu LS-32 arcade joystick and swap out the Sanwa joystick -- easy as pie. Here's one: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/sei ... n-ls-32-01

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Is the Japanese Sanwa Denshi...bad? Compared to the famous Seimitsu LS-32?
I read that the Qanba has a stick more suited to fighting games, the Qanba OV7 Omron... and the Hori has a Hori Hayabusa. I don't know the differences that well, though...and which is the best for this purpose "out of the box" then custom buttons and lever will be seen at a later time.
The Sanwa Denshi arcade stick used in the Nacon fight stick is more aimed at fighting games whereas with the Seimitsu LS-32 based one, it's more catered towards shmups -- but your mileage may vary, some shmuppers like the feel of a Sanwa joystick and use it with stgs & others, vice versa with a Seimitsu based one.

Here's a Semitsu LS-32 joystick: https://focusattack.com/seimitsu-ls-32- ... 017-model/ -- read some of the reviews on it to make your decision as to whether or not to buy it.

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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 6:25 pm
Lemnear wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 6:08 pm
PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:25 pm


The PS5/PS4 Nacon Arcade Stick has all Japanese Sanwa Denshi parts including a Sanwa arcade joystick already factory installed from the get-go.

Just buy a Seimitsu LS-32 arcade joystick and swap out the Sanwa joystick -- easy as pie. Here's one: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/sei ... n-ls-32-01

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Is the Japanese Sanwa Denshi...bad? Compared to the famous Seimitsu LS-32?
I read that the Qanba has a stick more suited to fighting games, the Qanba OV7 Omron... and the Hori has a Hori Hayabusa. I don't know the differences that well, though...and which is the best for this purpose "out of the box" then custom buttons and lever will be seen at a later time.
The Sanwa Denshi arcade stick used in the Nacon fight stick is more aimed at fighting games whereas with the Seimitsu LS-32 based one, it's more catered towards shmups -- but your mileage may vary, some shmuppers like the feel of a Sanwa joystick and use it with stgs & others, vice versa with a Seimitsu based one.

Here's a Semitsu LS-32 joystick: https://focusattack.com/seimitsu-ls-32- ... 017-model/ -- read some of the reviews on it to make your decision as to whether or not to buy it.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Here's a Semitsu LS-32 joystick: https://focusattack.com/seimitsu-ls-32- ... 017-model/ -- read some of the reviews on it to make your decision as to whether or not to buy it.
I'm saving this site! Thanks PC Engine Fan X! ^_~!

I accidentally deleted the post. I meant to say, I read that some people have a Hori Alpha, but they probably swapped the lever for a Seimitsu. Is there anyone who preferred the original Hori Hayabusa? And is there anyone who prefers another? And if so, why?
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by ttiki »

I have used a Mad Catz arcade stick with Samwa parts for a long, long time. However the one i had started failing and i have recently switched to a Hori Pro.

I find the Hayabusha joystick an improvement over the Hori. It feels much more smooth, whereas the Hori is more snappy and clicky when using it. I feel i have a much greater control with the Hayabusha and I absolutely love the tactile feeling, it's difficult to describe but i just love moving my ship with it.

The buttons, however, feel more soft than the Horis. It's not a big deal, but i prefer the more assertive response of the Horis, they click more and have more weight in their imputs.

I haven't ever tried a Seimitsu, but looks like i should look seriously at it if i ever change arcade sticks again.
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

For Lemnear,

Here's a guide breaking down the difference between Sanwa Denshi, Seimitsu and Hori Hayabusha arcade sticks and push buttons: https://www.profightstick.com/sanwa-vs- ... is-better/

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In the end, it's just a matter of personal preference of which branded arcade joystick and push buttons that you like using with your favorite stg titles and/or fighting games within their respective genres.
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There's the Qanba arcade sticks and push buttons to take into consideration as well: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/qanba

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And including their own lineup of Qanba Gravity Silent Sticks listed here with the choice of either using Omron-based switches or Cherry MX-based switches for the actual stick inputs: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/qan ... hoose-type

The Qanba Q8 RAF PC-based stick (PC-based gaming is huge in the Asia gaming market like South Korea, China, Japan, etc.) listed here uses a Qanba Gravity Silent Stick setup: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/qan ... er-pc-only

By using a Brook adapter, the Qanba Q8 RAF arcade stick is playable on the PS5 gaming console: https://arcadeshock.com/collections/bro ... -native-pc thus making it useable as a true "double-duty" arcade stick for both PC-based usage (i.e. Mame, Retroarch, Final Burn Neo, ShmupMame, etc.) and console gaming purposes.
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Here's a joystick compatibility chart (with the proper joystick mounting plate to use with each one): https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0748/ ... ver097.pdf

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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by BrianC »

I haven't tried it myself (don't have a Q8), but apparently Switch compatibility was added in a firmware on the Chinese webpage
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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Here's the Qanba Q8 RAF stick sold through Qanba USA site at $109.99 usd and shipped from the Oklahoma warehouse: https://qanbausa.com/q8-gr

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Re: Best Controller to play Shmups?

Post by Lemnear »

I ordered a Victrix Pro FS for €199 instead of €399 from TurtleBeach, hoping it arrives! There's a sale on the European site. There's also the Hitbox version, which I was very tempted to try for a moment, but then I opted for the stick.
https://eu.turtlebeach.com/products/vic ... ight-stick
I figured for that price it was better than any pre-built controller I could get, and maybe even a custom one.
I'll review it once it arrives, hoping they don't lose the address :v which I suspect
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