What's the best stick for playing PS1 and PS2 shmups?

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Tue May 10, 2005 10:37 pm

Looking to get a stick at some point to play PS1 and PS2 shmups on my PS2. (I assume that, as with pads, sticks are not region specific.)

oxtsu · Post by **oxtsu** » Tue May 10, 2005 10:58 pm

1 - Hori Real Arcade Pro Special Edition/Special Addition
2 - Hori Real Arcade Pro regular/Capcom FJ version
3 - Hori VF4 Evo/SCII/Tekken 4 stick
4 - Ascii FT2
5 - Sega Virtua Stick PS2

That should get the ball rolling. There's many others to choose.

mannerbot · Post by **mannerbot** » Tue May 10, 2005 11:07 pm

I like the Namco Arcade Stick, but for the absolute best you have to go with a custom stick. Hori Real Arcade Pro is good too. For a custom stick, check out the hardware forum at shoryuken.com (they get REALLY pricy though).

sjewkestheloon · Post by **sjewkestheloon** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:25 pm

i'd second the namco, very solid and accurate

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Wed May 11, 2005 3:41 pm

sjewkestheloon wrote:i'd second the namco, very solid and accurate

The profile is smaller than the Hori RAP stick also

I'm still waiting for mine atm so,I cant say anything else about the Namco.

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:08 pm

Namco Stick. If you can get one...

icycalm · Post by **icycalm** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:44 am

Can someone xplain why custom sticks are thought to be better? They cost a fortune and, well, I have been using ASCII/Hori sticks for ages and they serve me just fine.

And I don't have to deal with dodgy custom stick makers...

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Fri May 13, 2005 11:16 am

I think most would be content with a namco stick or similar.

icycalm · Post by **icycalm** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:32 pm

Since when does Namco make sticks dude?

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:38 pm

icycalm wrote:Since when does Namco make sticks dude?

The Namco Arcade Stick came out in 1997
(I might be wrong on the exact date)

I have mine now

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:57 pm

Too bad it won't keep looking as good as this

Unless of course you have below human levels of perspiration.

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:59 pm

Naiera wrote:Too bad it won't keep looking as good as this Unless of course you have below human levels of perspiration.

We'll see

Didn't you post once about that in a thread?

icycalm · Post by **icycalm** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:38 pm

Nice.

But is it really made by Namco is it made by Ascii or Hori or someone else and then just stamped with the Namco logo?

I am just saying... Because, you know, Namco is not really into making hardware.

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:38 pm

SheSaidDutch wrote: We'll see

Didn't you post once about that in a thread?

I think so. Why?

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:40 pm

icycalm wrote:Nice.

But is it really made by Namco is it made by Ascii or Hori or someone else and then just stamped with the Namco logo?

I am just saying... Because, you know, Namco is not really into making hardware.

No, this really is Namco hardware. Says so on the back of the box. They make arcade hardware, so why not a stick for home use?

oxtsu · Post by **oxtsu** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:28 pm

icycalm wrote:Can someone xplain why custom sticks are thought to be better? They cost a fortune and, well, I have been using ASCII/Hori sticks for ages and they serve me just fine.

And I don't have to deal with dodgy custom stick makers...

First, custom stick in NA/EU is different viewpoint than JPN. Where here we think primarily of custom as complete from the ground up fabricated, the JPN way is more thought of as the modded-customized console joystick. In the end, the result is similar. Most important feature is utilizing genuine arcade controls -- Sanwa, Seimitsu, Happs, Suzo, etc. Then the other benefits are having the stick tailored to your personal spec -- looks, dimension (button layout,etc.), component, and universal usage for console.

icycalm · Post by **icycalm** » Fri May 13, 2005 5:14 pm

Naiera wrote:
icycalm wrote:Nice.

But is it really made by Namco is it made by Ascii or Hori or someone else and then just stamped with the Namco logo?

I am just saying... Because, you know, Namco is not really into making hardware.
No, this really is Namco hardware. Says so on the back of the box. They make arcade hardware, so why not a stick for home use?

I see what you are saying.

oxtsu wrote:Most important feature is utilizing genuine arcade controls -- Sanwa, Seimitsu, Happs, Suzo, etc.

But are these parts better than the ones Hori or Ascii uses?

And, if so, how much better? i.e. do they justify the extra expense and headaches?

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Fri May 13, 2005 5:29 pm

Naiera wrote:
SheSaidDutch wrote: We'll see

Didn't you post once about that in a thread?
I think so. Why?

Just wondering you said something about the paint or somethnig, coming off.

sjewkestheloon · Post by **sjewkestheloon** » Fri May 13, 2005 5:30 pm

well the best out of box arcade sticks are close to the custom ones but customs come into theri own when you know your way around a stick enough to be able to have a specific complaint or preference with an element of a stick. for example if like me you have the namco stick but find it too loose then you could research a stiffer stick and find some appropriate buttons with a sexy base and get a tailor made to you stick. this is also true with the use of gates for the stick, etc. i'd say the best thing to do is get a quality stick and use it to death. then you'll have an idea of what you like and can actually get a suitable stick for you. you hear too many stories of people spending loads on a custom to find it totally unsatisfying, and essentially not what they wanted, but had no experience with sticks and went with what someone else finds to be suitable.

just don't go with a cheap crap stick as it'll do you little good at all, other than put more of a dent in your wallet as you realise quickly how bad it is, and grugingly fork out for another one. yep i did that. damn you logic3....

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Fri May 13, 2005 5:58 pm

SheSaidDutch wrote:
Just wondering you said something about the paint or somethnig, coming off.

Yes, you will most likely experience the paint coming off with time.

icycalm · Post by **icycalm** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:01 pm

Well, it sounds like what serious athletes do with their sports gear. For example, if you are a beginner surfer you just get a board off the rack. Even if you got a really expensive custom one you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Only when you've broken a bunch of boards and you know exactly what you want should you order a custom one from a shaper.

But, then again, a pro surfer can rip on any old board, any day.

I think this is a good analogy with what we've been discussing.

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:32 pm

Naiera wrote:
SheSaidDutch wrote:
Just wondering you said something about the paint or somethnig, coming off.
Yes, you will most likely experience the paint coming off with time.

I thought so, no biggie for me though

sjewkestheloon · Post by **sjewkestheloon** » Sat May 14, 2005 3:18 pm

i like the analogy. however i think there's more to it. it seems that the cheapest ones are pretty much unusable and no better than a pad. pay 30-40 quid however and you can get a great stick without paying the extra 50 quid for minor changes. i always go cheap and then regret it. no longer....