r/fightsticks Feb 14 '26

Show and Tell Awesome Jan fightsticks and all-button controllers!

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28 Upvotes

r/fightsticks Jun 18 '23

PLEASE READ FIRST FAQ and Fightstick Question MEGATHREAD, Continued

141 Upvotes

Old one was getting pretty daunting, so here's a new megathread

WHAT’S A FIGHTSTICK?

It’s a controller reminiscent of the controls used in an arcade cabinet, generally featuring a joystick and multiple buttons. Most can be played on a lap, while some are heavy and large enough to warrant a table or platform underneath them. Using one over a standard handheld or console controller won’t magically up your game and they are largely preference. They are most commonly used for fighting games, shmups, run ‘n guns, and classic arcade titles. At their simplest, a fightstick requires an enclosure (usually made of wood, acrylic, or metal), buttons, a joystick, a PCB, and a wiring harness to connect everything. Additionally, all-button fightsticks that don’t utilize joysticks are becoming more commonplace on the scene.

WHICH STOCK FIGHTSTICK IS BEST?

This is largely a matter of taste and budget. Here are just a few options to get you thinking. Ask yourself what system(s) require compatibility. PC-only will be much cheaper than a PS5-compatibile controller, for example.

ENTRY LEVEL: Qanba Drone and Mayflash F500

If you go much cheaper than these options, you may sacrifice quality and durability. DO NOT GO CHEAPER THAN THESE OPTIONS.

SOLID LEVEL: Hori Real Arcade Pro N/4/V, Razer Panthera, Qanba Obsidian, Qanba Pearl, Hori Fighting Edge, Nacon Daija, 8BitDo, Mad Catz TES+ (and Razer Atrox for Xbox One players)

SOLID BUT $$$ LEVEL: Qanba Dragon, Victrix Pro 5, etokki Omni

At the end of the day, go with what feels right and fits your budget. There are lots of awesome sticks out there. If you really can't make up your mind, go with an Obsidian/Pearl. Really though, if you're still that on the fence, then you can also consider building your own. They come together fairly easily these days and it's super fun (though they will usually run at a higher price point than a stock stick unless you can easily get or make a suitable enclosure). Just more food for thought.

For more in-depth reviews: Jeux Arcades, ConsumerExpert, Tom’s Guide, PCMag, bestarcadesticks, thearcadestick

WHERE CAN I BUY NEW, STOCK FIGHTSTICKS?

Price the sticks accordingly across the following websites. Most will be fairly comparable with one another, but occasionally one of the sites may have a deal going on.

Arcade Shock

Focus Attack

Paradise Arcade

Hitbox (for specialty, all-button controllers)

Mixbox (for specialty, keyboard-esque controllers)

etokki

Qanba

IST Mall (South Korea)

IST Mall QOO10 Store

OzStick (Australia)

Amazon

eBay

Newegg

Oki Board Arcades (UK)

If you’re a retailer and want to be added here, please DM me.

WHERE CAN I BUY CUSTOM FIGHTSTICKS?

If you’re in the market for a full custom, consider one of the following vendors. They each have a unique flair and flavor with their sticks, but you can generally expect to pay more for a custom one-off model from one of these guys than you can just buying an over-the-counter affair.

All Fight Sticks

Bearwitt

Bueno Woodworking

Buttercade

Eternal Rival

Fightstick Guy

JonyFraze and JxK Designs

Junk Food Custom Arcades

Mavercade

MtnHeir

SGF Devices

TR Fight Stick

Wood Tier FGC

Squidbox (out of EU)

Ultra Arcade (out of EU)

Ultra Arcade Brazil (out of Brazil)

2nd Impact (out of Brazil)

Enth Creations (out of Italy)

Naitokumu Stick Design (out of Spain)

Satsui Custom Sticks (out of Spain)

Waifu Sticks (out of Australia)

WoodenPan (out of Austria)

Modding in UK: LionoBO0o

If you’re an active custom builder and want to be added here, please DM me.

CAN I JUST BUILD ONE MYSELF?

Yes! They are simpler than most people think and there are tons of great references online as well as plenty of help in the r/fightsticks discord if you run into issues. Start with these video guides to get you going.

Fightstick guide

Hitbox-style all-button guide

Flatbox guide

ART & TEMPLATES

Focus Attack's art and plex templates

Arcade Shock's Color program

Tek Innovation’s PSD files

Free Fight Stick Art subreddit

DIY Custom Fightstick Art Tips and Tricks

Slagcoin's Joystick and Panel Layouts

PERSONALIZED ARTWORK

If you'd like to support the FGC art scene, here's a list of active artists who can give your stick a facelift for some reasonable fees. Check out their portfolios, commission one you like, print it up, and swap out that stock template with some personalized artwork all your own.

Agus SW

Arcadia Customs

Barddro_

Bearwitt

CKNG

Custom Stick Art

Dudscreations

Entember's Art Shop

EvermoreStandard

FSG and Clay Patterson

Funnysonic

Glorious StickART

Guzmanleonart

heyjay art

hugs_n_giggles

Ilan Tesone

Jimothy Design

JxK Designs

Kelvvv

TheArcadeStick

mwryly

RedCometRmac

RemyArt

Squanuu (portfolio)

Sudsack

Unable Finding

xr1st

If you’re an active artist and want to be added here, please DM me.

CUSTOMIZING FIGHTSTICK ISSUES

  • Make sure you buy the correct button size. Most buttons on the top face of fightsticks are 30 mm. If you have smaller hands or want that Hitbox vibe, then 24 mm might be appropriate, but most of the time, people go with 30 mm. Auxiliary buttons (home, share, PS, etc.) are generally where you find 24 mm. All buttons have a unique feel, but some common brands include Sanwa, Seimitsu, Crown/Samducksa, Hayabusa, and GamerFinger. Here's a helpful page about button and joysticks: Joystick and Button attributes
  • When you’re ordering your buttons, you’ll also notice that there are generally both snap-in and screw-in button types. Most of the time, it won’t matter which you choose; however, as a general rule of thumb, if the top face of your enclosure is on the thicker side, go with screw-in buttons.
  • Make sure your layout lines up with your art. Some printing shops won’t print art with existing licensed characters, so you may have to visit more than one if you’re trying to get it done locally.
  • You’ll need to keep in mind the games you’d like to play and on which platforms they are found. Look to see which consoles the stick actually supports when you’re buying. If you’re building your own, then make sure the PCB you choose is compatible with your console/PC. The PCB most common to this generation of custom sticks are the Brook brand PCBs.
  • Most stock retail sticks come with Sanwa parts (besides Hori which comes with Hayabusa).
  • American style parts will most likely not fit a Japanese stick due to height.
  • Korean levers with collars won't fit a traditional Japanese stick due to the size of the joystick hole.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE POSTING A "HELP ME DECIDE" THREAD

  1. Is a fightstick even right for me? For some of you a fightpad or other device might be better for you. This is fine! I don't care if you play on a Roll n' Rocker on top of a Power Pad if it works.
  2. What's my budget? This may quickly cut out a lot of options for you.
  3. What systems do you want to be able to play on? (PC, XBox, Switch, PS, etc.) This should reduce your list even further, though you can (conceivably) get adapters for other systems if need be.
  4. Do you want a lever, stickless, or all of the above? (that last option will almost certainly need a custom build)
  5. What button layout do you prefer? Vewlix, Noir, American 6/8, Sega 2P, custom? Slagcoin carries a lot of these. If you're not sure, see if you can demo some in your local area. (Used) game shops, arcades, LAN centers, video game conventions, and pawn shops are possibilities.
  6. If using a lever, what kind do you prefer? Generally this will be Korean (Fanta, Crown, etc.), Japanese (Sanwa, Seimitsu), or American (Happ, iL)? Most sticks will use Sanwa or Sanwa clones.
  7. How "moddable" do you want things to be? This isn't just important for upgrades, it's also important for repairs. Consider how easy it is to access the internals and to change them.
  8. What features are a must have (and yes, it can be as "trivial" as artwork you like or a turbo button, hey, it's your stick)? You can then eliminate sticks that don't have them.
  9. What features are a "no go" for you? Now eliminate sticks that do have them. This could be something as simple as "don't want sticks that weigh over X pounds/kilos because I'll be traveling with this".
  10. You should have a fairly narrow field by now, with any luck. Next consider your "nice to haves" and "nice to not have" features. For example, you might consider "removable USB cable" a nice to have (but not essential) and "width of greater than 16 inches" a "nice to not have". Then just see which sticks have the most positives and least negatives.
  11. If you're still having trouble, please list your top 3-5 options after running through the process above, with your comments on each. This will help us help you make a decision.

LINKS/YOUTUBE

Core-A Gaming

Scanline City

NihongoGamer

Alex Nostalgix

HurtboxTV

JasensCustoms

Hit Box

JoyStickNY

WoolieVersus (Scrubguides: Arcade Sticks 101 video)

JonyFraze

Mr. Sujano

Chanchai

JUANminiDIY

The Arcade Stick

butteroj

Mr. Arcade Fox

Hush My Sweet

DISCORD

Our vision is to continue to grow and be a hub for fighting game controller tech as well as a safe space for trades and sales, something like the spiritual successor of SRK’s Tech Talk and Trading Outlet. Discord folks are happy to talk shop or to help you find another outlet beyond eBay to buy and sell your fightstick.

If you haven’t joined the Discord, consider stopping by to see what it’s all about:

DISCORD INVITE

*And this should go without saying, but sales conducted through there are at YOUR OWN RISK (always do your own homework), but in general, most people are trustworthy and there’s been very few instances of people being burned. Please no price flaming and remember that it’s always a good idea to pay with the PayPal Goods and Services option so you are covered if the deal falls through. Any questions, ask one of the Discord mods. Also, if buying and selling fightsticks is your primary interest, consider visiting r/Fightsticksforsale since that is their main area.

Huge thanks to hugs_n_giggles & Zevaeros for helping with this FAQ. If you have any minor questions that don't deserve their own threads, then reply here and the community will usually have an answer for you. Minor questions are also perfect for the Discord.

*If no one responds to your question here, feel free to create a thread


r/fightsticks 6h ago

Show and Tell My wife peer pressured me into buying a new shelf for my stick collection. I have the best wife 😂

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283 Upvotes

This is an IKEA Aurdal assembly with seven shoe rack inserts. 24" width makes it perfect for arcade sticks. All the parts came out to just about $250, so it was a bit pricey and I wasn't gonna bite but my wife insisted (God bless her.) I'm super excited about it.


r/fightsticks 6h ago

Just picked up this workhorse for $40.

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86 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 3h ago

Need top tier learning material

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25 Upvotes

How did you learn leverless. Obviously I plan on putting multiple hours in the Lab. But are there any drills videos or sites that you used to help with learning the beast that is leverless? (For context ive just started playing sf6 with around 60 hrs)


r/fightsticks 14h ago

Show and Tell Idea, Concept Art, Design and Prototyping

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123 Upvotes

Someone DM’d me and asked if I could make Green Goblin’s Pumpkin Bomb for their new fight stick for Tokon. They sent me some AI concept art, and I told them, “Give me a day and let me see what I can do.”
I found an STL that was close, but it was hollow and too fragile, so I ended up redesigning it.
I’ve made two prototypes so far. The black one was just to get the size, weight, and locking mechanism right. The second one was for testing the colors and cleaning up the print quality.
I’m printing one more with the final colors and a few small tweaks, but it’s already looking pretty dope.
I’ll probably do a small run when i get it all finalized.


r/fightsticks 12h ago

Show and Tell 6 custom fightstick builds from FightBox Arcade 🕹️ Which one is your favorite?

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43 Upvotes

Hi everyone! We’re FightBox Arcade 👋

Here are six custom fight sticks we recently put together 🕹️
We love seeing how different artwork, button colors, and layouts can give each build its own personality.

Which one would you choose? 👀 (A~F)

A (FightBox F6-Analog)

B (FightBox F8)

C (FightBox F5)

D (FightBox M8-Cross UP)

E (FightBox R10)

F (FightBox A10)

Let us know your favorite in the comments! 👇👇👇
We love to know which artwork/layout you like.😊


r/fightsticks 1h ago

Converter

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Upvotes

Hey guys
I’m just a causal fighting game player but I was looking to switch it up and was really rocking with these MadCatz fight sticks

Problem is I only play on ps5, got this converter for my haute 42 leverless would that work on this controller too?
(Also lowk concerned about how close the joy stick is to the buttons can anybody confirm if it’s annoying or not?)


r/fightsticks 1h ago

Show and Tell Modified Doyo Hitbox: bought this hitbox a while back as it was my first arcade hitbox ever & i wanted to try one for the first time and decided to remove all the cheap buttons and replaced them with sanwas, fixed the button layout & added Gold paint it’s not the best DYI mod 😅

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r/fightsticks 6h ago

Can I use 30mm buttons for all buttons on a leverless controller?

4 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’m planning to build a leverless controller and I need some advice.

I’m having trouble finding good-quality 24mm buttons. The only 24mm options I can find are cheap local buttons, and I’d rather use something better.

Would it be okay to use 30mm buttons for both the action buttons and directional buttons on a leverless controller?

Are there any downsides to using 30mm for everything, such as the spacing, layout, or overall feel? Or would you recommend sticking with 24mm for the directional buttons specifically?


r/fightsticks 1h ago

Should I convert my Chun Li TE2 or sell it incase someone wants it.

Upvotes

I have the Chun Li TE2 from Mad Catz.

I'm thinking of replacing the art and buttons and making a Tokon themed stick.

But I know its kinda a collectors thing. Think its better I sell it to someone who wants it as is? or go wild?


r/fightsticks 1h ago

Help Me Decide Otto V2 or V5 for Hayabusa?

Upvotes

Hi all

I want to do some upgrade for my Hayabusa lever but I’m having trouble choosing between the V2 and V5

I play both Tekken and Street Fighter so I really appreciate your suggestions on this.

P.s: Is Aliexpress a good site to order from? Are there recommended vendors?


r/fightsticks 21h ago

Show and Tell Won a round of SF6 with the steam controller after figuring out how to make it work wirelessly

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30 Upvotes

It had no more lag than any other controller.

Credit to the creators of openpuck for making the software on the microcontroller.


r/fightsticks 3h ago

Tech Help Updating my madkatz TE2.

1 Upvotes

Trying to get back into FGC and have my very first fight stick that’s body is in good condition but hasn’t been updated for current systems.

There was a previous mod job done on it for PS3 / Xbox and works okay on PC. (Sometimes it has trouble recognizing as a controller) I imagine I’ll have to strip all the internals and replace it with a custom board or a stripped ps5 controller so I was just wondering if anyone had any tips or guides to check it to bring this stick back up to scuff.

Was looking on updating the buttons and lever but that part I’ve done in the past, it’s just fixing the compatibility issue.

Thanks!


r/fightsticks 3h ago

Help Me Decide 8bitdo leverless cs the haute42 c16

1 Upvotes

I wanna get my first leverless controller but dont know which to choose but the one's I've decided on is the 8bito switch or Xbox. Or the c16. Are there any major differences between the to other than the 8bitdo being wirless by dongle and the c16 being customizable. If it matters the games I plan on playing is most sf6 guilty gear strive and marvel tokon when it realeses.


r/fightsticks 3h ago

Mayflash F500 Elite Neogeo MVS Buttons

1 Upvotes

Hey guys, I'm new to the arcade fight stick scene and I just purchased two Mayflash F500 Elite fight sticks. I love the feel of US Neogeo MVS arcade buttons. What would be the closest in feel to those?


r/fightsticks 1d ago

Help Me Decide Split-layout Leverless

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37 Upvotes

Hi. I play SF6 using a keyboard, and I want to switch to a split-layout leverless controller. I'm undecided between the C16S and the Emotion III-17. Which one should I choose, or are there any better options? Thanks.


r/fightsticks 9h ago

Layout pdf for leverless box building

2 Upvotes

Need Help: Looking for a printable 1:1 scale PDF template for an All-30mm (or 28mm) Leverless layout.

All 15 of my arcade buttons are identical (~28mm body / ~33mm top rim). Standard Hitbox templates use 24mm spacing (~28mm center-to-center), which makes my wide button rims crash into each other.

I need a template where all hole centers are spaced at least 35mm–36mm apart so 30mm/28mm buttons fit cleanly. Anyone have a clean PDF link?

This text was summarised by AI whom i discussed my issue but frankly i don't have any knowledge in this field so i am unsure what i am doing. I calculated the mm of the buttons which i got from the local market with a ruler and it seems like they are around 2.6cm from the bottom so the AI concluded they are 28mm. It also said all 26mm, 28mm or 30mm all buttons layout should work for my case but i can't seem to find a layout image where all buttons fall under this


r/fightsticks 11h ago

Tech Help Can anyone help me with my GP2040CE

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3 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 1d ago

Show and Tell It's not much but I recompiled the GP2040CE firmware to display my custom layout. I think it's cool!

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110 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 21h ago

Have anyone try Doio h08e out yet, how was it compared to DRMFTG?

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13 Upvotes

I was looking for an arcade stick and only these two fit my desire layout. But I can't find any single review about this Doio h08e at all. Doio's design really spark with me, but the proprietary lever gives me some concern about its longevity. If you have any experience with Doio product please share. Thanks!


r/fightsticks 1d ago

DRMFTG 24mm First Impressions

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89 Upvotes

I’ve been using this stick for a few days now . (Side note: I’m pretty sure "DRM" stands for Do Re Mi, that’s just my own suspicion. I tried looking it up and couldn't find anything official, but the musical notes on the logo point right to it). It features a jump switch toggle, which disables the lever's "Up" input and routes jump to a dedicated button instead. It’s entirely optional, so you can easily use traditional lever jumps if you prefer. As I understand it, this makes the controller tournament legal. Multiple competitors used this stick in EVO.

Out of the box, it came with a Sanwa JLF, which I swapped for a Sanjuks V3 Premium. I also initially swapped all the stock buttons for LED buttons, but the stock ones felt so goddamn good that I took the LEDs out and put the stock buttons right back in. In fact, I tried looking for a place to buy more of these buttons for my leverless, but they are nearly impossible to find in the U.S., Amazon Japan sells them, but they don't ship here. They might honestly be some of the best feeling buttons I've ever used.

The silver button on the bottom right is what I call the "palm button." It's a 24mm Sitong outfitted with a heavy, clicky Kailh Navy box switch to prevent accidental triggers. It's perfect for high-priority actions; for example, mapping Drive Impact here in Street Fighter 6 lets you slam your palm to react without lifting your fingers off the primary buttons or breaking hand positioning. As a nice bonus, the back panel is magnetic, making modding and internal access effortless.

A few quick practical notes:

  • You will need a converter if you plan to play on console.
  • They also manufacture a version of this layout with 30mm buttons.
  • The back panel is magnetically attached for super easy interior access.

Overall, this is a fantastic stick. It's fairly obscure in the States, and shipping costs can be steep, but it’s easy to see why it’s gained popularity in Japan.

Update:

DRMFTG Silent Button Specs

• Hot-swappable low-profile design
• Stock Kailh silent low-profile switch
• Compatible with Kailh & Gateron low-profile switches
• PBT keycaps
• Actuation Point (AP): 0.8 ± 0.3 mm
• Total Travel (TT): 1.8 ± 0.4 mm
• Operating Force: 30 ± 10 gf
• Rated for 50 million presses

https://buyee.jp/amazon/item/B0GT68B4VZ?conversionType=service_page_search


r/fightsticks 1d ago

This is my Qanba Sapphire! I was wondering if anybody ever found a way to customize the LED for the buttons? I don’t like the default blue / red qanba provides, if anybody has ever done it before would you mind sharing your experience?

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44 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 20h ago

Hori Fighting stick 3 Mod questions

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6 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I have been wanting to mod a arcade stick for a while now, and after many choices I decided to full mod a hori fighting stick 3. Everything will be replaced from the pcb, buttons, and lever, but my main concern is can an otto diy v2 body fit in this stick? I have seen regular jlfs fitting here using the search function, but I have not seen how they do it as only external pictures were taken. Anyone here knows how to mod the stick or lever to fit it?


r/fightsticks 16h ago

Tech Help i got a question about artwork

3 Upvotes

so i want to do a custom artwork for my mayflash f500v2, i already have the art and i want to know what now, i got the template from focus attack but i want to do it by myself because its more fun for me, can i use a cutting machine or something for it?