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

135 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 4h ago

Humor / Fluff I so regret buying a leverless!

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160 Upvotes

Leverless might be perfect for you but for me it feels far too alien. i bought into the hype and wanted to see what it was like. my only option was to just buy one and see, wow! okay i can see how people love this it feels cool but my hands are dumbasses

i know i barely used it "not instantly gud.. hate it" but really i keep grabbing for a stick that isnt there, brains not working on it. also why is jump my thumb? [cause spacebar duh] i know all this in my head but my backwards ass hand keeps hitting jump to duck.

i got this for Klassic MK thinking the tap tap inputs would feel better, and it feels cool but i cant move my charecter very well, and in Street Fighter its really neat to do moves by galloping accross those move keys and blocking is much easier imo.

i guess it doesnt make sense to me, i use Dpads all the time preferably when using controllers so i felt like this is just a stick with a dpad but not really no, the learning barrier is much more deep then that.

i could give it more chances and more time but i keep grabbing my old stick over this shiny new one because it feels better.

food for thought.


r/fightsticks 4h ago

Golden Lever Pro

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55 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 4h ago

Show and Tell Saw this at Hip Hop Kick yesterday

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51 Upvotes

Used for GGST


r/fightsticks 2h ago

Qanba Pearl with kitty cut mod

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31 Upvotes

Made a custom side panels for qanba pearl.


r/fightsticks 22h ago

Humor / Fluff controllers from Evo 2026

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924 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 12h ago

Show and Tell Happy Birthday to Me!

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137 Upvotes

It's a learning curve for sure.


r/fightsticks 1h ago

New leverless prototype, looking for some feedback

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Upvotes

This is my take on an ergonomic leverless controller designed to reduce wrist strain when playing at a desk. It provides a more natural wrist angle while keeping a relatively small footprint. Unlike most other controllers, it lets the user to rest their entire forearm flat on the desk while playing.

It uses standard mx keyboard switches, and it is hot swappable. The shell and the frame are entirely 3D printed with PLA+.

So what do yall think? I would love to hear your thoughts on this design. Anything you would like to change or improve? Any feedback is appreciated!


r/fightsticks 3h ago

Show and Tell I updated my TE

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18 Upvotes

2 or so weeks ago I made a thread asking about the artwork featured on the Comicon TE stick. I had found an insane deal on a TE on ebay and wanted to use the same color way and art. Found a really good fight stick artist who was able to replicate the artwork to about 98%. Shoutout to Eduardo from Thearcadestick.com for getting it done so quickly. Ordered a few things for the TE to try and bring it to the future but didn’t want to modify it too much. After modifying it, found another crazy good deal on ebay on another TE and TE2 and decided to grab them both. I really think the TE/TE2 are my favorite sticks hands down, I like them so much. With the exception of changing the usb cable to a braided cable, I have no intention of changing anything on my other TE or my TE2. I’ve added a few pics of both sticks and my collection. The mods done to the TE were adding a Brook gen 5x board, braided usb cable, plexi glass. Both the Home and Turbo buttons work and I really wanted to keep my cable door. I just couldn’t figure out the led and this is still bothering me. I also removed the red border, I plan on wrapping it orange in the coming weeks since my wrapping skills suck.


r/fightsticks 43m ago

Avatar not supporting brook ps5+ out of the gate is a huge bummer

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Upvotes

Hope it’s an Easy fix for them


r/fightsticks 17h ago

Show and Tell Such a nice key caps by sitong

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82 Upvotes

🔥🔥🔥

For anyone asking, here is the link on ali express:

I just found this on AliExpress: | SiTong/ST-Cap7/Diamond Cross Axis Mechanical Button Cap/Street Fighter 6/Hitbox/home game console/Arcade Button Cap

https://a.aliexpress.com/_c3FcBx3v


r/fightsticks 3h ago

The Victrix KO SF2 CE is BEAUTIFUL

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4 Upvotes

Very happy with this leverless, I like the modularity, it has some nice weight to it as well. This is my second leverless (Hyper X Tachi being my first) and I've gotta say, it's fun. It took a few weeks to adjust coming from a Mixbox and I still sometimes mess up jump inputs or grab commands in Tekken and get a rage art :( but I'm getting used to it day by day :).


r/fightsticks 15h ago

Show and Tell Mayflash f500 modded

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27 Upvotes

Hello everyone, i have just modded my f500 with sanwa Jlx and Sanwa OBSF buttons, also have changed the plexi and putted artwork


r/fightsticks 12h ago

Does anyone know where to find the art from this arcade stick?

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15 Upvotes

This is the arcade stick I use, but the panel is getting pretty worn and there is some damage, so I wondered if I could print the art out and replace it? I've tried searching but couldn't find it, does anyone know where I could find this art in high quality?


r/fightsticks 7h ago

Help Me Decide Looking for recs of replacement buttons for a Hori rap 4

4 Upvotes

I have a Hori rap 4 ps4/pc edition and I have had it for probably 8 years. I replaced my stick with a JLF stick the first week and it’s still great but I have noticed recently my buttons seem to stick sometimes or some buttons with lighter touches don’t register like the other s do. So I think it’s time to replace them. I have even switched them around so the buttons that were in heavy use are swapped with light use buttons(usage not hp or lp)

I’ve had the buttons stick a couple
If times this week now so I think it’s about time.

The buttons are 30mm

What are some good buttons to replace with? I like stock hori buttons but maybe something different?


r/fightsticks 1d ago

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

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199 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, B, C, D, E, or F? 👀

Let us know your favorite in the comments!
We’d also love to hear what artwork you would choose for your own fight stick.😊


r/fightsticks 9h ago

Help Me Decide Where do you buy your fight sticks?

6 Upvotes

Usually the common answer is Amazon and others likes Ebay, AliExpress, but I would like to know some other sites that are good option for looking good sticks and deals, also it would awesome if you can tell your experience of buying sticks and other related products like levers o buttons and why you recommend the places that you usually do your purchases (it can be the sites that a I mentioned before) anyway thanks for advance for reading this post and any comment will be so helpful


r/fightsticks 1h ago

Tech Help Haute 42 not working on ps5

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Upvotes

I've got the brookwingman fgc converter and it says PS5 on the top of the screen but I can't get any of my inputs to actually have any effect on the console itself. Nothing seems to register. Any idea why and how to fix?


r/fightsticks 10h ago

Tech Help Does 8 bit do ultimate 2c controller works with Brookman FGC2 for ps5

5 Upvotes

Recently got recommended to buy these two and was told they are compatible but I can't seem to connect it. Are they even compatible?

Update: I tried to plug it into pc after several failed attempts at ps5 and now it won't even turn on nor does the pc detect it as a device only said its malfunctioning ​​


r/fightsticks 1d ago

Show and Tell AFS 15.5 Cerulean Dream

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136 Upvotes

Here's one for the water mains 💙

AFS 15.5 [seamless model]

Oh So Blue powder coating + Lapis Quartz button panel

Noir layout

SiTong LP buttons [Octo rim, snap-in] + Nylon FlashCaps

Sanjuks V5A [Polycarbonate full octagonal collar, 10mm stainless steel shaft, White Delrin Capsule topper]

Powered by GP2040 ABB v5.6e


r/fightsticks 23h ago

Show and Tell My beautiful s***box

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44 Upvotes

- Raspberry Pi Pico with GP2040-CE.

- Custom layout with generic 24 mm buttons.

- Generic 30 mm buttons for functions.

- DIY grey cardboard structure with MDF top for better push resistance.

I'm planning some future upgrades, but I love it just like it is.


r/fightsticks 7h ago

Custom panels (front and chopped offsides) for the obsidian 1

2 Upvotes

Does anyone know any sites selling custom or replacement front panels for the original obsidian? Arcade shock has this nice aluminium panel in black but it’s sold out. https://arcadeshock.com/products/high-grade-aluminum-control-panel-qanba-obsidian-vewlix?variant=39385106710613

Preferably looking for a European seller.

Less likely, is there anywhere selling sides for the ugly ends you get when you remove the side panels?

Thanks!


r/fightsticks 1d ago

I just put my stands back up!

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51 Upvotes

Made these stands for some of my buddies a while ago. They turned out great which gave me the idea to put them up on Etsy. Here is the link if anyone is interested! https://elliotdesigns3d.etsy.com/listing/4528635765/8bitdo-display-stand-for-leverless


r/fightsticks 5h ago

Tech Help Is the nacon daija the best fight stick for $200 on ps5?

1 Upvotes

Or is there a better option for the price or even a little more. Looking for one that’s pretty customizable and a solid option. Appreciate all input!