Joystick Question

[Daver4676]

Sorry if this question has been answered previously but I didn't see what I was looking for in a search:

Anyway.. . could anyone tell me the difference between the joystick types available for purchase(compitition, super, etc.).   I'm looking for the most versitile -- while I do want to play fighting games, I play other 8-way games a lot more.  

Thanks in advance.

[paigeoliver]

www.oscarcontrols.com has some good comparisons.

Also my two cents.

Sticks with spring return to center are better for fighting games. Sticks with rubber centering grommets are better for other titles.

No one makes the rubber grommet sticks much anymore, but they are pretty easy to find used.

[u_rebelscum]

Below is an image of the different shapes of the stick movements.

Top row, from left to right, is circle, square(-ish), and (old school) square.

Second row, left to right, is hypothetical octogonal, cross (aka plus), and diamond.

Supers and 360 are circles
Compititions are square-ish
Oscar's 4 way restriction plates are cross (at least the model I have)
Trons original was diamond
Old apple II joysticks were (old school) square

Almost all current "squares" are really the square-ish shape.

FWIW, I don't fight too much, and like the supers a little more than the comps.   My very minor irk with the compitions is I can feel the diags but can't feel the "straights"; it feels "unfair".  The hypothetical octoganal shape would be able to feel both the straights and the diagonals, while still being circle-ish.

[Daver4676]

Thanks for the info -- that really helps.  

As it turns out I have to keep all my joysticks the same type (four player) or else playing Smash TV with two people (P1 using 1 and 2 -- P2 using 3 and 4) will feel weird, so I may go with the competition since it seems the most versatile from the reviews I read.  Of course the four-way is just going to be a super.