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4-way joystick shootout! (Leaf-Pro, Sanwa JLW, Ultrastik 360, Seimitsu LS-32-02)

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shponglefan:
On my quest to find the ideal 4-way joystick, I opted to just buy a handful and test them all out.  I thought this might be useful to other people hunting for a 4-way stick, so I decided to post the comparison here.  A couple caveats: 1) I have no formal measurement equipment (i.e. calipers), so I won't be measuring things like throw distance and so on.  And 2) I am mostly going on opinion here; joystick preference is a subjective thing and truly none of these sticks are bad sticks.  They are just different with individual strengths and weaknesses.

The four sticks are:

1) GGG Leaf-Pro
2) Sanwa JLW-TM-8
3) Ultrastik 360
4) Seimitsu LS-32-02

All sticks are using their respective 4-way restrictors.  For the Ultrastik 360, I am also using the stock spring.  I have the heavier spring, but have not tried it yet.  No other modifications were made to the sticks.

For mounting/testing, I rigged up a test setup as follows.  Left-to-right the GGG Leaf-Pro, Sanwa JLW, and Ultrastik 360:



The LS-32-02:



Here is a shot of the underside to see the respective differences in connections.  I measured the necessary diameter required for clearance on the underside of the panel: Leaf-Pro (5 1/2 inches), Sanwa JLW (5 inches), Ultrastik 360 (3 inches) and LS-32-02 (4 inches).  These measurements include the crimped wires.





GGG Leaf-Pro

The Leaf-Pro, as its moniker suggests, is a leaf-switch joystick.  It requires by far the most space under the panel due to the length of the switches.  I opted to try top-mounting it (as I did with all the sticks).  However, it uses a plastic base as opposed to a metal plate.  The plastic base is thicker (about ~1/4" or so), so it required a deeper recess for mounting than the metal plates of the other sticks.  I may try out undermounting this stick in the future.

Since it uses leaf switches, there is no "clicking" noises associated with typical joystick switches.  Operation is relatively quiet and smooth, although I found the restrictor provided a good degree of feedback as to differentiating between horz/vertical operation and the diagonals.  The spring wasn't too heavy and it had good return to center.  It felt like it had relatively short throw.

The Leaf-Pro joystick is available in either 8-way or 4-way versions, with the 4-way costing an extra $1.

Sanwa JLW-TM-8

The Sanwa JLW is a traditional Japanese stick.  It uses microswitches, which make an audible clicking noise when engaging switches for the respective directions.  It felt like it had a longer throw distance than the Leaf-Pro and also the heaviest spring of the bunch.  This seemed to give it an advantage in some games, while making it a chore to use in others.  The restrictor on the bottom allows for relatively quick changing between 4-way and 8-way operation.

Seimitsu LS-32-02

This is a favorite among shmup fans for its short throw/engage distance.  Having used it for a little while, I do recommend it for side-scrollers, beat-em-ups and shmups.  Basically anything with a lot of fast "back-and-forth" action.  I was curious how it would perform in 4-way games.  It includes a built-in restrictor that can be set for 8-way, 4-way or 2-way motion.

Like the Sanwa, it uses microswitches which make a loud clicking noise (the loudest of the bunch).  Unlike the Sanwa, however, the switches are soldered into a circuit board and a wiring harness is used instead of having to crimp/connect individual switches.  This reduces the spacing required for installation underneath the panel.

Ultrastick 360

This is the most expensive joystick of the bunch, but also the most unique.  It uses a magnetic sensor instead of switches for its operation.  It also includes a built-in interface (USB), with support for 8 buttons.

The nice thing about this stick is its ability to be directionally programmed.  It can be programmed to act as an 8-way stick, 4-way, 2-way, diagonal 4-way, or various other custom options.   A physical restrictor is therefore not required, although using one gives the stick more of a traditional joystick feel.  Without the restrictor it has the longest throw of the various sticks; I prefer it with a restrictor. 

It is the smallest of the sticks in terms of mounting diameter.  Therefore it would be well suited to space-restricted panels.

The 360 does not include restrictor plates; they are an optional add-on costing an extra $14 USD (above the $59 USD for the joystick).  I purchased the circular/4-way pack (there is also an octoganal option, which is a separate $14 purchase).  Installing the restrictor plate requires removing the existing mounting brackets for the circuit board, then installing the included metal posts with the restrictor plate, and then reinstalling the circuit board.

However, I ran into a couple issues.  Removing the existing brackets was no problem.  However, attempting to screw in the metal posts in their place was an issue.  Two of them screwed in with relatively little resistance.  One required using pliers to screw in.  And one refused to screw in at all.  I examined the threads on the one which did not screw in and realized they are bent.  Whether this was a result of my attempted installation or an issue with the original post, I am not sure.  However, I could not use all four posts.  As a result, I used another bolt I had on hand to secure the restrictor plate and then attached the circuit board with only the three metal posts and included plastic nuts.

The second issue I ran into was actually trying to fit the circuit board on the metal posts.  The holes on the board were too tight to slide over the posts.  As a result, I had to drill them ever so slightly before they would fit, albeit snuggly.

Now granted these issues were not insurmountable but they were a bit annoying.  Especially give the cost of the joystick and restrictor plates, which is far above and beyond the other joysticks.  The restrictor plate kit alone ($14) cost almost as much as the GGG Leaf-Pro ($19).

shponglefan:
Playtesting!

I decided to try out four different games: Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig-Dug and Rampage.  Even though Galaga is a 2-way and not 4-way game, since most people use 4-way joysticks with the classics, it would be good to see how it performed.  I didn't have any formal testing procedure.  I would load up a game and randomly switch joysticks during the play session, noting differences in play ability/feel.  I then ranked the joysticks in order of preference from favorite to least-favorite.

Ms. Pac-Man.



Ms. Pac-Man generally benefits from smooth, precise transitions in directions, particularly when cornering.  There are not a lot of back-and-forth direction changes.  Therefore a lot of movement is based around transitions from north/south to east/west.  For this game, I found the Ultrastik 360 was the best.  It's an extremely smooth stick and lacking switches, movement around corners felt extremely fluid. 

The Leaf-Pro felt similar to the 360.  Although I found the restrictor for the diagonals more pronounced on the Leaf-Pro, giving slightly less fluid movement than the 360.  The use of leaf-switches, however, meant it had the a similar feel in hitting the 4-way directions.

The Seimitsu LS-32-02 and Sanwa JLW felt less smooth going around corners.  The LS-32-02 wasn't bad, just not as fluid as either the Leaf-Pro or the 360.  And the JLW in particular, with its heavy spring, actually felt like a chore maneuvering Ms. Pac-Man around the maze.

1) Ultrastik 360
2) Leaf-Pro
3) Seimitsu LS-32-02
4) Sanwa JLW

Galaga.



Galaga only requires horizontal motion and therefore benefits from quick, precise, back and forth movements.  This is similar to motions in other shmups, so a stick like the LS-32-02 seemed like it would do well here.  And indeed it did.

The LS-32-02 was easily my favorite stick for Galaga.  I was able to precisely move my ship back and forth, dodging incoming baddies and projectiles.  It's short-throw/engage distances meant it took very little effort to quickly change direction when and where I wanted.

The Ultrastik 360 was next in line.  Its light spring meant it also moved easily back and forth.  Although with a longer throw distance it seemed less precise than the LS-32-02.  The Leaf-Pro was similar, although I found it a little stiffer than the 360, and as a result slower.

Last again was the Sanwa JLW; its heavy spring made for slower back-and-forth action and I did not find it as precise as the LS-32 or 360.

1) Seimitsu LS-32-02
2) Ultrastik 360
3) Leaf-Pro
4) Sanwa JLW

Dig Dug



I expected Dig Dug to play similarly to Ms. Pac-Man.  It's a game which requires you to navigate the underground, tunneling out a maze as you go.  Unlike Ms. Pac-Man, however, I've always found Dig Dug harder to control.  The game is "tile-based" meaning you have to fully enter an existing "tile" before you can turn in another direction.  As a result, I find myself sometimes trying to change direction prematurely.  This could just be my own poor playing style, as I don't have a whole lot of experience with this game.

Surprisingly my favorite stick for this game was the Sanwa JLW.  It could be that its heavier spring resulted in slower reactions, thus my premature direction changes were less pronounced.  The Leaf-Pro, was also a decent performed here, and feels a little heavier than the 360 or LS-32-02.

As the LS-32-02 and 360 are the lightest feeling sticks, they came in third and forth respectively.  I found navigating the little miner with the 360 resulted in too many premature attempts to change direction and poorer play.

Granted, over time I could probably adapt to the game and develop better control but for now, the Sanwa JLW was my favorite stick.

1) Sanwa JLW
2) Leaf-Pro
3) Seimitsu LS-32-02
4) Ultrastik 360

Rampage



Loved Rampage when I was a kid, so I was eager to see how these sticks performed.  Rampage benefits from short, precise, rapid changes in direction.  This includes when attempting to climb buildings, as well as punching in various directions.

Again, the Sanwa JLW proved my favorite stick.  I found that in Rampage, for whatever reason, I would move the stick less forcefully to change direction (compared to Ms. Pac-man).  So the JLW seemed to handle these shorter movements to change direction better than the others.

The Leaf-Pro was the runner up here.  Like the Sanwa, it benefits from quick changes to direction and being able to precisely transition.  The LS-32-02 did well, but the Leaf-Pro seemed to hit the direction changes a bit better.

Surprisingly, the 360 was not as ideal here.  Unlike a game like Ms.Pac-man, which benefits from a smooth transition from one direction to another, Rampage has more rapid back-and-forth changes in direction.  So I feel the longer throw of the 360 impeded my ability to precisely punch in a given direction.

1) Sanwa JLW
2) Leaf-Pro
3) Seimitsu LS-32-02
4) Ultrastik 360

Overall

It's hard to pick a clear-cut winner.  The Sanwa JLW did not feel ideal for some games, but exceled at others.  The Leaf-Pro was a relatively solid performer.  The LS-32-02 excelled at a shoot-em-up game, and was sufficient in the rest.  And the 360 offered one of the most fluid experiences playing Ms. Pac-man I've had.

They are all decent sticks.  I think choice will partially come down to personal preference; for example I'm not a huge fan of the heavier spring in the Sanwa JLW.  It felt like it would be more fatiguing in the long run.  I love the smooth feel of the 360 and the Leaf-Pro.  And the LS-32-02 is a favorite of mine for all sorts of gaming.

But if I had to pick one, I'd probably go with the Leaf-Pro.  While not the best nor least best, it was a good overall performer, suitable for a variety of games.  But if I was targeting a specific subset of games/genres, I would likely choose another stick.

shponglefan:
Additional playtesting!

I tested out a pair of additional 4-way games, Frogger and Donkey Kong.  And also, DonPachi.  Why DonPachi?  This was to test out the joysticks' 4-way performance and see how well they avoid hitting diagonals.

Frogger



Frogger is a bit of an odd-ball control-wise.  Unlike most games where you press-and-hold in the direction you want to move, Frogger only allows you to move a single step a time.  Therefore, gameplay involves a lot of short, fast joystick movements in order to leap from one square to the next.

For Frogger, the Leaf-Pro was the hands-down clear winner.  The short-throw coupled with the lack of "clicky" switches made Frogger an absolute joy to play with this stick.  It's almost hard to describe how fluid the game felt using this stick; it's like the Leaf-Pro was tailor made for Frogger.

My runner-up is the LS-32-02.  As with the Leaf-Pro, movement felt very fluid and responsive.  However, the constant "click, click, click" was a bit distracting compared to the blissful silence of the Leaf-Pro.

The Ultrastik 360 and the Sanwa JLW and  round out 3rd and 4th place respectively.  The longer throw of the 360 made it feel a bit clunky compared to the Leaf-Pro and LS-32-02.  And he heavier feel of the JLW made it a chore to use with the constant back-and-forth movement.

1) Leaf-Pro
2) Seimitsu LS-32-02
3) Ultrastik 360
4) Sanwa JLW

Donkey Kong



Donkey Kong requires a lot of back and forth walking, punctuated by short vertical movement as one traverses the various ladders in the game.  The game benefits from percision in being able to quickly transition from left-and-right, to up-and-down as one attempts to avoid the various hazards.  One major control point for me in this game was transitioning off the ladders; this seemed to be the area where the greatest percision was required in making sure 'jump man' didn't get stuck and then creamed by a barrel. 

My favorite for this game turned out to be the Ultrastik 360.  Something about the up-down to left-right transition was extremely fluid; it felt similar to how it played in Pac-Man. I was a little surprised given that I did not like this stick for Rampage.  But in Rampage much of the direction transitions involve going from left-right to up-down.  In this game, I felt it benefited more from the opposite.

The next three sticks might as well have been a three way tie.  To be honest, I prefer the LS-32-02 and JLW slighty more than the Leaf-Pro; but it's almost splitting hairs.  All of the joysticks performed reasonably well in Donkey Kong, and I don't feel there is truly a bad stick for this game.

1) Ultrastik 360
2) Seimitsu LS-32-02
3) Sanwa JLW
4) Leaf-Pro

DonPachi



As stated, the purpose of this game was simply to test out the 4-way performance of the sticks in an 8-way shooter.  Could the sticks trigger diagonals when pressed to do so?

For both the Leaf-Pro and the Sanwa JLW, the answer is "yes".  I could, if forcing the joystick to hold the diagonal trigger all 4 diagonals with both of these joysticks.  Now it wasn't easy to do so.  The physical restrictors do their job in providing the tactile feedback that something is 'wrong' in pressing the diagonals.  And the range in which one can hit a diagonal is relatively thin; in a typical 4-way game it's not likely to be an issue.  But with a little practice, I was able to move my little ship in the 8 directions DonPachi allowed.

Conversely, I could not trigger any of the diagonals with the LS-32-02.  Its restrictor performed admirably in keeping the directions locked to up, down, left and right.  I did do a "listen test" to hear the switches engage and disengage; to see how close it could come to triggering a diagonal.  For one direction (down-right), it was razor thin; with a different restrictor it's possible it would trigger that direction at least.

Obviously I did not test the 360.  The one advantage the 360 has over the other sticks is its programmable nature.  So if programmed to operate in only 4 directions, it will only ever operate in those directions.  In some ways, that gives it an advantage over sticks which rely purely on physical restriction.

Insofar as adjusting sticks to not trigger the diagonals, I have not tested that capability.  The Leaf-Pro appears to be easily adjustable, as per Randy's post.  The Sanwa JLW, probably less so.

Overall: Part 2

As with the prior testing, it's hard to pick a true winner.  I'd still go for the Leaf-Pro given it's well-rounded nature and admirable performance in any given game.  But truly any of these sticks would serve well as a dedicated 4-way joystick.

edekoning:
Great write-up! Though you should change all the JLF references to JLW ;)

shponglefan:

--- Quote from: edekoning on May 17, 2013, 09:11:42 am ---Great write-up! Though you should change all the JLF references to JLW ;)

--- End quote ---

Oops, thanks for pointing that out!  Fixed!  :)

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