Number of buttons...

[BorgDog]

I am currently planning a series (at least 2 more) of small bartops to go with Little Bastard (link in sig), and the next one up is going to be a dedicated single player vertical screen with switchable 4/8 way joystick (probably Omni2 with servo added).  My question is how many buttons to go with them?  I've seen 2, 3, 4, and even 6 on single player bartops posted on here.  I plan on playing the older 4-way classics (pacman, dk, etc) and vertical scrolling classics and older shumps.  I was thinking 3, as a few of the shumps use that many, but is there any reason to go with 4 or 6?  What will I be missing?  or is it all just newer fighters and such that use more?  Also bear in mind that these control panels will only be like 3.5"x9.5" give or take so space is limited.

Thanks.

[Malenko]

Do you plan to play fighting games? If Yes 6 buttons .If no, go to the next question
Do you plan to play NeoGeo games? If Yes 4 buttons. If no, 3 buttons.

[Vigo]

With a vert. only, I personally am fine with only 2 buttons. There are only a small smattering of vert games that need 3 or more, at least if you look at mid 90's and earlier. There might be some more modern shmups that take more, but Gun Smoke is the only game I hear people groaning about with wanting a 3rd button.

[Malenko]

totally glossed over, my brain put "switchable" on the monitor orientation not the joystick.

I'd go 3 buttons just to be safe but no more than that

[Vigo]

totally glossed over, my brain put "switchable" on the monitor orientation not the joystick.

I'd go 3 buttons just to be safe but no more than that

  I decided to let you figure out what you missed on your own.

I agree, no more than 3 are needed. There is very little you would gain from more than 3.

[BadMouth]

If you're not interested in fighting games, I think 3 is perfect.

Although Neo Geo had 4 buttons, most non-fighting games only used 3.
Most sports games used 3.
The few Dungeons and Dragons games used 4, but in MAME you can map a combo to the 4th.  Not sure I'd want to play them on a bartop by myself anyway.
If using emulators other than MAME, you need 3 for more modern shmups (NAOMI, Taito Type X).

If it were 4-way joystick only an argument could be made for 2, but being it is switchable I'd stick with 3.

[Vigo]

The joystick is going to be switchable, not the screen. (Unless you like your fighting games nice and skinny.)

You and Mal need your eyes checked.   

[BorgDog]

Thanks for the input guys, 3 it is.