4 way / 8-way switchable joysticks

[monkeybomb]

I know there is a lot out there on this, but I can't find anything very recent.  Besides the classics are always fun!

I generally like the happs supers, but the 4 way isn't great and I also don't want to take apart the joystick all the time.  How is the magstick?  Are there many other options?  I don't have space on the panel for an omnistick.  Any preferences out there?  I don't know the sanwa sticks too well.

[Slippyblade]

The Magstick works fine, but the throw is weird from what I've heard.  The Zippyy sticks are very inexpensive and have an easily swappable restrictor plate.  If you wanna go hi-tech, Ultimarc has the servo sticks as well.  They are motorized 4/8 switchers.  Then there is the GGG Omni stick, which is a manual, top-of-the-panel switch.

[mgb]

do they still have the original omni sticks?

I can't stand the look of them but they really are a nice 4 way

[Le Chuck]

There's the Omni2 which is a below the panel but Randy can sell you an adapter kit to automate that stick using a simple servo and controller board from pololu. 

[Dawgz Rule]

The magstik is a nice stick.  It works really well with shmups.  If you are a hardcore fighter, it may not be the stick for you due to the short throw.

[jtslade]

It's a short throw and as you use it, it eats itself until the plastic washers make it awful.

Go paradise arcade 8way's or anyone who carries 8 ways then make a 4 way only cab..

If you try to make everything work you get mediocre everything instead of one set great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FinalFury]

Sanwa JLFs can switch between 4 way and 8 way by rotating the insert of the restrictor gate, assuming the gate is the standard square shape.  Popping off the restrictor gate and rotating the insert is pretty easy, and you can even swap the inserts for octagons or circles.  Here's a video by shoryuken.com user nerrage.



Note: The Silent JLFs have a one-piece blue restrictor plate, meaning there is no removable or rotatable insert.  Keep this in mind, and know that you'll need to buy a seperate regular JLF restrictor if you want the Silent JLF.

[Battleship]

I know it's an older post but is that adapter kit from Randy still available? I didn't see it on the website...

[Le Chuck]

It should be available but it's a special production item. You'd need to email him about it. I have a DIY thread about it somewhere, you have to add your own control board (the micro maestro is easy) and write some some switching scripts but it's all pretty straightforward

[lovespicyfood]

ServoStik for the win!  I was in this predicament and contemplated/researched options for quite some time to add switching capability to my Dream Arcade that I had purchased on Craigslist.

It's great as my setup is in Launchbox using Mame and I have it automatically switch when a 4 way game is selected.  Couldn't be happier with this setup!

[leapinlew]

I've traveled down this road. My progression went something like this:

• At first I had an X-arcade and initially I thought, how bad can a 8 way be for a 4 way game? I thought it was just personal preference and that the community was just full of annoying purists. After trying to play several 4 way games with a 8 way stick and dying due to the diagonals, I realized I needed the ability to go with a 4 way stick. I bought some magsticks.
• Next up was a ipac2 and magsticks. The throw on the magstick was super short and ultimately that killed the stick for me. While using it, I also noticed it was hard to tell if you were in 4 way or 8 way, so I would try to change the stick. Also, guests had no idea how to change the stick or if the game was a 4 way or 8 way
• Next up, I went with a dedicated 4 way cabinet with a vertical oriented monitor. This was the ultimate solution to me. I used a super joystick with a diamond restrictor plate that GGG sells. It worked well enough, but the feel was just slightly off. I bought a ball top for it from Tornado Terry, but I think what did the Super in for me was the size of the balltop and microswitches
• Lastly, I ended up with a NIB Wico 4 way leaf stick and it feels perfect on a dedicated cabinet.

Of course, your mileage may vary, but for me, it was about getting a joystick that works for a majority of the games I want to play and a feel I like. Playing Donkey Kong with a Wico 4 way isn't authentic, but I don't like the nintendo 4 ways, so it makes the game more enjoyable to me.