What type of joysticks do you like best and why

[MikeyJ122]

It seems like the opinions vary on what joysticks are considered the "best". I like the look of the bat top "american" style the best myself, so I've been looking at the IL Eurosticks. But I've also read and seen videos that say Sanwa and Seimitsu are better. So tell me what you guys like and why you think they are the best.
Thanks

[yotsuya]

For general use, the IL Eurosticks.
 
Arcadeshop sells repro Wico leaf sticks for $40.

[hurricanefan]

Any cons to getting a servostik joystick for player 1?  What is a good player 2 joystick?

[Mr. Peabody]

For general use, the IL Eurosticks.
 
Arcadeshop sells repro Wico leaf sticks for $40.

So they do. Wow-zers.  www.arcadeshop.com

[quarterback]

Wico 8-way balltop either with leaf buttons or with the red Perfect 360 addition.  Love em.

[adder]

i only like a joystick if, as soon as the microswitch is activated, the joystick shaft should then with only a very little more travel, hit the restrictor gate.

i dont like the stock sanwa jlf at all due to it not being like that at all.

[Titchgamer]

I generally prefer bat top to ball top.

For “general” use (ie to play as wider variety as possible) I am in a minority and like my mag sticks with the 4/8way change ability.
I like the short throw of them but my only real dislike is the gate type used for the 8 way.

For fighters and other 8 ways I like the Sanwa JLF with octo gate which is what I use in all my fight sticks.

I used to have the HAPP and IL sticks when I first started building but I did not like the throw of them. I found it to long and “sloppy” for my taste.

[keilmillerjr]

I like jlf because I can mod them to my content. Paradise arcade literally sells everything you can think of for them.

Worst ones I had were the mag stick. I just can’t stand how short throw they are.

[chrisdfw]

I used to be one if those purists that liked to use exactly whatever was used in the original games...leaf...switch...bat...ball...4 or 8 and dedicated.

But now that I dont have the room or wife acceptance factor that I had earlier in life, I prefer an analog stick like the ultrastik 360 or cheap quimat 360 that can work for most games and not make any clicking noise.

So I guess there wont be any right answer or consensus.

[BadMouth]

A lot of the bias probably depends on age.  For me, Pacman and other classics just don't feel right with a bat top.  I'm good with a modern ball top stick with a decently stiff spring, but imagine there are others for whom only a rubber centering grommet feels right on those games.  Beat 'em Ups feel most right with bat tops.  For those of us old enough to have preconceived notions of what the game should feel like, there is no joystick that is not a compromise.

By the time I was done modding a pair of Sanwa JLFs to my liking, I had over $200 in them.
After adding optical switches, round restrictors, stiffer springs, hand candy balltops, & a DIY electronic 4/8 way switching, they feel right for most things.

In stock form, I hate them.  The springs are light and dainty.  They feel nothing like anything I experienced in real arcades.
Someone who never experienced arcades full of machines in the 80's & 90's might have a different opinion.

I've read that there is a difference in the way the average modern American and Japanese arcade patron plays.
Japanese players only move the joystick far enough to trigger the switches while Americans (like me) bang against and ride the restrictor plate.

If you were only looking at things from the standpoint of doing as well in the games as possible without regard to nostalgia, a joystick with a super light spring and hardly any engage distance would be ideal.  That allows you to engage and change direction faster, provided you are precise with your movements.  The top sim racers in the world turn off the force feedback feature of their wheels and think of it as a game instead of a driving simulator.  They are there to do as well as possible in the game, not feel immersed and feel like they are driving a car.  I prefer the latter, even if I don't do as well in the game.

[MikeyJ122]

For me, the only games that require precision are the fighting games. Which the main two fighters (street fighter and mortal kombat games) used bat tops (at least here in america). So that's why I'm leaning towards the IL sticks. But I've also heard some people say the sanwa and Seimitsu are better (because that's what they use in Japan). As long as I can do the moves, I'm happy, but I DO prefer the look of the bat tops more. So thats really where I'm at mentally, if you guys have experience with both, I'd appreciate your input.

Besides fighting games, the 4 way games are probably the next most demanding yes. But I'll sacrifice Pacman for Mortal Kombat (but thats me). Besides I can still play it, it's just not arcade perfect.

Quarter munches like gauntlet or Ninja turtles I dont think matter all that much. They are the least of my concern.

[Titchgamer]

You can put a bat top on a Sanwa JLF.

All of mine have bats fitted.

[paigeoliver]

Happ P360 with 4" Wico ballstop sticks installed. - Unfortunately these things are unicorns. They basically don't exist. They were a relatively expensive replacement joystick that as far as I know never actually shipped with any game. There is also a Wico version (Happ bought wico's patent or something like that). But in any case they are nearly impossible to find and expect to pay over $100 each for a used untested one with a bat handle on it. I have a pair of them on my cabinet that I bought new like 16 years ago. I think the people in this community were the only ones ever buying these sticks.

I also like normal wico 8-ways, both the leaf style and the clicky microswitch style.

For 4-ways I like the original Pac-Man stick and Happ's replacement stick for the Namco reunion. I don't actually like the 4-way Wico that much, it underperforms in fast games and wears in such a way that it starts to become an 8-way over time.

For cheap sticks that get the job done, Happ Super every time (only the real ones, not the knock offs). They last forever and have a neutral movement pattern that doesn't favor any one game type. They aren't my favorite stick, but I also never felt the need to upgrade a machine that had supers on it, while I am likely to rip comps and ultimates out of the panel the first week of owning a machine.

I also really like the Happ Universal, as both a 4-way and an 8-way. It is very precise and since it installs in a buttonhole you can loosen it up and rotate it 45 degrees for Qbert. Photo attached.

[ark_ader]

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

[MikeyJ122]

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

I'm assuming you are joking right?

[MikeyJ122]

You can put a bat top on a Sanwa JLF.

All of mine have bats fitted.

Is it better than IL?

[yotsuya]

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

I'm assuming you are joking right?

He’s just being himself.

[ark_ader]

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

I'm assuming you are joking right?

Nope.  They are bar none the best joysticks you can get.  Don't let anyone tel! you different.

Everyone gives them a bad rap, because they know nothing of this hobby.  These joysticks are excellent.

[Titchgamer]

You can put a bat top on a Sanwa JLF.

All of mine have bats fitted.

Is it better than IL?

IMO yes, But thats only my opinion :p

As said I use them in my fight sticks.
They are quite light and you could use one with a single finger if you wanted to.
The engagement distance is maybe 1/2 - 3/4 of the total travel of the stick and with a octo gate I find them great for fighters (quarter turn moves etc) but also fine for other things due to the way the gate catches the stick.

[MikeyJ122]

You can put a bat top on a Sanwa JLF.

All of mine have bats fitted.

Is it better than IL?

IMO yes, But thats only my opinion :p

As said I use them in my fight sticks.
They are quite light and you could use one with a single finger if you wanted to.
The engagement distance is maybe 1/2 - 3/4 of the total travel of the stick and with a octo gate I find them great for fighters (quarter turn moves etc) but also fine for other things due to the way the gate catches the stick.

Thanks, this is the type of info I've been looking for. I knew you could get bat tops for them. So basically they are lighter and easier to move (hence why you can use one finger)? Let me ask you this, if these are a 10 (in your opinion) what would you give IL? Happ?

[Arroyo]

Thanks, this is the type of info I've been looking for. I knew you could get bat tops for them. So basically they are lighter and easier to move (hence why you can use one finger)? Let me ask you this, if these are a 10 (in your opinion) what would you give IL? Happ?

They have different feel in that the IL’s bat top comes smoothly down all the way to the base.  The bat top add on to the JLF truncates about 3/4 down which creates a lip that you can feel on your fingers.  I wanted to like it as a solution to going between bat and ball quickly and easily, but my inner 12 year old keeps telling me they don’t feel right. 

I don’t think you’ll really be able to answer this question though without buying and trying.  As has been stated this is a highly subjective decision.

[KenToad]

I have Happ supers, competitions, and X arcade sticks that I bought over ten years ago. All the joysticks still feel as good as new, even though they have been in pretty regular use over the past decade plus.

For me, the best are the Happ Competition sticks because they're the best for doing street fighter style moves. The throw is just right under a 3/4" panel. Dragon punches are effortless. And really that was the main reason for me to build my own arcade controls.

The Happ Supers are great, too, just not quite as responsive or easy to hit diagonals. I have them as 3rd and 4th players on my pedestal.

The X arcade sticks are in storage at the moment. They are just Happ Supers with lower quality everything, cheaper feeling switches, plastics, springs. They are fine.

I also have a pair of Happ 49 way joysticks that I purchased back in 2007 or so to use with RandyT's (Groovy Game Gear) ingenious restrictor encoders. From the factory, they didn't center well. The rubber grommets were mushy. Some replacement grommets from RandyT solved that issue. Then, I got cherry ball tops to replace the stock bats. I even bought kits to convert them to rotary function. In the end, even with all that extra functionality, they get used a lot less than the other sticks. Most people remember clicky arcade sticks. The 49 ways are a specialized piece of hardware for a very select few machines.

[paigeoliver]

Unless they have changed things recently, the X-Arcade stuff was just copies of suzo-happ products that were old or had expired patents or whatnot. Designs were fine, but they were not made with the same care.

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

I'm assuming you are joking right?

Nope.  They are bar none the best joysticks you can get.  Don't let anyone tel! you different.

Everyone gives them a bad rap, because they know nothing of this hobby.  These joysticks are excellent.

[ark_ader]

Unless they have changed things recently, the X-Arcade stuff was just copies of suzo-happ products that were old or had expired patents or whatnot. Designs were fine, but they were not made with the same care.

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

I'm assuming you are joking right?

Nope.  They are bar none the best joysticks you can get.  Don't let anyone tel! you different.

Everyone gives them a bad rap, because they know nothing of this hobby.  These joysticks are excellent.

I pulled mine for the 1Up mod.  They are the original Xarcade year 2000 model joysticks.  No crap here.  That's the problem.  You guys talk ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- about them, and it stops sales.  Saint should make a new rule about lies about vendors quality of products.

[Titchgamer]

You can put a bat top on a Sanwa JLF.

All of mine have bats fitted.

Is it better than IL?

IMO yes, But thats only my opinion :p

As said I use them in my fight sticks.
They are quite light and you could use one with a single finger if you wanted to.
The engagement distance is maybe 1/2 - 3/4 of the total travel of the stick and with a octo gate I find them great for fighters (quarter turn moves etc) but also fine for other things due to the way the gate catches the stick.

Thanks, this is the type of info I've been looking for. I knew you could get bat tops for them. So basically they are lighter and easier to move (hence why you can use one finger)? Let me ask you this, if these are a 10 (in your opinion) what would you give IL? Happ?

Afraid its not as simple as that :p

I originally had Happs on my big mame cab.
And they performed fine but for me they did not perform as I wanted.

So for example because of the gate and the long throw I struggled to perform quarter turn moves on fighters etc.
I know they are capable of doing such moves but I just couldn’t do them :p

Also playing Streets of Rage 2 I could not always perform Axels grand upper again due to the throw distance and the spring return hitting the opposite axis.

Now I am using Mag sticks in my mame cab which are total opposite.
They are snappy (due to the magnetic centring) and very short throw so I can pull off fighting moves with ease and I really love them. But they are not so good at minor adjustments playing games like R-type for instance.

The JLF’s do not feel anything like a traditional stick so if you want that american feel forget it.

They are very fast and light, IMO they are more comparable to using a D pad but with your whole hand lol

You really need to just try them out, Joysticks are a marmite thing.
You either love them or hate them and you wont know till you try them :p

[yotsuya]

Unless they have changed things recently, the X-Arcade stuff was just copies of suzo-happ products that were old or had expired patents or whatnot. Designs were fine, but they were not made with the same care.

The arcade purist in me prefers xarcade controls.  They just work and have a lifetime warranty.  I get high scores and that is what matters.  That is the secret nobody will tell you on this forum.

I'm assuming you are joking right?

Nope.  They are bar none the best joysticks you can get.  Don't let anyone tel! you different.

Everyone gives them a bad rap, because they know nothing of this hobby.  These joysticks are excellent.

I pulled mine for the 1Up mod.  They are the original Xarcade year 2000 model joysticks.  No crap here.  That's the problem.  You guys talk ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- about them, and it stops sales.  Saint should make a new rule about lies about vendors quality of products.

I dunno, I trust all the people over the years who pulled them from their Tanksticks because they felt they were subpar over clearly rabid fanboys calling for more rules.

[MikeyJ122]

I actually have a tankstick, and IMO the sticks are good, but not great. I'd give them a 7/10, but I want 9/10 or 10/10. Honestly I think I might use the sticks from the tankstick for my 3 and 4 player sticks. Most of the games that use 3 or 4 players are your quarter muncher games, and the x arcade sticks are fine for those games. Its fighting games that I want something a little more accurate.

Here's my opinion on them. I've been playing Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 a lot with my tankstick lately, so that's what I'm basing this on. For moves that require left, right, up or down (like scorpions spear for example), it's perfect. No problem what so ever. For moves that require diagonals (like sub zero freeze) it's a little sloppy imo. You cant pull them off as seamlessly as you should imo. Although I haven't played a lot of street fighter with it, I bet the same problem exists with Ryu's hoduken. The stick DOES struggle with diagonals. You can still do them, yes. It's not a terrible stick, that's why I think I'll use them for my 3rd and 4th players. But for 1 and 2, I think I'll be happier with the IL Eurosticks.

[MikeyJ122]

You can put a bat top on a Sanwa JLF.

All of mine have bats fitted.

Is it better than IL?

IMO yes, But thats only my opinion :p

As said I use them in my fight sticks.
They are quite light and you could use one with a single finger if you wanted to.
The engagement distance is maybe 1/2 - 3/4 of the total travel of the stick and with a octo gate I find them great for fighters (quarter turn moves etc) but also fine for other things due to the way the gate catches the stick.

Thanks, this is the type of info I've been looking for. I knew you could get bat tops for them. So basically they are lighter and easier to move (hence why you can use one finger)? Let me ask you this, if these are a 10 (in your opinion) what would you give IL? Happ?

Afraid its not as simple as that :p

I originally had Happs on my big mame cab.
And they performed fine but for me they did not perform as I wanted.

So for example because of the gate and the long throw I struggled to perform quarter turn moves on fighters etc.
I know they are capable of doing such moves but I just couldn’t do them :p

Also playing Streets of Rage 2 I could not always perform Axels grand upper again due to the throw distance and the spring return hitting the opposite axis.

Now I am using Mag sticks in my mame cab which are total opposite.
They are snappy (due to the magnetic centring) and very short throw so I can pull off fighting moves with ease and I really love them. But they are not so good at minor adjustments playing games like R-type for instance.

The JLF’s do not feel anything like a traditional stick so if you want that american feel forget it.

They are very fast and light, IMO they are more comparable to using a D pad but with your whole hand lol

You really need to just try them out, Joysticks are a marmite thing.
You either love them or hate them and you wont know till you try them :p

I appreciate this post, you pretty much answered my questions. I dont want it to feel like a D pad, so I wouldnt be happy with the JLF'S then. I understand the appeal, they probably ARE faster, that's why people like them for competitions. But I'm not going to be competing, I'm just playing at home with the family. Yes I want performance, hence why I'm leaning towards the IL Eurosticks, but I also want the "feel" that I am use to.

Which from what I've read, the IL Eurosticks are better than anything Happ make anymore. Does anyone disagree with that?

[KenToad]

In my experience, Eurosticks/competition joysticks will work better for casual fighters than xarcade/super joysticks, if you're mounting to 3/4 inch material.

I think all those sticks will feel like they have too long of a throw if you mount to a thinner material, such as metal or a wooden panel with the underside routed out.

[RandyT]

A question like this is tantamount to asking the question "which color is best and why do you think so?" 

There is no correct answer.  There probably isn't even a convincing one which won't leave many individuals disappointed.  Joysticks are like shoes.  You can buy a pair which don't feel right to you, and you might wear them when you have to, but they won't be the ones you want on your feet every day.  For the less astute, the ones you used when you needed to were the ones in the arcade, while the ones you would choose to wear every day, are the ones you build into your own unit.

My machine has 49-way balltops, and with all of the options I have at my disposal to use something different, I wouldn't switch them for anything.  They are the only stick with the old school grommet centering which can switch to lightning fast 2-way operation, smooth and click-free 8-way and better than usual 4-way.  I don't primarily play fighters, but they are decent for that as well.  So you see, with few exceptions, there is an ideal stick out there for just about everyone, and unless your criterion for what makes it ideal just happens to match someone else's, it's unlikely that you would find agreement as to which is best.

[MikeyJ122]

A question like this is tantamount to asking the question "which color is best and why do you think so?" 

There is no correct answer.  There probably isn't even a convincing one which won't leave many individuals disappointed.  Joysticks are like shoes.  You can buy a pair which don't feel right to you, and you might wear them when you have to, but they won't be the ones you want on your feet every day.  For the less astute, the ones you used when you needed to were the ones in the arcade, while the ones you would choose to wear every day, are the ones you build into your own unit.

My machine has 49-way balltops, and with all of the options I have at my disposal to use something different, I wouldn't switch them for anything.  They are the only stick with the old school grommet centering which can switch to lightning fast 2-way operation, smooth and click-free 8-way and better than usual 4-way.  I don't primarily play fighters, but they are decent for that as well.  So you see, with few exceptions, there is an ideal stick out there for just about everyone, and unless your criterion for what makes it ideal just happens to match someone else's, it's unlikely that you would find agreement as to which is best.

I understand that it's a "personal" kinda thing. That's why my purpose and intent wasnt to decide a clear cut "best stick ever." It was asking for opinions, and based upon those opinions I can get a clearer understanding of what might work best for me. Without buying 6 different sticks of course, that's really what I'm trying to avoid.

Just a couple of weeks ago I would have went with something from Happ (thinking they would be the best for me). Well then I watched a YouTube video where I guy talked about Zippy sticks (Seimitsu or sanwa clone), but he REALLY liked them, better than Happ. Then I came across the IL sticks (which are the REAL Happs, etc). So I figured this was a good place to get some good info on all the different sticks.

[yotsuya]

I buy the ILs if I need a general purpose 8-way. If it’s for little kids, I buy Supers.

[MikeyJ122]

I buy the ILs if I need a general purpose 8-way. If it’s for little kids, I buy Supers.

Well I DO have kids, lol. But its really for me.

[Mr. Peabody]

Being specific about what kind(s) of performance you want strains the grit from the liquid.

[Arroyo]

You have a Tankstick, invest $15 and buy an IL Eurostick and slap it into the Tankstick (it’s a drop in replacement for the stock sticks).  Try it out and see what you think.  I’m willing to bet based on your descriptions of your experience you will be very satisfied.  I’ve purchased a lot of different sticks to see how they all feel and both myself and friends and family seem to point to that as a good all around choice.  Feel’s a lot like your average 90’s arcade stick.

[GeoMan]

I actually have a tankstick, and IMO the sticks are good, but not great. I'd give them a 7/10.

Same here. The original Tankstick joysticks are mediocre at best, so i also replaced them - with U360s.

[paigeoliver]

I sold the one 49-way machine I built the day after I completed it. Regretted it ever since.

A question like this is tantamount to asking the question "which color is best and why do you think so?" 

There is no correct answer.  There probably isn't even a convincing one which won't leave many individuals disappointed.  Joysticks are like shoes.  You can buy a pair which don't feel right to you, and you might wear them when you have to, but they won't be the ones you want on your feet every day.  For the less astute, the ones you used when you needed to were the ones in the arcade, while the ones you would choose to wear every day, are the ones you build into your own unit.

My machine has 49-way balltops, and with all of the options I have at my disposal to use something different, I wouldn't switch them for anything.  They are the only stick with the old school grommet centering which can switch to lightning fast 2-way operation, smooth and click-free 8-way and better than usual 4-way.  I don't primarily play fighters, but they are decent for that as well.  So you see, with few exceptions, there is an ideal stick out there for just about everyone, and unless your criterion for what makes it ideal just happens to match someone else's, it's unlikely that you would find agreement as to which is best.

[FALSE]

I'm no expert but I love my ServoStiks. I use them for player one and 2 in my cabinet.
The 4/8 auto switching is awesome and easier to setup than I expected.
Probably could have saved a couple bucks and just used an 8way for player 2 but I wanted the sticks to be identical.
I thought the ball top vs bat top would be a big deal but after playing with them, it's just not.
No issues playing fighter sin MAME or even newer fighters in Steam and the 4 way mode is great for all the older games like PacMan.