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your thoughts on current 4-way joysticks please
Jimbo:
--- Quote from: bobbyb13 on April 12, 2021, 09:16:40 pm ---
There is a short list of people I buy new parts from- and none of them are random sellers on amazon or ebay.
Ultimarc
GroovyGameGear
ArcadeShop
ParadiseArcadeShop
--- End quote ---
Unfortunately GroovyGameGear has decided not to sell to the UK. I tried yesterday to order a couple of 4-way joysticks to test, but they disallow shipping to the UK. I emailed them and it doesn't look like they will resume shipping to the UK any time soon either, despite me being a long-time repeat customer of theirs. :( Mikesarcade on the other hand were brilliant, I have a package coming with a DK joystick and a midway 4-way so I'll add them to my test panel!
So my comparison will be missing a Dominux8 with a 4-way restrictor, and their Leaf Pro.
Currently I will be comparing:
Repro DK joystick from mikesarcade
Pac-Pro (happened to have one in a box already)
Repro Wico 4-way from arcadeshop
Sanwa JLF (will also test with short throw mod and stiffer springs)
Midway 4-way
I will choose a variety of games, pac-man, DK, probably GnG. If anyone can think of any other 4-way games that would be good to test, let me know.
I will mock up a test panel or two when all the joysticks arrive, and will probably do a comparison video. It's just a shame those 2 joysticks from GGG won't be part of it. :angry:
KenToad:
The arcade version of Bomber Man World (bbmanw rom, not Neo Bomberman) is one of the worst I've experienced when it comes to handling diagonals, at least in MAME .201. Your Bomber will kind of snap back and forth around the corners, often into the path of explosions. Even with the 4-way restrictor from GGG, playing the game with a Happ super joystick wasn't great.
Are any of the joysticks you're testing like the ones Tornado Terrys sells? Those were historically some of the most popular options on this site, as discussed above.
Thanks for doing this. Looking forward to hearing the results!
Jimbo:
ok noted, I'll add that game into the test. Might be a few weeks till I get started though.
I have no idea about Tornado Terry, never heard of him before. I'm in the UK and ebay says he doesn't ship to the UK. If a forum'er can get a legit one (for metal panel) and doesn't mind shipping it over to me I'll obviously pay for it, and will include it into my comparison. :cheers:
BTW - I just received a Sanwa JLF (same model as linked to above), and switched the stock restrictor plate to 4-way. It appears that in 4-way mode it doesn't fully disengage the old direction when moving to a new one (e.g. when going from left to up, there is a moment when both microswitches are pressed simultaneously).
Zeosstud:
Looking forward to your reviews.. I have recently been testing the same things..
*Dominux8 with 4 way restrictor
JLF with 4 way restrictor .9lb spring
JLF with 4 way restrictor 2lb spring
JLF with 4 way restrictor 4lb spring
Tornado Terry 4 way
ServoStik in 4 way mode
Not a super scientific test.. Boot up Pac-Man, cheat my way to the 9th key.. playing on Grooveymame .227 to kill all the latency possible, play the game..
Play Donkey Kong (Japan)
Play Pengo
For me, the winner was the JLF with 2lb spring..
*I have a couple of the Dominux8 sticks where I had to dremel off one of the corners to make it fit in a control panel, this for sure could effect how the
stick played.. I am actually a big fan of these sticks, I use them in my JRoK Robotron in 8 way mode obviously..
I have a Reunion Pac-Man stick coming with the longer shaft for wood control panels that will be tested soon..
-Zeosstud
Jimbo:
Nice! I'm not even going to try a ServoStik - I tried one before in 8-way mode and hated it lol.
I also bought the 2lb and 4lb extra springs for the Sanwas, so will try them both as well as the stock one. Looks like I've got a kind forummer to sort me out with a Tornado Terry 4-way and the GGG sticks so I should have a good bunch of sticks for my comparison.
All my testing will be on groovymame with a CRT. I'll probably be using a USB I-PAC as the interface for the controls.
Current game list to test will be:
Donkey Kong
Pac-Man
Bomber Man World
Pengo
Ghosts 'n' Goblins
Probably a couple of 2-ways (Galaga/Moon Cresta/etc)
Any more that would be a good test please let me know.