What is this joystick for?

[Craig]

I see these lone joysticks of heaps of cabs out there and I can't figure out what it is for. I see it as usless but I guess it can't be.
Many cabs have them; please tell me what it's for.

Thanks!

[blueoakleyz]

That is the uber sexy Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga 4-way joystick.
The joystick can only activate left/right/up/down signals (no diagonals) which is essential in 4 way games

[paigeoliver]

That is a 4-way joystick, it can't hit the corners, about 300 different games used them.

[Craig]

Ahh thanks guys. It seems pretty far back. You'd almost have to stretch out to use it?

Cheers.

[blueoakleyz]

Just depends on the angle you're using the game at
if you're semi-tall like over 5'6" then it's more like your placing your hands directly down on to the control panel and I don't think it'll matter

[Apollo]

He he one of the main games that cab can't play and that's the screen shot, what a crack up.

[paigeoliver]

You can play Defender on that panel, it just requires using BOTH sets of player controls at once.

I always like seeing the MAME cabinets on ebay for however many thousands of dollars. They ALWAYS have 2 happ fighter sticks, and a trackball and a horizontal screen, but all they talk about are 4-way vertical games.

[Lilwolf]

btw, 4way joysticks are REALLY worth it.

I would rather use a keyboard then an 8way controller in pengo.  I play both here and there... And it sucks on an 8way...

If you don't have room for 2 joysticks... Look at the top panel swappable ones.  I like the JStick ultra from ultramarc.  Haven't tried it but it looks good... (and people say its good, short throw).  

[GGKoul]

Don't forget the 8/4way T-Slik Plus from Ultimarc  They are great.

[EvilNuff]

Does anyone have any experience with both the Ultimarc TStick plus and the omni-stick from groovygamegear.com? (http://www.groovygamegear.com/page14.html)  Which is better?