The button layout is like this - for landscape games and co-op, there are the two front defender button layouts plus the 8-way joystick. The reason for this was so that there would be enough buttons to play whether you are right of left handed regardless of game, and buttons are cool. Additionally, for portrait orientation there are enough buttons for games that don't make use of joystick and this too can be utilized by right or left handed players by using some of the defender buttons. Frankly, since everything is mounted directly on the table, it's a pretty flexible layout for lots of games so far. It's really working out very well!