Joysticks that "works good" for Robotron and Fighters

[opt2not]

The phrase "works good" is subjective.  Robotron and Fighters can have much different requirements from an joystick standpoint.  For Robotron, smaller actuation and a light-weight throw is best.

But for fighters, some people like the large throw of Happs Comps, some like the narrow actuation of Sanwa's with it's large throw. AND some even put a tighter spring on a Sanwa for a stiffer throw.

IMO you can't really have both, and if you try to compromise between the two you'll just end up with a set-up that works crummy for both game-types. But that's just me, perhaps others might have a different opinion?

[Arroyo]

Nah man your spot on, some games need a quick twitchy movement, and others need a slow one.  One thing that’s become really apparent to me over time is, it’s the interface stupid.  That’s what makes arcade games unique, how you interact with them.  And the joysticks and buttons you use dictate that.  There’s a reason the original designers used the sticks that they did, and a reason why there wasn’t one stick to rule them all.  It’s actually been refreshing to realize there’s this much specificity in gaming, keeps me thinking all the time.

[Nephasth]

There’s a reason the original designers used the sticks that they did...

Eh... Pretty sure it was just doing the best with what they had at the time.

"We'd like the game to do X"

**digs thru parts catalog**

"Hey! Looks like Y will do the trick!"

"Alright! Get 'em on the line! Let's make that money!"

Kind of explains minor design changes midway thru production runs.

[opt2not]

There’s a reason the original designers used the sticks that they did...

Eh... Pretty sure it was just doing the best with what they had at the time.

Well for Robotron, Eugene Jarvis wanted to solve the problem of moving in the direction you are shooting from Berserk.  He was also suffering from an injury at the time, so they tried out the dual stick set-up and found that it solved both the gameplay and the injury issue

As for fighting cabinets, in North America they used whatever was available and cheap for 8-way sticks. In Japan though, candy cabinets specifically used Sanwa's and Seimitsu's for different game applications.  This is why you see a lot of Astro and Blast City's with Sanwa because their main usage was fighters and beat-em-ups, while cabinets like Neo 29's, Aero City's used Seimitsu's for shoot-em-ups and platformers.

[Malenko]

Love the Sanwas on my NeoGeo, they just feel right. Crisp responsive controls in Metal Slug, Thrash Rally , and Samurai Shodown just the same.
Love my Happ Comps on my Multi CPS2, they just feel right. Throwing Hadoukens , kicking the crap out of Aliens, and PewPewing like a boss.  TBH though, I could use a smaller actuation area in Progear and Mars Matrix but I'd probably have to ride the gates for the fighters if I changed them out.