Does anybody have the X-Arcade joystick?

[Anthony1]

This is that joystick that you can hook up to the PC, to play MAME with, and they also sell individual adapters for different game systems, like the PS2, XBOX, GameCube and Dreamcast. The PS2 adapter also works with the PS1 of course. But I guess they don't have adapters for the N64 or Saturn, or Super Nes or Genesis or Jaguar, etc, etc. Too bad.


Still, I think this Joystick is pretty sweet for Mame on the PC.


Does anybody have one of these puppies? How well do they work? Thanks for any info.

[Kid Ice]

I don't have one, but look for a review elsewhere on this site. I believe there's a review on IGN too.

For my two cents, I like the Pelican stick just as well at half (or 1/3) the price, the obvious downside being no dual stick.

[Anthony1]

I don't have one, but look for a review elsewhere on this site. I believe there's a review on IGN too.

For my two cents, I like the Pelican stick just as well at half (or 1/3) the price, the obvious downside being no dual stick.


Actually, I'm talking about the single joystick, not the combo unit. Is the Pelican made out of the same industrial materials?

[Sotenga]

Oh, how I wish I did. I still have to play games on my friggin' keyboard. :frustrated:

[jonjandran]

This is the one I got from gamestop for $49.99
Then I got a PS2 to USb converter off E-Bay for $4.00.
I LOVE it.

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=801676&affid=8600

[Retsudo]

Yeah but now it's $59.00...but cheaper than the X-arcade. How good is it?

[Anthony1]

I think the X-Arcade single player version is $49.99 at Fry's Electronics now. I might be wrong. But I'm almost positive that I saw the double stick for $99 and the single stick for $49

[Retsudo]

I think the X-Arcade single player version is $49.99 at Fry's Electronics now. I might be wrong. But I'm almost positive that I saw the double stick for $99 and the single stick for $49

The single stick is $99, the double stick is $149

[Balloon Fight]

A friend of mine has this for X-box. I personally dont like it for that system, because the stick is to stiff with fast fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Once you get it warn in, im sure it will be better. The parts are very high quality, and can basically survive this :rockets:

[xertcev]

I don't own one, I like to build my own, but here's a review for you.
(go to the reviews section on the left menu and scroll down to x-arcade)
Lots of other reviews on others too.
http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm

[digitalpress]

Here's a review of the twinstick:

http://www.digitpress.com/archives/cc_xarcade.htm

The single stick is very much the same, just smaller. Same quality parts and very very sturdy (there's a pic in the review as well). I'd highly recommend it. You'll never want to go back to your traditional handheld pads again!

[KirbyStar27]

I bought it for mvc2 on X box. I t is stiff for the first 10-12 hour, but them starts to loosen out. Overal it is a pretty decent controller. Best feature is it can interchange between systems and works on computer.

[Captain Wrong]

I don't have that stick per se, but all the parts for the stick I built for my Supergun are Xarcade. They're solid. Good stuff.

Incidentally, I never had a problem with the sticks being too stiff, though I have seen that as a common complaint with their products. If you open the box and adjust the metal contacts, you can loosen it up a bit if you so desire. Personally, mine felt fine from the factory.

[Retsudo]

I would love have one of those so I can play Pacman and all those other great games

[kevates]

For the best performance on Pacman, you are going to want a 4-way joystick (like in the arcade), not an 8-way. The X-Arcade is an 8-way stick...

[k8track]

Hey Anthony,

I've got the twin stick for my Mac and I dig it immensely. Mine was $180 because I had to get the Mac USB adapter along with it. But it's great. I would have gotten the single model, but I just can't use a joystick with my left hand. With the twin, I've programmed it so the right joystick is the player-1 one. I remember as a kid playing Donkey Kong in the arcade "cross-handed" style--no more of that!

My one BIG complaint is that there is no option for a 4-way controller. It's so sensitive that, for example, you'll be playing Pac Man or something like that, and turn a corner when you don't want to. A 4-way control option would be nice; some way to lock out the diagonal directions. (Maybe there is one and I'm too dense to figure it out.)

[Mayhem]

X-Arcade is pretty decent. Solid build, off the shelf components though. As long as you tinker with the setup (most sticks come factory built with the diagonals FAR too long!), then it's just about worth the money. Very good for retro games, not so good I've found for fighters. Currently prefer spending $50 on the GC arcade stick and $10 on a GC->PC USB connector for an even better setup ;)

[Berserker]

mayhem, by GC stick do you mean the Hori or that other one, the Power Stick?
also is it possible to connect it to not only USB but PS2 etc

[Mayhem]

The Hori stick made for Soul Calibur II. It's as good as the one they did for the Dreamcast and I consider that to be one of the best home console sticks ever made.

I believe there are GC->PS2 adapters out there... I certainly know there are PS2->GC adapters as a friend of mine has tried using a dual shock on my GC...

[chadtower]

I don't have the X arcade, but I do have this one:

http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade_customarcade.shtml

[Darth Sensei]

I don't have the X arcade, but I do have this one:

http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade_customarcade.shtml

And what do you think of it Chad? Details please.

[chadtower]

The review posted at that site is pretty much dead on. It's constructed like a tank. It's heavy enough that you can play it roughly without fear of moving the base around and the controller inside is so configurable that it has enormous potential for other things. Anything you could do with a keyboard or mouse, you could do with this controller. It doesn't work with any consoles the way that the xarcade does, at least not in any way I've worked out yet (and I have not tried). The comments on the round ball 4way joystick is pretty accurate, too, though I think mine is more responsive than his. Mine is less responsive than the 8way sticks but not a real problem either. I think it's more a statement of how great the 8way sticks are than of a problem with the 4way. When I combine this set of controls with a 21" monitor, mame really does become quite arcadey... :)

Plus it's always kind of amusing to try and use the controller in raw windows. It IS a keyboard emulator, after all...

[sisko]

@chad

I'm looking into getting an arcade stick, and it appears that the customarcade is the stick for me. However I do have a few questions for you:

Where did you get it (the provided link on the review is dead)?
How much did it cost?
What are its dimensions?

Thanks

[chadtower]

@chad

I'm looking into getting an arcade stick, and it appears that the customarcade is the stick for me. However I do have a few questions for you:

Where did you get it (the provided link on the review is dead)?
How much did it cost?
What are its dimensions?

Thanks

Doh... I have bad news for you, but I don't think they make them anymore. I bought mine from Ron Corcoran of TwinGalaxies. There used to be a website up at customarcade.com but I've noticed in the last few months that it's not there anymore. It's incredibly well made but there's nothing in there that you couldn't do yourself with a bit of industry. It's basically arcade parts connected to Hagstrom's KE72 keyboard emulating card (http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/ke72det.html). If you have the ability, that's what I would suggest if you like the CustomArcade. That controller card is actually pretty cool, incredibly flexible, and you can run a (proprietary cable) line directly to a Happ trakball if you want...

[ubersaurus]

I don't like the x-arcade much...the stick feels too loose.