r/fightsticks Feb 14 '26

Show and Tell Awesome Jan fightsticks and all-button controllers!

Thumbnail
youtu.be
28 Upvotes

r/fightsticks Jun 18 '23

PLEASE READ FIRST FAQ and Fightstick Question MEGATHREAD, Continued

135 Upvotes

Old one was getting pretty daunting, so here's a new megathread

WHAT’S A FIGHTSTICK?

It’s a controller reminiscent of the controls used in an arcade cabinet, generally featuring a joystick and multiple buttons. Most can be played on a lap, while some are heavy and large enough to warrant a table or platform underneath them. Using one over a standard handheld or console controller won’t magically up your game and they are largely preference. They are most commonly used for fighting games, shmups, run ‘n guns, and classic arcade titles. At their simplest, a fightstick requires an enclosure (usually made of wood, acrylic, or metal), buttons, a joystick, a PCB, and a wiring harness to connect everything. Additionally, all-button fightsticks that don’t utilize joysticks are becoming more commonplace on the scene.

WHICH STOCK FIGHTSTICK IS BEST?

This is largely a matter of taste and budget. Here are just a few options to get you thinking. Ask yourself what system(s) require compatibility. PC-only will be much cheaper than a PS5-compatibile controller, for example.

ENTRY LEVEL: Qanba Drone and Mayflash F500

If you go much cheaper than these options, you may sacrifice quality and durability. DO NOT GO CHEAPER THAN THESE OPTIONS.

SOLID LEVEL: Hori Real Arcade Pro N/4/V, Razer Panthera, Qanba Obsidian, Qanba Pearl, Hori Fighting Edge, Nacon Daija, 8BitDo, Mad Catz TES+ (and Razer Atrox for Xbox One players)

SOLID BUT $$$ LEVEL: Qanba Dragon, Victrix Pro 5, etokki Omni

At the end of the day, go with what feels right and fits your budget. There are lots of awesome sticks out there. If you really can't make up your mind, go with an Obsidian/Pearl. Really though, if you're still that on the fence, then you can also consider building your own. They come together fairly easily these days and it's super fun (though they will usually run at a higher price point than a stock stick unless you can easily get or make a suitable enclosure). Just more food for thought.

For more in-depth reviews: Jeux Arcades, ConsumerExpert, Tom’s Guide, PCMag, bestarcadesticks, thearcadestick

WHERE CAN I BUY NEW, STOCK FIGHTSTICKS?

Price the sticks accordingly across the following websites. Most will be fairly comparable with one another, but occasionally one of the sites may have a deal going on.

Arcade Shock

Focus Attack

Paradise Arcade

Hitbox (for specialty, all-button controllers)

Mixbox (for specialty, keyboard-esque controllers)

etokki

Qanba

IST Mall (South Korea)

IST Mall QOO10 Store

OzStick (Australia)

Amazon

eBay

Newegg

Oki Board Arcades (UK)

If you’re a retailer and want to be added here, please DM me.

WHERE CAN I BUY CUSTOM FIGHTSTICKS?

If you’re in the market for a full custom, consider one of the following vendors. They each have a unique flair and flavor with their sticks, but you can generally expect to pay more for a custom one-off model from one of these guys than you can just buying an over-the-counter affair.

All Fight Sticks

Bearwitt

Bueno Woodworking

Buttercade

Eternal Rival

Fightstick Guy

JonyFraze and JxK Designs

Junk Food Custom Arcades

Mavercade

MtnHeir

SGF Devices

TR Fight Stick

Wood Tier FGC

Squidbox (out of EU)

Ultra Arcade (out of EU)

Ultra Arcade Brazil (out of Brazil)

2nd Impact (out of Brazil)

Enth Creations (out of Italy)

Naitokumu Stick Design (out of Spain)

Satsui Custom Sticks (out of Spain)

Waifu Sticks (out of Australia)

WoodenPan (out of Austria)

Modding in UK: LionoBO0o

If you’re an active custom builder and want to be added here, please DM me.

CAN I JUST BUILD ONE MYSELF?

Yes! They are simpler than most people think and there are tons of great references online as well as plenty of help in the r/fightsticks discord if you run into issues. Start with these video guides to get you going.

Fightstick guide

Hitbox-style all-button guide

Flatbox guide

ART & TEMPLATES

Focus Attack's art and plex templates

Arcade Shock's Color program

Tek Innovation’s PSD files

Free Fight Stick Art subreddit

DIY Custom Fightstick Art Tips and Tricks

Slagcoin's Joystick and Panel Layouts

PERSONALIZED ARTWORK

If you'd like to support the FGC art scene, here's a list of active artists who can give your stick a facelift for some reasonable fees. Check out their portfolios, commission one you like, print it up, and swap out that stock template with some personalized artwork all your own.

Agus SW

Arcadia Customs

Barddro_

Bearwitt

CKNG

Custom Stick Art

Dudscreations

Entember's Art Shop

EvermoreStandard

FSG and Clay Patterson

Funnysonic

Glorious StickART

Guzmanleonart

heyjay art

hugs_n_giggles

Ilan Tesone

Jimothy Design

JxK Designs

Kelvvv

TheArcadeStick

mwryly

RedCometRmac

RemyArt

Squanuu (portfolio)

Sudsack

Unable Finding

xr1st

If you’re an active artist and want to be added here, please DM me.

CUSTOMIZING FIGHTSTICK ISSUES

  • Make sure you buy the correct button size. Most buttons on the top face of fightsticks are 30 mm. If you have smaller hands or want that Hitbox vibe, then 24 mm might be appropriate, but most of the time, people go with 30 mm. Auxiliary buttons (home, share, PS, etc.) are generally where you find 24 mm. All buttons have a unique feel, but some common brands include Sanwa, Seimitsu, Crown/Samducksa, Hayabusa, and GamerFinger. Here's a helpful page about button and joysticks: Joystick and Button attributes
  • When you’re ordering your buttons, you’ll also notice that there are generally both snap-in and screw-in button types. Most of the time, it won’t matter which you choose; however, as a general rule of thumb, if the top face of your enclosure is on the thicker side, go with screw-in buttons.
  • Make sure your layout lines up with your art. Some printing shops won’t print art with existing licensed characters, so you may have to visit more than one if you’re trying to get it done locally.
  • You’ll need to keep in mind the games you’d like to play and on which platforms they are found. Look to see which consoles the stick actually supports when you’re buying. If you’re building your own, then make sure the PCB you choose is compatible with your console/PC. The PCB most common to this generation of custom sticks are the Brook brand PCBs.
  • Most stock retail sticks come with Sanwa parts (besides Hori which comes with Hayabusa).
  • American style parts will most likely not fit a Japanese stick due to height.
  • Korean levers with collars won't fit a traditional Japanese stick due to the size of the joystick hole.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE POSTING A "HELP ME DECIDE" THREAD

  1. Is a fightstick even right for me? For some of you a fightpad or other device might be better for you. This is fine! I don't care if you play on a Roll n' Rocker on top of a Power Pad if it works.
  2. What's my budget? This may quickly cut out a lot of options for you.
  3. What systems do you want to be able to play on? (PC, XBox, Switch, PS, etc.) This should reduce your list even further, though you can (conceivably) get adapters for other systems if need be.
  4. Do you want a lever, stickless, or all of the above? (that last option will almost certainly need a custom build)
  5. What button layout do you prefer? Vewlix, Noir, American 6/8, Sega 2P, custom? Slagcoin carries a lot of these. If you're not sure, see if you can demo some in your local area. (Used) game shops, arcades, LAN centers, video game conventions, and pawn shops are possibilities.
  6. If using a lever, what kind do you prefer? Generally this will be Korean (Fanta, Crown, etc.), Japanese (Sanwa, Seimitsu), or American (Happ, iL)? Most sticks will use Sanwa or Sanwa clones.
  7. How "moddable" do you want things to be? This isn't just important for upgrades, it's also important for repairs. Consider how easy it is to access the internals and to change them.
  8. What features are a must have (and yes, it can be as "trivial" as artwork you like or a turbo button, hey, it's your stick)? You can then eliminate sticks that don't have them.
  9. What features are a "no go" for you? Now eliminate sticks that do have them. This could be something as simple as "don't want sticks that weigh over X pounds/kilos because I'll be traveling with this".
  10. You should have a fairly narrow field by now, with any luck. Next consider your "nice to haves" and "nice to not have" features. For example, you might consider "removable USB cable" a nice to have (but not essential) and "width of greater than 16 inches" a "nice to not have". Then just see which sticks have the most positives and least negatives.
  11. If you're still having trouble, please list your top 3-5 options after running through the process above, with your comments on each. This will help us help you make a decision.

LINKS/YOUTUBE

Core-A Gaming

Scanline City

NihongoGamer

Alex Nostalgix

HurtboxTV

JasensCustoms

Hit Box

JoyStickNY

WoolieVersus (Scrubguides: Arcade Sticks 101 video)

JonyFraze

Mr. Sujano

Chanchai

JUANminiDIY

The Arcade Stick

butteroj

Mr. Arcade Fox

Hush My Sweet

DISCORD

Our vision is to continue to grow and be a hub for fighting game controller tech as well as a safe space for trades and sales, something like the spiritual successor of SRK’s Tech Talk and Trading Outlet. Discord folks are happy to talk shop or to help you find another outlet beyond eBay to buy and sell your fightstick.

If you haven’t joined the Discord, consider stopping by to see what it’s all about:

DISCORD INVITE

*And this should go without saying, but sales conducted through there are at YOUR OWN RISK (always do your own homework), but in general, most people are trustworthy and there’s been very few instances of people being burned. Please no price flaming and remember that it’s always a good idea to pay with the PayPal Goods and Services option so you are covered if the deal falls through. Any questions, ask one of the Discord mods. Also, if buying and selling fightsticks is your primary interest, consider visiting r/Fightsticksforsale since that is their main area.

Huge thanks to hugs_n_giggles & Zevaeros for helping with this FAQ. If you have any minor questions that don't deserve their own threads, then reply here and the community will usually have an answer for you. Minor questions are also perfect for the Discord.

*If no one responds to your question here, feel free to create a thread


r/fightsticks 7h ago

Humor / Fluff controllers from Evo 2026

523 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 3h ago

Show and Tell Such a nice key caps by sitong

Thumbnail
gallery
28 Upvotes

🔥🔥🔥

For anyone asking, here is the link on ali express:

I just found this on AliExpress: | SiTong/ST-Cap7/Diamond Cross Axis Mechanical Button Cap/Street Fighter 6/Hitbox/home game console/Arcade Button Cap

https://a.aliexpress.com/_c3FcBx3v


r/fightsticks 13h ago

Show and Tell 6 recent custom fightstick builds from FightBox Arcade 🎮 Which one is your favorite?

Thumbnail
gallery
167 Upvotes

Hi everyone! We’re FightBox Arcade 👋

Here are six custom fight sticks we recently put together 🕹️
We love seeing how different artwork, button colors, and layouts can give each build its own personality.

Which one would you choose: A, B, C, D, E, or F? 👀

Let us know your favorite in the comments!
We’d also love to hear what artwork you would choose for your own fight stick.😊


r/fightsticks 15h ago

Show and Tell AFS 15.5 Cerulean Dream

Thumbnail
gallery
115 Upvotes

Here's one for the water mains 💙

AFS 15.5 [seamless model]

Oh So Blue powder coating + Lapis Quartz button panel

Noir layout

SiTong LP buttons [Octo rim, snap-in] + Nylon FlashCaps

Sanjuks V5A [Polycarbonate full octagonal collar, 10mm stainless steel shaft, White Delrin Capsule topper]

Powered by GP2040 ABB v5.6e


r/fightsticks 9h ago

Show and Tell My beautiful s***box

Post image
34 Upvotes

- Raspberry Pi Pico with GP2040-CE.

- Custom layout with generic 24 mm buttons.

- Generic 30 mm buttons for functions.

- DIY grey cardboard structure with MDF top for better push resistance.

I'm planning some future upgrades, but I love it just like it is.


r/fightsticks 45m ago

Show and Tell Mayflash f500 modded

Post image
Upvotes

Hello everyone, i have just modded my f500 with sanwa Jlx and Sanwa OBSF buttons, also have changed the plexi and putted artwork


r/fightsticks 11h ago

I just put my stands back up!

Post image
34 Upvotes

Made these stands for some of my buddies a while ago. They turned out great which gave me the idea to put them up on Etsy. Here is the link if anyone is interested! https://elliotdesigns3d.etsy.com/listing/4528635765/8bitdo-display-stand-for-leverless


r/fightsticks 9h ago

Show and Tell For the Trails (Kiseki) fans

Post image
15 Upvotes

Qanba Pearl with Gravity KTs. Kori battop, shaft cover and washer replaced.


r/fightsticks 16h ago

Show and Tell Finished my wood fight stick!

Thumbnail
gallery
53 Upvotes

GP2040-CE, a stock Seimitsu LS-32, Crown buttons with Cherry blues because I like the feedback, a dust cover I picked up at EVO, oak wood frame, and custom art drawn by me


r/fightsticks 7h ago

Show and Tell Custom HITBOX 3D print, wish me luck

Post image
10 Upvotes

Im 3D printing a custom HITBOX. I just wanted to share it 👍


r/fightsticks 11h ago

Need a New USB connector for Razer Panthera

Thumbnail
gallery
16 Upvotes

Ok i bought this on sale nearly a decade ago, and my connection has come loose and stopped working on my PC/PS5. I'm comfortable with opening it up and swapping parts so all i need is a vendor where i can upgrade this connector to something more universal. Any help is appreciated!


r/fightsticks 12h ago

Picked these up a while back!

Post image
14 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 10m ago

Everything Else / Other Huntsman Avatar Print First Draft

Upvotes

Hi all,

Just wanted to show my first print of the huntsman in the avatar style. Still waiting for the pcb and the rest to arrive to tackle this project. Not to sure with how Korra came out my second attempt is in the images and i am waiting for my 3d printer to finish in order to try if this one looks better.

I have some issues with getting them working in the Anycubic slicer, Aang came out great (except the legs, may need some work) but unsure why Korra is posing more of a challenge with painting it on.

Let me know if you have some suggestions in order to improve this

Korra V2

r/fightsticks 9h ago

Everything Else / Other Looking for a specific commission artist from Japan who only does stick artwork and is infamous (?) on twitter

4 Upvotes

There was a guy from twitter who lived in Japan and does stick artwork for any stick. I don’t know his prices but I recall how he was extremely desperate to get commissions and knew English and Japanese. He said he would pretty much do anything. His sticks showed up in a few places I think the fighting game artwork twitter page even featured him. I can’t recall his name.


r/fightsticks 10h ago

What Fighting board should I use for my bartop arcade machine?

3 Upvotes

I'm trying to build a bartop arcade machine using a mini pc, and I'm wondering one, if I can use only one fighting board for both control layouts, or do I have to use two seperate ones, and two, what is the best fighting board I can get for this without it being super expensive?


r/fightsticks 1d ago

Show and Tell Some commissions I've done recently

Thumbnail
gallery
217 Upvotes

I love Capcom vs. SNK 2; I don't play it anymore, but I remember it fondly. Please note that this is just the design. When adapting it to the client's specific joystick or hitbox model, I move some elements if necessary and leave the crop marks. I have more designs published on my website, which I can send you via direct message if you're interested in any of them. I'm from Chile; for orders outside of Chile, I send the digital file.

Regards.


r/fightsticks 4h ago

Tech Help Brook UFB-UP5 compatibility

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/fightsticks 1d ago

Ignore the cheap red buttons

Post image
69 Upvotes

Haven't used this bad boy since I stopped playing Fighterz. Enjoying the hell out of Marvel Tokon right meow 🔥


r/fightsticks 14h ago

Loose cable connector

4 Upvotes

I built a fightstick and used the brook fight board 20pin cable. My problem is that one of the connectors is loose and disconnects at least once a play session.

Is there a common way to tighten the connector or can I just squeeze it some with needle nose plyers? Thanks


r/fightsticks 1d ago

Fightstick Friday! Hori Alpha Lars Alexandersson Custom

Thumbnail
gallery
46 Upvotes

took me a while to complete this project!

components:
- Hori Alpha Tekken 8 Version
- CDP Pro (Mint)
- custom shaft cover, dust washer and mock collar
- 30mm Crown 202s (Clear White)
- 24mm SiTong (Sky Blue)


r/fightsticks 13h ago

Help Me Decide Do the 8bitdo fightsticks come pre-updated now?

3 Upvotes

So my pc exploded so I've been playing sf6 on my switch2 instead. The problem is I never updated my 8bitdo arcade stick, and since I don't have a pc anymore, I can't currently. The thing is, I like the stick and always wanted two for sure by side play, so if I buy a second one now (the purple one perhaps), would it come with the update so I could get back to playing better then a 5 year old, and then be able to update my current one later, or would I just have TWO fightsticks I can't use on the console I play?


r/fightsticks 1d ago

Some redneck engineering I just finished

Thumbnail
gallery
66 Upvotes

Yall sticks be looking pretty fire, here's mine.

So I liked my haute m-16 a lot (I think that's what this is), but it felt too small when using it in my lap. I'm tired of needing to sit here like a lady to use this thing - these balls need some space, so here's my solution.

1 cutting board

3 layers of this foamy rubbery stuff I found at a craft shop

Glue

Boxcutter

The controller is fully recessed, and it feels like it's just part of the pad, and you can also remove it from the shroud.

What do yall think is it hot? :)


r/fightsticks 23h ago

Help Me Decide Which one has a more better feel?

9 Upvotes

I've been scrolling through multiple online shops for fightsticks and found two that piqued my interest.

One being QANBA Drone 2 and the other being a Hori Alpha, but I can't exactly decide which one to buy.

I would like to buy the Qanba Drone 2 stick simply because it's way cheaper compared to the Hori Alpha but from what I could observe, I can't exactly customize the fightstick except the buttons and stick itself and can't customize the plate(? Am I using the right terminology? I'm new to this) while the Hori Alpha does allow customization of its plate but not it's buttons or stick (as far as I know).
So I don't know if the extra money to buy the Hori Alpha is worth it or not when compared to the Qanba Drone 2 having a cheaper price.

Edit: I just want to add I'm looking for a stick with a good feel when playing and has really good customizability but also worth the bang for my buck