Which Dreamcast Arcade Stick is best?

[Red_Bull]

I'm looking to get one of the dreamcast arcade stick attachments and was wondering which one was best. To my knowledge there are two. The
Agetec Sega Dreamcast Arcade Stick HKT-7300 or the Topmax arcade stick?

[Macabre]

There are quite few. From my experience playing shoot'em'ups, here are my opinions on the sticks I've used;

Topmax = pure shit, flimsy feeling plastic. Looks nice, possible to LED light mod, but just isnt worth it.

Official / agetec = fairly decent, but pricey. I'd be happier if it didn't yellow like the system does with age.

ascii = somewhat better feeling than the agetec, maybe its just the palm rest / no squared curvature. I did like the way the firmness of the stick felt more.

The Alloy stick by interact, which is what I choose to use, is the best dreamcast-made manufactured stick I've ever felt. Its a heavy beast, and the buttons have a perfect feel for what I like. The stick is itself not as firm as I like, more useable for fighting games, but the overall performance is flawless. And it looks extremely nice!



There are more, Some sort of tornade stick, which I can't even tell a manufacturing name, so it sounds like crap, and the innovation stick, which my friend had (i never actually used it), but I some times don't like their products. I have seen an unboxing video on Youtube of a treamcast arcade stick, where the stick inside the box didn't even match the picture on the box!





But to be 100% honest... the best dreamcast stick isn't actually something made for the dreamcast. You can use adapters (total control 3 and/or total control plus) to use Saturn and PS2 arcade sticks on this system. That opens the doors to better looking/quality sticks (I have a horrible love for the official Saturn stick), and the huge market of customized sticks that will most likely have a PS2 plug.

Hell I'm sure with proper adapters, you can even get the new Mortal Kombat 9 arcade stick backwards wrapped into a dreamcast.


For the best, I'd suggest building your own out of parts following one of many guides, tracking down the Alloy by Interact, or looking up the PS2 library with a controller adapter.


To be more precise about picking a stick, it would be good to know what games your planning on playing with it. Fighting games and shooting games, for me atleast, require two different feeling sticks.

[Red_Bull]

Fighting games primarily. For example, street fighter alpha 3, mortal kombat gold, and marvel vs capcom 2. Is the topmax really that bad? It seems to be the cheapest option online. The weight isn't really an issue if you have a book on your lap I assume.

[Macabre]

Yea theres a reason its cheap. Absolute cheapest route is still a total control adapter with a corresponding stick, you can buy the Total Control 3 (plays saturn sticks) or Total Control Plus each for around $20, and you can still buy mint-in-box / sealed / new saturn sticks for $20 if you shop around a bit.


For fighting games I'd find a looser rotating stick with a bit of spring to it (not a very defined 8-way digital pad, more of a smoother rotation for semi/circular combo moves), something similar to the agetec.

In that case, I would avoid the interact alloy stick I mentioned above, as i seems to be much more definite on its directions, and is difficult to execute some combos in mvc2.

[Red_Bull]

how bout this one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

think I need to worry about it being a treamcast stick? Says it new and sealed. Did your friend like his?

[Macabre]

He was a bit of a wimp and never played the games sticks are made for. This was a decade ago, but I recall him wanting to use it to play chu chu or something silly that doesn't require a stick. Someone else should fill in the gap on that particular stick.

The treamcast stick I was talking about is this one. This video always makes me laugh - not only does the box picture a vmu slot like the authentic stick, but instead has those poor quality (and often stripped of components) vmu plugs, but the box claims that it has "duel shock" which is actually a specific definition for something with two analog sticks and two vibrating motors. Funny item, makes me want to own it just for the novelty.


edit; There is apparently also a chinese treamcast stick, completely different from the japanese/korean one unboxed in the previous video? In the comments the poster claims that there are 3-4 versions of the treamcast stick.


edit edit; damn happy i started pilfering this guys videos, found something i really want!

[Red_Bull]

that soul calibur stick is simply orgasmic

[Red_Bull]

Does anyone have issues with the game restarting while using an arcade stick? It seems like when I press multiple buttons for combos it restarts the game. Wtf is going on? Anyone know?

[Neohound]

Does anyone have issues with the game restarting while using an arcade stick? It seems like when I press multiple buttons for combos it restarts the game. Wtf is going on? Anyone know?

When you press a,b,c &y plus Start together it can restart the game, that's how it is on the controller anyway. It happens on pretty much all games.

[Red_Bull]

Does anyone have issues with the game restarting while using an arcade stick? It seems like when I press multiple buttons for combos it restarts the game. Wtf is going on? Anyone know?

When you press a,b,c &y plus Start together it can restart the game, that's how it is on the controller anyway. It happens on pretty much all games.

I did an experiment and when I press a,b,c,y without start it restarts. It's an innovation stick.