I have both arcade sticks and leverless controllers, and I generally play with leverless. It just offers so much precision that D-pad or lever can't really replicate, while also being super fast. That said, lever has benefits for some characters as it feels more natural to do full circle movements with a lever.
Awesome video! Grew up in the arcades in HTX and switched to Hitbox back in SF4 and never looked back. I bought my first hitbox on eBay and it changed my gameplay. Now i have a Victrix FS-10, Mini Dub, and several Foehammer all button controllers. My son who is 13 uses a Madcatz Alpha SFV EDITION stick and my daughter who is 16 uses a Eternal Rival All button controller.
Wonderful and fascinating summary. You're not wrong about the wealth of resources for modding sticks either; I purchased a Hori Fighting Alpha for VF and KOF recently and have spent the same amount for the stick on a new Seimitsu lever, buttons, octo gate and graphics etc, not cheap! But I really appreciate the versatility of sticks.
I think the speed aspect of stickless is not as high as people think. Unless you use socd shortcuts anything that requires individual timing of movement buttons is going to be slower than stick. And not all games work well with socd.
I'm on the same boat as you. Playing on stick is one of the reasons why I love fighting games. I can play on stickless as well, but it doesnt give me the same satisfaction as stick. It's also definitely the nostalgia of it as well (90s kid as well).
Agree that stick is funner, and yes Stickless is less strain on wrists but it puts a lot of strain on the tendons in your hands / forearms. So as I started in the video, just have to take care of yourself and not over do it.
I've tried leverless for more than a year and still find stick more comfortable and easier because of muscle memory from my arcade days and believe it or not there's room for errors and still it execute well. And yes maybe I'm old 😁, but I have no wrist problem or whatsoever in long sessions contrary to what many people say, whereas on leverless my left fingers get sore if play a long session. I think the precision nature of a leverless is a plus and a minus at the same time. What I mean is that you have to input precisely on a leverless whereas on stick is more lenient. Oh yeah, I play KoF and SF6, and I'm waiting for City of the Wolves.
amazing video!! 2 questions for you Jony: 1- what socd shortcuts will pad players usually use considering it's fairly cumbersome to use? 2- is there an easy way to deactivate the extra jump button (or any button) on a haute leverless?
The tech I’ve seen recently is pad players swapping Left and Right analogue in the accessibility menus making it easier to do stuff. So you can Korean back dash in tekken by just holding back on the analogue and press down and SOCD forward to cancel to neutral. In sf6 you can do SPDs by doing half circle + analogue up + P. You can deactivate the extra jump in the pin mappings section of the gp2040ce web configurator.
I feel like one of the things people are asking, when they ask, which peripheral is best, as if one will make them a better player than the other. I feel like going from a pad to a larger peripheral, requires cleaner inputs. On a stick or hit box, the buttons are larger and more spread out. I feel like that lends itself too much more precise, inputs, almost because it demands it. Newbies on pad will be smudging a lot of inputs because the buttons are so close together. Same thing with their directional inputs, because of some of the leniencies in modern games. Stick is harder to keep clean consistently, but more satisfying to me. That being said, a hitbox layout is always going to be faster, and more precise by default.
"Modding can be very addictive" Putangina, it is so true, tito. 😂 I'm probably going to be a stick guy for life. I can't play on Stickless to save my skin.
I’m weird. For some reason I’m more comfortable playing MK and GGST on pad while all other fighting games I can playing on both lever and leverless. Like I have more fun playing T8 on lever and SF6 on leverless. But I do switch it up depending on how I feel. Modding became my new addiction.😅
I don't believe in a "best" I play what's fun and comfortable for me. Since I'm 40 years old and grew up in the arcade era I can't imagine playing a fighting game without a traditional fightstick. Plus playing old retro games on stick is what I do for fun.
There is no better it completely depends on what you learned on. You learn on stick that's what you play on you learn on controller that's what you play on. Switching from what you learned on means starting from scratch
Nice vid! Couldn't agree more regarding the scene/community in your "stick pros" section.
best part of fightsticks imo.
Sorry for the typo on the last slide! But use WHAT'S most comfortable for you!
You the man, Jony! Great vid :)
I have both arcade sticks and leverless controllers, and I generally play with leverless. It just offers so much precision that D-pad or lever can't really replicate, while also being super fast.
That said, lever has benefits for some characters as it feels more natural to do full circle movements with a lever.
Great video. We need this video done every 6 months to see the updates for sticks and pads.
Agreed. A lot has changed even in the last year.
Awesome video! Grew up in the arcades in HTX and switched to Hitbox back in SF4 and never looked back. I bought my first hitbox on eBay and it changed my gameplay. Now i have a Victrix FS-10, Mini Dub, and several Foehammer all button controllers. My son who is 13 uses a Madcatz Alpha SFV EDITION stick and my daughter who is 16 uses a Eternal Rival All button controller.
Love how the whole family is involved!
man i love these kinds of video, very informative also fun to watch
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Turtle Beach Pivot is really good. Good button placement if you want to use your thumb 👍🏿
I’ll have to check it out!
Wonderful and fascinating summary. You're not wrong about the wealth of resources for modding sticks either; I purchased a Hori Fighting Alpha for VF and KOF recently and have spent the same amount for the stick on a new Seimitsu lever, buttons, octo gate and graphics etc, not cheap! But I really appreciate the versatility of sticks.
Yeah man you can definitely go down a rabbit whole with stick mods, etc.
I think the speed aspect of stickless is not as high as people think. Unless you use socd shortcuts anything that requires individual timing of movement buttons is going to be slower than stick. And not all games work well with socd.
💯
this vid some heat coach , very dope and resourceful , love the breakdown of details , you the goat 💯
Appreciate that
great video my guy , this vid so clutch and helpful
Glad it was helpful fam!
Great video Jony! Super informative/educational
Thanks brother! The BETOP was your recommendation!
Stick user since the 90s... tried leverless for a week but it didn't give me that feeling of "fun" that moving a stick does, so I went back to stick.
I'm on the same boat as you. Playing on stick is one of the reasons why I love fighting games. I can play on stickless as well, but it doesnt give me the same satisfaction as stick. It's also definitely the nostalgia of it as well (90s kid as well).
Stick is the most fun but leverless is the most efficient and puts less strain on the wrists
Agree that stick is funner, and yes Stickless is less strain on wrists but it puts a lot of strain on the tendons in your hands / forearms. So as I started in the video, just have to take care of yourself and not over do it.
I've tried leverless for more than a year and still find stick more comfortable and easier because of muscle memory from my arcade days and believe it or not there's room for errors and still it execute well. And yes maybe I'm old 😁, but I have no wrist problem or whatsoever in long sessions contrary to what many people say, whereas on leverless my left fingers get sore if play a long session.
I think the precision nature of a leverless is a plus and a minus at the same time. What I mean is that you have to input precisely on a leverless whereas on stick is more lenient.
Oh yeah, I play KoF and SF6, and I'm waiting for City of the Wolves.
amazing video!! 2 questions for you Jony:
1- what socd shortcuts will pad players usually use considering it's fairly cumbersome to use?
2- is there an easy way to deactivate the extra jump button (or any button) on a haute leverless?
The tech I’ve seen recently is pad players swapping Left and Right analogue in the accessibility menus making it easier to do stuff. So you can Korean back dash in tekken by just holding back on the analogue and press down and SOCD forward to cancel to neutral. In sf6 you can do SPDs by doing half circle + analogue up + P.
You can deactivate the extra jump in the pin mappings section of the gp2040ce web configurator.
@jonyfraze thanks!!
I feel like one of the things people are asking, when they ask, which peripheral is best, as if one will make them a better player than the other. I feel like going from a pad to a larger peripheral, requires cleaner inputs. On a stick or hit box, the buttons are larger and more spread out. I feel like that lends itself too much more precise, inputs, almost because it demands it. Newbies on pad will be smudging a lot of inputs because the buttons are so close together. Same thing with their directional inputs, because of some of the leniencies in modern games. Stick is harder to keep clean consistently, but more satisfying to me. That being said, a hitbox layout is always going to be faster, and more precise by default.
That’s a good point!
finally a video that talks about the subcultural appeal of fight sticks in detail
It’s almost always overlooked
Dope video
🙏🏼
"Modding can be very addictive"
Putangina, it is so true, tito. 😂
I'm probably going to be a stick guy for life. I can't play on Stickless to save my skin.
pakingshet.
I like leverless for street fighter 6 and if I can get electrics down Tekken 8 as well. Stick feels more natural pause for everything else.
I’m weird. For some reason I’m more comfortable playing MK and GGST on pad while all other fighting games I can playing on both lever and leverless. Like I have more fun playing T8 on lever and SF6 on leverless. But I do switch it up depending on how I feel. Modding became my new addiction.😅
Im sure we all have little preferences per game. I play Marvel 3 on pad because i learned it on PS Vita during lunch breaks at work lol.
i switched to pad cos stick is too heavy on my lap... tedious to bring out the stick only for 1 game then i gotta put it away after i'm done...
Pad is honestly the most convenient.
Happy new year bro
Happy New Year to you too fam!
I don't believe in a "best" I play what's fun and comfortable for me. Since I'm 40 years old and grew up in the arcade era I can't imagine playing a fighting game without a traditional fightstick. Plus playing old retro games on stick is what I do for fun.
I agree with you, comfort and fun are the most important!
There is no better it completely depends on what you learned on. You learn on stick that's what you play on you learn on controller that's what you play on. Switching from what you learned on means starting from scratch
I completely agree.
Stickless for 2D FIghters
Korean Lever all the way for Tekken/3D fighters
Exactly that why i had to shout out the Tekken community for keeping lever culture alive.
@jonyfraze Tekken just feels satisfying to play on stick, especially if it's a korean lever