Home consoles largely replaced fightstick style controls with smaller controllers that work with a variety of titles compared to the classic ones unique to every game, but for the fighting game community, fightsticks remain the preferred weapon.

Whether it is Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, or Tekken, players use their own unique fightsticks to play. Learn if fightsticks, also known as arcade sticks, make you better, how they’re better than traditional controllers, and why they’re so expensive.

Fightsticks are designed for fighting games

While the DualSense controller does a lot of fairly amazing things, it was developed to play almost every single game in the PS Library. That means the fightstick is going to be better at a few things like precision since it is designed specifically for fighting games.

Here’s an extensive overview from WoolieVersus: 

Are arcade sticks better than controllers: Comfort and design

The fightstick versus controller debate comes down to preference.

Hitting certain button combinations of the controller can get difficult. Meanwhile, fightsticks have a variety of layouts and spacing, offering players a chance to select the optimal positions to improve inputs and comfort.

Inputting things like half turns are trickier on the DualSense controller. The directional pad might be preferable, however it can still be harder to use than a fightstick due to its small size. If the joystick is a deal breaker, you can always opt for all-button fighting game controllers like the Hit Box.

Arcade sticks are typically more expensive, less portable, and require effort to customize and swap parts. If you’re ok with that, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give one a try. The extra precision might help your combo consistency under pressure.

Will I get better with a fightstick?

There’s no guarantee that you’ll improve simply from switching controllers. If you frequently lose, you might need more time to practice your character, certain matchups, or refine your playstyle. Spent 100s of hours with a traditional controller? Don’t feel pressured to stop now. Skill can succeed on any device.

The controller is only as good as the person using it, kind of like a sniper rifle in shooting games. While a sniper can one hit kill enemies, you’re not going to land your shots unless you’re comfortable using it. Arcade sticks can be deadly in the right hands.

The universal controller

Fightsticks are universal, meaning you can use them across different platforms and games. As a result, you’ll probably feel more comfortable and perform better in fighting games elsewhere since you won’t need to switch controllers.

Why are fightsticks so expensive?

Anyone who plays fighting games knows your controller is going to take a beating. Repetitive, pounding motions can easily wear down even the best made gamepads. Old arcade cabinet sticks were extra durable to handle tons of use.

A good fightstick is designed with this type of wear and tear in mind. They’ll last a long time, far longer than the average controller, and can handle the frequent quarter circle, twists, and other rotations required to play fighting games at a high level. If you manage to damage yours, most have guarantees and warranties, so you can get it fixed or replaced for free.

Fightsticks range from the price of a new traditional controller to a few hundred dollars. Ask a friend or community member if you can try theirs before making any purchases. If you decide to move forward, start with a cheaper beginner model before splurging on a really expensive version.

You can customize them to a ridiculous degree

Good fightsticks have parts that can be swapped, upgraded, and customized. You can adjust things like joystick tightness or even how much resistance you feel when pressing buttons. Fightsticks come with wiring guides and schematics. There’s even a whole community that designs and mods them.

Take a look at this Core-A Gaming video for a sense of how seriously some people take their fighting sticks.

Which fightstick should I buy?

Discover the top fightsticks for PlayStation in our previous breakdown!