As a newcomer to fighting games, and in particular to 6-button fighting games, 'd like to get some opinions on fight sticks. The basic question is: should I get one? I played this most recent MK and really enjoued it, however it seemed like it's 4-button set up was suited for a gamepad's face-buttons. However, a 6-button game like Skullgirls will require me to use shoulder buttons for basic attacks. What do you all think? Is it pretty much a prerequisite for games like this to invest in a fight stick? Or is it simply better? Or is it totally pointless? Thanks!

(Sorry if I offend anyone with my total and utter lack of fighting game knowledge btw :D )

I think the chains in this game are designed to be pulled off on a stick not a pad. I would always recommend a stick, I think it is a little easier, but you don't need one. I just bought my first fight stick a while ago, so if you need some recommendations let me know

It's all about personal preference honestly. Some of the best fighting game players in the world use pads. I'm a terrible fighting game player and I use a pad, just because that's what I grew up with. Sticks take time to get used to, but they can offer a decent advantage, particularly in games like Skullgirls. In fact this game in particular, since it doesn't allow for virtually any button re-mapping, really encourages use of a stick, which seems a little odd since they said they were trying to cater to casual players but whatever. If you've got the cash to spend and feel like getting serious about the game, and the pad seems like it's holding you back and giving you some grief, then go for it, but don't think of a stick as a necessity or a 'get better fast' scheme, it's neither.

@James_Giant_Peach said:

It's all about personal preference honestly. Some of the best fighting game players in the world use pads. I'm a terrible fighting game player and I use a pad, just because that's what I grew up with. Sticks take time to get used to, but they can offer a decent advantage, particularly in games like Skullgirls. In fact this game in particular, since it doesn't allow for virtually any button re-mapping, really encourages use of a stick, which seems a little odd since they said they were trying to cater to casual players but whatever. If you've got the cash to spend and feel like getting serious about the game, and the pad seems like it's holding you back and giving you some grief, then go for it, but don't think of a stick as a necessity or a 'get better fast' scheme, it's neither.

Right. I'm not looking for a way to get good really fast. It's more like: I'm starting from such a low base of knowledge that I kind of get to decide how I want to learn how to play this kind of fighting game. Sort of like: do I want to learn to drive on a stick or an automatic. So what do you think? should I go for the stick to start out?

@Commisar123 said:

I think the chains in this game are designed to be pulled off on a stick not a pad. I would always recommend a stick, I think it is a little easier, but you don't need one. I just bought my first fight stick a while ago, so if you need some recommendations let me know

I'd love to hear some suggestions!

it's personal preference. i use the controller because i don't want to learn the game all over again using a fight stick, even if they look fun to use. you could find a way to try it out with a stick to see if it's your thing or not. i play Street Fighter IV, a six button game with a controller and it works just fine.

I personally use a DS3, and it works just fine for SFIV, MvC3, Skullgirls, etc...

I bought a stick and tried my damnedest to like it... but it just wasn't clicking.

Maybe borrow one and see if you like it?

@AjayRaz said:

it's personal preference. i use the controller because i don't want to learn the game all over again using a fight stick, even if they look fun to use.

Yeah I get that. I'm sort of lucky in that sense, because I haven't learned much at all yet.

@Dtat:

What system are you on?

@Commisar123: PS3. Probably should have mentioned that lol

@Dtat: Okay me too, I bought this Horifor $60 on Amazon, its a good starter stick, not too fancy or anything, but it gets the job done. I would start with this one and use it to decide you like how sticks feel. Note of warning though, this is a square gated stick so it will take a little more getting used to then an octogate.

its all preference and i think the soul caliber stick is on sale for 100$

@Commisar123: for the layman, does the gate literally have to do with the edges around the stick and therefore how it feels? Or does it have gameplay implications?

@Dtat: Sorry XD, yeah it is just the edge it works exactly the same

@Commisar123: Ok thanks! Looks like it's out of stock now, but I'll keep an eye out.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

@Dtat: Coming from someone who took a gamble on getting one a few years ago for Super Street Fighter IV and Blazblue. I say TOTALLY WORTH IT! It gives fighting games a very unique feel. It'll take a few days to get used to but it's 100% worth it.

I can't imagine playing a fighting game on a gamepad anymore. It'd be like playing an RTS with keyboard arrow keys instead of a mouse or something.

I would only get one if you plan on using it for other fighting games.

I use a stick on the 360 version of the game, but my friend got the PS3 version and since I don't have a PS3 stick I'll be using a Dual Shock 2 with an adaptor when I visit him.

While playing on a pad, I plan to run only one man teams, which should reduce the amount of multiple button pressing I should have to do.

Also, arcade sticks are great for shoot em ups. I use a Happ stick myself, but most commercially available ones are square gate Sanwas. Try before buying.

I have a stick but I'm yet to really get a feel for it and I've had it since the release of 3rd Strike on 360. I find my right hand cramps up a lot on the buttons especially with Skullgirls as it's pretty fast but I've only played the trial. I'm still waiting to see what others think of it first before I make the plunge (there is also the matter of Fez and Trails Evo). The GT review said that training stuff was pretty basic but a lot of the stuff I saw in the build up to release was claiming how good its tutorial was at actually teaching players about high/low mix ups, punishing etc and taking that knowledge into other games.

Anything that you can do on a stick, you can do on a pad, and vice versa. It is a matter of preference.

If you do get a stick, expect to be much, much worse at fighting games and expect to feel like a complete retard, at least for a little while until you get used to it.

It's a six button game, so sticks are usually the way to go. It's all a matter of preference though.

I built my stick for $80, and it's pretty good (Sanwa parts), so the barrier to entry on the cost side isn't super steep.

It's worth noting that the L1 and L2 buttons are default shortcut to calling assists, so if you're going to play a team you need to actually press 2 buttons whenever you want to do a super. This seems really minor but can be surprisingly easy to fuck up on a controller, especially if you've been playing SF4 for years now and are used to just tapping L1/L2 to get it done.
 
 
 
That said, as a pad warrior, the game actually controls perfectly fine on a controller. Combo's are also super easy to do in this game.

@Ulong said:

It's worth noting that the L1 and L2 buttons are default shortcut to calling assists, so if you're going to play a team you need to actually press 2 buttons whenever you want to do a super. This seems really minor but can be surprisingly easy to fuck up on a controller, especially if you've been playing SF4 for years now and are used to just tapping L1/L2 to get it done. That said, as a pad warrior, the game actually controls perfectly fine on a controller. Combo's are also super easy to do in this game.

As a newcomer to the genre, I'll have to disagree on that last point ;( I'm getting WORKED by the AI. haha

I wouldn't bother unless you have a something like a desk or table to use it on.

Also it depends whether you think you'll have more fun playing with a stick as opposed to a controller. If you get one solely to make it easier to win and not because it's more fun.. then it's technically cheating. x)

I'll just pile-on here and say play what you're comfortable with. There's something wrong with my fingers where I have some difficulty pulling the shoulder buttons with accuracy, but I can press the buttons on the joystick fine. This probably has something to do with my fucked up nerves and gravity.

The best C.Viper player in the US (who is arguably the most demanding character in SFIV in terms of execution) plays on pad.

Fight stick? I dunno. But flight stick? That I can get behind.

its personal preference. I use a pad, but im not a great player either. The basic setup for Skullgirls is pretty pad friendly though. With the heavy attacks as R1/R2 and assists as L1/L2. Throw in button config and its pretty easy to get a setup you like on a pad. But if you are new to fighting games i would suggest at least trying a stick if possible. You might like it more, and since you are super use to a pad yet, the transfer will be easier.

@beard_of_zeus said:

Fight stick? I dunno. But flight stick? That I can get behind.

And I absolutely WILL be getting one of those when the new Mechwarrior game comes out!

yeah, it's personal preference. If you like playing on a pad then keep doing that.

Fight sticks are kind of a lot of money for a wired stick. (which I recommend so you feel less lag playing in person) Do you have a friend that has a fight stick? try that :)

I've been using a Sixaxis so far. It's been working fine for me, but what I really dislike are the triggers. I feel like the triggers a really big bother in comparison to the Dualshock 2's buttons for fighting games. But it's not so bad.

I'd like to have a stick for this game, as I think it'd be nice to use. However $60 is even pretty steep for me, so i'll stick with my sixaxis.

I find that my fightpad works just fine. It's a good middle ground between a regular console controller, and a full-fledged tournament fight stick. I bought mine at a local Best Buy for 40 bucks.

In general, I guess it just depends on how hardcore you are wanting to get with fighting games. If you are wanting to jump in 100% then you might want to take the hit and get an expensive fight stick. Otherwise just go with a fightpad, or a regular console controller.

Can anyone recommend me a good fightstick or fightpad for the 360?Hopefully under 100$?

"Flight Stick: Necessary? Encouraged?"

That's what I read. So, I say you try a flight stick :)

It's all preference obviously, but certain execution things are simpler on either. For instance, in SFIV C.Viper's c.lk xx HPTK feint loop/mixup is much easier on pad (for me) due to negative edging, but MvC3 in general is easier on stick. I use stick for every game except SFIV, because I'm just incredibly comfortable with that game and pad. Just find a friend with one and get used to it, or take the plunge and sell it if it doesn't work out for you.

@Smokay: The Hori SCV fightstick is $100 if you use the code HORI12E201. Sick deal from World Finals thru Fight For Youth.

I was a SF2 SNES pad player. I thought the TE stick would "take me to the next level" in SF4. It turned out I was just plain worse with the stick, it was much harder to pull off moves for me.

@anal_diarrhea said:

I was a SF2 SNES pad player. I thought the TE stick would "take me to the next level" in SF4. It turned out I was just plain worse with the stick, it was much harder to pull off moves for me.

It takes practice to get used to a stick. Speaking as someone that always used pad till ssf4 it makes doing more advanced stuff way easier. (FADC, making difficult links ect.)

@TechHits said:

@anal_diarrhea said:

I was a SF2 SNES pad player. I thought the TE stick would "take me to the next level" in SF4. It turned out I was just plain worse with the stick, it was much harder to pull off moves for me.

It takes practice to get used to a stick. Speaking as someone that always used pad till ssf4 it makes doing more advanced stuff way easier. (FADC, making difficult links ect.)

Plinking is way easier on a stick and i dont think its possible to true double plink on a pad?

@scarace360: I don't know, does any pro player use a charcter that one would need to use plinking?

@TechHits said:

@scarace360: I don't know, does any pro player use a charcter that one would need to use plinking?

You dont need to but it makes links easier.