Mad Catz Street Fighter IV Sticks May Have Issues

[modeps]

Whoops. Looks like owners of the Mad Catz Street Fighter IV Standard Arcade Stick are complaining that the joystick is "sticky", while others are complaining about broken buttons. Destructoid (http://www.destructoid.com/owners-complain-that-mad-catz-standard-edition-fight-stick-s-joystick-is-sticky-121807.phtml):

Reports of a clinging issue in Mad Catz’s lower cost Standard Edition Fight Stick joystick are emerging. Members of the Shoryuken message board -- a forum specifically designed for the hardcore Street Fighter player -- has the widest berth of complaints, ranging from broken buttons to the more popular sticky joystick issue. The complaints indicate the joystick sticks in its former diagonal position instead of snapping back to the neutral zone.

A normal human could weather this issue, but a Street Fighter elite is obviously perturbed. Several of the members of the forum have ripped open their SE Fight Sticks aware that it also voids their warranty. One brave user claimed to have found the problem: “[There] is a small metal washer [between] the body of the joystick and spring cap. [The] washer moves around and the plastic spring cap gets stuck on the grooves where the washer is supposed to sit.”

At least we know that Mad Catz quality hasn't changed.

[ascl]

Well I am glad that I decided to 'make do' with my Soul Calibur 4 stick... its been working perfectly! :)

[Zander]

Ahhhh, Mad Catz quality is deemed crap again. All is right with the world.

[ldi222]

They are contract manufacturing overseas to the lowest bidder most likely. This always leads to cheap components and product defects. The price you pay for commodity shelf space at a low price point. I do have some hope for their fighter gamerpad though.

[wastedyears]

Funny how none of the glowing reviews mentioned this problem.

[Sinnix]

That "lower cost" stick is still $80 f'ing dollars. You can price out eight high-quality arcade buttons and a quality 4 way joystick for around $30. For that much mark-up I'd expect a lot better from Mad Catz

[biosc1]

The cheaper one definitely looked cheap. I really liked the TE version, but I was definitely planning on waiting for people to get time in with the device before making a decision.

I've never had much luck with Mad Catz products and pretty much swore off them after getting a 2x GC wireless controllers. I may still end up getting the control pad from them, but only if I find it cheap...because they are the only ones making the products :o

[Ozena]

See, I really enjoy the Street Fighter series, and fighting games in general, but some people are too hardcore.

This is a little bit of a side-comment, but it relates to the issues with the stick. The very intense players may frighten away the more casual users.

[Bacarat]

See, I really enjoy the Street Fighter series, and fighting games in general, but some people are too hardcore.

This is a little bit of a side-comment, but it relates to the issues with the stick. The very intense players may frighten away the more casual users.

Too Hardcore? Its impossible to do your moves correctly with a garbage stick, especially one that does not return to the neutral position. Everyone is so worried about the "casual players" its taking away from the few things that the hardcore gaming community has left, 2D fighters is one of those things. Why would anyone even consider getting a madcats stick? Everything they make screams crap!

[FreezaSama]

That "lower cost" stick is still $80 f'ing dollars. You can price out eight high-quality arcade buttons and a quality 4 way joystick for around $30. For that much mark-up I'd expect a lot better from Mad Catz

Mad Catz is shit. I avoid it like the plague. I almost broke down and bought the $150 stick, but I couldn't spend that much monet on something I'd use for one game... not in good conscience. I'd probably end up preferring the thumbstick on the standard 360 controller anyhow... I would have went for the stick if it had the style the old SFII machines had, and not the lollipop type.

[Bacarat]

Mad Catz is shit. I avoid it like the plague. I almost broke down and bought the $150 stick, but I couldn't spend that much monet on something I'd use for one game... not in good conscience. I'd probably end up preferring the thumbstick on the standard 360 controller anyhow... I would have went for the stick if it had the style the old SFII machines had, and not the lollipop type.

The HORI stick for $150 is worth it. The 360 D-Pad is absolutely horrid, almost unplayable. If you are any good at street fighter don't use the d-pad on the 360 controller and fork over the cash for the HORI stick, its worth every penny.

[JazGalaxy]

Ever since I got a ps1 Mad Catz Memory card that came with Japanese saves of Ridge Racer on it (no joke) and deleted every single Square game save I made on it, I never buy anything Mad Catz.

That's beyond a quality issue.

[epyon]

Not surprised; if I were to get a stick I's try to import a HORI stick, I would not a get madcatz; imo, all third parties are carp unless they prove otherwise.

[Orz]

Not surprised; if I were to get a stick I's try to import a HORI stick, I would not a get madcatz; imo, all third parties are carp unless they prove otherwise.

I always thought they were a little fishy...

[Chimpbot]

Not surprised; if I were to get a stick I's try to import a HORI stick, I would not a get madcatz; imo, all third parties are carp unless they prove otherwise.

This stick (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox360-Fighting-Stick-EX-Xbox-360/dp/B000V02P6Q/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1234834336&sr=1-5) seems like a good, affordable unit...unfortunately, it's also out of stock. I'd much rather pick up this sexy little beast (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Real-Arcade-Pro-EX/dp/B001GDONZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1234834336&sr=1-1)..but damn. $130 is a lot to drop, even for something as nice as that. Still, I've heard nothing but fantastic things about the Real Arcade Pro EX.

I'm so fucking tempted, it's not even funny. Fuck all of you for bringing this topic up the day before SFIV comes out...I didn't want to spend any more than the $60 for the game. Damnit.

[ascl]

Thats the stick I have (well, I have the SC4 branded version, but its the same stick). Its a good stick.

I also have a custom arcade stick for the PC... which has slightly better buttons than the SC stick, but I need to swap the board in it for an xbox controller board...

[ElPresidente]

The EX2 is a fine entry level stick but it is not a particularly good one.

If you can get your hands on one grab a HRAP EX 2 SE which comes with Sanwa parts.

Ultimately the TE stick is the one you want but even if you end up with an Fighting Stick EX2 you have some modding options which will turn this average stick into an excellent one.

Head over to the SRK forums for mod threads to see what parts will fit and then hit up someone like http://www.lizardlick.com/ for what you need.

The long and the short of it is that the only parts you want for your stick come from either Seimitsu and Sanwa. Hori's own buttons and sticks are a bit weak and judging from the reports of the standard SFIV stick Madcatz's aren't too great either.

[ElPresidente]

Just to further help people understand what stick quality is all about I thought I should post the following video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1e4k3Myyak

At 8:00 they compare the TE stick to the EX2 (or DOA4 stick... they are the same thing, one just has DOA4 imaging on it).

The things they speak about are what separates a good stick from an okay one.