Controller vs Arcade Stick

[Shadow The Innkeep]

Hey guys, question for y’all - is one gadget more accurate and faster than the other? Or is the input response rate fairly same?
My hubby asked if i want a traditional fight stick, and that got me wondering if there is a point of getting it if I play Modern and if there is even a difference between the two in terms of accuracy and response rate.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Bumblescrump]

The only reason to get a fightstick is because it's what you're used to, or you think it would be fun. No advantage over controller, probably a disadvantage if you are brand new to stick.

[HomongUS]

Stick in general are just for fun or to flex now.

[Doc Holiday]

if you play Modern you should use Pad. Modern is meant for Pad, it fits perfectly.

I use Arcade Stick and Classic because it's fun

[sumolagann]

I think you need to get a 3rd party fight pad unless your dpad is excellent, ds4 with no gate for analog stick and an uncomfortable dpad aint it, just seems not much point to bother with a regular designed controller, with the accuracy required.

[Gleap]

Leverless or controller are both arguably the best input devices for different reasons.

Traditional arcade stick is worse than both.

[Ranshi]

I'd say controller and leverless are better than an arcade stick.

For me it's more of a comfort thing. I use both pad and arcade sticks, but when playing long sessions I use a stick because playing on pad for too long makes my hands hurt.

[Sixtyfivekills]

How can you play charge characters without steering wheel controller?


You hold the wheel to the opposite side + using dpad on the wheel to move all around = infinite free charge amirite?

[fieldmarshalbonespur69]

I use stick because It's fun; I am actively worse than when I use a pad. I mostly play Gief, but I switched to Chun-Li because my quarter circles and charge inputs have improved. I can't really churn that butter on my stick yet.

Manon has been really fun for me too in practice and the battle hub. Try not to ride the gate when you start out and listen for the clicks. Once you get used to where the buttons are you're golden.

[fieldmarshalbonespur69]

Originally posted by Gleap:

Leverless or controller are both arguably the best input devices for different reasons.

Traditional arcade stick is worse than both.

I think stick is easier on the hands than either one.

[Peddie]

Well, everybody's hands are different but you can't really ignore the ongoing trend of FGC over 40s transitioning to leverless in droves.

[Tyrant (My Vision is Augmented)]

Fight sticks are a ton of fun, and are a way of keeping the arcade legacy alive.

There are some things they do slightly better than controllers (with practice, you'll likely get more precise inputs), and things they do worse (the larger size and greater travel distance for your hands mean they are slower - especially when first learning them). Looking at the win/ loss statistics for players over a long span of time, the numbers show that fight sticks are no worse and no better than a traditional controller, on average.

That said, some folks who have hand pain or are getting up there in years have reported that fight sticks are more comfortable, or allow them to play for longer without pain creeping in.

Personally, I use a stick because I started playing fighting games in the arcade in the 90s, and the stick makes me happy every time I see it and use it. It's that simple.

Overall, leverless (hitbox-style) controllers are becoming more popular. They feature only buttons, much like a keyboard. They seem to be the most comfortable and most effective at reducing pain, overall, and according to the numbers, they do offer slight advantages in terms of win-rate and input precision. However, they almost certainly have the highest learning curve. If you are interested in going leverless, start by practicing with your keyboard, and see if you like it. A leverless controller is essentially the same thing, just with fewer buttons.

[Scrub]

Arcade sticks are fun but I wouldn't call them "optimal".

[al64inthedark]

Controller destroyed my thumb, It was red lol
So I bought a fighting stick and do not regret it. Many controllers nowadays do not register diagonals well and I have to push too strong for it to be sure to register.

[FentaRino]

Originally posted by Bumblescrump:

The only reason to get a fightstick is because it's what you're used to, or you think it would be fun. No advantage over controller, probably a disadvantage if you are brand new to stick.

In my case those charged attacks seem easier/cleaner with stick

[Emerald Lance]

The prevailing argument is that controller is technically faster between the two because of travel time on a dpad vs on a lever. But that's only relevent at the absolute highest levels of play. For everybody else, you'll get far more mileage out of whatever you're already comfortable playing games with. Hell, some people even play fighting games on their keyboard.