While analogue control is the preferred means of interacting with console games in 2020, there are many cases where good, old-fashioned digital input is still best. Whether it's a game like Tetris which requires responsive control in the four cardinal directions or a title like Street Fighter II which simply calls for a nice big stick, there's definitely a market for controllers which deliver the kind of interface you'd normally associate with coin-ops of the '80s and '90s – and 8BitDo, that talented purveyor of quality third-party accessories, has come up with one of its most accomplished products yet to scratch that very itch.
8BitDo already services the needs of retro-savvy players with its exhaustive range of wireless pads, many of which take inspiration from the classic controllers of yesterday, like the SNES pad and Mega Drive six-button controller. The 8BitDo Arcade Stick is a somewhat different proposition, aimed at the more discerning player who thinks nothing of dropping over $100 on a premium digital controller for use with fighters, shmups and other classic arcade genres.
With that in mind, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick is more expensive than its typical products, costing a whopping $90 / £80. However, in terms of design and build quality, it's arguably a step above what the company normally produces. It's a heavy beast, which means it stays put during frantic play (the big rubber pads on the base certainly help in this regard, too). The microswitched stick is lovely and responsive, too, while the big, chunky buttons feel great – even under rapid load, they perform admirably.
In short, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick feels just as good as any other stick we've used over the years (it compares very favourably to the official Dreamcast arcade stick, a perennial favourite of ours), but if you have any issue whatsoever with the parts used here, the good news is that you can swap them out easily for other components that are more to your personal taste. The stick's moddable nature means it can, in the words of 8BitDo, support "virtually every arcade stick ever made", including those manufactured by the legendary firm Sanwa, whose products are considered by many to be the gold standard when it comes to this kind of thing. Don't like the fact that the stick has square gating for directional input? You can change the joystick mounting plate for a different shape, such as a hexagonal gate, which gives you more distinction between directional inputs (although we have to admit, the square gate the stick ships with is perfect for fighting games that call for smooth, flowing directional inputs).
The 8BitDo Arcade Stick is positively festooned with switches and buttons, and comes with a bunch of cool features which really make it stand out. Support for X-Input and Switch is included, and you can toggle between the two using the mode switch found in the top-left corner of the stick. In a neat touch, switching between the two causes the red light-up symbols next to each button to change, as the layouts are different on Switch and X-Input (which typically mimics an Xbox 360 controller button configuration).
Another switch allows you to tell the stick to act as a left-hand analogue stick or the D-Pad, which is handy for those Switch titles which map directional control to one or the other, but not both at the same time. You can also tell the stick to map the control of the right-hand analogue stick, too, although this is something we'd imagine you'll use very rarely, if at all. There's also a rapid-fire option for all of the buttons – which, we should note, can be totally re-mapped using 8BitDo's "Ultimate" computer-based software program. You can even create special macros which combine button and directional inputs and map these to two special buttons for easy access. Out of the box, there's no screenshot button for grabbing screens and video on Switch, but you can use the aforementioned Ultimate application to add that function to the Turbo button, if you so wish.
The stick supports both wired and wireless connections, with the latter coming in both Bluetooth and 2.4g varieties. Bluetooth is supported without the need for any additional gear, but is subject to a higher degree of input latency. Having said that, we didn't notice any real difference between the latency of this stick and that exhibited by the Switch Pro Controller, so you're already happy with the kind of responsiveness you get from that product, you'll be pleased with how the 8BitDo Arcade Stick performs. However, if you're especially picky about this kind of thing – and plenty of people are – you can use the bundled 2.4g USB wireless dongle, which is stowed away in a handy compartment located on the top edge of the stick. Plug this into your system of choice and you'll be able to enjoy what should be, on paper, a 'faster' connection than standard Bluetooth.
If you're a real stickler for avoiding latency, then you can, of course, use the USB wired connection, which is supported by the bundled USB to USB-C cable, which is impressively long – certainly long enough for us to sit on the other side of the room, some way away from our TV and console. When using this method, you obviously benefit from endless battery life (well, duh), but if you choose to play wirelessly then you'll be reliant on the stick's 1000mAh Li-on rechargeable battery, which is good for around 40 hours of play time when using the 2.4g dongle, and 30 hours when using Bluetooth. To fully charge the battery, you're looking at around 4 hours.
It goes without saying that the 8BitDo Arcade Stick isn't going to suit every game; without any form of analogue input, it's hopeless for many of the most notable titles on Switch – but if you're a fan of the multitude of one-on-one arcade fighters, belt-scrolling brawlers, shmups or old-school 2D platformers which are currently available on the platform, then we honestly don't think you'll find a better (or more versatile) option on the market right now. This is a controller which is serving a niche, for sure, but we can imagine it becoming utterly essential for old-school gaming fans regardless.
The 8BitDo Arcade Stick was supplied by 8BitDo for the purposes of this review.
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Comments 44
Man, 8bitdo makes some quailty controllers; get them if you haven't already.
Quick note if you're a modder looking to change the Lever: "Ultra-Moddable" this stick is not. Regular Moddable? Yes! But you'll need minor soldering skills. Also: the website lists that it's compatible with all types of Levers, like Sanwa (which is true!), Seimitsu, Happ, IL, etc. Other than Sanwa, the body for this stick is TOO SHALLOW, and at BEST the bottom of the lever will scratch the bottom plastic. So, while TECHNICALLY you can mount the sticks to their plate, it ain't gonna fit.
Other than that, I really like this stick a lot. There's a lot of great features. But, if you're particular about your lever, maybe do some hard research.
Are people going to use their Switch in tabletop mode with a controller that huge?
It's ridiculous...but I like it.
@SergeEXE you beat me to it. It's a shame - I've got an LS-40 waiting for a good home. Regarding sticks that will fit you say the Sanwa JLF is OK - do you know if the JLW will fit? I think it may be very slightly deeper than the JLF.
Admittedly, my imagination is very poor. Besides fighting games and arcade classics, what would be great games to use with a joystick (and perhaps justify such a purchase)? I'm curious to hear what others think!
I hate the aesthetics... otherwise id want one so bad...
I’m waiting for a HitBox to arrive in the mail. After years of cramps from sticks, I’m excited to finally have something more ergonomically designed!
@BJQ1972 LS-40, excellent choice, sir. It's a true jack-of-all-trades stick.
@archangelg If you can get used to it, you can use it for any game, barring ones requiring twin sticks. Humans are pretty adaptable if they want to be!
Already have a Mayflash F500, but I really want this stick. The knobs and switch are a nice touch.
I have yet to see an 8BitDo accessory that isn't of the highest quality.
@BJQ1972 I'm actually not sure
@Kimyonaakuma imagine putting that on the table in the train lol
Kind of a big splurge buy for me, but it WOULD be pretty cool to have a second stick for player 2. Already have the Hori Haysbusa fight stick for Switch.
Might have to grab one.
If this worked cross-platform I'd snag it in a moment. Especially given the dynamic button layouts, I'm surprised XBox isn't also supported.
Looks nice, and $90 is pretty dang cheap for such quality as you speak of. Gonna wishlist this bad boy for after the holidays. Can't wait to load up SF Collection, and all my shmups with it. I'll definitely start grabbing more arcade classics too. I've been pretty paranoid about wearing out my buttons, with some of those classics. This alleviates that.
@XBontendo Someone on reddit says it works with this, https://www.brookaccessory.com/detail/59327520/
This looks really cool. I play Tetris a lot so I might want to get this just for fun.
@Damo How does this differ from the 8bitdo NES30 Arcade Stick?
@Jacoby same. love my mayflash
I'll never understand why some people like to go backwards (= the whole retro hype).
There's a reason why we moved on from inferior tech that we were limited to in the past!
Why would you willingly ignore progress and go back to outdated crap?
@doctorhino good to know!
@shani Because this isn't outdated. You can't honestly play a 1 on 1 fighter with an arcade stick and tell me it's worse. It'd be like saying a flight simulator is worse with a flight stick. Or Forza is worse with a steering wheel.
Some controller types are designed to improve the experience for a specific game type. As is true with arcade sticks and fighters
@shani As @XBontendo said, different controllers suit different genres. Analogue sticks are designed for 3D games where proportional movement is important. For 2D titles - like shmups and fighting games - digital input is much preferable as you need responsive, accurate input. Which is why you see people using expensive arcade sticks at fighting game tournaments.
80€ for an arcade stick is cheap not whooping expensive.
this looks really cool. And the controllers from 8bitdo are almost all very high quality.
Bought - Amazon (UK) are saying January 2021 release though
Hexagonal gate? I’m thinking the person who wrote this is not a big arcade stick user.
It's really cool and I want it but already have the official nintendo stick from hori. How does it compare?
Cancelled my order on this after reading about the modding limitations; read https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RBXWIL6QISKQE/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B08GJC5WSS for a more in-depth review, but it seems you can't believe the marketing on the modability on this. It's supposedly not just the base height; there's additional complications regarding the mounting plate and the joystick connects.
Big shame; was really looking forward to a wireless Seimitsu stick
Have to love that NES Advantage vibe.
8bitdo controllers are great.
@archangelg Not many other types of games really. But enough for buying it if you are a fan of those.
Nothing beats playing Street Fighter with a digital stick.
Looks great. If I didn't already have their previous NES-themed arcade stick, I'd nab this one. Out of the dozen or so pads of theirs I've picked up over the years, I only had one dud
If I hadn't already got the Neo Geo arcade stick pro with the MAGIC-NS adaptor to make it work on Switch, I'd be on this in an instant. I do love the feel of an arcade stick - though I don't think it makes me better at anything, simply because I'm not very good at fighting games or shooters!
All I need to know is, will this stop me sucking at Street Fighter 2, Pokken and Dragon Ball FighterZ?
@riChchestM Unfortunately, practice is the only solution to sucking. Arcade sticks are a personal preference and have (very) limited advantages (and even some disadvantages) to pad.
@archangelg
Here are some games that I have been playing lately with my arcade stick:
Mario Kart 8, Horizon Chase Turbo, Thumper, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Dead Cells, Cuphead, Donkey Kong Country (SNES), Panzer Paladin, and Panzer Dragoon.
I grabbed one. Enjoying it so far. My son and I were fighting over who got to use it for Arms, of all games. Just gives it a different feel. Might switch out the buttons at some point, not in the mood to mess with the stick.
I especially love that I can swap between Bluetooth and the dongle, one for the Switch and one for my PC connected to my TV.
@archangelg Any game that doesn't require dual analogue.
@riChchestM absolutely not. Those games are easier with a gamepad.
@YANDMAN My bruised thumb with an 8bitdo gamepad and failed SFII combos respectfully disagrees.
@mr_benn Is that the regular Magic NS or the pro? I have the Neogeo Arcade Stick Pro and wish to use it on my Switch.
@NESlover85 this is the specific one I bought: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B079B5KHWQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@mr_benn Awesome, thank you!
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