Xbox360 Fighting Stick EX 2 - Soul Calibur 4 Limited Edition

 (20 customer reviews)

I bought this joystick so I could really enjoy the arcade feel of playing fighting games as well as the Xbox Live Arcade games I own. The description for the product isn't that great so I thought I would provide some more information on this product. The stick itself feels pretty responsive although it does make a clicking noise when it is pressed against the edges. I'm assuming that was done to let the player know they are successfully pulling off motions. I personally don't mind it, especially with the game volume on.

The joystick is indeed wired but it is very long so I don't see it being an issue for most people. Wireless would of been nice but I guess at least this way you have zero chance of losing a signal in a heated match (although I've never lost a signal with my normal 360 controller). The cord does have a release in case you tug too hard on it just like the older Xbox controllers. You connect the joystick via USB (flap by power button on console)...Read more

This is the same stick that was issued as the Dead or Alive 4 joystick; the non-decorated version is known as the Fighting Stick EX2. The joystick has a nice soft feel -- very good for rolling quarter-circle moves. I've used it in Street Fighter Anniversary Collection as well as DOA4 and Soulcalibur IV; it's well worth the money and the build quality is quite good -- other EX2s I've used have had no problem over the long term with durability. Also, it's small enough to fit on your lap if you don't have a coffee table or TV tray.

However, while this stick is excellent for fighters, it's not so good for classic arcade games like Ms. Pac-Man or New Rally-X -- the soft-springed joystick doesn't feel accurate in those games, which were designed with stiffer four-way sticks in mind. But if you use it with the games for which it was built, you'll be quite happy.

Historically I've liked Hori sticks. They're affordable and they work fairly well. This one though was a completely bust.

I've known a few people to own an EX2, including the re-branded SoulCalibur. The problems we've had varies from stuck buttons to bad buttons and almost always terrible stick design for anything that's not a 3D fighting game. 2D or anything that plays on a 2D plane like Street Fighter, good luck with hitting those corners 100% of the time while playing normally.

We've taken one apart and even my friends that work with arcade parts as a career were commenting how poorly the stick was constructed and badly the circuitry was designed. Modifying is very difficult (but possible with a lot of unnecessary work), so trying to put a different stick is almost not worth it.

I barely owned my SoulCalibur stick for a year, used it once in a while (since I had another stick I'd switch off with) and problems just kept piling up. Now one of my...Read more