Not everyone has played Street Fighter on an arcade machine at an actual arcade. If you haven’t, then you need a serious education in gaming. Good luck finding a local arcade, though ... they’re all but dead in the US now. That means the younger generation of gamers is used to playing these fighting games on control pads, not using joysticks. It’s the sad truth.
There are also those few who prefer a control pad over a joystick. Not sure what their story is, but hell, at least I know I could beat them in any fighting game. Regardless, Mad Catz closed up their Street Fighter IV controller lineup with the FightPad, a gamepad that fits nicely in players’ hands and is made just for 2D fighters.
The best thing about the FightPad is its versatility. Even as a small gamepad, it has nearly every feature of the two FightSticks before it: eight buttons, a D-pad/stick switch and turbo. The six face buttons are very large and very tactile. When you push them, it gives that satisfying feeling you get from pushing every elevator button just before getting off. They are fun to push just because they are buttons.
Besides that, the six face buttons are very well spaced and placed. Thumbs can relax with each button in easy reach. The two shoulder buttons are equally tactile and give resounding recoil at each push. But the best part of this FightPad is definitely the D-pad.
Unlike the 360’s rigid and Dual Shock 3’s minute D-pads, the FightPad has a very loose D-pad that’s very easy to move and control. Our tests in Street Fighter IV have been excellent; the D-pad works great. The controller itself is much more enjoyable to use than a standard 360 pad, mainly because the D-pad works. Making combinations and special attacks is actually possible without getting frustrated. The six face buttons are also great to use. We’d venture so far as to say a control pad is a plausible way to play a fighting game.
But perhaps the best thing about the FightPad is that it’s a great arcade controller. Games on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network that don’t require more than one analog stick are that much better with the top-notch D-pad and huge buttons, especially older ported titles like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The old-school feel is perfect for them.
There are five different FightPads, each with a different character to choose from: Ryu, Ken, Akuma, Chun-Li and Blanka. For $40, it’s a pretty sweet deal. And on the PS3, it’s wireless. Both models should work on the PC, but we’ve only tested the 360 model on it. The point is if you like playing on a controller better than with the standard joystick layout, the Mad Catz FightPad is a great choice for all your gaming needs.
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Jamez Pikover is a freelance writer whose work has appeared both online and in print, including Strategy Informer, Gameworld Network, and Total PC Gaming. He's contributing these Mad Catz Street Fighter IV controller articles on a one-off basis, because he loves you, and wants to make sure you don't spend your money on something you shouldn't. Be nice.
Contest:
8:00 PM on 02.17.2009
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Read the second to last sentence in your first paragraph.
I might just get this for MegaMan9 and and Bionic Commando Rearmed
and r u sure u can beat anyone who uses a pad? because quite frankly, its pretty ez to move just my thumb faster than it is to move my entire ARM haha
also, fpoons
Its only a matter of time before MvC2 comes out on XBLA, and I wonder how good the trigger buttons are on the controller....I played loads of MvC2 on the Dreamcast, so I think I need shoulder triggers that are comparable to that.
That sounds like a challenge if ever I heard one. XBLA:haxan1 PSN:Haxan I have SSF2HDRM, SFIV, and fighter pads for both systems. Hit me up with whatever stick you want. I'm curious to see who's the better fighter. >:)
Do Want, I think.
And will it work on games like MK Vs. DC and Soul Calibur 4?
What I need is a PS2 controller for my XBox. The PS2 controller was, IMO, the best controller for fighting games ever.
If I were to have been shucking quarters into machines for all of the matches of SF and the like I've played, I would probably cover Keiji Inafune's severance package myself.
That being said, I'm glad that Mad Catz has made a commendable effort to create pads that work for fighters of all preferences. It's like picking out sports equipment. It plays a part, but as long as it's functional, it has a pretty minimal effect on your performance.
And I actually find it a lot easier to hit multiple buttons on the standard pad as opposed to flat layouts like this one. For instance, if I need to do an EX special, I just have to "pinch" and hit Triangle and R1 or Circle and R2 at the same time, and I've done my EX. Triple Punches and Triple Kicks are also pretty easy doing it this way. I have no idea how you're suppose to hit three at once on a flat pad, except via programming the shoulder keys to do it for you.
That being said, I just heard that this controller's pad actually doubles as an analog stick. Is there any truth to this?
As it is, I may have to break down and buy a stick; I just hate it because I never really got to play in arcades having lived in the boonies my whole life, so it's an entirely new experience for me.
From what I can tell, there's a switch on the controller that dictates whether the DPad corresponds to the DPad, right analog or left analog.
The controller felt a bit cheap to me as far as build quality goes. A small complaint would be that the artwork was not as high res as I would have hoped.
All in all, $40 seems like a lot for a 3rd party controller, no matter who makes it. I may pick this up when it goes down to $20, but at the moment, it seems like more style over substance. For me, paying $40 for a d-pad that is only a little better then the 360's just isn't worth it.
I hope these end up getting bargain binned with overstocks like the SFIIA controllers... I still have a PS2 one of those I got for like $10, and I wish I could just use it on a 360 >=/
But on the PS2 pad, the D-pad was right there and I could just flip my thumb up to hit it for double, taps, and then smoothly and quickly return it to the stick for everything else. The motion never tripped me up or anything. On the 360 pad it's all ass-backwards and in uncomfortable places and I don't like it.
Left right does feel like molasses though, but that's probably just the game design/my choice of fighters
Also, I could beat your ass 6 ways to Sunday in Melee, Jamez. Or Soul Caliber 2, because I know people always bash Melee for not being a "true" fighting game, whatever that means.
That being said, this pad looks awesome. I wouldn't mind picking this up when I'm not in debt. :P
Also, when will Microsoft lighten up on their wireless license. I understand their greed, but seeing as the SF4 controller is not competing with the dual analog 360 controller, I don't see the point.
.... o_O
Stick vs D-pad, comes down to personal preferences but if we have to get technical, im pretty sure that a d-pad and thumb are faster than hand and stick...
"decent d-pad" are you out of your mind, that is the exact same d-pad that's been plaguing the xbox 360 controller, the only decent d-pad ever created for the 360 came from a little company called Hori, ask Topher Cantler, he knows something about it.
Yeah I have to agree with the button layout is good, shoulder buttons are not quite the best thing. But I'd rather have a good d-pad with shoulder buttons.
I just remembered the controller Hori made that had a normal d-pad instead of this stupid raised d-pad BS. And now they are all super rare and expensive or something ;_;.
(I just want to play some Alien Hominid. :()
@mrplow8 the thing is wired so no charging required.