Whenever a new fighting game hits the scene, it’s almost guaranteed that an arcade stick will be quick to follow. While Hori released a generic arcade stick for the Wii years ago, Mad Catz has come through with a Tatsunoko vs. Capcom themed stick just in time for the game’s big release. Many fight fans will wonder how it works and if it’s worth the $80 price tag, and I can assure them that this stick is a top contender.

One of the first things gamers will notice once this controller is in their hands is how heavy it is. It’s not heavy enough to be uncomfortable, but just heavy enough to stop the controller from moving around in your lap or on a surface, which is perfect for intense fights, (or the kind of person who shatters their Rock Band drum sets with their overzealousness.) The bottom of the stick even has a slant which makes it more comfortable to rest your wrists on. Overall, the feel is near flawless.

The design of the stick features two rows of eight buttons on the face, switches for turbo, analogue and digital input options and a speaker, (just in case you try using this for other games. Just don’t try to put this monstrosity to your ear like a phone,) and the stick on the left side. The + and – buttons are on the back of the stick, which is somewhat out of reach, and it takes a little bit of time to get used to. I guess the designers didn’t want to obstruct the artwork on the front, which features Ryu, Ken the Eagle, Chun Li and Tekkaman Blade on the forefront with various characters in the background. While the picture is cool, closer inspection shows that the design looks kind of cheap. However, the appearance doesn’t make much difference when you’re staring at the screen.

While using the arcade stick, it’s about as comfortable as can be. Movement during games is solid and the buttons are all placed in perfect positions, and do a good job of replicating the arcade feel. The buttons feel too loose for my tastes, and I wish they could feel as solid as the + and – buttons, but the stick can be customized for those who really have a problem with it. The control is pseudo-wireless, since the control needs to be plugged in, but it goes into the Wiimote, so you can play it from almost anywhere.

TvC buyers can’t go wrong with this new arcade stick. After playing with it extensively, I can comfortably say that it’s the best one I’ve used in awhile. It’s too bad these accessories aren’t cross compatible, because I’d take this over the ones found on other consoles any day. Don’t forget that the stick will also work well with King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga, Samurai Showdown Anthology, Metal Slug Collection and the Neo Geo and arcade games for Virtual Console. You can even use it with the SNES version of Street Fighter Alpha 2, (why you’d do that to yourself, I have no idea.) Why the price tag is $80 when most wired sticks are cheaper is puzzling to say the least, but it’s worth it if you want the arcade experience bad enough. For Wii owners, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and Mad Catz are a formidable team.

Final Score: 4.5/5