Best fight stick 2025

This seemingly simple-looking battle stick is an actual beast in performance, design, and heft. Designed in collaboration with Kayane, a premier French esports participant, the Daija has its sights set on attracting skilled and competition-level players.

On its high floor, there is a textured palm relaxation, swappable sticks, and a button-lock characteristic to stop unintended presses. The best facet additionally homes the auxiliary inputs, comparable to L3, R3, and the PS5’s trackpad, which takes some getting used to, however is nicely price it if you wish to recreation at a aggressive stage.

The Daija can be vastly customizable, with loads of area inside its innards for swapping over button profiles and parts. It is also tremendous responsive, with Sanwa components replicating that arcade expertise. That makes it our controller of selection for competitors gamers, even when its weight makes it lower than very best for carrying it round. Nonetheless, the Daija’s excessive worth does make it a tough promote for entry-level gamers who wish to casually get pleasure from retro video games or combating video games.

Learn our Nacon Daija Arcade Stick overview.

All-button controllers – often known as hitboxes – just like the Victrix Professional KO Leverless Struggle Stick are the popular method for some combating recreation gamers to regulate their inputs, discovering them simpler to enter directional combos extra exactly and shortly than by utilizing a stick. Leverless controllers could be had for half the value of the Professional KO whereas nonetheless having comparable options, nevertheless it’s the care and a focus that has been lavished on this hitbox that basically units it aside.

From its light-weight and slim design that makes it simple to hold, to the built-in instruments in case it’s essential swap out a damaged change, Victrix has considered the whole lot an expert participant wants on the street. The method of including buttons to the Professional KO can be quite simple, and all of the parts are saved contained in the controller itself, making for an extremely handy setup.

As such, if you happen to’re on the lookout for the perfect of the perfect for hitboxes proper now, the Professional KO is it, assuming you may abdomen its worth. The Razer Kitsune is the Professional KO’s solely rival at this worth, so the choice between the 2 comes right down to how a lot you’ll profit from the additional buttons. If you are going to pay round this a lot, although, we would go for the additional features of the Professional KO.

Learn our full Victrix Professional KO Leverless Struggle Stick overview

Razer’s entry into the world of devoted battle and arcade controllers places a special spin on the all-button method. As an alternative of utilizing a stick or lever for path, the enter is through buttons – a bit like utilizing WASD keys on a keyboard.

All-button controllers just like the Kitsune have been comparatively area of interest up till not too long ago so most models – such because the Hit Field under – have been cumbersome and costly. The Kitsune, although, is a extra low-profile design that is extra snug to be used on a desk. And it is beautiful to have a look at. Plus, It makes use of keyboard switches beneath its buttons, moderately than conventional battle stick switches (comparable to made by Sanwa). These optical keyboard switches make for a smoother and extra responsive really feel.

The Kitsune can be the primary all-button controller to be formally licensed for PS5 use, so is assured to work with all video games and features a DualSense Touchpad together with Possibility and Share buttons.

Some slight downsides embody the truth that the buttons aren’t RGB-illuminated (when it is a frequent characteristic on keyboards with comparable switches) and that it is fairly costly, particularly on condition that lack of customization and modability it gives. Nonetheless, you may take away the highest plate and get funky Avenue Fighter Cammy and Chun Li tops. When you’re after a high-performance, compact battle controller, the Razer Kitsune is tough to beat.

Learn our full Razer Kitsune overview.

The Qanba N3 Drone 2 provides high quality Omron change controls and a snug structure for just below $110, making it nice worth for a correct devoted battle stick. It is just a little plasticky in its construct nevertheless it’s additionally moderately compact this construct high quality saving is mirrored in its worth.

Like most battle sticks, it is a wired-only unit however comes with a barely shorter cable than some. Its wire measures 2.3m (7.55ft) lengthy in comparison with many opponents at 3m. Nonetheless, with its official Ps 4 and 5 compatibility, you get a touchpad that additionally works with the console, which is a pleasant addition at this worth.

Though offered as a moderately dull-looking plain black unit, the Qanba N3 Drone 2 is straightforward to customise with its 30mm buttons being suitable with the various substitute buttons which might be out there. When you’re simply trying to begin your journey into devoted battle sticks, it is a nice selection.

Although Sanwa components are the gold customary arcade parts, there’s room on the high for an additional model. Hori’s Hayabusa stick and buttons are extremely regarded even among the many most discerning competitors gamers, and that is a convention that continues with the Hori Combating Stick Alpha. Its button profile and structure make it very best for Xbox use.

The stick is extraordinarily delicate, however when you get used to it, you will be pulling off extremely combos with ease because of its brief journey, pin-sharp accuracy, and responsiveness. The matte buttons are additionally hardworking and strong, whereas the auxiliary buttons are held close to the highest of the unit, making unintended presses virtually unattainable.

Whereas the blue coloration scheme of the PlayStation model is good sufficient, we’re just a little underwhelmed by the Xbox model’s barely drab white and grey design. Fortunately, the panel is detachable, and you’ll simply get your fingers on substitute customized artwork, because of Hori’s templates.

The Alpha can be one of many simpler sticks to customise. Flipping a latch allows you to entry the stick’s internals, so changing the buttons and stick is a breeze. With correct controls and a great stability of portability and heft, it is an actual contender if you happen to’re within the esports area.

There aren’t many battle sticks that provide cross-console compatibility for individuals who play throughout each PC and residential consoles, however even then, why ought to it’s essential purchase a couple of? Fortunately, Mayflash has your again with its F500 Elite.

It options buttons labeled with each PlayStation and Xbox enter units, with its respective Choose and Residence buttons correctly positioned nicely away from the fray.

Although it isn’t probably the most intimidating stick, there’s one thing splendidly analog concerning the F500’s design, proper right down to the 80s-style white lettering within the backside nook. Nonetheless, we should admit to preferring the sharp pink button and black panel design of the usual F500. That mentioned, players also can swap out this design with their very own customized artwork by eradicating the acrylic panel.

Fortunately, not like its cheaper brother, the F500 Elite options Sanwa arcade parts, immediately boosting its construct high quality and accuracy. The unit can be simply customizable, with detachable metallic panels permitting entry to its internals. The shortage of the L3 and R3 buttons is a bizarre omission, nevertheless. Regardless of this, the controls are responsive, and the unit is properly balanced.

Are you somebody with small fingers who has discovered that a few of these different battle sticks are too massive to make use of comfortably? Or would you like a lighter battle stick that you would be able to simply deliver with you when touring? Look no additional than the Hori Combating Stick Mini – a formidable piece of {hardware} wrapped in a small package deal.

The one actual limitation of its measurement is the truth that it successfully guidelines out modding. Whereas different combating sticks on this checklist have sufficient room so that you can swap out buttons and customise the pads to make them your personal, it is simply not potential right here because the case may be very shallow and all of the buttons are mounted in place and can’t be eliminated. For out-of-the-box play, this is not a problem, however if you happen to like constructing the last word pad for tournaments, this in all probability is not going to be for you. Folks with massive fingers may also discover it just a little bit too small.

Nonetheless, the small measurement is all the level of the product, and when it comes to the button placements, and the texture of the stick, there’s completely nothing to fault. It is completely proportioned so that you can carry it in a bag with out it feeling too heavy. You possibly can even apply it to PlayStation, if you happen to additionally occur to be a console gamer.

Let 8Bitdo take you again to a less complicated, extra pixelated time with its Arcade Stick. We’re huge followers of this stick’s retro Famicom-esque design (which is able to attraction to PC players with a comfortable spot for Nintendo), which blends its acquainted pink, grey, and black styling for an immediately recognizable look. Sturdy rubber ft adorn its 2kg physique, which is respectable, although we have seen heavier sticks. The very last thing you want is the unit slip-sliding round when you’re mid-combo.

The Arcade Stick can be tremendous versatile in operate. Not solely does it include a generously prolonged 3m cable, however you can too use it wirelessly through the Bluetooth connection or 2.4Ghz USB receiver. Buttons are simply reprogrammable, and the platform itself is open for tinkerers to customise at will.

Whereas there are cheaper choices on the market, the 8Bitdo Arcade Stick is a strong mid-range battle stick. It simply misses out on a grand slam dwelling run as this mannequin is barely suitable with Nintendo Change and PC, which means cross-platform customers might want to look elsewhere.