| Brand | Fightstick Guy |
| Release | March 2, 2019 |
| Compatibility | XSX / XB1 / X360 / NS / PS4 / PS3 / PSC / PC |
| Dimensions | 16″ x 11″ x 4″ |
Introduction
The M. Bison Fightstick has eight golden Sanwa buttons in the Vewlix layout with clear caps and golden lightning art. There are three auxiliary buttons in addition to a touchpad button. As for the joystick, it is the Sanwa JLF with a golden metallic ball top.
The original Bison artwork was drawn by Clay Patterson, and the bottom panel features the Shadaloo symbol. As for the PCB, it is the Brook Universal Fighting Board (UFB).
Unboxing
The fightstick is thoroughly packaged in bubble wrap. On top of the panel is a bag with a detachable cable as well as a card with Fightstick Guy’s social media accounts.
Performance
The Sanwa joystick and buttons work as optimally as they are expected to. The Sanwa joystick has an octagonal gate, which is good news for octagonal gate fans, but it should be swappable if needed.
You can even add a spring if you would like higher tension as Sanwa joysticks are known for their mod-ability. Testing the buttons on PC with an input checker yielded no problems at all.
The three auxiliary buttons are on the right side, and they are conveniently milled out or caved in, reducing the chances of accidental presses. Also, the small touchpad button is on the top panel. Its small size is probably to prevent accidental presses as well.
It would have been nice to have L3 and R3 buttons too. Finally, there are rubber feet on the bottom for stability. They are big and raise the fightstick significantly.
A minor pet peeve may be the edge of the case near your wrists. Namely, your wrists may be uncomfortable on them. It seems that it was a stylistic decision to give the edges of the case a bit of an upward slope.
Do keep in mind that this case is one of the earlier Fightstick Guy builds, and Fightstick Guy has constantly improved over the years. Since Fightstick Guy takes custom orders, you can list out your preferences in detail.
Hardware
This is a sturdy fightstick that was clearly crafted with love and care from quality wood or similar material. The cable is USB type A, and the type A port can be found in the back.
To open the fightstick up, take your time unscrewing the four outer screws (4-40 Philips) and then six more screws on the particle board beneath. The particle board has interestingly rounded edges, countersunk screw holes, and four points that the artwork attaches to.
Some of the Philips screws may be looser than others, but this is probably something you will only notice when unscrewing, not during play. Once you unscrew them, the Shadaloo panel should come off along with the rubber feet.
It seems that the areas under the joystick and buttons were carved out with a CNC. The joystick seems particularly firm in its place, thanks to having six lockdown points as opposed to the usual four. There are also black support rails that seem to be carbon-fiber treated.
The wiring is fairly neat, and the wires are held together with zip ties. As the buttons are metallic, a small tab may fall off the bottom of a button during shipping, but that should be purely cosmetic without affecting performance.
Even when it comes to cosmetics, we are talking about the interior of the fightstick, which is hidden most of the time anyway. It seems that the bottom Shadaloo panel meant sacrificing some interior hardware element choices, but nothing deal-breaking.
It is not often that a fightstick comes with USB type A. The Brook UFB uses type B, so in the interior, there is a type B-to-A converter attached to the cable that goes to the USB port, which is a more involved route than usual. However, that should not cause any latency issues.
On the bright side, the outside of the USB port is caved in much like the auxiliary buttons, providing extra protection as well as some stylistic flair.
Appearance
With the painted case, golden joystick & buttons, and bespoke M. Bison art by Clay Patterson, this Fightstick Guy case is a sight to behold. The bottom Shadaloo art is magnificent as well.
If you are attending a local tournament, needless to say, it is easy to stand out with the most beautiful fightstick in the room if you have this fightstick on hand.
The case does not smudge easily, and the screw on the head of the middle Bison’s head is not too obtrusive, but the Shadaloo symbol may have been more appropriate for the button art.
Another option could have been the Shadaloo symbol for the leftmost six buttons and lightning for the rightmost column to indicate that those are optional macro buttons for Street Fighter.
Finally, hex head screws may have looked better than Philips screws, but again, Fightstick Guy accepts custom commissions, so Chris from Fightstick Guy can try to accommodate your requests as much as possible. He is a true gentleman and a caballero.
If you are not the biggest M. Bison fan and would like to replace your Fightstick Guy case’s art with another design, you may be glad to know that we at The Arcade Stick have a custom artwork service.
Conclusion
This Fightstick Guy case is a visual masterpiece that can also win you tournaments due to its high quality parts.
- Quality parts
- Visual beauty
- Diverse compatibility
- Convenient touchpad
- Big rubber feet
- Fairly neat interior
- Particle board
- Firm joystick fixture
- Support rails
- L3/R3 buttons
- Wrist resting space
- USB setup
- Button tabs
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐