| Price | BOOTH |
| Release | July 5, 2026 |
| Compatibility | NS2 / PC / Android |
| Dimensions | 13.6″ x 6.9″ x ~0.5″ |
| Weight | ~1.57 lbs |
Introduction
Back in the day, Shoebill Gaming released a mini all-key controller called the Card. Nowadays, you can purchase the Card 4.5 Tatami, which is like a bigger version of it.
(In Japan, a 4.5 tatami room is a traditional unit of measurement that often refers to the classic compact living space for young adults in anime and pop culture. Tatami itself refers to tatami mats.)
Unboxing
The Card 4.5 Tatami’s box contents are simply:
- USB cable
- Manual
Performance
The Card 4.5 Tatami retains the slanted layout of the Card’s attack keys and most of the directional keys. The keys are about 7 mm tall.
Now, why does the Card 4.5 Tatami have two thumb keys? You can press one thumb key to jump, and the second thumb key can be useful if mapped to, say, Drive Impact as a Street Fighter 6 player.
Moving on, the Card 4.5 Tatami’s keys use Kailh Purple Iris switches that are quiet, but if you like your switches louder, you can just hot swap the switches.
Other than that, the Card 4.5 Tatami’s five function buttons are labeled online as:
- Back
- Start
- Left stick
- –
- Guide
(Compared to the Card, the Card 4.5 Tatami’s function buttons are bigger instead of being the “pin” type.)
Hardware
Held together by seven screws, the slim and light Card 4.5 Tatami has two strips at the bottom that should line up with your legs.
The Card 4.5 Tatami is a wooden controller made of Asada veneer, which is a rare material for such a controller. Just make sure not to expose this controller to any strong impacts so that you don’t damage it.
Onward, the Card 4.5 Tatami runs on the popular and reliable GP2040-CE firmware. In addition, the controller was tested on:
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo Switch
- PC
(You can plug the USB cable into the USB-C port found in a convenient location, which is the back of the Card 4.5 Tatami.)
Appearance
The Card 4.5 Tatami looks rather simple. It’s got a classic wood grain as well as gray keycaps. In the top panel’s upper left corner, you can see Shoebill Gaming’s logo, which—to be honest—often looks rough.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Shoebill Gaming designed the Card 4.5 Tatami with your comfort in mind. Most of the keys in its compact layout are slanted for your wrists’ comfort, and the controller’s width means that you should be able to place it on your lap comfortably while at a tournament. In between matches, you can easily carry this light controller.
- 13-key compact layout
- Some slanted keys
- Quiet Kailh switches
- Bottom strips
- Slim & light
- GP2040-CE firmware
- Rare Asada veneer material