| Price | Akekon Dojo |
| Release | September 19, 2025 |
| Compatibility | PC |
| Dimensions | 13.8″ x 9.4″ x 2.1″ |
| Weight | ~2.65 lbs |
Introduction
Does it grind your gears that many fightsticks have 30 mm buttons? Whether you have big or small hands, you might prefer smaller buttons to minimize finger movement. You see, less finger movement means faster reactions, which mean winning more often. The VFS-01 can help you in this regard.
Unboxing
Your new VFS-01 can arrive in preassembled or DIY form. If you get it in preassembled form, you get an arcade controller set, whereas if you get it in DIY form, you get the enclosure as well as:
- Two 12 mm buttons
- Base mount set
- USB mount
- OLED screen
Performance
The VFS-01 has a generic joystick and 10 generic buttons that are 24 mm. The two extra buttons are for L3 and R3. You may find your thumb most convenient to press these extra buttons.
That said, it’s up to you to order the VFS-01 in the Vewlix or Noir layout. In any case, you can find the three following 12 mm function buttons on the top panel:
- Start
- Home
- Select
The VFS-01 is actually one of the rare fightsticks that have an OLED screen that shows you useful information—from your status to your settings.
Hardware
The VFS-01 is fairly light for its size. In addition, it has a slope for your wrists’ comfort, and there are four feet to keep it as stable as Clark Gable.
As for the chip, the VFS-01 uses a Raspberry Pi Pico H with a three-pin debug connector and soldered headers. For your information, you can find the USB-C port in the fightstick’s back left.
Most importantly, the VFS-01 has a magnetic opening, so you can pop it open like a toolkit to then access its interior for mods, repairs—you name it. In other words, no need to whip out the screwdriver!
Appearance
Notice how the VFS-01 has a white top panel, gray front panel, and black accents elsewhere. Further, the joystick and buttons are black. Such multicolored fightsticks aren’t too common.
Yet, the VFS-01 has a black edition too if you prefer that. Just note that—because of the nature of 3D printing—there may be minor imperfections on your unit, though Akekon Dojo tries its best to minimize them.
Conclusion
Pick the VFS-01 in the form, layout, and color you prefer. Then, enjoy its more compact button arrangement, and open it up magnetically whenever you need to go inside it.
That pretty much sums up the VFS-01 experience. If this fightstick strikes your fancy enough, but you don’t live in Japan, then you can use a proxy service to deliver it to your country.
- DIY or preassembled form
- Multicolored or black
- Vewlix or Noir layout
- 10 main buttons
- Wrist slope
- Four feet
- Fairly light
- Useful screen
- Magnetic opening
- Raspberry Pi Pico H
- Generic joystick & buttons
- May have imperfections