| Price | Brook |
| Compatibility | PS5 / XSX / NS / PC |
| Dimensions | 11.9″ x 5.1″ x 1.0″ |
| Weight | 1.84 lbs |
| Cable | 2 m |
Preview
What happens when the fightstick industry’s greatest PCB provider starts providing actual fightsticks themselves? Well, there is no need to theorize because Brook already gave us the Chameleon and Agon.
The Chameleon was a collaboration with vetash32, also from Taiwan, and it featured a simplistic case with multiple layouts & customizable art. As for the Agon, it came in two shapes that were probably never seen before.
Brook’s two previous offerings did not truly take off, but with the Starburst, things may be different. This mini leverless controller features 15 main buttons, has handles on both of its sides, and can be tilted to certain angles.
With your order of the Starburst, you should also be receiving:
- 20 keycaps
- 20 red switches
- USB-C cable
- Lanyard set
- Magnetic protective cover plate
The Starburst’s 15 main buttons mean that you have access to modern fighting game features. The jump button is bigger than the rest, which is something we at The Arcade Stick have gotten used to when studying the best controllers. A bigger jump button means that you have more flexibility to press it with the side of either thumb.
Truth be told, however, the spacing between the Starburst’s buttons seems wider than a paraglider, and you may find yourself reaching far to transition from button to button.
Nevertheless, the Starburst being wider than a lot of its mini counterparts means that you should not have to squeeze your legs too much when placing it on your lap.
That aside, the Starburst’s switches are hot swappable, and the default ones are made of POM. Because they are low profile, they have a shorter travel distance, often leading to responsive gameplay. In any case, you can swap them out with other switches you might prefer.
Back to responsivity, with Brook being a reputable provider of PCBs and all, their modern boards have almost no input delay. In addition, the Starburst has four SOCD cleaning modes at your disposal to comply with tournament rules.
Otherwise, there are six function buttons as well, and they can be described as the pin type. This decision by Brook was probably to conserve space since, again, the Starburst is a mini controller.
Oh, and the Starburst features touchpad emulation. It is up to you whether you would like the directional buttons to mimic a left stick, right stick, or D-pad. It also up to you to tilt the controller to an angle of 4° or 8° to maximize the ergonomics, including if you just want to lay the controller flat.
Now, the Starburst has turbo support with the following settings:
- 5 presses per second
- 10 presses per second
- 15 presses per second
- 20 presses per second
- 25 presses per second
Moving on, the Starburst was designed to be lightweight and portable. While its handles look too small to be used as a way to carry the controller, they may help you tilt the controller to an angle.
If you are unable to disassemble the Starburst magnetically, there are eight screws that hold it together. After unscrewing them, you may find the PCB inside, which has full compatibility with PlayStation 5 games.
Looks-wise, the Starburst looks rectangular with slanted corners. What brings its appearance to life is LED with five lighting effects as well as customizable art.
At The Arcade Stick, we have made art for at least one Brook controller before, the Chameleon. In fact, you can see it below. The art was made by our Carlos Martinez, who can make art for your Starburst as well, representing your interests:
