| Price | Amazon |
| Release | June 2, 2023 |
| Compatibility* | PS5 / PS4 / XSX / XB1 / PC |
| Dimensions | 16.1” x 11.8” x 4.7” |
| Cable | 3 m |
| Weight | 5.95 lbs |
Other Editions
Unboxing
The first impression is that the box is enormous. Also, it has a handle and is easily sealable. Inside the box, there are two cushions that hold the fightstick, and the fightstick itself is in a stylish yet disposable bag. The only other content is a quick start guide. The cable you will find within the interior of the fightstick.
Performance
This time around, Hori brought back the same high level of quality that we have become accustomed to. Needless to say, the Hayabusa joystick and buttons live up to the reputation they have built up for themselves as parts that are on par with the industry standard.
You can also find a share button, profile button, key lock mode, and more to provide players as many options as possible. A companion app enables players to use the profile button in order to switch between four custom profiles.
For the sake of convenience, audio and microphone controls are readily available on the board itself to avoid any unnecessary hassle. Additionally, there are rubber pads on both sides that are quite long.
Hardware
The fightstick is not necessarily light, but it is noticeably lighter than the average fightstick. Nonetheless, it feels well built and durable because of the metallic top plate and the plastic that probably comprises 98% of the fightstick. The fightstick has a handle at the bottom.
The Hayabusa parts are good, but they can be easily swapped. Fortunately, opening the fightstick using the latch in the back is smooth. Unfortunately, the interior is not that spacious. That is probably because Hori tried to make the fightstick as thin as possible while still accommodating the button wires.
The cable is actually plugged inside to be passed through a gap and connected to a console or PC. Although the cable fits well enough, it would have been nicer to have a detachable cable that is not stored almost on top of the other wires.
Appearance
Again, the plastic is quality, but the matte finish results in an off-putting appearance. Plastic dominates the fightstick’s composition, cheapening the look. However, the artwork is completely new, with grayscale shapes that look geometric and modern.
Included with every purchase of the Street Fighter 6 edition is a download link for 18 character artworks. The Tekken 8 edition has downloadable art too. The art is swappable by removing eight screws, the joystick, and all buttons. The screws are smaller than average but clearly labeled. Assuming you do not cross-thread, the screws should last through many swaps. They have blue Loctite.
You might be interested in our custom artwork service. Marques West, our artist, put together art for this fightstick before and can do the same for yours:
Conclusion
The Hori Fighting Stick α is a decent entry point into the generation of consoles. While not without its downsides, it packs a slew of innovative features that should get you into the groove of the new era. The concern about plastic strikes back, though, since plastic is known to be a relatively cheap material that is not usually associated with higher prices. It is odd that this fightstick is very innovative, but the material department was not optimized.
- Quality parts
- Profile switching
- Headset jack
- Rubber pads
- Well built
- Convenient handle
- Easy replacements
- Accessible interior
- Quite thin
- Interesting artwork
- Durable screws
- Tight interior
- Fixed cable
- Underwhelming finish
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐