No, it depends on which game you are playing, which character you choose, and your preference. The main difference between hitbox and stick is that a hitbox uses directional buttons instead of a joystick. There is a time and place for each type of controller. However, if you get used to either hitbox or stick, you can usually do well playing all games and characters instead of confusing yourself by switching controllers per game and character.

Examples of Hitbox Being Better

Let us take two examples of hitbox being potentially better:

  1. Doing 360 motions in Street Fighter
  2. Doing electrics in Tekken

Street Fighter characters like Zangief utilize 360 motions to perform grapple moves, although admittedly, you can usually get away with 270 motions due to input leniency. You will likely be able to piano-tap directional buttons faster than rotating a joystick 270 degrees.

Tekken characters like Jin perform electrics, which are punches that go forward and produce electricity as an indicator that they are a powered up version of a normal move. To achieve an electric, you almost have to be frame perfect in your timing of the punch and directional input. You may find yourself more precise and therefore more consistent using directional buttons than a joystick that has much more leeway.

Your Preference Matters

In both of the previous cases, you still have to deal with the entire games of Street Fighter and Tekken, not just Zangief and Jin, and you may want to play other characters, so choosing hitbox simply for 360 motions and electrics is not the best idea.

Instead, go for hitbox if you actually like the apparatus. Try both hitbox and stick to see which one works best for you. Our personal opinion is that, although hitbox took time to gain popularity, it seems to be slowly becoming the industry standard and the fighting game’s community’s controller of choice, which could indicate its superiority. Some may claim that the only reason they continue to use stick is because of how fun joysticks are in addition to nostalgia.

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May the electric be with you! ⚡