| Price | Etsy |
| Release | July 2, 2023 |
| Compatibility | PC / RPi / MiSTer |
Introduction
Nipe Arcade Originals is the fine establishment of a carpenter and furniture maker that has been around at least since 2019. It is by Adam Nipe of Waterville, New York. The Nipe Arcade Originals selection ranges from arcade sticks to leverless controllers made of wood.
Performance
Because Nipe Arcade Originals controllers usually accept Sanwa buttons (and joysticks), the performance is top notch. We are talking about buttons with enough travel distance not to trigger accidentally, but they still require little travel distance to trigger, resulting in swift input registration.
The parts are durable, and with ample wrist space, the performance of Sanwa parts is supplemented with comfort. You can request a custom layout from Adam, the craftsman behind the ambitious project.
As for the leverless build depicted, its industry-standard jump button is bigger than the rest, and there are a couple of function buttons on the left.
With a recurring retro-gaming twist, often featured is an Arduino Leonardo or Pro Micro USB encoder with DaemonBite firmware. Such a combo results in negligible input latency, making the controllers suitable for fighting games.
If you are concerned about fragility during play, Nipe uses some of the finest of woods, so the controllers should not be malleable when you press on them amidst a sea of battles.
Hardware
The types of wood used by Nipe Arcade Originals include:
- Cherry
- Maple
- Padauk
- Black walnut (sometimes)
- Purpleheart (sometimes)
- Wenge (sometimes)
The interior is neat and spacious, the latter of which often correlates with easier modding. A USB cable should be included with your purchase.
The Arduino Leonardo is a microcontroller board with a built-in USB. The Pro Micro USB encoder is a small board that converts the inputs of custom keyboards, and the DaemonBite firmware customizes such encoders for keyboards.
Appearance
Looking at Nipe Arcade Originals controllers, it is no wonder that Nipe dabbled in furniture making before delving into the world of fightsticks.
Choose your desired button colors when ordering from Nipe Arcade originals, and the sheer amount of wood options ensures you will get the style of wood closest to your taste, including striped designs.
The finish is usually antique flat oil-based polyurethane, and while it primarily serves a functional purpose, it also beautifies the controllers because its low-gloss nature retains wood’s natural look.
Starting with something basic, cherry is a strong type of wood with a light color. Another light-colored wood is maple, which is close-grained wood often used for furniture, floors, and instruments.
Want an African vibe with wood that is also for furniture, floors, and instruments? Go for wenge, which is dark brown-black wood from Africa with a coarse grain.
Moving on, padauk is red wood with a golden gloss often used for furniture, instruments, and veneers. Purpleheart is deep red-purple wood with a high contrast often used for furniture, instruments, and turnery, but how about something luxurious? Black walnut is dark brown wood often used for furniture, cabinets, and gunstocks.
Conclusion
Those seeking wooden arcade controllers crafted by a masterful woodworker should consider Nipe Arcade Originals.
- Wood types
- Premium parts
- Button layouts
- Color options
- Wrist space
- Neat interior
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐