| Price | Amazon |
| Release | August 26, 2023 |
| Compatibility | PS5 / PC |
| Dimensions | 11.7″ x 8.3″ x 0.8″ |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs |
| Cable | 3 m |
Other Editions
Introduction
Community legend Maximilian Dood revealed the slim Razer Kitsune All-Button Optical Arcade Controller on a Twitch stream. Justin Wong is one of the professional players who provided feedback during the development of the Kitsune. In Japanese folklore, Kitsune are trickster foxes, and this controller is based on the Razer Blade laptop.
Performance
The attack buttons are in the Vewlix layout, which is arguably dated. The switches are red Razer low-profile linear optical ones that have a shorter actuation height and fast response time. They do not feel like buttons with standard mechanical switches nor do they feel like arcade buttons. They have a unique feel, so the Kitsune stands out in this regard. The jump button is bigger than the rest, which is the industry standard.
The secondary functions are:
- Share
- Options
- Touchpad
- PS
- L3
- R3
- PC/PS
- Tournament lock
It would have been preferable for the tournament lock not to disable L3 and R3 as those can be valuable in games like Street Fighter 6. Hopefully, that can be patched in the future.
On the bright side, it worth noting that the Kitsune has ample wrist space, and its slimness spares you from tilting up your wrists to use it. In addition, the anti-slip pad at the bottom provides stability.
Hardware
The Kitsune is a lightweight mid-sized controller, and its thinness is reminiscent of a tablet device. As the Kitsune is licensed by Sony, it is expected to work on future PlayStation consoles as well, making it a worthwhile investment. Furthermore, SOCD cleaning makes it tournament-legal. The braided USB C-to-A cable is detachable, and its port can be locked.
Appearance
The Kitsune is powered by Razer Chroma RGB, and the light subtly shines through the sides of the controller. The controller is sleek, elegant, and minimalistic. The button labels are colored in a way that does not take away from the Kitsune’s beauty, but they are still visible if you need to see them.
When it comes to minimalism, the same can be said about the character art editions, but they may appear too simple compared to other fighting game controllers that came with character artworks. The Kitsune itself comes in Cammy and Chun-Li editions:
If you go for the black edition, note that your unit may be prone to smudging, so have a cloth handy to wipe down the Kitsune after a session.
The Kitsune has an aluminum top panel, so the Kitsune may accept custom art as vinyl. For that, we at The Arcade Stick can provide you our custom artwork service. For example, our Carlos Rios sketched this Mortal Kombat design:
Conclusion
The Kitsune is a not a repetitive product, and it should be on your radar if you are looking for such a slim innovation.
- Very slim
- Lightweight
- Elegant
- Unique buttons
- Wrist space
- Anti-slip pad
- Detachable cable
- Lockable port
- Subtle RGB
- SOCD cleaning
- Sony license
- Vewlix layout
- Lock disables L3/R3
- Can get smudged
- Simple character artworks
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐