| Price | TIKITAKA |
| Release | November 6, 2025 |
| Compatibility | PS5 / PC |
| Dimensions | 15.8″ x 9.1″ x 2.4″ |
| Weight | ~5.73 lbs |
| Cable | 2 m |
Introduction
The VSLAB VSGEAR is proof that TIKITAKA is not a one trick pony that only makes leverless controllers. While making leverless controllers is a noble pursuit, it’s nice that this bestselling company has finally put out a fightstick.
Spoiler alert: It’s a good fightstick!
Unboxing
Your new VSGEAR should arrive in a black VSLAB box with these freebies:
- Couple of spare keycaps
- Couple of spare switches
- Keycap/switch puller
- USB-C cable
- Manual
Performance
All of the VSGEAR’s main buttons are 24 mm to minimize finger movement, making you faster than your opponent and his or her big buttons that are spread farther apart. Because there are 11 main buttons, this means you have three extra buttons—to be used by your index finger and thumb.
For example, you can use the VSGEAR’s jump button toggle to map the joystick’s up input to the bottom left button. Otherwise, it’s going to be an L3 button, which is still useful.
That said, the VSGEAR’s buttons use the light and fast Kasumi switches with these specs:
- Keystroke: 1.5 ± 0.2 mm
- Actuation point: 0.5 ± 0.2 mm
- Actuation force: 35 ± 10 gf
As for the joystick, it’s the flexible Sanwa JLF-TP-8YT that the fighting game community has loved for years. In any case, you should be able to customize the VSGEAR’s joystick, buttons, and switches, but honestly, TIKITAKA did a good job picking the fightstick’s stock parts—unlike fightsticks that come with mediocre parts in dire need of swapping.
Did you notice that the VSGEAR has six function buttons, by the way? These buttons serve as:
- Button profile
- Tournament lock
- Select
- Home
- Touchpad
- Start
To wrap up this section, the VSGEAR also has an info screen, which can show a live animation of your button presses, the input mode you’re in, the SOCD cleaning mode that’s activated—you name it.
Hardware
Starting off with the VSGEAR’s best hardware element, you can easily pop open this fightstick with just one touch. How? In addition to nine fasteners, the top panel has built-in magnets, which is a rare feature at the time of writing. Once you’re inside the fightstick, your tech savvy self may be glad to know these modding tips:
- The lever mount supports bases up to 45 mm.
- That mount also supports shafts up to 47 mm.
- The top panel’s first layer is 4 mm.
Then, there are slits on the top panel’s second layer to allow compatibility with most 4 mm buttons. Having discussed the VSGEAR’s top panel and interior, let’s now quickly comment about its bottom panel…
The bottom panel has a full anti-slip pad instead of partial pads or rubber feet. The VSGEAR is already heavy, and the anti-slip pad makes it even more stable on your lap or desk. Further, this fightstick’s spaciousness allows your wrists to rest on it with ease.
A quick note about the VSGEAR’s compatibility, though… Even if you buy its less compatible edition, you can still insert your own converter into the USB-A port to make the fightstick compatible with more consoles. In case you were wondering, the USB-C port for the cable is in the center back.
Appearance
The VSGEAR looks edgy with its black and red color scheme, but if you like, you can buy it in all black too. One pet peeve, however, is that the white cable doesn’t match the fightstick. Maybe you have a black cable in your drawer…
Conclusion
A fightstick with smaller buttons and less distance between them may be your biggest unlock yet, getting you more wins. Visit TIKITAKA’s store today, and increase your winning chances elevenfold with the VSGEAR’s 11 buttons!
- 11 smaller buttons
- Fast Kasumi switches
- Flexible Sanwa joystick
- Extendable compatibility
- Magnetically removable panel
- Informative screen
- Full anti-slip pad
- Lap playable
- Wrist space
- Cable color doesn’t match
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐