Arcade sticks with 8 buttons?

Tech Talk
#1

So all the retail arcade sticks have eight buttons, but what arcade game makes use of eight buttons? I made my own arcade stick with six and now I’m being asked to make a case for a friend but he insists on having eight buttons so he can have all the punches and kicks set up for obvious reasons.

I’ve only ever played Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat seriously, am I completely ignorant in thinking that there is no game that actually requires a eight button arcade stick?

If the second paragraph is true, please educate.

  • Edit -

I think some of you have got the wrong end of the stick (pardon the pun).
The case is for a friend and not a client but thank you all for the information.

#2

pretty sure those two extra buttons were added for macro-friendly command shortcuts ( i.e x3 punch or kick buttons or taunt/grab in other games ) used by newbs in the fighting game community in general.

No game that I know of utilizes 8 buttons.

#3

The 8 button setup is nice for SNK fighters, since the top row has the same ergonomics as the ABCD layout on the Neo Geo cabinets.

#4

Pop’n Music. (I kid, I kid)
No fighting game I know of uses 8 buttons, most common configurations are 4, 5 and 6 button. The other two buttons are there for macro, presumably, and nothing more.
<edit.> cryoh, I actually like a seven button layout for that reason, I have seen some cabinet top panels use a 7 button layout (vewlix clones, if I’m right).

#5

It is important to have 8 buttons because:

  1. It is the most adaptable layout, suitable for most game from SNK fighter’s 4 button layout to SSF4 6 button layout.
  2. It have room for error. What happens if one of your button just happens to break and you can’t find replacement right away? Shift to the next button. at least you can still play.
  3. You can registers some button to do nothing so you can smash it loudly in live tournament to spooks your opponent into reacting on sound. Work best if you buffer your move visually and do this rarely.
  4. On the rare occasion that you do need all the button for a non-fighting game, it still works as a normal make shift controller.
  5. You don’t have to configure your button as often if it is standard layout. Less configuration means less chance of mistake. We all know “everyone” test their buttons before a live tournament match and “nobody” makes any mistake before they go live.
#6

Keeping them there is a matter of preference. If your “customer” is asking for 8 buttons, give him 8 buttons.

#7

You can play SHMUPs that configure buttons to use the 4th row if you prefer it. I love playing SHMUPs on joysticks more than fighting games.

In street fighter IV, L1 is vital so that you can scroll through icons and titles in both directions instead of just one :slight_smile: Skipping to the page I want, oh Shit I missed it! Now I gotta scroll ALL the way back to it.

#8

I am at the same situation, I can’t decide 6 or 8 buttons. I know that I have problem with my Hori tekken 6 stick when I play SF4. I always press the L1 or L2 instead of fierce or round house.

However, I do want to keep L1 and L2 button. I am thinking place those two buttons where my right thumb is. I don’t know if this would be ideal. My custom stick building progress still at the drawing board stage.

I will share the lay out later, let me know what you guys think.

thanks

#9

7 button layout covers you there. I honestly think 7 button looks nicer. I may be the only one lol

Is it really vital, though? I mean, if I were to ever sit down and play that awful game, I would assume I would be doing so to play the game, not to play dress up. Its a nice feature to have, but the core game is still completely functional without the two buttons.

#10

I wanted 8 buttons on mine just for the option to use them. I may not be the only one using it and who knows, maybe someone will actually use the ppp and kkk buttons .

#11

No good fighting games use 8 buttons. 8 buttons is the mark of the beast. It’s evil.
8 buttons will eat your children. Avoid.

6 buttons FTW.
If you really need the extra L1 and L2, put em on the side or back of the case.

#12

Oh yeah, controlling things in the PS3 XMB sometimes require the L buttons. It’s good to have them available so you don’t need a second controller to do some things.

#13

Yeah I usually put em on the side as admin buttons.

#14

Another reason someone might want 8 button is if they haven’t decided to use American layout or Japanese style, that way they get both, and can switch between them.

#15

They’re just buttons. It doesn’t make a difference on skill or anything. Just make your client happy and put them on there.

That said: I can’t think of a game that utilizes all 8 other than for 3k or 3P.

#16

I can’t believe nobody has said the famous tag!
6 button is cooler.
8 button is Dick.
Some people like it for navigation purposes, some people like having the macros. Some people feel like taking buttons off a controller is stupid, so they keep extra buttons on. If you want your navigation buttons, I usually say put 24mm on the side. But, the customer is always right. If they want 8 button, you don’t argue, you give them 8. I can’t stand playing on a stock TE, though. I always overreach and the hyper-sensitive Sanwa buttons are right there to be activated by a puny whiff of air, and then I’m thrown off because I was hitting the 3P button that I unbound, and wondering why I’m whiffing.

#17

Most fighting games only utilize 6 buttons. Some people might want a certain number of buttons to feel appropriately spaced from the stick. Probably the only game I’ve actually wanted to use an arcade stick with 8 buttons for is the downloadable Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game on PSN and Xbox Live Arcade.

#18

have u ever seen a game in an actual arcade that has 8 buttons? nuff said. but everything is all preference man, i myself like 6 buttons. :smiley: thinking if i might want to change it back to 8 buttons though now that i read about the ergonomic friendly thing for SNK games…

#19

@phan_X, you could always use:short/jab/strong/fierce or two over two. I prefer six button layouts. I ordered a couple of six button plexis from Art & will order several more. XD