iL 8-Way Eurojoystick & Happ Super

Tech Talk
#1

I think I have read every SRK thread on the subject of “Happ” joysticks. I think the consensus of best stick has to go to the iL 8-Way Eurojoystick according to the threads. People mentioned reliability, feel, it’s what they used in the arcades and so on.

I just got my STREET FIGHTER 15th Anniversary Arcade Stick and I am about to mod it. I have a Happ Super and my iL 8-Way Eurojoystick and Comp Buttons arrive tomorrow. I have been playing with the stock stick, I have no issues and it closely resembles the Happ Super. I am starting to lean towards the Super with no knowledge of the feel of the iL 8-Way Eurojoystick.

I know I am going to end up switching back and forth between the two sticks, but I am hoping to avoid this. I guess I am looking for someone to convince me as to the merits of the sticks (knowing it comes down to personal preference at the end of the day). There is one thing that bothers me from reading the threads though.

I see a majority of the posts saying that the iL 8-Way Eurojoystick was the stick used in the Arcades. I played SF hardcore in the arcades between 91-96 in 20-30 locations and had no idea of the kind of stick I was using. The only evidence I have is an old Super stick I ripped out of a machine at 7/11 (they wouldn’t fix it so I had to do what I had to do). I know what a Super looks like now but am wondering how people say/know iL was the standard in arcades/deli’s/7 11’s/corner stores/laundromats?

#2

Joystick Controller - Joystick and Button Attributes and Brand Parts

Here is a pretty good overview for you along with detailed pictures for you to examine.

#3

I have that link on speed dial already. I modded my TE/HRAP Pro 2 SA with the Seimitsu LS 56 01 with an Octo gate using the info provided from that site. That’s my current set up I use on my 360/Wii/PS3/PS2; I’m going American this go around as I just picked up the Joytron Xconverter PS2 to Xbox 360 Controller Adapter.

#4

the big problem with iL 8-Way is that the microswitches wear out very quick, your going to keep changing every few months other then that the iL is better stick its more accurate but not as durable as the super.

#5

What? I have working Cherry microswitches that are older than members of the forum.

Get an iL Competition stick in addition to the Super. They’re a whopping $10.

#6

it’s not that the microswitch breaks, the button on the microswitch gets worn out from all the grinding of the actuator and the buttons on the switch.
if you look at the tip of the button after few months of use you will see that it’s not as round anymore and you will also notes some fine dust around the switches.
so in time depends how much you use the stick, it will become less accurate not break just worn out from all the grinding. the super fixes that by using a levered microswitches.
the best stick to get is the P360, only problem with that is the spring is to tight but thats an easy fix.
oh and they last long my P360 is 13-15 years old and still works

#7

I think for the majority of the Arcade’s existence, the Happ Super was used the most which is why it is still considered. Despite being inferior in quality/accuracy to the comp.

The Competition did not come out and become widely used until much later, i’d guess around 1998’ish. Its still not only the BETTER stick, but the best American sticks get.

Also for whats its worth its the only stick happ bothered to make in other colors, which the Super only has black.

No way. I’ve built several Happ sticks in the past with the competition, and after countless hours of play, they NEVER wore out or gave me issues.

I’ve long since sold those sticks but i’d bet they still have not given their owner any issues either.

Edit: also i think the case could be made that even a worn out Competition stick, still consistently hits diagonals better than a new Super.

#8

My iL 8-Way Eurojoystick did not come today, so I put the Super in and after playing for awhile the heavy spring began to wear on me. If I don’t like the iL I will use the iL spring on the Super; I am pretty sure that would do the trick.

#9

Ahhh American sticks and their needlessly huge parts such as, those honking giant springs. In my opinion even the “lightest” of happ springs are still a little too stiff and restrictive.

I used to be Happ-only until i tried Sanwa, then i was sold. One of the reasons i now prefer Japoanese sticks is because the springs in them are the perfect strength with no modding needed. Strong enough to reliably return to center when released everytime, yet also light enough to not hamper or restrict fast movements. Whereas with my old Happs, it always felt like i was arm wrestling with the stick by comparison.

One can still adjust a Happ spring to desired strength though. Then is done by removing it from the stick and cutting it, then putting it back in. In my last stick i cut mine in half, worked pretty well.

#10

How the heck am I supposed to cut the spring in half? I’m using a butter knife and I had to steal a kids bike for the vice grip just to do this mod. I could bake the spring and cut that bad boy with my Ginsu Butter Knife!? As far as Japanese parts I tried the JLW, JLF, LS 32, LS 56 and various spring mods. I settled on the LS 56 for the spring stiffness, octo gate and the length of the throw (do wish the spring was stiffer and the pivot quality was better).

#11

I have lot of happ sticks been using american sticks for too long. from day one I’ve noticed this, at 1st i didn’t understand why it was happening once I did I started looking for different sticks.
some people may not notice it but for me the slightest change is noticeable.
one way you can notice is when you try to jump forward but you jump up that’s good sign.
if you want to make sure you can take out and compare you should see a deference on the button the roundness of the button would be worn out.
if you use it like that the button will just get flat and wont have any roundness at all and it will lose its accuracy.
I tried lot of fixes but the best fix I found was to get a wico360
also the 1st time i started seeing supers in arcades was in mid 90’s and they were not many most sticks in 90s or before use a stick with an actuator that’s the most commonly used stick

#12

Use a Dremel. The springs I did this to are still holding up well. They’re regularly subjected to little kid abuse.

http://shoryuken.com/f177/easy-happ-light-spring-mod-229341/

#13

Thanks for the info and by the way the Happ Ultimate spring is back in stock.

Item Search

I really don’t have the tools and will be stripping the wires for SFAC mod with my teeth and crimping the quick disconnects with my mighty vice grip. When I read the link I actually saw what a dremel looks like. When I was reading through older threads someone said you can use a dremel to make the holes bigger in the SFAC to accomodate japanese buttons. How the heck is that dremel used to make the holes bigger? A diff. attachment than what I saw in the link pic I assume. Are the Seimitsu PS-14-KN 30mm Pushbuttons long enough to fit in the SFAC?

#14

Ummm you can cut the spring with something like a wirecutter. Don’t need to break out the dremel for that lol.

As crazy as it sounds, i actually took my spring and broke in half by hand. It was a bitch but i basically just grabbed & twisted back & fourth at the one spot until it snapped.

And don’t worry about enlarging holes for buttons, actually forget that altogether. Happ competition buttons are perfectly fine. If you are going to be putting in any additional work to accommodate other parts, put that effort towards modifying the case to install a Sanwa stick instead.

#15

I finished it and thanks for all the help. I did strip the wire with my teeth and I tried to use the quick disconnects, but the grips did not work well so I stuck the “raw” wires in the holes of the switches. Works…

http://s861.photobucket.com/albums/ab173/CRITICALSHOT/Arcade%20Sticks/?action=view&current=IMG_0183.jpg

I went with the iL Comp Stick as the best choice. True Grave you have been nothing but a great help, I have a bunch of sticks with Sanwa and Seimitsu parts… This stick is my “American Dream” stick; as I said before I use a LS 56 with a octo. Check the link above for some pics of my other stick and the finished SFAC Stick.

#16

I read in an earlier thread that the peach actuators found in IL sticks are better than the ones that happ uses.

Is this true or not? Also slagcoin is a great site, but it seems very biased towards american parts.

#17

Hmm? Last I checked slagcoin showed a preference for Japanese parts (with a preference Japanese sticks with square gates).

#18

i meant biased against*

my bad.

#19

Those are Cherry switches. You should get them if you can since they’re still available. I’ve seen people argue that they can’t tell the difference. I’ve never bought any of the Happ switches to compare. Might as well go with the original.

Slagcoin is definitely biased toward Japanese parts. I imagine most of us that dabble with iL/Happ are 25+ on a nostalgia trip. My only real beef with Happ is the spring tension.

#20

So are many gamers and sites, but with good reason. Japanese sticks are just so much better and more technically advanced over their U.S counterparts, with much thought given to ergonomics, and accuracy, in addition to durability.

U.S sticks could have been this way too, but makers like Happ just put far too much focus on durability.

Eh as a 28 year old gamer starting with the first SFII and earlier, the “nostalgia” value of U.S sticks quickly went away with the realization that I’d been playing on CRAP controls all these years! lol.

Its taken a while but the U.S gaming community/market has finally realized this too. Now the vast majority of retail sticks, if they don’t already come stock with genuine parts like the TEs, then they’ll have KO controls of japanese style parts.