Using your keyboard to play old arcade games on MAME is great and I did it for quite a while. But eventually I discovered the X-Arcade Joystick rig and I gotta tell ya, it makes the experience so much more enjoyable. They use real arcade quality gear on these things and if you really want to bring the authentic arcade experience home they work great! I happily used mine for years before finally taking the plunge and getting the full-blown MAME cabinet. They aren't cheap but then again a new PS3 game will cost you $60 so you know - if you really want to play some old arcade games at home it is definitely worth it.
My set was the X-Arcade dual joystick which I think ran me $150 or so back in the day. But you can get it today at the low-low bargain basement price of only $129.95. What a steal! That sounds like I'm being sarcastic but no seriously, I think they are awesome. I only got rid of mine when I got the full-sized cab and didn't need it anymore so I traded it to a guy for a modded XBOX (that I rarely play).
But what? You say you like to play Centipede, Missile Command, Millipede, Marble Madness, Golden Tee, or the dozens of other games that use a trackball? Well you're in luck my friend because when I was playing on it I just had to make due with a mouse for all that stuff but now they have the X-Arcade Tankstick complete with Trackball!
With this baby you can play all the trackball games plus it works pretty darn well for spinner games too like Tempest and Arkanoid. This model goes for $199.95. It also has 2 buttons on the sides that you can use for flipper and bump action for pinball games. They also have a mini 1-player only version for $99.95 - but really - if you are going to drop that much change on a controller you might as well set it up for 2-player action. But that's just - like - my opinion man.
They also sell adapters so you can use it on your PS3, Wii, XBOX 360, Dreamcast, etc. if you want to - although I never got around to trying that because I became captivated by the thousands of arcade games on MAME that I had to play.
So there you go - strong recommendation to buy. I got mine at a store years ago - Fry's I think - but I never see them around anymore. So you will probably have to get yours on their website: http://www.xgaming.com/store/category/arcade-joysticks-and-game-controllers/. Do it! Do it!
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6 comments:
I may just have to get this so I can play some true millipede!
Yes - you DO have to get this! If you enjoy arcade games and have MAME running a computer somewhere it is a MUST-BUY.
How would the X Arcade do playing Modern Warfare? I am looking for a joystick to use for the game for a kid with poor fine motor skills. He can't control his thumbs well enough for the fine movement of the ps3 controler.
Unfortunately my guess is it wouldn't fare very well on modern-day FPS games like Modern Warfare. The joysticks are digital as opposed to the analog ones of the PS3 so even if the PS3 adapter allowed it to be used for MW I don't think it would be very successful. Plus you would have to simultaneously operate both joysticks AND hit the buttons to fire and throw grenades and the buttons aren't really positioned for that kind of control. Maybe some kind of rig with dual flightsticks (with all the fire buttons in the handles) like an analog version of the old tank games but I've never seen that kind of setup for a console being sold anywhere. If I come across something though I'll post it on here.
Thanks, your comments seem right on the mark. I was hoping it wasn't the case. Appreciate your time. Mike
Although, if you had a table or desk or something set up in front of the TV he might be able to use one of the PS3 mouse devices like at www.bannco.com. He would still need to move around with a left analog thumbstick but that wouldn't require fine tune movements as much as the aiming and he could aim and shoot with the mouse - which might even make him more effective than someone playing with a regular gamepad. I've never used them so I can't vouch for them but they look pretty good so you might check em out.
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