Back in Nam Reviews

[17daysolderthannes]

You got ripped off. X-Arcade is a poorly made piece of junk. And tell me, how is the Saturn Astro City stick a "bullshit fanboy controller?" It's an officially licensed SEGA product with parts made in Japan. It's the real fucking deal end of story. Your X-Arcade has cheap HAPP sticks and buttons made in China. Have fun with your commie piece of trash.

so being Japanese makes it better? Why does everyone insist that Japanese-style sticks are superior? I don't want to use a little chickenshit cherry ball stick, I want a baseball bat stick I can grab and get some leverage on. Those candy cabs look and feel like baby toys. And poorly built? have you seen the insides? the X-Arcade is as legit as it gets.

Plus, how much does that Saturn stick cost? $200? more? If it's rare, I bet in excess of $400.

The X-Arcade is the real fucking deal, if you play any American market arcade from the 90's, that's exactly what you get. NBA JAM, SF II, Neo Geo, etc. ALL had baseball sticks and concave buttons. Again, I don't know why everyone has to fanboy the candy cab, the whole point is to simulate the experience of playing at the arcade in the 90's.

When did it become wrong to enjoy domestic market-style products? I can understand it with cars because (until perhaps recently) American cars have garbage build quality, but I dare you to find a stick that can take more abuse than an X-Arcade stick and has a lifetime warranty to back it up. There used to be a picture of a guy in combat boots standing on an X-Arcade stick (can't find it now though...), let's see the Saturn stick do that.

Oh, and do they even make USB adapters for the Saturn? You'd spend a fortune to get that stick to work with all of the systems I can use through my PS2 adapter on my X-Arcade (currently: PC/MAC, DC, PSX, PS2, PS3, XBOX, Gamecube, and there's more available). I have PS2-> whatever adapters for almost every system, so if it's compatible with PS2, I'm set.

[InternalPrimate]

^^^ I'm going to avoid the argument completely and just comment on the video

Being 17days' mortal enemy, he probably doesn't care about my opinion, but I'll give it anyway! I liked the video Anyone can review something, so it's nice when someone comes up with a gimmick that works. The Nam thing is amusing, and therefore it works.

[Puffy2k316]

> X-Arcade



BTW- That Saturn controller doesn't use authentic Sanwa either and it's really fucking hard to mod.

You got ripped off. X-Arcade is a poorly made piece of junk. And tell me, how is the Saturn Astro City stick a "bullshit fanboy controller?" It's an officially licensed SEGA product with parts made in Japan. It's the real fucking deal end of story. Your X-Arcade has cheap HAPP sticks and buttons made in China. Have fun with your commie piece of trash.

X-Arcade doesn't use real HAPP (or IL for that matter)

[17daysolderthannes]

> X-Arcade


X-Arcade doesn't use real HAPP (or IL for that matter)

That joystick is pretty sweet, but still convex instead of concave .

For the price, you really can't beat the X-Arcade, and even better, you can mod it and stay under warranty.

[Puffy2k316]

^^^

Can be switched out easily. It's one of those Anniversary sticks they put out awhile ago but heavily modded.

I agree though that the X-Arcade is pretty good for the price. Any custom stick is pretty much going to be 100 off the bat and the X-Arcade is really easily modable. Plus, it has a lot of weight to it which IMO is key for an arcade stick. I found a two player one that already had HAPP buttons and Stick installed but no PCB for 50 dollars and I put in a spare 360 PCB and now I use it for PC/360. It's a good way to go, provided you like American controls (I do)

[17daysolderthannes]

^^^

Can be switched out easily. It's one of those Anniversary sticks they put out awhile ago but heavily modded.

I agree though that the X-Arcade is pretty good for the price. Any custom stick is pretty much going to be 100 off the bat and the X-Arcade is really easily modable. Plus, it has a lot of weight to it which IMO is key for an arcade stick. I found a two player one that already had HAPP buttons and Stick installed but no PCB for 50 dollars and I put in a spare 360 PCB and now I use it for PC/360. It's a good way to go, provided you like American controls (I do)

I don't understand why American controls don't get more love than they do. I find cherry ball sticks to be way too short and too bulbous at the same time. Japanese buttons are OK, but anything with a convex shape is just asking for your sweaty finger to slip off. How much is that SF II stick, btw? I bet it's pretty pricey. With the exception of that Generic USB stick (which I have no idea what the quality is like), there is nothing anywhere near the X-Arcade for the price, especially for 2 players.

generic USB stick:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...sr=8-7&seller=



Interesting weird joystick on DealExtreme:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26910

[Puffy2k316]

I don't understand why American controls don't get more love than they do. I find cherry ball sticks to be way too short and too bulbous at the same time. Japanese buttons are OK, but anything with a convex shape is just asking for your sweaty finger to slip off. How much is that SF II stick, btw? I bet it's pretty pricey. With the exception of that Generic USB stick (which I have no idea what the quality is like), there is nothing anywhere near the X-Arcade for the price, especially for 2 players.

From my casual observations, the fighting game community seemed about 50/50 when it came to American/Japanese controls a couple of years ago. What really changed it is when Madcatz put out that Tournament Edition stick with all Sanwa that you could buy from Gamestop. After that every body seemed to switch just based off of convenience (you pretty much have to get an american stick custom made if you want one and all the hardcore fighting game fans are dicks about having the right parts). The only place where American sticks are still the absolute standard is in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 because that game is still very closely linked to the arcades where all the machines have American. It also doesn't help that HAPP stopped using the company that's been making their sticks forever (a Spanish company called IL) and started making much lower grade sticks from factories in China. IL still makes the same sticks but it's a little more of a hassle to find them.

I can personally use both, but I prefer the American sticks because I've been using them for over a decade and I don't feel like using Japanese sticks for another decade just to reach the same level of skill. I've owned a bunch of Japanese sticks and they all seem fine but everything flows better when I go back to the American stick. Capcom started putting Convex American buttons in all their cabinets in the mid 90s so I could really go either way when it comes to that.

That guy sells sticks generally for 110-120, he has a bunch of them:

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...s/P1040914.jpg

http://s280.photobucket.com/albums/k...oysticks/1.jpg

I bought that Championship Edition one from him not too long ago. But you're basically paying the same as the X-Arcade, which has two players but not authentic parts, so it's really a toss up.

I've heard that generic USB stick isn't very good. It's never a good idea to trust shady generic sticks, especially when you're dealing with Japanese style where higher quality parts make the most difference.

[17daysolderthannes]

I don't get what all the brand elitism is all about though. I tried the SF IV stick and I didn't find anything special about at all, in fact, it felt cheap and sloppy compared to my X-Arcade.

[roguetrip]

Cool.

Hey as an suggestion for another video in this series. "How to properly store game cartridges that have no boxes."

Mostly all of my Sega games are bought with no protective boxes so i keep them in a shoe box with holes in it. Im curious if that will damage the game in anyway.

I would recommend sealing Rubbermaid containers with silica gel packets, The gel packets will help to absorb any moisture in the air, and are typically used with shipping electronics. Don't eat that crap though!

Keep out of heat and sunlight, If anything like some ROM chips in cars, supply enough UV light to the chip and you can erase it (after hitting with UV light can reprogram the chips like turbo ECU's). Usually why those cartridges are dark and not see threw.

I haven't watched those vids yet (no audio on this computer).

[mugenmidget]

Thanks for posting about those, Puffy2k316, I owned an X-Arcade for a while and wasn't a big fan (not too bad overall, though, diagonals were stiff at first but that can be tweaked a bit). Tried out the Mad Catz TE at Fry's and it's not exactly the arcade experience I wanted, definitely have my roots with the American style Happ sticks and seem to play fighting games a lot better with authentic parts.

Provided of course that they're in good shape. Hard to find cabinets around here as it is, let alone ones in decent condition.

[jerry coeurl]

Just for the record, these are the fingers you're supposed to hold your cigarette between:



Anything else and you look like trailer trash. Or someone who's never smoked before.

[17daysolderthannes]

I would recommend sealing Rubbermaid containers with silica gel packets, The gel packets will help to absorb any moisture in the air, and are typically used with shipping electronics. Don't eat that crap though!

Keep out of heat and sunlight, If anything like some ROM chips in cars, supply enough UV light to the chip and you can erase it (after hitting with UV light can reprogram the chips like turbo ECU's). Usually why those cartridges are dark and not see threw.

I haven't watched those vids yet (no audio on this computer).

That's going a bit far. If you keep it out of the garage/attic and in a 60~80 degree environment (Fahrenheit, you'd be cooking them in Celsius), you won't have problems with that. I've never heard that UV claim and I find it a bit suspicious without some heavy scientific evidence behind it, but even if it were true, it wouldn't affect these games because they all use mask ROMs that are permanently set. Most likely, those ECUs are magnetic or some other volatile storage medium that is very photosensitive. I find it more likely that moisture is damaging those ECUs rather than the sun.

Just for the record, these are the fingers you're supposed to hold your cigarette between:



Anything else and you look like trailer trash. Or someone who's never smoked before.

well...that's how I held it afaik. Anyone have a specific time where I didn't (in minutes/seconds of the youtube video)?

[kool kitty89]

I would recommend sealing Rubbermaid containers with silica gel packets, The gel packets will help to absorb any moisture in the air, and are typically used with shipping electronics. Don't eat that crap though!

Keep out of heat and sunlight, If anything like some ROM chips in cars, supply enough UV light to the chip and you can erase it (after hitting with UV light can reprogram the chips like turbo ECU's). Usually why those cartridges are dark and not see threw.

That's going a bit far. If you keep it out of the garage/attic and in a 60~80 degree environment (Fahrenheit, you'd be cooking them in Celsius), you won't have problems with that. I've never heard that UV claim and I find it a bit suspicious without some heavy scientific evidence behind it, but even if it were true, it wouldn't affect these games because they all use mask ROMs that are permanently set. Most likely, those ECUs are magnetic or some other volatile storage medium that is very photosensitive. I find it more likely that moisture is damaging those ECUs rather than the sun.

The UV thing really only applies to EPROMS, which have a window that allows them to be erased with an intense UV light sourse. Mask ROMS and PROMS and EEPROMS (which have no window) should be fine from UV, as should EPROMS with the window taped over with a light-proof material. (direct sunlight to circuit boards have other problems of course, but that's not the issue here)

As for silica gel and humidity control, I think that depends on where you live. In California humidity generally stays so low it wouldn't matter, but in some regions humidity could often be high enough to get some condensation, so that might be a consideration. Otherwise just a regualr box should be fine, some Rubbermaid or Sterilite boxes are great, and you generally don't need to use air tight ones. (except maybe for very high humidity conditions listed above)

[jamesdude]

One question though, are you mainly reviewing games? or are you planning to review Video game based movies as well? Id like to see your take on the SMB movie.

[17daysolderthannes]

The UV thing really only applies to EPROMS, which have a window that allows them to be erased with an intense UV light sourse. Mask ROMS and PROMS and EEPROMS (which have no window) should be fine from UV, as should EPROMS with the window taped over with a light-proof material. (direct sunlight to circuit boards have other problems of course, but that's not the issue here)

As for silica gel and humidity control, I think that depends on where you live. In California humidity generally stays so low it wouldn't matter, but in some regions humidity could often be high enough to get some condensation, so that might be a consideration. Otherwise just a regualr box should be fine, some Rubbermaid or Sterilite boxes are great, and you generally don't need to use air tight ones. (except maybe for very high humidity conditions listed above)

I live in one of those high humidity environments, and I think it's pretty safe to say anyone else living in such a horrible environment keeps the windows closed and the A/C on, thus making it game safe. That said, it's pretty important to not open windows if the games are in any way exposed because morning dew will rape them.

One question though, are you mainly reviewing games? or are you planning to review Video game based movies as well? Id like to see your take on the SMB movie.

who, me?

That would actually make a good review as I want to develop the character into a veteran turned drug addict that suddenly goes crazy and has flashbacks featuring Philips CD-i characters and other youtube poop characters.

I need to get a copy first