« Review: Mad Catz Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition S+ »

When Mad Catz's Tournament Edition arcade stick was released back in 2009, it was one of the important factors to the modern fighting game scene as well as establish the framework to other arcade sticks to come. While the company is using a different arcade stick body as their standard nowadays, Mad Catz took the opportunity to bring back the TE model along with the release of Tekken Tag Tournament 2.

The TTT2 Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition S+ is an upgrade influenced by its past iterations with a new draw to keep it interesting. I loved the original TE S design and this new version makes it better, even if it's only slightly improved.

The core body of the TE S+ is exactly like the original S model with the trimmed side panels. This means there is slightly less weight compared to the original launch TE but it also can mean a much more simplified yet slick aesthetic which I preferred. Influenced by Mad Catz's Soulcalibur V TE S, the side panels and front panel bezel are translucent (blue for PlayStation 3, green for Xbox 360) which makes it visually unique and interesting.

Also grabbed from the SCV stick is the Namco Noir arcade stick layout so you don't have to worry about hands getting in the way of each other when moving the lever or pressing the buttons. All are placed on a top panel with broken glass art that is both appealing to the eyes as well as reasonably neutral in design. For those who want to have characters as their art, Mad Catz offers an extra top panel influenced by the limited Street Fighter IV Femme Fatale TE model but it might not be the best alternative to actual art replacement. The panel was made for convenient installation by simply removing the hex screws (tool included) but due to the lack of more reinforced support to keep it completely flat, it flops around unfortunately.

While a majority of the body looks and feels solid like its older counterparts, the TE S+ being more or less the same thing does have the shortcoming of its cable compartment. The length of the USB cable (13 feet) is just too much to put in the small compartment unless you find the sweet spot when tying it up. The compressed area will contribute to the cable possibly breaking or at least unnecessarily tangled. If the length was slightly reduced, it would be welcoming. This issue is nevertheless overshadowed by the rest of the positives on the body as well as its new addition.

A notable characteristic on the TE S+ is that it features a special foam attached to the bottom panel. After the introduction of non-slipping felt from Qanba, this is really good that various other companies are competing with similar and effective material. Both Hori's Real Arcade Pro V Kai models and the TE S+ really did well on establishing what material is best for keeping sticks on legs as still as possible. The problem I find with the foam on the TE S+ is that it doesn't cover the entire bottom layer so rust will be present eventually. A fully covered foam bottom would have been much better in the long run. Regardless the material is excellent for most legging material.

There is nothing much to explain the fully equipped Sanwa-Denshi parts as they are the excellent standard for arcade sticks nowadays. For modifications, you can still equip parts from Seimitsu, and now the new Crown CWJ-303A lever, with ease.

The TE series might not be the flagship product of Mad Catz's arcade sticks at the moment but they have at least provided care into what can improve with the series that helped create a foundation for high quality sticks. The TE has always been a solid product and even if there is only one new feature to the S+, it's just another plus on the stick's legacy.

The Mad Catz Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition S+ is available now for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The Wii U TE S model is also available, review will be ready as soon as possible.