« Review - Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 (PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4) »

As players are still using the original Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition by Mad Catz to this day, it's apparent that it has been a crowning success for the peripheral company. Coming out in 2009 just in time for Street Fighter IV, Mad Catz was able to standardize what an arcade stick should be for half a decade. Eventually as new consoles come out, arcade sticks need to go out to pasture to make way for something new.

While there were follow-up and distinguishable sticks from Mad Catz, none of them were worthy of being the true successor to the TE line until now. Dubbed the Tournament Edition 2, this arcade stick is intended to be an evolution of its predecessor in many ways while staying true to its best traits. Most of the stick's intentions succeed with flying colors.

One of the first things noticeable in the TE2 is the overall body. The chassis has been overhauled to look sharper than the original TE body. While the predecessor was inspired by the Taito Vewlix cabinet, the TE2 seems to be looking at a futuristic aesthetic, similar to some luxury concept cars. Mad Catz emphasizes some details in the stick such as the quadrilateral shapes in the rear and the sharp-looking hand rest but doesn't provide too much fluff to make the look too elaborate.

The side panels make a return in the body but in a slimmer approach. Some TE2 models like the Ultra Street Fighter IV version have colored panels to match the artwork color palette, which is a neat touch. Mad Catz also provides anti-slip pads on the bottom, which work well on surfaces and most legging material.

Taking a friendly jab at fellow company Razer, Mad Catz provided the ability to easily open the TE2 through a button in the back for maintenance and modding. The hood when opened is held with strong metal hinges. The insides house the detachable cable and two holes for extra buttons. It can also hold the multitool which I will mention later in the review. The rest of the space can be used for modding projects. Take note that opening the PCB door voids any warranty with the stick. Unfortunately the space lacks any PCB-holding support like the honeycomb screw floor in Razer Atrox sticks. Also the height of the TE2 makes any large PCB installation complicated. Players will have to pick their battles and plan where to place any additional hardware before proceeding.

A view of the TE2's internals. The panel can support the official LED board (sold separately).The TE2's main panel is similar to its predecessor. While the Sanwa Denshi JLF lever and the OBSF-30 buttons work well, the stick provides support for different 30mm buttons and multiple levers. No need to open a panel from a certain position thanks to the TE2's easily accessible internal compartment. As a neat bonus, they made buttons easy to install and remove with ring spacers. Button quick disconnects also received an upgrade with a simple tab to keep it in place and can easily be removed with the multitool. The Vewlix layout also returns, but Mad Catz will later release a replacement panel with the Namco Noir cabinet layout.

The start and select buttons are still in the front but are slightly harder to access due to the body design, so accidental pauses are less likely to happen. In case it ever happens, there is a convenient lock button on the control panel. Mad Catz separated the special controls from the main playing panel but placed them in an easily viewable and accessible area. Keeping the Home/PS button, d-pad/left stick/right stick and aforementioned lock systems, the TE2 removed the turbo function, which wasn't useful for competitive players. The PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 models also include a switch system to allow for easy compatibility on each console. One minor issue when in PS4 mode is that the PS button needs to be pressed to properly verify that it's in use.

Customization, including changing artwork, was common with the original TE stick. Mad Catz looked into it and made it very easy to change artwork for the TE2. After unscrewing inside screws with the included multitool, all one needs to do is removing the top bezel, lever top and then the plexi panel.

A problem that was noticeable in the TE was that the cable compartment required the player to properly tie up the USB cable to fit inside. Also, the door was capable of breaking. The detachable cable and the inside housing were the remedies to those issues. Plugging the cable to the stick port in the front is easy and can withstand disconnects thanks to its screw-in end. The cable includes a strap to help keep tied-up cables in place when not in use. While a properly tied up cable can fit inside, it would have better to see a larger housing.

In terms of actively playing, The TE2 feels very comfortable with nothing distracting my experience when playing Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- on both PS3 and PS4. Performing combos including Sol Badguy's dustloop combos worked without any noticeable latency. It also works on PC instantly, perfect for players getting Street Fighter V on the platform. There is a good weight to it, but it doesn't feel overwhelmingly heavy. On flat surfaces, the anti-slip pad sticks pretty well and rarely moves without a lot of force. The only minor issue was the small gap with the main panel's bezel and the plexi glass, unlike the flush style in the Xbox One TE2.

A look at the PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 panel. Notice the PS3/PS4 switch.Like the original TE stick, the TE2 is priced at $200 USD. While it is justified due to its features, it might be a hard investment for some players who do not have a lot of cash. Down the line, owners, especially for the PS3/PS4 sticks, might want to future-proof their TE2 for both platforms. Due to some of the stick's modding drawbacks, it might be complicated to get the PS3/PS4 TE2s to work on Xbox One. XB1 TE2 owners have a streamlined modding solution with Phreak Mods' TE2 Crossbone and the Akishop Customs PS360+, with the latest firmware confirmed to work on PS4. In case players ever do mod any version, they either need to take their time or send it to an experienced modder since the board can be hard to salvage. Unfortunately, the PS3/PS4 TE2s don't have LEDs built in like the XB1 Killer Instinct model. It's understandable though as it would increase the price, but you can buy the LEDs separately.

Aside from some of these specific concerns, the Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 is a deserving sequel to Mad Catz's biggest foray into fighting game peripherals. There are new features most players today need. It doesn't revolutionize like its predecessor, but the TE2 makes a statement about what an arcade stick should be in this generation of video games.

Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox 360 models are available on their official store. Accessories including button harnesses, LED boards, buttons, levers and more are also available there.