Brook releases Nintendo Switch compatibility firmware for Wii U Super Converters

If you are looking for a simple solution to using your controller or arcade stick for the Nintendo Switch, Brook added compatibility to two of its existing converters.

The Taiwan-based company released firmware for its Wii U Super Converters to allow for native Switch support. The converter acts as a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller when plugged into the system. Not only should players be able to play most Switch games including Ultra Street Fighter II with ease, but they should also be able to navigate the system's main menu.

This is a different situation from that of the Brook Universal Fighting Board working on the current 3.0 console update, where the board simulates the Hori Pokkén Tournament pad. This mode works only in a game and can't work with the system's UI.

The Switch firmware can be found here. Brook's Wii U Super Converters for PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360/Xbox One are available now on Arcade Shock and Paradise Arcade Shop!

Digital Foundry checks out graphical power of Tekken 7 & its predecessors

The go-to people for graphics analysis at Digital Foundry got the chance to show off how each version of Tekken 7 is running and made a visual retrospective of the series.

DF's Thomas Morgan explains in detail how the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro and PC differ. This includes variances in resolution, post-processing effects and load times. A full text analysis, with screenshot comparisons, can be found here.

Dave Bierton talks about the evolution of the series and the hardware that powers each game. While Tekken has been a multiplatform series in recent entries, it has been one of the franchises that grew alongside Sony's PlayStation line of consoles before that shift. This growth starts all the way back at the original Tekken for the first PS system and the similar Namco System 11 arcade hardware.

Videos for the Tekken 7 graphical analysis and the series/tech evolution can be found after the jump!

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Review: Qanba Obsidian arcade stick (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PC)

Qanba's latest line of arcade sticks for the PlayStation 4 that was reviewed on IPLAYWINNER was based on existing designs. The Drone, priced at $79.99, was from the N1 series. The $149.99 Crystal was a reintroduction of the revised Q2 LED/Glow models. As for the $299.99 Dragon stick, it was previously featured at EVO 2014 as a prototype. The Obsidian, however, was a stick never before seen from the Chinese manufacturer when it premiered in late 2016.

Sitting between the Crystal and Dragon in price, the Obsidian is aimed for players who want better parts than the former while not breaking the bank with the very stylish latter. At $199.99, it's competing with Mad Catz's Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2+ and Razer's Panthera sticks. With its competitors, you can consider the Obsidian as Qanba's flagship stick but does it stack up?

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Review: Qanba Dragon arcade stick (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PC)

Back at Evolution 2014, Chinese arcade stick manufacturer Qanba featured a prototype model of a new design. This big-bodied stick was made with the PlayStation 4 in mind. It allowed easy access to the lever and pushbuttons as well as room to hold onto spare parts. One unique feature in this prototype stick was the ability to switch the left and right portion of the top panel. It would have allowed the player to use the button layout of Sega's Astro City format while having the lever placed similar to Taito's Vewlix design. The stick was eventually put on hold due to the cost involved in producing it.

Qanba was able to salvage that design and reintroduce it in 2016 as the Dragon. Aspects of the stick have changed since its 2014 reveal but the core look still remains in the final version. As a direct competitor to Hori's Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX arcade stick series, the Dragon is part of the luxury grade of sticks. You can expect arcade quality parts and an exquisite body design, but at a very hefty price.

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Review: Razer Panthera arcade stick (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PC)

Commonly known more for its gaming-focused PC peripherals and the communities that use them, Razer's attention to the fighting game community has been intriguing. Along with sponsoring players such as Infiltration, Fuudo and Xian, the company made arcade sticks to compete with Mad Catz, Qanba and Hori. With models for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, the Atrox series had features ahead of its time all housed in a slick body design.

RAZER PANTHERA ARCADE STICK SCREENSHOTS

Even with cool features, Razer faced a situation where it had to deal with criticism. Events such as EVO 2015, where Momochi's Atrox stick was suddenly disabled on the eve of his Ultra Street Fighter IV victory, became a controversial topic in the community. Technical issues would also surface in future events giving more people reason to heckle Razer.

The company also had to adapt to the current FGC competitive climate. With a majority of fighting games being commonly available on the PlayStation 4, the manufacturer began work on a stick for that platform. Given another chance, Razer's new model—Panthera—doesn't deviate too much from its prdecessors while still making sure the stick is ready for a new generation. While the consistency is nice, the continuations—as well the smaller changes and additions—aren't always for the best.

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Tekken Revolution ending service on March 21, 2017, delisted in January

With Tekken 7's home release coming closer, Bandai Namco Entertainment will be closing down the free-to-play entry.

The PlayStation 3-exclusive Tekken Revolution will begin the sunsetting process on Jan. 21, 2017, when the game itself and its downloadable content will be removed from the PlayStation Store. Those who downloaded the game prior to the delisting can still play the game until it fully shuts down on March 21, 2017.

This game introduced mechanics, including the invincible Critical Arts, which would be carried over and modified for Tekken 7. Players can use skill points to level up a character's health, attack output or chances for a critical hit. Tekken Revolution also featured Eliza, an exclusive unlockable character chosen by fans. There are no plans for Eliza to return in Tekken 7.

Tekken Revolution isn't Bandai Namco's only take on F2P fighting games. A single player-focused SoulCalibur subtitled Lost Swords closed on Sept. 1, 2017, after lasting more than a year. Rise of Incarnates, a PC-exclusive arena fighter featuring mechanics from the Gundam Versus series, released in July 2015 but concluded in December of the same year.

Qanba Obsidian arcade stick coming early 2017

Qanba has announced its fourth arcade stick for the PlayStation 4!

QANBA OBSIDIAN SCREENSHOTS

The Obsidian, much like the Dragon arcade stick, is a new design from Qanba. Priced at $199.99, the Obsidian features Sanwa Denshi parts out of the box, a metal ball top, a cable compartment and alloy sides with toggleable LEDs. In addition to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 support, players can use it on PC with Dinput and Xinput modes.

The preorder link for the Obsidian can be found here with a release date at around late January to early February. Arcade Shock also has a preorder page for the stick. Check out the trailer featuring a render of the stick after the jump!

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Review: Qanba Crystal arcade stick (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC)

Earlier in 2016, the popular Chinese arcade stick manufacturer Qanba released its first PlayStation 4 model: the Drone. While the stick was made as a budget option for those new to fighting games, people were left wondering when the higher-end models would start arriving. I recently had the chance to try out the Crystal, the first of two made for dedicated players.

QANBA CRYSTAL ARCADE STICK SCREENSHOTS

Based on the Q2 series of arcade sticks, and a direct descendant of the Q2 Glow, the Crystal arcade stick is Qanba's second major offering for the PS4. While the Drone has a small form factor, the Crystal is bigger and more developed. On the surface, the Crystal does look similar to its predecessors but some of its changes, both visually and technologically, might help someone looking for a more fleshed-out arcade stick from Qanba.

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Razer announces Panthera arcade stick for the PS4, available now

Only hours after Mark "MarkMan" Julio announced his work with the company and following hints of use from players such as Infiltration and Xian in recent months, Razer has formally announced its first arcade stick made for the PlayStation 4.

Called the Panthera, this is Razer's third arcade stick, succeeding the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions of the Atrox line. This stick will be designed to work on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Using the Atrox as a basis, players can expect the Panthera to feature a detachable USB cable, easy internal access, an anti-slip rubber mat and all Sanwa Denshi arcade parts. Instead of the common green color palette artwork found in the Atrox sticks, the Panthera has shades of dark blue. When it comes to special controls such as Touch Pad and the Home button, they are all placed in front of the Vewlix layout. The Options/Start and Share/Select buttons are still on the right side for convenient access.

Previously known for only making controllers specifically for Microsoft's Xbox platforms, the Panthera joins the Raiju controller as the first two PS4 peripherals by the Taiwan-based company. Min-Liang Tan, Razer's Co-Founder and CEO, announced back in March that the company were working on PS4 products, including a stick, following the controversy of controller malfunctioning at Final Round 19.

You can order now directly on Razer's official store! 

Upgraded, & easier, version of Toodles' Multi-Console Cthulhu now on Jasen's Customs

Photo by Jasen HicksTo those looking to play older fighting games or general retro gaming on legacy consoles with modern arcade sticks, Jasen's Customs upgraded a popular multiplatform controller board.

Toodles' Multi-Console Cthulhu board is now easier to work with thanks to Jasen's Customs "EZ Build" version. This is a collaboration between Toodles and Jasen Hicks to sell a new version of the board.

Instead of the USB out featured in the original MC Cthulhu, the EZ Build board has a RJ45 out port so there is no need to solder any wires. This plug and play solution will allow easy support for PlayStation 2, Sega Dreamcast, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Turbografx-16 and more. While the screw-in terminal blocks return, players who prefer the 20-pin connections found on the Akishop Customs PS360+ or Brook Universal Fighting Board can expect it in the EZ Build MC Cthulhu. There is also support for Paradise Arcade Shop's Kaimana LED kit.

Preorders for the EZ Build MC Cthulhu can be found on Jasen's Customs' website. Check out the promotional video after the jump!

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Revised Brook PS3/PS4 Fighting Board to include headphone support

Brook is in the process of making a new version of its PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 Fighting Board with more features.

Using the Universal Fighting Board as the basis, the revised PS3/PS4 FB will provide screw terminals for a solderless install. Instead of a USB Type B port, the new PS3/PS4 FB uses a Micro USB port. Along with the supplied 20-pin connection ports carried over from the UFB, there are additional pinouts for analog stick and Touch Pad support. There is also support for manipulating SOCD cleanup.

The big draw along with the different form factor is the 3.5mm stereo port. This will allow both stereo headphones and headsets requiring only a 3.5mm connection to work. Those good at modding should be able to make this feature easy to plug and play.

You can take a look at the prototype unit by Jonyfraze after the jump!

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New Hori Real Arcade Pro V. Hayabusa model to feature reduced latency and more

Hori Japan will soon release a new version of their Real Arcade Pro stick for the PlayStation 4 to alleviate lag concerns.

The 2017 model of the Real Arcade Pro V. Hayabusa features a new circuit board marketed to have less input lag than the older models. New to this stick is the inclusion of a 3.5mm stereo jack which will allow players to easily listen with headphones. The port is on the rear end of the stick.

Aside from those features plus the new stick artwork, the 2017 RAP V. Hayabusa will feature the same traits as its predecessors. This includes the Hori Hayabusa lever and buttons, PlayStation 3 and PC X-Input support as well as Touch Pad.

While not planned for North America as of this post, the stick will be available in Japan on Dec. 22, 2016, at 17,258 Yen. You can find more information here with preorder information on Amazon Japan.

New Zealand company Mighty Ape selling gorilla-themed PS4/PS3/PC arcade stick

The nation of New Zealand joins South Korea and Taiwan as one of the countries to sell unique consumer arcade sticks.

Gorilla Gaming, a gaming peripheral company located Down Under, released the "PRO Arcade Fight Stick" for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC back in August. It has a plastic body different from common competitors like Hori and Mad Catz. Screenshots show that the main panel is slanted and bears the Gorilla Gaming mascot as its stock panel art. Players can swap the art for their own liking with a supplied screwdriver.

The stick out of the box features a lever and buttons from Sanwa Denshi on a Taito Vewlix layout. When it comes to special controls, the stick has turbo, DP/LS/RS switching, PS button, Share/Select, Options/Start, lock button, L3/R3 and a Touch Pad all situated just above the main layout. It also includes a USB cable compartment.

For compatibility, Gorilla Gaming provided a page with the latest firmware version with periodic updates. While it's mainly sold for New Zealand and Australia, seller Mighty Ape can ship the stick to different countries including the United States. If you are looking to get this at a cheaper price, check the Australian listing here.

PS3 & PS4 frame-rate analysis of Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- by Digital Foundry

Digital Foundry, the premier graphical analysis team, took some time off from their usual videos to see how the newest iteration of Guilty Gear Xrd runs.

DF member Thomas Morgan details the differences of the unique character animations compared to other aspects of Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- including environment, camera movement and more.

Similar to their other frame-rate tests, Digital Foundry sees how the game runs using graphs for frame-rate as well as frame-time. The game on PlayStation 4 displays a full consistent 60fps with no alterations to the 16ms frame-time all in native 1080p. When it comes to the PlayStation 3 version, the game pairs back to 720p with lowered graphical features. Even if the PS3 version has to deal with minor frame drops and screen tearing, 60fps is still maintained most of the time.

The analysis video, as well as the graphical panel from GDC 2015 can be found below.

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Jasen's Customs TE2 EZ Mod for Mad Catz TE2 sticks coming soon, works with Brook UFB

Photo by Jasen HicksFor those who want their Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 to easily work with the previous and current generations of consoles, Jasen's Customs has you covered.

Jasen Hicks developed an EZ Mod for the TE2 line of arcade sticks to allow easy and near solderless support with the amazing Brook Universal Fighting Board. The TE2 EZ Mod replaces the stock TE2 board and serves as a bridging unit for the UFB. Harness cables from the stock board will be installed with little to no soldering required. The benefit for this kit is that if you ever need to switch back to the original PCB, the harness cables can be reinserted. The only soldering requirement is the USB cable's internal wires.

This comes following the release of the EZ Mod for the Hori Real Arcade Pro VLX Deluxe PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 line. Take note that the TE2 EZ Mod kit is made specifically for the original TE2 line, not the TE2+ model. Owners of the first generation Xbox 360, Xbox One and PS3/PS4 TE2 models can make use of this kit.

Paradise Arcade Shop and Arcade Shock will be selling the TE2 EZ Mod in the near future so stay tuned for updates. For now, you can check out the official Shoryuken Tech Talk thread here and two videos by Jasen himself below!

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Jasen's Customs' Hori VLX EZ Mod Kit available now, works with Brook UFB

Photo by Arcade Shock/Jasen's CustomsIf you are looking to get your Hori PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 VLX arcade stick to work on most modern consoles, there is a mod kit available to get you started.

Jasen's Customs has a special board designed for the recent Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX arcade sticks from Hori to allow easy multiplatform compatibility. The EZ Mod Kit doesn't allow compatibility by itself but rather act as a bridge to route all signals to a Brook Universal Fighting Board. The stock printed circuit board from the VLX sticks will be replaced by the EZ Mod Kit's "dumb board" in a non-destructive process. This method allows the stock board to be reinstalled if needed.

When installing the mod, there are some things to note. While the VLX sticks normally know what part of the touch pad is being pressed, the mod combined with the Brook UFB will disable that feature until a future update from Brook. Due to signal conflicts, turbo will also be disabled and directional inputs are locked to d-pad.

If you are looking to see the installation process, two videos after the jump show Jasen's Customs founder Jasen Hicks and modder Vicko breaking down the process. VLX owners can order the kit directly from Jasen's Customs or check out Arcade Shock, which offers the kit packaged with the Brook Universal Fighting Board. For Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 owners, there is also a TE2 EZ Mod Kit in the works!

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Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- Coming to Japanese Consoles Spring 2016

Inside Games is reporting that the newest Guilty Gear will be coming to home consoles in the first half of next year.

Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- is scheduled to launch before summer, and even more interesting is that the site reports the game will be coming to both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles. This should calm the fears of those players who were assuming they would have to upgrade their system and sticks to play the new title.

No other information, such as pricing or a release date for other regions, is available at this time.

A Detailed Examination of Dead or Alive 5: Last Round's Graphics by Digital Foundry

With Dead or Alive 5: Last Round now available on multiple platforms, the go to graphical analysis group took a look at how they perform.

Eurogamer's Digital Foundry performed a multiplatform analysis of the game. Both current and last generation of consoles render the final DOA5 game at 1080p with 60fps gameplay with the former running with minimal visual issues. The comparison piece includes high resolution screenshots showing specific differences and frame rate tests. The Xbox One version's performance issues is one of the major aspects featured.

You can check out the piece here.

Review - Phreak Mods TE2 Crossbone for Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2

The TE2 Crossbone being installed on top of the main TE2 PCB. Some parts including "Switch" input and 20-pin ports are already soldered.Multiplatform compatibility (often incorrectly labeled dual modding) in arcade sticks has been a recent trend for fighting gamers. Due to regulations, there are no officially sanctioned sticks for both Sony and Microsoft consoles. With tournaments having a game on a particular platform, it leaves the players who owned the other consoles unprepared. A stick that can work on many systems is convenient and affordable.

With the new console generation, players are back at square one with the issue. Most might not be able to afford two sticks including Mad Catz's Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 as they are priced at a premium. Phreak Mods, however, has provided a great solution to this problem with the TE2 Crossbone, a custom board made for TE2 sticks for multiplatform use. It came out at a great time as the latest generation of gaming begins and fighting gamers are planning what they want to play. Now they have an option to get themselves set for the next wave of fighting games on any platform.

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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.

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