Launching in May for $190.
Compatible with PS3, PS3 Slim, AND PS4! I think this is the first official PS4 joystick announced for market.
It’s a Hayabusa HRAP. Hayabusa control lever and Kuro buttons installed. No SA or SE monikers; this is an ALL-Hori joystick but no worries. These are quality parts at least as well-performing and durable as or better than the Sanwa and Seimitsu product.
Hopefully, this sees a US release in the near-future…
These guys also talk about the joystick –
It IS cheaper through other outlets like AmiAmi.
Bad news – no international release scheduled yet but I would be surprised if it doesn’t show up on US shores.
My one complaint –
I wish Hori had used the HRAP N3/NX as the base for this joystick or even the Fighting Edge.
I’m not a huge fan of the HRAP V3/VX base.
Based on IPLAYWINNER’s report, this should be based on the Kai form factor. Also, I’m guessing that they’re using the V series casing due to the partnership with Taito.
Doesn’t look like the Kai to me. IIRC, doesn’t the Kai version move the joystick a little bit more to the left? Either way, the V3/X line is a solid joystick if you don’t care for too many visual mods. If this is common ground, I think a purchase of an xbone pcb + crossbone will work just nicely. Either way, I’m glad Hori is taking to heart the console transition period. I hope toodles gets one and messes with the pcb though. hinthint
Though I’m kinda in the same boat as @GeorgeC; I’d have liked if they used the HRAP NX/N3 casing instead.
Funny story for me: when the HRAP VX/V3 was first shown, I fell in love with the look and design. I waited in getting one, however; just waited for a good price. Then one day a colleague brought one into the office, and I tried it out. REALLY didn’t like the lack of palm support, and it was deal-breaker. Dreams shattered.
Yeah I totally agree with you and GeorgeC. Like you, I considered a VX and VX Kai once when I wanted a new stick after my Hori EX-SE. I almost dropped the hammer on the VX a couple times but the narrow palm area and slanted “palm support” hand rest turned me off. I prefer Hori to MCZ so thank goodness I found the Hori NX/N3 body instead. Far superior body style, alot more palm room, space between buttons and stick and the slick hide-away Start button.
It kinda boggles me why Hori would have that superior body yet revert back to this V series body, especially when the N body style is if I am correct the body they have marketed the most recently. The N3 SA, and AX S+G use this body. That’s the only gripe I really have with Hori, they ride out one particular body style stick for a long ass time.
I like the palm rest, it’s just like the vewlix cabinets and the vlx, my wrists get bothered by resting them on the stick. It is way more ergonomic for me.
I could see what you mean if you were really familiar with viewlix cabinets etc first hand. I guess my issue with the palm rest is for people with larger hands or long fingers, one has to arc their fingers up pretty high on that narrow hand rest area. The EX-SE I had was simlar, it wasn’t angled but just had less hand room really. The cool thing about wider designs like the NX and say an MCZ VS is you have the option. You can arc your fingers up or rest them more flat, or say arc them up during matches and rest them in between matches etc. While on a narrow VX style body you don’t have that option. There are other issues such as the Start button location too.
Perhaps its all just personal ergonomics and comfort as everyone’s hands are different. Thing that irks me about Hori is it seems they don’t like the idea of promoting multiple body styles at once like MCZ. MCZ has the TE, VS, Pro bodies etc. Only now has Hori started using the N and Fighting Edge bodies (past few years), and it seems they may have no intention of really using those bodies in mass either. Just look how long the old HRAP2,EX-SE, T5 etc body lasted for.
I prefer Sanwa. Well To be honest I prefer HBFS buttons and Seimitsu sticks, but that’s never going to be in a stock stick so I settle with Sanwa. I don’t like Hori parts, these Kuro buttons feel like trash to me and I couldn’t care less about the Hayabusa.
I’d be fine with that if the stick itself wasn’t god damn $200. If I’m gonna spent $240 on a stick I’m giving that money to Laugh. It irks me that Hori has decided that their first party parts are super premium and all of their expensive sticks have Hori parts instead of Sanwa. I fear the day the VLX comes with Hori parts.
