How's the Real Arcade Pro. 3?

Tech Talk
1

I have SF4 for 360 and just bought a TE stick finally, but I recently read that many tournaments use the PS3 version. I’d rather not go and spend another $150 on a PS3 TE stick so I was looking for a good, cheaper alternative. Amazon has the HRAP3 in stock for $100 new. Any owners here that can vouch for it? Or would it be cheaper to just get the regular Hori arcade stick for PS3 for $50 and modify it?

This is the $50 one.

2

well thats not a real arcade pro 3… thats the all hori fight stick 3.

what you might should look in to is just dual modding your 360 stick. it’ll be easy with a cthulhu board.

3

Unless you’re prepared to do some serious modding to get Sanwa or Seimitsu parts into a HORI Fighting Stick 3, don’t even consider getting it. The HORI Real Arcade Pro 3 however, is definitely the best PlayStation 3 arcade stick available to consumers in my opinion. This goes for the standard HRAP3 and any subseries models like the HRAP3SA.

You might be wondering why it’s so good when we’ve got the Mad Catz PlayStation 3 Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition. Here’s why.

  1. It’s just as easy to mod as the FSTE in terms of swapping buttons. The HRAP3 does indeed have quick disconnects. The only thing you can’t easily put in a HRAP3 that you can easily put in an FSTE is a Seimitsu joystick, but considering that you’re probably used to Sanwa parts by now and the HRAP3 comes stock with a Sanwa JLF joystick, you should be fine.
  2. The HRAP3’s biggest selling point however, is the fact that it has a PCB which is supported by Sony for use with backwards compatible PlayStation 2 games. This probably isn’t too important to you since you probably only own an Xbox 360, but it’s a definite plus for whenever you might go to a friend’s house who does have a BC PS3.
  3. Just like the FSTE, the HRAP3 has turbo functionality for your buttons. It might not have a lockswitch on it, but in exchange, you get access to L3 and R3 buttons which is definitely a better deal in my opinion. With BlazBlue finally released, I was REALLY pissed to learn that Arc System Works didn’t include the option to map your Taunt command to the Select button which for me is a must since I play on a FSTE and a HRAP2SA. However, with a HRAP3, that’s not a problem since you can map taunt to either L3 or R3. And since the control panel for both L3/R3 and the Home and Turbo buttons are placed above your joystick, you won’t have to worry about accidental taunts or accidental pressing of the Home or Turbo buttons.

So, in short, yes, the HRAP3 is a great deal and definitely the stick you want for PS3 use. Don’t bother with the FS3 unless you’re willing to put some SERIOUS work into modding it.

Optimally however, I say check out the “How to install an MC Cthulu into a FightStick Standard Edition” topic by Bomberman and mod your current FSTE to work on multiple consoles. :tup:

4

Wow, it really pays to look :rofl: If I had just looked and saw you can dual mod the TE then I wouldn’t have even made this thread. I guess that’s what I’ll be doing, thanks to both of you :wgrin:

EDIT: Ikagi, I do own much more than a 360. I do have a PS2 and I’d love to find some SF3 tournaments as well as some Cap Vs SNK 2 tournaments. So backwards compatibility is a nice thing to have.

5

HRAP3 buttons are the same as EX2 buttons ? yes? no ?

6

I have the Hori Fighting Stick 3 and can play on it. I wouldn’t say its the best stick out there, but its 1000x better than cheapies. I’d think that for $50, its worth its value.

7

If you get a multi-console Cthulhu you can have a 360/PS3/PS2/PS1/Xbox/Saturn/Gamecube/Wii stick. Which should take care of any games you care to play. HRAP 3 is a great stick though and the button layout is way more comfortable to me.