For fans of the DOA series the best game yet is on the Xbox 360. Before I let you in on my thoughts of the review, I wanted to review the DOA 4 Stick from Hori. Any real fighting fan wants a realistic feeling fighting stick and that has been a problem on the Xbox system. It’s a lot like a racing fan wanting the right wheel. It has to have that certain feel and weight to work properly. Same goes for an Arcade Fighting Stick, because it can have all the bells and whistles and if it’s not made well, it will wind up collecting dust.

I first saw a picture of what Hori calls the Dead or Alive 4 Stick on the web and the picture leaped out at me. Far before the game was out I knew I wanted to get my hands on this. Is it the best Arcade Fighting Stick ever made? Is it worth the price and how does it perform? Read the Dead or Alive Hori Arcade Stick review and see.

Initial Impressions

Let me begin with the fact trying to find one in stock was hard but I found one. It is in a standard box with the same picture as seen on the controller, which features one of the new characters Kokoro the Ba Ji Dancer. Even on the box the detailed picture made me look twice and I noticed that the box also had all the features listed. Once I got it home and opened, I noticed there was no instruction booklet. I like to have some instructions and at first this little missing item bothered me. However, all the instructions are on the box and it is not uncommon with imported items to ship this way.

The arcade stick was packaged extremely well and protected. While unpacking it, I noticed the weight not extremely heavy but sturdy and I liked this. I also liked the way Hori laid out the 360 guide button in the center just like the official controller and yes it lights up the same way. It is a bit smaller but really stands out thanks to the extra art work detail added. The start and back buttons are on either side of the guide button. Hori added the right and left shoulder buttons all on the same row. The artwork featuring Kokoro is stunning and almost leaps off the controller. The amount of detail and art work is impressive.

The Joystick feels and looks like it were lifted right from a real arcade machine and while moving it I heard a click for each position. Nothing loud or obnoxious actually it sounded like it is meant to. The six buttons are color coded and off set just like an arcade configuration and are placed low exactly as found on any arcade fighting game. In the center is the plug for the headset and the unit is USB powered. I would have loved it to be wireless but the cord is long enough that that is not an issue. They added a breakaway feature to prevent tripping over the cord which is great.

The other important feature is that the bottom has a real metal plate and rubber feet. It is a solid unit and may take those not used to using a stick a little time in the sparring mode to get used to. It is no wonder this is officially licensed by Tecmo and Microsoft. It even has the green Xbox 360 seal on the box.

Extended Evaluation

So it looks sharp and feels sturdy and while that is important, after paying $59.99, I expected it to perform like an actual arcade stick should. I hooked it up and in less than a minute the light flashed and I had complete control over the 360 dashboard. So far I was extremely impressed but the real test was about to begin. Popping in Dead or Alive 4, I noticed when I went to change the configurations it was already done for me. It notices the fact when the stick is plugged in and when you’re using a regular controller. Pretty neat and so I went into the story mode right away.

The buttons are big enough but are not noisy and the fact they are a bit low set makes hitting them easy. I also had no trouble with the stick shifting on my lap. You can use it on a table but I like having it right in my lap and found it easier to pull off the harder combos and moves that are difficult when using the regular 360 controller. If you own the game, you know the online mode has a lobby where you can fool around with your avatar and do emotions and flips just for fun. You can also zoom in and out and look around each lobby. While the Arcade stick only has one stick, it still allows you full control for having fun in the lobbies. Another impressive feature that had me hooked is that I could use every feature with the stick.

While using the headset port, there are no issues at all and no one will be able to tell if you’re using the stick or a regular controller. I have clocked in many hours in the game using the stick and had no problems at all. It is certainly worth every penny I spent on it. It has the right weight and feels like it should while showing off a little with the artwork.

Overall, anyone that is wanting a great fight stick should buy one since it will work with any other fighting game that comes out for the Xbox 360. They all use a six button configuration so it won’t collect dust. This has to be the best overall arcade stick I have ever bought. The only one that comes close to it is my Neo Geo arcade stick and that was a lot more expensive. No fighting fan will complain that the stick is not centered or that the buttons don’t respond right away. Hori has made the perfect stick for the best fighting game to come to a console. I know I may be a bit biased being a DOA fan but that’s my final word on this stick!

Features

  • From the ultra popular fighting series; Dead or Alive
  • Japanese arcade style controller
  • Very massive including large arcade style buttons
  • Xbox Live Headset Support
  • Copyright Tecmo – Officially Licensed by Microsoft
  • Produced by Hori Jap

Product Images

Dead Or Alive 4 Xbox 360 Hori Arcade Stick

Dead Or Alive 4 Xbox 360 Hori Arcade Stick

Overall Score

Overall Score: 9.5/10 [not an average]

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