Hori brings “real arcade” control to the Xbox 360

By Spencer . June 5, 2008 . 8:28am

Compared to the PlayStation 3 and Wii, the Xbox 360 is the destination for arcade ports. Microsoft’s console is the home of vintage arcade games, the Castle of Shikigami 3, classic Soulcalibur, and Cave shmups. Arcade enthusiasts probably know Hori released a solution last year when Virtua Fighter 5 came out. However, the Virtua Fighter 5 fighting stick will no longer be sold in Japan. Hori is replacing it with the Real Arcade Pro EX.

The Real Arcade Pro EX rearranges the button layout with a two column, four button layout. The shoulder/bumper buttons are now placed to the left and right of the colorful face buttons. There is also a tiny Xbox 360 guide button on the top left hand corner. Cute. Hori’s revised arcade stick comes out on July 10, just in time for Soulcalibur IV (July 31 in Japan) and Street Fighter IV. You can pick one up for 12,000 yen ($114) plus the cost to ship over a solid Arylonnitrile Butadiene Styrene base brick.

Images courtesy of Hori and Impress Watch.

TAGS: Gadgets, Hori, Xbox 360

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JKTrix

Sweet. Do want.

BatAttack

Two column? Looks like 4 columns and 2 rows to me.

Anyway - the main issue of importance: does the stick have a 4-way or an 8-way gate? If it is 8-way, consider me sold.

Archer

Finally, Hori releases the stick on the 360... Although for that price, I may as well go mod another Virtua Stick or their own Pro. 3 Stick...

thaKingRocka

@BatAttack:
every japanese stick i've ever used has been a 4-way. every hori has been a 4-way as far as i know, so don't get your hopes up for an 8-way. i think that's pretty much the domain of happ rather than sanwa, although i'm not sure if the stick here is sanwa.

exranza

this is 8-way, all their sticks are (8 directions, diagonals, duh). Also on japanese sticks the restrictor plate can be rotated to change to 4-way for games like pac man if you wish.

ArcadeBoy

Do you guys mean Square gate, instead of 4 way? Saying Japanese sticks are always "4-way" (ie up,down,left,right) is absolutely false. Actually, I don't think anything aside from ancient arcade machines used 4-way. Or a specific arcade stick for old games.