I Want to Buy This So Bad But Know I Shouldn't Dept.: "Street Fighter IV" Joysticks

All things Street Fighter have been whetting my appetite something fierce since I was about 12 years old. (Man that was an awkward sentence...and dare I leave it in? I DARE!) With Street Fighter IV just around the corner, my psyched meter is rapidly rising. I've preordered the Collector's Edition and, yes, bought a Ryu action figure today -- but I really, really, really want one of these insanely awesome officially-licensed SFIV joysticks by Mad Catz. Let's browse, shall we?


This, the "Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition," is seriously hardcore. Priced at $169.99, the buttons and joystick are made out of the same high-quality materials as the actual arcade cabinet's, and it has some other bells and whistles. This is definitely out of my price range, but I can still stare and yearn and crave.


This beaut (no idea how to spell that, but I like to talk like a southern used car salesman sometimes), the "Street Fighter IV FightStick," will run you about $69.99. It's made of less expensive materials than its fancy cousin, and it's not as sturdy, but word is it'll do the job. And it looks rad.


Fortunately, there is a less expensive option for those of us lesser (and poorer) nerds: the "Street Fighter IV Fightpad," a $39.99 controller with a specially-designed digital pad, and the classic Street Fighter 6-button layout on the face of the controller. I'll probably end up getting one of these (either with Ryu or Akuma as the featured character), as I really hate playing Street Fighter with the PS3 controller...plus I'm a fan of the arts!

In the end, remember: Whatever special controller you or I are suckered into buying because we're feeling momentarily excited about a stupid videogame, the real power...is in all of us.