Editing Arcade controller

An '''arcade controller''' — sometimes referred to as a '''fightstick''', '''box controller''', or '''rectangle''' — is a controller designed after an arcade cabinet's control deck, mainly designed for use with traditional fighting games. The rise of modern arcade controllers dates back to 1987 with the release of the original ''Street Fighter'' and has since been a staple in the fighting game community.

The compatibility of an arcade controller depends on the product itself; in general, they are either designed for a specific brand of arcade machine, a PC, or a proprietary game console. Modern arcade controllers are commonly designed with USB ports and/or wireless technology like Bluetooth, which makes them compatible with a range of systems, including the Nintendo Switch. This also makes them compatible with a range of converters, such as those that make them compatible with the GameCube, effectively extending their range of compatibility, albeit at the cost of some latency. This gives them compatibility with more systems than the average game controller.

 

Despite the growing compatibility and options, no game in the ''Smash'' franchise officially supports arcade controllers as an option and thus does not automatically map buttons accordingly. However, all arcade controllers with internal components based on official controllers licensed by Nintendo are unofficially compatible with the ''Smash'' series, albeit with the player having to manually configure the button layout. Thus, this has opened a niche for third-party arcade controllers designed for use with ''Smash'', such as the B0XX and SmashBox.

The [https://frame1.gg/ '''Frame1'''] is an arcade controller produced by former B0XX developer {{Sm|Greg Turbo}}, [https://twitter.com/Frame1GG/status/1303362459726688258 revealed in September 2020]. An Open Source repository called [https://github.com/GregTurbo/Open-Frame1 Open-Frame1] is available, allowing one to produce a Frame1 Light PCB, in part due to supply issues.

 

Originally a concept that was produced in 2017 with a cardboard box, this would lead to Greg Turbo assisting with the B0XX's development before leaving the team. The Frame1 prioritises latency, using a strong processor to make it faster than most controllers. It also uses a thin "box" for lightweight portability, as well as a non-slip design so it's easier to stay on one's lap. Unlike its competitors, the Frame1 uses optical Gateron buttons — the first of its kind to do so — giving it some additional longevity. The controller first opened for pre-order September 11, 2020.

The Smash Stick is an upcoming "fightstick" produced by [http://www.altlabcontrollers.com/ Alt Lab Controllers]. Beta production was announced in 2021, but as of June 2024, the website and Twitter pages have not been updated.

 

The Smash Stick uses a traditional arcade controller layout, joystick, and 24mm Sanwa buttons, making it the only Smash-centric arcade controller to use a joystick. It features a swappable octagon gate with the joystick, allowing customization with other gates like square, circle and hexagon. The artwork can also be customised by removing the acrylic panel. Like other arcade controllers, it's designed with the intention of reducing hand strain. Additionally, it's compatible with all ''Smash'' titles,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHP9ZtlRl7Q Smash Stick Trailer]</ref> being usable on the N64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Switch, and more. The Smash Stick was successfully funded via Kickstarter.<ref>[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/altlabcontrollers/smash-stick-the-analog-arcade-stick-0]</ref>

The legality of arcade controllers is a controversial subject. Some argue that the controller's capacity to do otherwise impossible techniques, such as multiple simultaneous actions and performing complicated actions with greater ease, gives users an unfair advantage over regular controllers. Some players within and outside the ''Smash'' [[community]] have gone as far as to consider these types of controllers [[cheating]] and advocate for their banning. Others argue that their inherent downsides, such as steep learning curves and loss of subtle intricacies regular controllers possess that lead to more limited and predictable gameplay, offset their advantages. Players for arcade controllers also cite the accessibility enhancements for those with hand problems, which has allowed many ex-competitors to return to tournaments. Hax$, one of the biggest proponents of these types of controllers, has gone as far as to [[nerf]] his B0XX controller for the sake of making it tournament-viable, largely appeasing community members. Outside of the ''Smash'' tournament scene, some controllers have explicitly been banned, with that ruling sometimes bleeding over into ''Smash'' tournaments. A notable example is the "GafroBox" that was popularized by {{uv|Street Fighter}} player Daigo Umehara. On top of the already controversial Hitbox layout, this controller has a unique simultaneous opposing cardinal directions (abbreviated as '''SOCD''') cleaner, meant to algorithmically decide which directional input would take priority over others held down at the same time, that prioritizes the latest input. The previous standard was to return the character to a neutral position. This change alters how games not designed for it are played, such as walking forward while charging inputs and allowing frame-perfect reaction times not possible on other controllers, and thus it was officially banned in all [[Capcom]] sanctioned tournaments.<ref>[https://www.oneesports.gg/street-fighter/the-gafrobox-the-banned-tech-that-made-daigo-ditch-his-arcade-stick/ The GafroBox: The banned tech that made Daigo ditch his arcade stick]</ref>