Ooooooooh…pweeeeetty.
Say hello to the "authentic American-style fight stick," which will come with the Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition on April 19. For $149.99, you can take home an accessory that will remind you of the early days of arcade gaming, and as they say at the PlayStation Blog , it's created by NetherRealm, the team that helped design the cabinets for the classic arcade MK experiences.
"Connected via a USB cable, the unit is big and burly with a sturdy, substantial feel and some serious heft. A thick memory foam pad cushions the bottom of the unit, enabling comfortable knee-top play (though it’ll work just fine propped on a coffee table, too). A sliding metal latch enables the top to flip open, revealing a neat internal wiring array as well as a capacious cavity that will accommodate games, accessories, and anything else you manage to cram in there. No severed body parts, please.
Mortal Kombat arcade veterans will immediately recognize the baseball-bat-shaped joystick and concave buttons — an iconic American design that Ars Technica gaming editor Ben Kuchera has cleverly dubbed the “superhero” (“because it’s a bat and a cave”). The stick itself has a tighter, springier feel compared to the looser action of ball-topped Japanese-style sticks that are widely available on the PS3. Joystick design preference can be a touchy topic with serious fighting fans: Some players will always prefer the raised buttons and looser feel of the Japanese-inspired fighting sticks, while others will appreciate the distinctive feel of this American-style stick. Like many things in life, it ultimately comes down to personal preference."
Of course, you want one. You're going to need one if you wish to be a super MK fighter. It's a requirement. You can use a silly ol' gamepad if you want, but you run the risk of being mocked by those who learned – in fact, trained – on the cabinets back in the day. There's a right way to do things…and a wrong way.
Related Game(s): Mortal Kombat
