Review: Eightarc’s Ebony Fusion Joystick
When it comes to fighting games, most players choose to use a joystick instead of a controller. There are many types of joysticks available from different companies. MadCats are dominating the market with their Tournament Edition fightsticks. However, MadCatz do not make a joystick that can be played on the PlayStation 3, PC, and Xbox 360 (dual mod). Of course you could modify your joystick for it to do so, but that would cost over a hundred dollars and you’ll need to know what you’re doing if you aren’t having someone do it for you. So, what complete high quality dual mod joystick could you get for a reasonable price? Eightarc and Quanba have teamed up to make premium joysticks and I got my hands on the Ebony Fusion joystick. Is this the stick to get for all your fighting game needs?
Ebony Fusion Joystick
Works On: PlayStation, PC, Xbox 360
Company: Eightarc/Qanba
Price: $184.99 (Plus Shipping & Tax)
Comes With: Joystick, Headset, Cleaning Cloth, 2 Button Covers
The Body
The body of the is constructed with ABS plastic and has a matte finish. With this type of construction, the joystick has toughness and is impact resistant. So if you drop your joystick on accident, then it should be just fine. The body also has smooth curvature wrist rest that make your wrists feel comfortable while playing. The underside of the stick has rubber feet and a felt bottom. The rubber feet are standard for most joysticks as it helps the stick from not moving while on a surface. I feel that the felt bottom is better than the usual metal bottoms as it prevents the stick from sliding while using it on your lap. The USB cord is on the side of the stick and it’s eight feet, two inches long which is a good length. It has its own compartment to store the cord in, so no need to fuss. One gripe I have with the stick is the headphone jack for the Xbox 360. Standard Xbox 360 headsets have a 2.5mm plug that fits in the controller perfectly. The Fusion Ebony has a 3.5mm jack which means if you want to plug in your Xbox 360 headset, you’ll have to buy an adapter or use the headset that came with the stick. However, the headset that is included feels very uncomfortable. You can find the adapters at a Radio Shack and they run for about five dollars.
The Parts
Now, to the meat of the arcade stick. The actual joystick is a Sanwa JLF and the buttons are the Sanwa OBSF-30. Sanwa is the standard arcade stick parts used in arcade machines and sticks. The Sanwa joystick and buttons are very responsive and are some of the best parts you could find on the market. Of course, there are other companies like produce joysticks and buttons that people to tend to like. But if you want the golden standard of arcade parts, Sanwa are the way to go.
The Look
The Ebony Fusion has a black and white scheme that looks pretty damn sexy. It reminds me of a classic piano. The Eightarc logo is placed where the joystick is, but it looks good. It has a very simplistic look to it and I appreciate that. Most of the time, arcade sticks have art on the stick that does not look good or just has the logo to a specific game. With the Eightarc stick, you could keep it nice and simple. However, you could also add in your own art.
Modding
With every arcade stick, you’ll be able to customize it. With Eightarc, it’s no different. Just unscrew the eight screws on the bottom and open up to see the insides of your stick. By doing this however, it will void the warranty so make sure you want to open it up. You can swap the buttons and joystick, change the art, and add any cosmetic touches such as LED buttons if you dare desire. Eightarc also sells clear panels and gives the art template on their website so making your desired stick art is very easy. Even though modding the stick voids the warranty, it’s great that Eightarc gives you the assets needed to mod.
Functionality
So, how well does the Ebony Fusion work? It works like a charm. The joystick and buttons are very responsive, but maybe too responsive for some people. However with sometime to get use to the stick, they will feel just right. Pulling off moves in Street Fighter were easy to pull off. You can’t say that it was the joystick’s fault anymore! You’ll also be able to assign turbo to buttons as well. However, fighting game fans don’t use turbo right? The main feature about the joystick is that it can be played on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This is a great thing to have if you are going to a tournament running multiple consoles or if you have both a Xbox 360 or PlayStation. It is as easy as toggling a switch on the stick to the system you want to play then plugging it in. Simple as that!
Overall/Verdict
Eightarc’s Ebony Fusion is a high quality joystick that every fighting game fan should have. The parts are top of the line, it looks great, and the stick is reasonably priced. Also, the ability to play on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC is just awesome and very useful. However, I wish they made the headphone jack a smaller size, but getting an adapter will fix that easily. So if you are looking to get a premium arcade stick, Eightarc’s Ebony Fusion is definitely something you want.
Check out Eightarc to buy arcade sticks, parts, shirts, and more!
