After 6 months of ownership of both the HRAP and the TE, I would just like to add some pros/cons for those curious.
Pros: Extremely durable feel in comparison to the TE, mods easily, going to be a comfortable purchase for previous HRAP owners on past systems.
Cons: Hori buttons out of the box are not great and should be replaced, lack of a locking mechanism for the guide button, start and back on top.
Note: I stand by my five star rating, but these are just some things to think about. I own the TE as well, and for what it lacks (build quality) it makes up for by having a full sanwa layout, a lock for the guide button (to avoid pressing it at the wrong time by accident) and rear placed back and start.
If you have been teetering on the idea of getting this stick, you will not be disappointed when you do.
Easily the best stick available for the 360 RIGHT NOW, and arguably best stick for the 360 FOREVER. There is of course the TE SF4 stick due out late this month, but I have played with one recently, and I personally prefer the HRAP EX which I own. this is a super solid stick, legendary quality of past HRAP's.
Works with XBOX and PC. Great for MAME. Easily moddable. Comes with Sanwa JLF stick installed... buttons are Hori, but easy to change as hooked up to quick disconnects. I immedeately threw in some black/clear Seimitsu buttons with custom art, but thats me.
Do not hesitate. Buy this stick !!!! a must have for hardcore and budding fighting game players alike!!!This stick will far outlast the cost!
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If you are reading this review, you are most likely anticipating Street Fighter IV's release next week (I'm an Xbox 360 owner). I was on the fence about which arcade stick to get: The Mad Catz Tournament Stick or this Hori Real Arcade Pro. EX.After hearing about the Hori brand from a fellow at a local GameStop, I logged on to read some testimonials on other sites about the company. Everything I read was positive. One thing that people kept stressing was the craftsmanship and durability of the Hori equipment. That was enough to sell me on choosing this controller after never owning a Hori product let alone use one. The reviews on the Mad Catz Tourney stick were also very positive. However, I worked in an electronics game store (Babbage's) back in the 90s as a teenager. When I tell you almost every peripheral they made was returned within two weeks, I would not be lying. I am sure they have made quality improvements, but that memory was enough for me to pass on their equipment.
Back to the Hori Controller. It arrived yesterday (Feb. 11, 2009). I wanted to see how it felt so bought some MS Points and downloaded Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix to give it a go. Absolutely love it. It's going to be perfect for Street Fighter IV next week.
The Hori Real Arcade Pro. EX is sturdy but not too heavy that you can't keep it in your lap if that's how you want to play. If you are planning on putting it on a flat surface/table, it's weighty enough to not slide. The surface feel, the button feel, the stick feel...true to the arcade.
If you order now and pay a little extra for shipping, you might just get it before SF4's release!
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I was fortunate enough to order one of these while they were still in stock, and I must say, I could not be happier with my purchase. Out of the box the stick is solid and really feels like it can take some abuse. The joystick (Sanwa JLF) is extremely responsive and the Hori buttons are nice as well. Another great thing about this stick is the sheer size of the cabinet. It allows for plenty of space to rest your hands on and it works well wether you place it on the coffee table or in your lap. I've used this exclusively since getting SF4, and even with the amount of use it's gotten already, it still feels solid. My friends say the same when I take it with me to video game nights. They love it as well.With regards to customization as others have said, this stick comes with great parts that will perform to most standards and types of playing. With that said though, some may choose to customize the HRAP, and it is very easy to do so. The buttons are all snap in, and it's easy to disconnect the wires since they use quick disconnects. The stick itself is also easy to customize. Sanwa offers many solutions for restrictor gates and bat tops. I myself, wanting the feel of an American arcade stick, swapped out the standard square gate for an octagonal one and put a bat top on the stick in place of the bubble top. I am extremely happy with the feel. A quick google search on-line will take you to a couple suppliers where parts can be ordered if you choose to go the custom route (I ordered my stuff from lizard lick amusements), and a visit to the forums on srk has plenty of info for everything. The only other thing I may do is add some weight inside the cabinet. It's pretty hefty already, but a little bit more wouldn't hurt. It's a personal perference.
All in all, this is a great stick. I am extrememly happy with my purchase and love using it with SF4. 30 years and I've finally realized my dream of having an arcade in my living room no quarters required!
Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Real Arcade Pro. EX
I purchased this stick for the 360 because they sold out of the Street Fighter Tournament Edition joysticks for the 360 (I had one preordered for the PS3, still waiting for that).As you know, playing fighting games or arcade style games can be a pain to play on the XBOX 360 controller. The D-Pad just doesn't cut it. So I went looking for a good joystick to use for the 360 since some friends of mine have only the 360.
As I've owned other Hori sticks for other consoles I knew this would be quality. The build quality is high with the Sanwa joystick being the highlight. Worth mentioning is the heft from this. You can play it on your lap or lay it on a table, nice and secure. Not too heavy though. For a casual player the stock buttons work fine, but I swapped them out for Sanwa buttons which is fairly easy to do. Playing SF II HD Remix is smooth like butter. Playing SF IV this weekend, I can't see myself even thinking about playing with the normal controller. It's that much better. Even better, if you're worried about how the buttons would correlate with the game, there's settings in SF IV to correspond exactly with the layout on this stick. (two default joystick settings, for the Mad Catz layout and for this stick)
The price was a little bit on the high side, but if you're like me, the EX2 doesn't cut it. Go with this one.
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I've had this stick for well over a year and a half (purchased when SFIV first came out), and I'm very pleased with it. In my time using it, here are some of the pros & cons I feel it has.Pros:
-It has a nice heft to it, which helps keep it from sliding around during play
-The joystick is very responsive, sturdy, and comfortable
-Top surface has a very slight decline, makes for more natural wrist positioning
-Buttons are easily replaceable thanks to quick-connects.
-Overall sturdy construction
-This stick is simply awesome
Cons:
-Some people may not like the placement of the buttons. The two leftmost buttons are placed lower than the rest, and the others are placed in a slight curve, which some people may not like
-The placement of the headset connector is not ideal
The placement of the headset connector is the only thing that nags at me, I'm perfectly comfortable with the placement of the buttons. Some players also don't like the buttons themselves very much, but the truth is that they're far from terrible, and this stick will serve any fighting game player just fine with the stock buttons. I've put this stick through some intense gaming sessions, and it's still holding up exceptionally well.
This is a great alternative to the TE sticks, and IMHO, it's of practically the same quality for a reasonable price.
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