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0 Have you ever wanted to bring the arcade experience into the home but didn’t have the space for a full-sized arcade cabinet? Well, the Nacon Daija Arcade Stick might be made just for you!
Big Stick Energy
Coming in at a whopping £280 (just under) it certainly isn’t going to be for everyone, but what do you actually get for your money? Let’s take a look
Hardware
So in the box, you get the Nacon Daija Arcade Stick and the included USB cable. However, when you first open the box everything is hidden inside the arcade stick. A quick press of 2 quick release buttons either side of the unit and the top opens. Revealing the impressive working innards of the stick itself, as well as the cable itself. It also comes with 2 stick types, a ball and a bat type, as well as 2 tools to help you customise the Daija.
Close the lid and we can take a tour around the Playstation-specific arcade stick. Don’t worry, you aren’t getting something extra special for either the Playstation or Xbox versions, it is just the buttons that are more relatable to each system.
Externally, the buttons are spaced out to give enough space for your wrists to rest on the textured wrist rest. On the side you get the share, options and a Playstation button, along with a nice little lock to prevent accidental pausing when you are just about to unleash the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. The backplate can be changed from a selection that is included within the box, giving you the ability to customise the Daija to your own liking.
Taking A Closer Look
Using an app you can customise the button mapping to give you the upper hand in any particular game, then quickly change profile with the press of a button, giving an extra customisable option when getting the perfect setup.
Using the stick in the real world, there are ample games that you can use this on. On the download list was Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, as well as many others. Using the Nacon Daija Arcade Stick took me back to those hours of spending all my parent’s money in the arcades playing games like Gauntlet and The Turtles. Bringing nostalgic feels to more modern games, firing off fireballs as Ryu was satisfying as was hitting out with Guile’s Sonic Boom attack.
Handing over the controller to a family member to play Crash Bandicoot was comical to say the least. If you want a game where you need precise inputs then the stick may not be for you. I did however try and play a racing game with the stick. Let’s say I will be sticking to the fighting games for the time being.
Final Thoughts
Overall though the Nacon Daija Arcade Stick is a great piece of kit, it has a premium feel, with the added nostalgia that crossing that line between the home and the arcade can bring. All I am left with is the wonder of whether playing Fifa would be possible. Who knows. The Nacon Daija Arcade Stick receives the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Disclaimer: A sample was received in order to write this review.
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