Does a Japanese Arcade Stick work on US console?

[Cobra Kai]

I have a  Topmax Arcade stick for the system, and it really sucks! So, I'm looking into getting a different stick, but there are very limited options out there. The Japanese stick seems in abundance though, but a bit more pricey:

 

Will this work on a US console?

[DragonGrafx-16]

I don't see why it wouldn't... 

 

I would love one of these too. 

[Koa Zo]

Yes all the peripherals are region free.

[Dopy25]

It looks like peripherals can be software locked but it might only be the Japanese light gun.

 

https://dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13318

 

I'd like to hear how well it works and is built when you get one though. 

[+GoldLeader]

FWIW,  Pretty sure I had a stick like that (but yes, a U.S. version) and it didn't work with any games I had.   They kept referring to it as a Fight stick (?) or something and the implication was that it mainly worked with fighting games.  I wanted to use it with a bunch of different games, but as I recall if it didn't have the "fight Stick" emblem on the box of the game, it didn't work.  I took it back and was pissed about it. 

 

To be completely honest,  this was another one of those things that, as much as I Loved the Dreamcast, the PS2 wiped the floor with it and rightfully so.  When I bought a HORI stick for PS2 it worked with almost everything...(Except IIRC one of the Taito Legends games for some reason).

[DragonGrafx-16]

I want a Dreamcast stick for shmups.

[+GoldLeader]

34 minutes ago, DragonGrafx-16 said:

I want a Dreamcast stick for shmups.

Sounds good!  Personally I gave up on it.  Putting out a stick that doesn't work with most of the library was a retarded business decision and I never understood it.  And every time I mention it people will say it's something to do with the D-Pad vs. the analog stick.  I couldn't tell you which is which though...Putting out any game that doesn't work with both or have configurable controls would also just make me mad...Perhaps I'm unreasonable about it,  and I actually hope I'm wrong, but I had very little luck getting things to work right with Dreamcast.  I just use the Dreamcast controllers now and that's that, because at least they work...

 

I'd assume there's a list or two somewhere on the internet that describes what games work with arcade sticks etc.

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by GoldLeader
Edit: I just watched a video. The Japanese one is compatible. And he didn't seem to have any trouble, but I think he was only playing "compatible" games.

[DragonGrafx-16]

4 hours ago, GoldLeader said:

Sounds good!  Personally I gave up on it.  Putting out a stick that doesn't work with most of the library was a retarded business decision and I never understood it.  And every time I mention it people will say it's something to do with the D-Pad vs. the analog stick.  I couldn't tell you which is which though...Putting out any game that doesn't work with both or have configurable controls would also just make me mad...Perhaps I'm unreasonable about it,  and I actually hope I'm wrong, but I had very little luck getting things to work right with Dreamcast.  I just use the Dreamcast controllers now and that's that, because at least they work...

 

I'd assume there's a list or two somewhere on the internet that describes what games work with arcade sticks etc.

 

Dreamcast Arcade Stick Compatibility List - Dreamcast-Talk.com

 

This site shows it works with shmups... considering that is what I would exclusively use it for it really wouldn't matter for me.

[str0m]

Great sticks. The one thing I find really annoying though is that they don't work in the GEDMU (cheap clone/copy versions) menu so you still need a pad in port 1 and it's advised not to swap controllers around when the DC is on for fear of blowing the controller board fuse although I personally haven't had this issue but then most games work fine in 1 player using the controller/stick in port 2