Overall, this is a pretty good stick. It tends to retail for around $70 to $90 online, which is comparable with most other arcade sticks out there. It has a good button layout and it works fine, so I never felt handicapped while using it. However, there are two caveats. First, it has a metal finish that requires very frequent cleaning, roughly once a day. Water and a paper towel will usually be enough, but handprints and dust accumulate on this very quickly. Second, if you’re going to a tournament that is using Xbox 360 rather than Playstation 3, this may not be very convenient; you’d need to bring the Cross Fire converter, plus a wired 360 controller, plus take the time to change your button config. If neither of these issues bother you, then this is a decent stick that holds up well against its peers.

The XCM Rumble Joystick doesn’t seem to be available at most American retailers, so you may have to order it online. You’ll want to shop around, but I found average prices for the stick and the converter at Play-Asia. I offer the following links for your convenience, but you shouldn’t construe this as an endorsement of the store; I have no experience with them.