The Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Tournament Edition FightStick is definitely a great arcade stick to use with most fighting games and even several classic-style XBLA titles. However, many people that are its target audience may already own another TE stick. With that in mind, the following recommendations are made:
If you...
Don’t own a TE stick (or need additional ones) and want a top-notch fighting game controller: This is a fantastic choice. Mad Catz’ TE sticks can keep up with anything a player wants to do in most fighting games, including Marvel vs. Capcom 3. $160 USD is a lot to pay for a controller, but this is about as good as a retail (e.g. non-customized) arcade stick gets and it will enable you to play to your full ability.
Already own all the TE Sticks you need: You can probably pass on buying this since it doesn’t obsolete any of the other designs. It’s only an art variant of the original TE model, and doesn’t implement the S-type’s improved lock switch. Thus it won’t fill any niche you require, since you already own a functionally identical copy of this stick.
Collect arcade sticks: Then you’re probably already used to the idea that you have a very expensive hobby and the price tag might not immediately deter you. Its limited production run of 5,000 units per system suggests collectors are one of the MvC3 stick’s target audiences, so you might want to look into this one.
Are on a budget or want to try an entry model fighting game controller first: It’s fair to say that not everyone can casually drop $150+ USD on a controller for a very specific niche of games, or perhaps you want to try an entry-grade model to see if an arcade stick in general is right for you; these are both legitimate concerns better handled by other products. If your budget is more in the $40 to $85 USD range, consider Mad Catz’ FightPad or smaller FightStick models instead, or perhaps even Hori’s various entry-grade sticks.
In summary, it’s a fantastic controller but there’s a very real chance you already own a stick that works exactly like this one. Thus the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Tournament Edition FightStick is best recommended to those who don’t already own a TE stick (or generously plan to provide a second one for guests to play on), or are stick collectors.
Purchasing: The MvC3 TE FightStick is primarily available at Mad Catz’ online store.
