Tokyo Street Fighter 4 Guide to Joystick Mods

Hey guys, just wanted to post here the answer to a question that gets asked quite a bit on Shoryuken.com.  Well, it's actually a couple of questions the first being "I'm going to Tokyo in 2 weeks to play Street Fighter.  Where can/should I buy a Hori Real Arcade Pro for whatever system" and the second "Where can I buy buttons/replacement joysticks".  I have a couple of easy answers for those questions here.

The best place to buy a brand new HRAP bar none is Bic Camera.  I only have a HRAP3 for PS3 so I am not sure about 360 but I hear its similar price.  It only cost 7,180 yen or about 72 dollars.If you can read Japanese you can sign up for a point card as well that gives a dollar per 10 dollars spent, and with the 7 floors of selection at most Bic Camera locations you will find something you like.  The real trick though is you MUST go to a big Bic Camera to get a HRAP3 or a Hori Real Arcade Pro EX, all you will find at the smaller locations are bad sticks like the Hori Fighting Stick.

Including the nice box, the Sanwa balltop joystick already inside it is a decent stick, but what about upgrading to all Sanwa, how is that possible?  Well, I did it and I am NOT a tech wizard.  SRK has some great guides for that.  I am going to tell you where to get buttons, sticks etc.  The number one place is Mak Japan in Akihabara.  It's on the 5th floor of a building on the main street, leave JR Akihabara Station and cross the street from Taito station.  Walk about 3 blocks, look on the right for "Tenya" which SRK players know the symbol for "Ten" from Akuma's back.  It is across from that restaurant.  If you see a bunch of weird Maid Cafe chicks you've gone a bit far, as they have a "Maid Cafe Casino" around the same area.  Anyway buttons are 210 tax included, Sticks are about 20, and replacement balltops are 210 for regular and 260 for bubble ball.  I purchased 8 Sanwa Buttons and a Bubble Ball for 1,940 so I have THE SAME stick internally now as the TE fightstick and paid about 100$ for it total.

Now, if you're looking for a PS2 or PS1 HRAP you can find it.  XBox never had a HRAP.  You just need to walk around Akihabara in the used stores, sometimes you can find them boxed.  It will run you up to and over 100 bucks though.

The fightstick imho is a ripoff, especially from resellers.  150 bucks is getting into "just buy a custom" territory.  If you're in Japan, grab a HRAP3 or EX, Sanwa Buttons and read Tingboy's modding tutorial!