Mad Catz Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Special Edition Fight Stick review

Just a few years ago, Mad Catz used to be synonymous with cheap third party peripherals, but the brand is now a hallmark for quality. One of the main reasons for this is the Tournament Edition range of arcade fight sticks for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Incredibly popular with fans of fighting games such as Street Fighter, the sticks have become a staple feature of tournaments the world over because of their excellent construction and authentic arcade parts.

It’s unsurprising then that Mad Catz is hoping to capitalise on the increased popularity of fighting games with a new product; teaming up with comic book giant Marvel, the company has designed a limited edition version of its most popular stick in time for the release of Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 .

Could this be one of the best looking controller boxes ever?

Based on the Tournament Edition Round II design, this new stick keeps the same eight button layout but swaps out the Street Fighter-themed artwork for some Marvel-based appreciation. Even before you take the stick out of the box, it’s clear that a lot of work has gone into the design; official artwork adorns every surface of the box and the front panels fold outwards to display the stick inside. It’s strong enough to use as a carry case in case you want to take it to a friend's or a tournament.

The stick looks great even before removing it from the box

The stick itself is huge, giving you ample room to rest your hands while playing. Four rubber feet stop it from slipping on a desk or floor, so you don’t have to worry about readjusting your playing position mid-fight. The entire face is adorned with character artwork, which will certainly stand out from more generic sticks from other manufacturers.