Pros: Hori = quality, so you know you’re getting a solid stick; perfect size so it doesn’t take up too much space
Cons: Price; not wireless
Among the hardcore fighting game crowd, the name Hori is a shining symbol of quality. Of course, these are the same folks who will argue night and day about the shape of American vs. Japanese joysticks and concave vs. convex buttons so who really cares what they think, right? For the rest of us, the Hori name should represent build quality and solid performance and that is exactly what the EX2 stick for Xbox 360 offers. This is actually the second Hori stick released for the Xbox 360, and if the Dead or Alive 4 stick is any indication, I’d suggest picking up an EX2 sooner rather than later or you might not be able to find one at all.
Design
The Hori EX2 measures 11 inches by 8 inches, and is 1 ½ inches tall and it weights in a only a couple of pounds. It is the perfect size to rest on your lap. It isn’t wireless, unfortunately, but the attached USB cable is 9+ feet long, which should be plenty. The Hori EX2 stick has a traditional six button setup laid out in a slight curve to ensure that all of the buttons are within easy reach. The default button layout is kind of strange, with the top row consisting of B,X,Y and the bottom row being A,LT,RT rather than using a normal diamond pattern for the A,B,X,Y buttons. You do get used to this layout, but you can also map the buttons to your liking in most fighting games, so it isn’t a big issue. Above the stick and action buttons, there is the Start, Back, LB, RB, and Xbox Guide buttons all within fairly easy reach. The stick is a Japanese-style round top stick and feels very nice. My only complaint is that the movement restrictor for the stick is square rather than round or octagonal. This is normal for Japanese sticks, and Hori is a Japanese company after all, but if you are used to American arcade sticks it feels pretty alien when you first start using it.Bottom Line
All in all, the Hori EX2 arcade stick is a worthwhile purchase for Xbox 360 owners serious about their XBLA and fighting games. It works just fine for XBLA, BC Xbox games, and of course, Xbox 360 games, and performs as well as you could hope for. There are some issues, however, specifically with the button layout and stick. The button layout can be fixed in-game, but the strange feel of the square gate on the stick will throw you off for about the first week you use it. This, unfortunately, isn’t a stick you can pick up and feel instantly comfortable with, but you do get used to it. And since this is the only option we really have on the Xbox 360, if you want to play Virtua Fighter 5 or DOA4 or Soul Calibur IV at a high level, you don’t really have a choice. The $59.99 price tag is a bit tough to swallow, but it is worth it once you get over the somewhat steep learning curve.
