Street Fighter IV 'Round 2' Arcade Fightstick: Tournament Edition Review

(Xbox, PS3; $149.99; www.streetfighter.gameshark.com)

Coinciding with the earlier release of "Street Fighter IV" last Spring, peripheral manufacturer MadCatz released a line of controllers meant to recapture the nostalgic feeling of smokey arcades and button mashing.  MadCatz, who's quality of past peripherals were sometimes the subject of debate, came out swinging with the "SFIV" Fightpad ($40) and Arcade Fightstick ($80)- both looked great and offered a much better amount of control and durability for the classic fighting game than anything else out there.

But the pièce de résistance of the line, by far, was the "Tournament Edition" fightstick.  This hefty, classically designed joystick was constructed with authentic Sanwa Denshi parts- the same parts that go into the arcade cabinets of the game and sought after by fighting fanatics.  So well-received was the "Tournament Edition" fightstick, that even at the $150 price tag, it was sold out and nearly impossible to locate.  Indeed, at the time of my review of "Street Fighter IV," and of the less expensive Fightpad and standard Fightstick, I was not able to get my hands on one for review.

Knowing a holiday money-maker, MadCatz announced the "Round 2" versions of their "Street Fighter IV" peripherals, and included a refresh of the "Tournament Edition." With new, understated artwork and packaged in a collectible display case, the "Tournament Edition" is again available for those who want the best arcade experience at home.  The pricetag may be spit-take inducing, but for the purist who wants unquestionable control, and a stick that's worthy of using in competitions, or to relive the joy of retro arcade games, the "Tournament Edition" fightstick is a perfect gift.