If you’re familiar with the editorials of our Popzara staff then it should come as little surprise that our coverage of anything related to Street Fighter IV has been enthusiastic to say the least, from humble beginnings to its modern incarnations we’ve thoroughly enjoyed the series over the decades (!!). What really goes hand in hand with the game is a solid controller to play and surprisingly, Mad Catz with their Official Street Fighter IV Fightpads boldly enter the fray with a respectable option for those who prefer to do their fighting on a gamepad. With the anticipated home release of the game beating up the competition, we decided to celebrate and spend some quality time with this essential accessory for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

First off, these models are certainly classic in design, with a traditional D-pad and 6-button layout that is definitely meant for Street Fighter, Virtua Fighter, or any other fighting game like it. Obviously games such as Halo 3 and Gears of War aren’t functional as the analog sticks have been completely removed.  Each pad for the Xbox 360 and PS3 have their respective console buttons, turbo functionality, and unobtrusive (and comfortable) rubber grips on the side.  The pad is also available in five different "flavors", with Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Blanka, and Akuma designs available for your picturesque fighting pleasure.  Collectors will probably want to pick them all up, but if availability is anything like it was at the time of this writing, good luck, as they babies are going to be hard to find.

The first thing you'll notice after ripping the controller out of its plastic case is the size - its huge!  Initially I couldn’t help but feel like it was gargantuan in size while playing Street Fighter IV or Street Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix, but the readjustment curve relatively painless and took just a few minutes. Besides the slanted 6-button layout, which works incredibly well, the directional pad has a floating feel and is definitely an improvement over stock console controllers when it counts and feels quite comfortable and durable, if a bit too smooth.  In the event you might need it, there's even analog mapping thanks to a nifty switch on the back that can be calibrated to mimic either the left or right analog stick.

One feature I personally like on the Xbox 360 compared to the PlayStation 3 models is the tether of the USB connection, which keeps the action coming responsively and indefinitely thanks to its extra-long cord.  The PS3 model sports wireless connectivity (via USB dongle), and oddly doesn't take advantage of the console's built-in Bluetooth functionality.  Maybe it’s just a preference, but when it comes to a arcade stick or fightpad having a wired setup is ideal.

I have to admit that I had my doubts when I heard that Mad Catz would be supplying the accessories for Street Fighter IV, but considering how inefficient and clumsy the stock Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers are for fighting games, these are great options to help step up your game.

It’s got the look and functionality that you‘d want, and certainly takes the favorable elements of previous gamepad that fans love, particularly the look and feel that fans will love.  Even with its larger size and lack of analog sticks, it’s a shockingly competent gamepad and serves its purpose wonderfully, but not much else.  For casual fighters the price may be a little steep, especially as its functions are limited outside the fighting arena.  Dedicated and hardcore gamers who needs the very best will probably opt for the Mad Catz Official Arcade Fightstick, which is probably the closest thing you'll get to having the full arcade experience at home.