Should You Buy The Mortal Kombat TE Stick?
Aris ON Friday, March 4, 2011 at 12:36PM 
The Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition Fight Stick is apparently being made in a very limited quantity. Now originally when I saw this stick, I couldn't believe that they decided to use the old MK layout and American style parts. Eventually I found out that the stick is being produced by PDP which is the offspring of Pelican. As you can imagine, this was very discouraging. However, I decided to pre order one from my local GameStop.
Weeks went by, and deep down inside, it just didn't feel right paying $90 dollars ($150 for the whole bundle with the game) for for an arcade stick that looks like it was made in the early 90s and is being manufactured by one of the worst peripheral companies of all time.
Then Mad catz comes along.
Now it's obvious that the Mad Catz "Combat Panel" is just Mad Catz telling PDP to go fuck themselves and stop living in the past. What Mad Catz is doing here is merging two worlds. Combining the bootlegged MK layout of the past with the arcade stick parts and technology of the future. I mean there is a reason why American parts are extinct.
So naturally, my pre order for my MK TE was canceled. I refuse to support a horse shit company like Pelican. Now I'm not saying I will definitely purchase a Mad Catz Combat Panel, but what I am saying is, why the fuck would I pay a shitty company like Pelican for an arcade stick that I would literally be buying just to put on my book case and never use.
I'm a fan of Mad Catz fight sticks because I'm a fan of innovation, Fuck Pelican.
Reader Comments (29)
madcatz used to be worse than pelican bro
madcatz was the bottom of the bottom
@Jom, A very relevant comment. Who gives a shit what they used to be. Pelican and PDP are still shitty while Mad Catz has changed the whole arcade stick market.
I'd go with madcatz all the way. Markman has done an awesome job over at madcatz. It seems everyone has a madcatz stick nowadays. however if you do get it Aris, can you review it in your next podcast or post a review of some sort?
mad real
I really see no reason in getting either one unless it's just for the sake of collecting them. But then again, if you're just a collector the quality of the parts shouldn't matter. The weird button layout is only designed for MK, and if that game turns out to be a pile of shit, what are people going to use the stick for then? I really pity the clueless MK fanboys who have no idea what they're about waste their money on..
im actually getting in for the american stick, I realize it is not as good as sanwa parts which I use in an SE Madcatz stick myself. I just was a huge fan of classic mk in the arcade, and want to play how it was back then. Almost all the dominant UMK3 players play on american sticks. I realize UMK3 this ain't but nonetheless I find it appealing to make it as close as possible.
It certainly is overpriced though, and you don't even get any of the pre-order shit from the "collectors" version either If I'm not mistaken.
"I mean there is a reason why American parts are extinct" lol....Go to arcade shock's website. The majority of all there MAS arcade sticks are sold out. Various other arcade shops online sell American parts as well. The american ARCADES is whats extinct. All im seeing here is Aris being accustomed to the friendly fighter 4 era
I appreciate the honesty in this review. Good stuff Aris.
Honestly, wouldn't it be easier to just use the traditional HRAP/TE layout?
I can't see why you can't get both (and I'm not speaking on financial terms either; this site's quite influential, why not just ask for some?).
I personally want the body on the MK stick with Sanwa parts, and more importantly, a normal button layout for the other games I'm going to be playing or already am. I like the concept behind the MK stick (nostalgia + comfort), but really, MK's not that great a game to deserve a stick only for itself.
eh... Pelican stick still looks badass -- in an old school sort of way. Madcatz one will work well but the Pelican stick just has that awesome look.
eh... Pelican stick still looks badass -- in an old school sort of way. Madcatz one will work well but the Pelican stick just has that awesome look.
I for one this it looks silly. The thing is huge.
think*
You should at least wait until the MK stick comes out before trashing it. Bashing the stick before it's even out makes you sound like a hater. Plus MadCatz wasn't all that hot with their quality until they started making fightsticks.
The thing is that no matter if you buy that MK stick or go with the top panel from MadCatz, they're only good for Mortal Kombat and nothing else because of the button layout. The panel is good if you already have a TE stick, but who wants to swap out buttons just to play one game? What about the people who don't have a TE already? That's $80-100 at least plus the cost of the panel, so it would make sense for them to give the MK stick a look.
Plus we still don't know how good the actual game is going to be, so I would start with playing the game on pad and make sure the game is actually good before dropping money on either of these products.
I actually really like the body of the mk stick. If only I could swich the face panel to that of a japanese 6 button lay out so that i could play other games with it, and I'd flip the stick to a korean fanta or something. Saulabi needs to step up and make more powerful sticks yo.
@ Malice
Considering how all Mortal Kombat games in the past, oh, 10 years, have all been bad in my opinion, I see absolutely no reason to spend big money on this huge stick that is only compatible with one game. The new MK is not even out yet. If I buy this thing and it turns out the new MK is trash, I will be kicking myself, trying to unload this thing on E-Bay or Gamestop.
Just get a SF4 TE and use that if you do not own a SF4 Te already. At least you can use t for multiple games. If you are thinking of buying this stick, just picture yourself trying to use this stick to play SF4.
I don't plan on getting either...mainly because I got a X-Gaming Tankstick and modded it with Happ Control parts..;)
while i generally concur with your opinions Aris, gonna throw a figure at you for the "extinct" comment u made about generalizing American parts as being inferior. From a button quality standpoint, HAPP guarantees it's button activations at 10,000,000, which is literally 10x more than that of Sanwa or Seimitsu. #getoffmylawn
Keep in mind guys, all opinions are valid and welcome on this site. They just aren't correct unless they are mine. But seriously, I learned how to play FGs on HAPP buttons and 360s. However, just because something is better, doesn't mean it isn't extinct. Feel free to go to any major tournament and count how many Japanese sticks you see. American parts have their merits but their time is nearly over.