I ended up giving my Dual stick to one of my kids and got a Tankstick (not the Max) for myself. I got that original Dual stick when they first came out in 2001, and the only thing I've ever had to do to it was replace two switches. I got the USB upgrade for it as well a few years ago. These things are definitely built to last. Money well spent.
I do wish there was an easier way to replace the bat stick with a ball end that doesn't require replacing the entire joystick. I know that the entire shaft is easily removable, but never found another shaft with a ball end that would reliably fit.
Great point, hit up customer support and see what they say, otherwise, do what I did. I swapped out the joystick entirely, here’s the video: th-cam.com/video/IvpKr4qSWZk/w-d-xo.html
Just bought one for $30 last night have not tested yet as idk how to install it hence YT brought me to your video.When I bought it I was thinking it was a EMU Station that you used to make your own arcade cabinet.And I guess you can use it that way hook up to a PC inside that cab with a ton of games installed on the PC or even for Steam type gaming.Pretty sure I am just going to sell it but being an Ebay seller that thing would be a load to ship out so maybe just FB marketplace idk yet.But it is taking up A LOT of room in my office lol.
Yeah definitely large haha. Several options for ya. Yup, attach to cabinet with PC / Pi in it (most common use), put a pi inside the controller (now you have a portable arcade) just need to connect power and hdmi to pi, or put the tankstick into an x-arcade cabinet. Several arcade companies make a cabinet for arcade play that allows you to drop the x-arcade tankstick into the front of the cabinet. If you do sell it, you’ll make money even if you ship it since you bought it for only $30 bucks haha
Great review buddy. The max looks like a fantastic piece of kit. I think it's cool that it can even be used with some real consoles so you're not just limited to emulation.
Thanks amigo. Yeah it’s hard to find major issues with this product, especially for console play. I just wish they had adapters for 8/16 bit era. Speaking of, Having a SNES tournament today! Wish you could make it 😁
I have the original tank stick. I added a spinner that has its own USB. For some reason, there is a conflict with the spinner and trackball being connected at the same time with my Raspberry Pi 3. My solution was a USB switch selector that I press for whichever trackball or spinner game I was playing. I wish I didn't need to use this switcher, but it was the only solution I could come up with
Hasn't the Tankstick always had eight-way joysticks without gates? Is this different from the previous model? On mine, four-way games like Pacman play a little differently because you're playing a four-way game with an eight-way stick. You can get used to it, but it's different from the arcade.
The version before the max was a 4 (square) gate, and I added an 8 gate to it. Even made a video about how to do it as well if you wanna check it out. This one feels the same, but I will have to open it up to verify now that I’m hearing it might be an 8 gate. 😎
I watched your video and although the stock X-Arcade joystick wasn't shown, I checked my old one that I had previously removed for a modification, and sure enough, it was completely circular, and without any gate attached. I guess they must have experimented with different designs? This makes me want to try out some of the other sticks and see how it affects gameplay.
@@MegaZAPHODyeah I didn’t have the originals in the video, my apologies, I upgraded them to IL Euros which still didn’t feel right (everyone is different, who knows you may love em), so I went to the seimitsu ones and added an 8 gate and loved it. Lemme know what you end up getting though!
Great video. As a correction though, it's not a four-way gate on the joysticks. They're actually is no gate lol. It's similar to Suzo Happ and moves in a circular motion.
Thanks for the correction! I sent the link to x-Arcade and they didn’t say anything except they liked it so they must’ve missed that part thankfully (I hate it when I say something incorrectly) 😁
@@oleschoolgamers you're welcome, and I wasn't trying to be mean or anything, so thanks for not taking it that way lol. It's just my OCD. Personally. On a side note, does the sticks, buttons and everything feel the same as the previous model and are they using the same parts?
@@kjmullinzno worries, I’m usually good at detecting whether or not someone is genuine haha, thanks again! As far as the parts yeah, it’s all the same, trackball, usb cabling, buttons, and joysticks, etc. Even the box and instruction manual are the same (something I mentioned in the vid and gave them crap about). The box just has a MAX sticker on it.
It’s definitely worth the wait! They are also making a few (small) design changes to the internals that are covered at the end of the video in My final thoughts.
I’m so glad Xgaming is still in business. I’ve had two of their solo sticks for over 17 years and they are like brand new still
Same here, they make stuff that lasts for sure, my original tankstick has had 1000s of hours on it and still works great.
I ended up giving my Dual stick to one of my kids and got a Tankstick (not the Max) for myself. I got that original Dual stick when they first came out in 2001, and the only thing I've ever had to do to it was replace two switches. I got the USB upgrade for it as well a few years ago. These things are definitely built to last. Money well spent.
@@jfh2112awesome that it lasted long enough to give to ya kid, yup, money well spent! 💪
This is exactly what I wanted to see it for older arcade games.
Oh yeah, definitely a lot of fun.
I do wish there was an easier way to replace the bat stick with a ball end that doesn't require replacing the entire joystick. I know that the entire shaft is easily removable, but never found another shaft with a ball end that would reliably fit.
Great point, hit up customer support and see what they say, otherwise, do what I did. I swapped out the joystick entirely, here’s the video:
th-cam.com/video/IvpKr4qSWZk/w-d-xo.html
Just bought one for $30 last night have not tested yet as idk how to install it hence YT brought me to your video.When I bought it I was thinking it was a EMU Station that you used to make your own arcade cabinet.And I guess you can use it that way hook up to a PC inside that cab with a ton of games installed on the PC or even for Steam type gaming.Pretty sure I am just going to sell it but being an Ebay seller that thing would be a load to ship out so maybe just FB marketplace idk yet.But it is taking up A LOT of room in my office lol.
Yeah definitely large haha. Several options for ya. Yup, attach to cabinet with PC / Pi in it (most common use), put a pi inside the controller (now you have a portable arcade) just need to connect power and hdmi to pi, or put the tankstick into an x-arcade cabinet. Several arcade companies make a cabinet for arcade play that allows you to drop the x-arcade tankstick into the front of the cabinet.
If you do sell it, you’ll make money even if you ship it since you bought it for only $30 bucks haha
Great review buddy. The max looks like a fantastic piece of kit. I think it's cool that it can even be used with some real consoles so you're not just limited to emulation.
Thanks amigo. Yeah it’s hard to find major issues with this product, especially for console play. I just wish they had adapters for 8/16 bit era. Speaking of, Having a SNES tournament today! Wish you could make it 😁
I have the original tank stick. I added a spinner that has its own USB. For some reason, there is a conflict with the spinner and trackball being connected at the same time with my Raspberry Pi 3. My solution was a USB switch selector that I press for whichever trackball or spinner game I was playing. I wish I didn't need to use this switcher, but it was the only solution I could come up with
Pretty cool solution you came up with, glad it works! What spinner games do you play?
@@oleschoolgamers All of them! Ha! I use the spinner for non-spiiner games too. It makes a great steering wheel for Pole Position, etc!
@@jayhays8267funny thing is that steering wheels attach to spinners. I’ve been wanting to get a couple for my gaming setup
Do you find that that exit emulator button is getting hit while using the 2nd spinner or interfering with you using it?
I haven’t had that issue cause the buttons I use are below the red button, but I also have skinnier fingers haha.
Hasn't the Tankstick always had eight-way joysticks without gates? Is this different from the previous model? On mine, four-way games like Pacman play a little differently because you're playing a four-way game with an eight-way stick. You can get used to it, but it's different from the arcade.
The version before the max was a 4 (square) gate, and I added an 8 gate to it. Even made a video about how to do it as well if you wanna check it out.
This one feels the same, but I will have to open it up to verify now that I’m hearing it might be an 8 gate. 😎
@oleschoolgamers OK, I'll have to check out that video. Thanks.
@@MegaZAPHODmy apologies, I forgot to put the link to that video in my last response, but here it is:
th-cam.com/video/IvpKr4qSWZk/w-d-xo.html
I watched your video and although the stock X-Arcade joystick wasn't shown, I checked my old one that I had previously removed for a modification, and sure enough, it was completely circular, and without any gate attached. I guess they must have experimented with different designs? This makes me want to try out some of the other sticks and see how it affects gameplay.
@@MegaZAPHODyeah I didn’t have the originals in the video, my apologies, I upgraded them to IL Euros which still didn’t feel right (everyone is different, who knows you may love em), so I went to the seimitsu ones and added an 8 gate and loved it. Lemme know what you end up getting though!
WHAT FRONT END ARE YOU USING ? I want to play Arkanoid with the spinner so bad. Don’t know how to set it up 😢😢😢
This was on PC, and I’m using Launchbox which I’m now learning , but definitely recommend!
Great video. As a correction though, it's not a four-way gate on the joysticks. They're actually is no gate lol. It's similar to Suzo Happ and moves in a circular motion.
Thanks for the correction! I sent the link to x-Arcade and they didn’t say anything except they liked it so they must’ve missed that part thankfully (I hate it when I say something incorrectly) 😁
@@oleschoolgamers you're welcome, and I wasn't trying to be mean or anything, so thanks for not taking it that way lol. It's just my OCD. Personally.
On a side note, does the sticks, buttons and everything feel the same as the previous model and are they using the same parts?
@@kjmullinzno worries, I’m usually good at detecting whether or not someone is genuine haha, thanks again!
As far as the parts yeah, it’s all the same, trackball, usb cabling, buttons, and joysticks, etc. Even the box and instruction manual are the same (something I mentioned in the vid and gave them crap about). The box just has a MAX sticker on it.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
from iraq
Awesome, and thanks for the comment!
@@oleschoolgamers
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
I wish they could start sending out the pre-orders so I can get mine :D
It’s definitely worth the wait! They are also making a few (small) design changes to the internals that are covered at the end of the video in My final thoughts.
I received mine about 2 weeks ago
@@vincentvalenti4600 Mine is finally on the way :)
@@vincentvalenti4600nice, did you have an original one as well, or was the Max your first?
@@oleschoolgamers I had the original single player version for over 20 years now, no issues whatsoever
Can you use this with switch?
th-cam.com/video/UbxFKX33wCg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=I90Q6hni3LBOoe4n
How can i connect it to my switch?
@@RobertoGarcia-kh3pn glad you asked, here’s my video on it:
Play X-Arcade Tankstick on the Nintendo Switch!
th-cam.com/video/UbxFKX33wCg/w-d-xo.html
Will this work with a Steam Deck?
Great question… I’d assume so but I don’t have one to test.
i guess you can not play disc of tron
To play disc of tron, you need a spinner and a joystick with button on it. So you’d have to change out the joystick for one with a button on it.
@@oleschoolgamers if i want to buy that controller fully assemble where do i go