TR Fight Stick has opened a second batch of pre-orders for their Octopus Fight Stick: A high end arcade-style controller with an integrated Dreamcast VMU, that’s paired with a Brook Gaming controller board to allow for low-latency connections to many different platforms. All Octopus sticks will come with a USB port, as well as a DB-15 connector for Neo Geo and Supergun use, as well as an RJ45 jack that allows for adapter cables that connect to many different original consoles. They’ve also opened pre-orders on their spinner controller. Current Octopus orders should be shipping to customers by the end of April and as soon as they get enough orders in batch #2, they’ll start manufacturing those as well; They’re aiming for a 2025 release date for batch 2. Check out a quick unboxing video above and enter coupon code “retrorgb” for $50 off your purchase:
Octopus Fight Stick: https://retrorgb.link/octopus
Console Adapter Cables: https://retrorgb.link/octopuscable
Alternative Plates: https://retrorgb.link/octopusplates
Kraken Spinner: https://retrorgb.link/octopuskraken
While I unboxed the controller, I haven’t had time to really use, or lag test it. I hope to do this in an upcoming livestream, so I can share my real-time reactions, however it feels really solid. Neo Geo / Supergun latency should be ZERO, since it’s just a direct connection to the buttons, but I’m really interested to see what the console and USB lag turns out to be. And of course, I’m interested to try the VMU integration as well. I’ll write a follow-up post after that stream is done, but if you were looking for a controller that connects to many consoles and is 100% plug and play (no modding or wiring required), this might be the one for you.
Next, the Kraken spinner is designed as both an arcade replacement and to be integrated into the Octopus via the USB port; One single USB cable will end signals for both the Kraken, as well as the remaining stick and control buttons. Unfortunately, you can’t fit both a spinner and arcade button combo in the Octopus, but I think the size is great as-is and assume most people wouldn’t have wanted it bigger to accommodate both anyway. The Kraken can also be as a replacement for existing arcade machines and is compatible with original CPS-1 hardware. You can buy just the spinner, the spinner plus a matching plate that allows it to mount in the Octopus and a separate plate that fits in many types of Candy Cabs.
The USB output should be compatible with basically every USB gaming device out there, but here’s the list of RJ45 controller cables available for each original console:
- Dreamcast
- Genesis/Mega Drive
- PS1/PS2
- Xbox
- Saturn
- GameCube
- SNES
- PC Engine
- TurboGrafx-16
- Nintendo 64
- NES
