I’ve been meaning to do a review on the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 stick since I bought it a couple of months back. However, I thought I’d put it through a few more games so I could make a fairer and more accurate opinion. The first impression I got was that the box housing the HRAP 3 controller was huge and hefty! After carefully unpacking the controller and holding it in my hands for the first time I totally understood why. The HRAP 3 is built like a TANK, it’s extremely sturdy and well-built. It sports a very clean carbon fibre-like design, nothing fancy and just the way I like it. I think the combination of black and carbon look will help to withstand dirt and wear over time too.
For all you arcade purists out there, you’ll be delighted to know that the HRAP 3 uses the same Sanwa lever used in the majority of arcade cabinets in Japan, which is the Sanwa JLF-TP8Y-SK lever. However, unlike the significantly more expensive Hori Real Arcade Pro SA, the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 does not use either Sanwa or Seimitsu buttons. But it’s good to know that if you insist on having these superior buttons, you may have the buttons changed by yourself with a little work without having to opt for the more expensive HRAP SA. I personally found the HRAP 3 buttons to be very arcade accurate, and don’t really see the need to pay anymore for Sanwa or Seimitsu buttons.
I’ve since used the HRAP 3 controller for quite a few games, including Melty Blood on the PC as well as a host of other console fighters like Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, Guilty Gear Accent Core, Hokuto no Ken (Fist of The North Star), as well as one of my all time favorite series, Metal Slug! The HRAP 3 was a joy to use and performed admirably in most every game except Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, which I realised would periodically have a very slight lag to some button inputs. It did not in any way ruin the experience, but it wasn’t as perfect as I would’ve liked. It was a real surprise playing Metal Slug using the Hori HRAP 3, as it felt exactly like the arcades and it brought back memories of the good ‘ol arcade glory days! The controller also comes with a turbo fire setting for those who enjoy shoot-em-ups I presume. I’m not a huge fan of aerial shoot-em-ups, so I can’t comment on how well the controller and the turbo setting would work, but I’m guessing they’ll work as good as they do on fighters.
If you’d like to modify the HRAP 3 lever or buttons yourself, Shyoruken forums has a great guide on doing just that. It’s quite an easy process since there’s no soldering involved, just simple plugs to disconnect and reconnect and you’re good to go!
Overall, I’m extremely happy with the Hori HRAP 3 stick and I’ve been using it for most of my arcade needs ever since. The Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 (HRAP 3) retails for $99.90 on Play-asia, and that seems like a reasonable price given the quality and authenticity of the HRAP 3 to arcade controllers.
STOMP: Built like a TANK, Excellent Ergonomics & Authentic Arcade Feel, Very Fairly Priced For The Quality You Get, Nice Carbon Look
CHOMP: Very slight delayed response on certain games
Where To Buy:
Play-asia
Amazon.com
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written by stompandchomp
\\ tags: Accessories, Arcade, Games, Hori, Review
