Fighting game devotees can get arcade style button mashing without owning a high-falutin' joystick/controller. These new Street Fighter IV Fight Pads (for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) from Mad Catz feature six separate buttons, and the ability to assign 'Turbo' to whichever buttons you desire. The controller's directional pad is soft and spongy and floats above the surface of the controller -- making it easier to mash it in the eight directions required to pull off the game's killer combos.



The Fight Pads comes in five flavors -- each starring a well-known character from the Street Fighter Universe, including Ryu, Chun-Li and Blanka. It's hard to say if hardcore Street Fighter IV fans will choose these controllers over the superior Street Fighter IV Tournament Joystick, and at $60, they seem a little too expensive for casual gamers. Also of note, only the PlayStation 3 controllers are wireless. The 360 fight pads are wired, and it feels like a step down from the standard Xbox 360 controller. We'll see whether that matters (or not) when the Fight Pads hit stores on February 29.