BODY: Most arcade sticks are built for fighting games. HORI's newest one is built for the rest of arcade history, from rotary-lever shooters to trackball classics.
The Japanese peripheral maker has announced the HORI Arcade Classic Pro for Nintendo Switch 2, an arcade controller for Switch 2 and PC. It is designed to work with Arcade Archives, the long-running series of retro arcade re-releases. It costs ¥39,980 including tax (about US$270) and is due out in early spring 2027.
Its main feature is a modular layout. There are input slots on both the left and right sides, and you can fit each one with a standard stick, a trackball, paddle controllers, or a loop lever. That means one controller can handle a wide range of older arcade games without being stuck on one layout.
That flexibility matters because many older arcade games weren't made for an 8-way joystick. Loop levers, which are joysticks you can also twist, powered SNK's top-down shooters like Ikari Warriors. Trackballs and paddles defined whole genres of early arcade games. When these games are played on a normal gamepad, they often lose what made them feel right, and players have mostly had to rely on pricey custom hardware to get it back.
HORI is selling the controller by preorder only. Orders opened September 14, 2026 and close October 2, 2026. If you want one, you'll need to order in the next few weeks rather than wait for store stock.
The insider take
In Japan, the Arcade Archives name carries real weight. Hamster has been releasing faithful arcade ports every week for over a decade, and the series has a loyal following among retro fans who grew up in game centers. Its fans here are exactly the people who will pay nearly ¥40,000 for authentic controls. HORI's decision to sell it by preorder only is a common tactic in Japan for niche hardware. It limits the risk of unsold stock and signals that this is an enthusiast product, not a mass-market one. Overseas buyers should keep an eye on import retailers now: preorder-only runs like this rarely get a second batch, and prices on the resale market tend to rise fast once the order window closes.
Originally reported by はてなブックマーク (Japanese).