Arcade joysticks for cabinets and control panels

An arcade joystick is the directional control on a cabinet panel: a shaft on a pivot that closes one of four micro switches per direction, with a restrictor gate behind the panel deciding whether the machine reads four directions or eight.

Way count is the specification that most affects how a game plays. 8-way, with a square or octagonal gate, suits fighting, shooting and modern titles. 4-way, with a cross-shaped gate, is required by classic maze and platform games where a stray diagonal registers as an unintended turn. Many models take a changeable gate, so one joystick can serve a mixed cabinet library.

After way count, the choices are mechanical: shaft length has to suit the panel thickness — short-shaft models exist for thick or laminated panels — and the mounting plate pattern has to match the existing holes or the panel needs drilling. Top style is ergonomic rather than functional. The CGMAD range covers bubble-ball and RGB LED tops, plated and iridescent ball tops, and character heads including Monkey King, panda and doll designs.