Review: DARK MATTER ARCADE FIGHTING STICK by Monoprice is exactly what you expect

I vividly remember as a child always getting excited when I saw an arcade cabinet (and I still do now). It didn’t matter the game, all I wanted to do was find some accommodation and play whatever game there was. It could have been Street Fighter, Galaga, Pac-Man, House of the Dead, or any other plethora of games, but my younger self couldn’t wait to rush to smash those buttons and twist the joystick. Now we have arcade stick accessories at home and can leave out all those quarters and lines waiting to play. Monorprice has come out with the Dark Matter Arcade Fighting Stick which is as nostalgic as it is professional, even if it has some drawbacks.

Let’s talk about the thing itself. The shape, size and materials are exactly what I would want from a home arcade stick. The buttons are smooth and responsive, the joystick is springy and snappy to move, and the hard plastic feels like it would break on a brand new arcade cabinet (or better). The customizable cover is nice and easy to replace, but it’s not easy to find or make artwork to put on the arcade stick. I was pleased with the ease of setup overall, but disappointed that it only works on PC and current-gen consoles (unfortunately my PS5 version of Street Fighter 6 and DNF Duel will have to wait for another arcade stick). Its size seems a little large, especially with how much empty space there is, but it’s not that bad when placed on a table or on the player’s lap.

As far as actual performance goes, Dark Matter is optimized and great for any player of any skill level. The buttons and joystick are lightning-fast in terms of responsiveness and are comfortable to use during long, intense gaming sessions. While the Dark Matter feels and looks great, it doesn’t live up to the quality of pro-level fighting sticks, but it will help any player enter the realm and feel of playing fighting (or other) games with an arcade stick.

The Dark Matter Arcade Fighting Stick is a high-quality piece of hardware that does its job exactly as expected. It’s great to use even if its size seems a little off at first. The customization is nice and the setup was smooth as butter. However, not being compatible with current generation consoles is a shame and seems like an odd choice being so far into the life of the current generation of gaming consoles. This is a solid way to relive the old days of playing on an arcade cabinet, as well as a way to hone your fighting game skills for most modern titles.