Capcom Fighter Power Stick GS

https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2021/03/05/capcom-fighter-power-stick-gs/

It seems like third-party controllers used to be a bigger deal back in the 16-bit era than they are today. One of those reasons is Street Fighter II. That game single-handedly created a new market for controllers. Don't get me wrong, 3rd party controllers go back to at least the Atari 2600 and continue to exist to this day but I don't think there was ever more variety in style, function or manufacturer than during the 16-bit era.

When the Sega Genesis was first introduced, it came with a three button controller. Only a minor upgrade from the two button controllers of the NES and SMS eras. The Super Nintendo came along a few years later and had more buttons but in an odd...for the time...configuration. There were other controllers available and people tended to buy these because they were cheaper or because they had extra features like auto-fire. There were also arcade stick style controllers for those that preferred them.

The Street Fighter II arcade game featured six-buttons, all of which were really critical for game play. The popularity of Street Fighter II cannot be overstated. In an era when arcades were already dying, this game brought new life. When home conversions came along, it was a big deal how close they came to the arcade original. One thing was missing though and that was a controller with enough buttons. However, this problem was quickly remedied by the introduction of a variety of 3rd party controllers with the appropriate number of buttons.

Capcom, the creator of Street Fighter II, sold their own brand of controllers. This particular ad is for the Capcom Fighter Power Stick GS. In addition to having the appropriate number of buttons in a similar layout to the arcade version of Street Fighter II, it also added features like slow motion and turbo. I believe this particular controller was available for both the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo though I'm not sure if any other systems had this controller available. If not, there were a variety of similar ones.

These controllers tended to be rather expensive. This ad doesn't mention a price but somewhere around $70 wouldn't surprise me. However, if you were a fighting game aficionado, whether Street Fighter II or any of the multitude of fighting games it spawned, then this style controller was really a must have. I never used this one but since it is by Capcom and hence virtually the official Street Fighter II controller, it has to be great, right? Until you snap off the stick in a rage anyway...