I want to play Street Fighter 6 with this Pokémon-themed fighting game pad

(Image credit: Rudeism)

Talented hardware modder Rudeism has pieced together a custom leverless fighting game pad that's adorably shaped like two Ditto fusing together, much to the delight of this Gen 1 Pokémon fan.

While it's not a controller you can freely buy, it looks well-suited to the best fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Guilty Gear Strive, due to its comfy-looking wrist rest and simple stickless layout.

Speaking to PC Gamer, Rudeism explained that "from concept to completion," the build took roughly a month to complete. Though Rudeism admits much of that was waiting for parts to arrive in the mail. They explain that the they only needed "around 2–3 days for design and construction."

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Want to get a vicarious feel for the pad itself? Rudeism posted a clip of themselves over on Twitter, showcasing the satisfying clacking of the controller's mechanical switches.

clackies pic.twitter.com/sgHeINMmutJune 29, 2023

While we're unfortunately unable to buy Rudeism's Ditto-themed fight pad, there are many official products like it. Leverless controllers like the Hit Box and Snack Box Micro are often considered some of the best fight sticks you can buy. They can afford players an advantage in matches thanks to faster inputs compared to a traditional stick. However, they're more often than not vastly more expensive. That said, many players find it hard to go back once they've made the switch to a leverless gamepad.

Don't feel like you need to own a Hit Box-style controller, though. During my visit to South Africa's Red Bull Kumite tournament last weekend, I spoke to several competing pros who unanimously recommended new players to play Street Fighter 6 with whatever controller they were comfortable with.

Jabhi 'JabhiM' Mabuza, the South African representative, even managed to beat Hajime 'Tokido' Taniguchi with a DualSense wireless controller; a monumentally impressive feat considering Tokido's reputation as one of the absolute greatest.

If you are planning on shopping for controllers soon, you may want to do so as part of the Prime Day gaming deals happening between July 11 - 12. There'll be plenty of Prime Day Xbox controller deals in particular if you want to snag a pad or two at a serious price drop.

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.