As much as I enjoy fighting games, my biggest issue has been finding the time to sit down and learn them. There probably was a time when I might have been considered an ok Blazblue player, had at least an understanding of Tekken, or had a friend base for multiple nights on Injustice or Mortal Kombat, but sadly that isn’t the case anymore.
To be fair I love fighting games, and Evo (Evolution Championship Series) is my most anticipated event each year even more so than the VGAs or Summer Game Fest. This being said, I probably invest way too much into a hobby I have no particular skill in and absolutely no time to apply myself further, and yet I still do. This is the case with the Razer Kitsune Arcade Controller, a pricey, yet quality option for fighting game fans.
Size Isn’t Everything
The first thing you will notice with the Razer Kitsune is that it is small, very small. The box it comes in has only a tiny amount of void cardboard on the bottom part of the because of just how sleek it is, but for the most part, its packaging is very form-fitting. Now, this is my first purchase of a fight pad in a while, with my previous two being the Qanba Obsidian and before that a Hori Real Arcade Pro around when Tekken 7 was released. The important notes here are, that this is my first to substituting the stick with a D-Pad style equivalent, and obviously this one was inherently going to be smaller. I’m sure these aren’t new per se, but seeing a large amount of them present during the last Evo had me intrigued to mix it up. And in that regard, basing it off of alternatives I have seen rather than held, even by this standard this fight pad is small.
On your lap, the feel of it is extremely lightweight and I could not even say I felt 5 pounds of pressure from it, with it honestly being closer to two. This is a far cry from just how bulky some of the ones I have used before are. Additionally, with a textured grip underside, it is also very comfortable. The thing about this though is that it does come at a bit of a price in its desire to be travel-sized.
On the one hand, I could fit the Razer Kitsune into almost ANY piece of luggage with no fuss. In particular, it solves the issue of military-grade bags you see the Evo superstars roll up in to pull out their stick that takes up the whole bag, and yet still have to fight with it to get the actual stick to come out. Since for the average person like myself, this is an issue, I’m happy to have an alternative when going to a friend’s house. But all of that translates into the complete size of the device which takes some getting used to. During my first few rounds of it, I found myself fidgeting to get the feeling just right, and on my desk, it had my hands closer together than I was used to. If this is your first, there is a learning curve in that respect. There are bigger options that still feel very portable that are being showcased so maybe a ‘slightly’ bigger frame would have been appreciated.
This being said, the button placement was far more comfortable than I was expecting it to be. The D-Pad arches out allowing four fingers to comfortably control your movement, with the other buttons being in a traditional layout. The hardest thing to get used to, at least for me, was the down button and the up button placement with is between the left and right, and the sole lower button respectively but I’m sure people who play more would have an answer why this was done. The fact that I was able to get used to it so quickly was a testament to how well-designed it is.
Tournament Ready
One of the things you always look for in a device like the Razer Kitsune is just how ready it is to be taken to an event like Evo, should you be somebody that competes, and here we have some great options. The arcade controller comes with a detachable USB-C to USB-A wire to connect to PlayStation 5 or PC. Since this is an officially licensed PlayStation product, unfortunately, there is no Xbox equivalent. The cable can be replaced should there be an issue but when plugging it in there is a locking house for it so it can’t disconnect during the big game.
The system also has a switch on top to lock options buttons such as options, share, and the PlayStation button. If you are unaware, in a tournament setting, disrupting the flow of any round by disconnecting or pausing results in immediate forfeiting of that round, so these options are always a plus. If you don’t compete, hitting these buttons with your fat fingers is always an annoyance so there are benefits all around.
What’s Your Style?
The device also comes with plenty of options for changing up your style should you want to. The artwork is pressed onto an interchangeable aluminum top that can be switched out with others. Having gotten the Cammy one over the plain black cheaper option, I can say, the art is a selling point in and of itself as it is crisp and fresh. There are a few options to choose from to. Similarly, the all-optical buttons, which feel very comfortable as your spamming the hell out of them, can also be switched out.
That being said, while once you figure it out the process is easy, it is confusing to find just how to take the Razer Kitsune apart. Then again, maybe I was just an idiot. It took me about an hour or two to piece that together, with the included instructions outlining every part of the controller except how to dismantle it. Similar to the PlayStation 5 when I first got it, I kinda wandered around the arcade controller as cautiously as I could thinking any tiny touch would destroy it… Until I figured it out.
Like with most Razer products, another great touch is the Chroma RGB lighting that surround the entire body. It looks nice on a good day, but in the dark, it shows off. The Kitsune comes with multiple display options such as static and wave that are also easy to cycle between for a dynamic amount of options to choose from.
The Cost of Throwing Hands
Now for the elephant in the room, you can get your hands on this really solid arcade controller for the low cost of… $299.99, and when you add in a special plate like the Cammy that increases to $329.99. This is not the highest-end controller I have seen out there as $400 and $500 modern arcade controllers do exist, but that price point does make this an expensive option that is on the higher end. For context, the Qanba Obsidian 2 which is the more recent version of my older stick is only $249.99, while the Hori Fighting Stick Alpha is $229.99. This being said, Victrix has one for $499.99, this being the same as is given as prizes to the top 3 finishers in an Evo Tournament.
Qanba has been showcasing a new option, called the Sapphire during Evo 2024, which looks much bigger but without the stick as well. No price has been given but it might be an option to compare price points with when it releases.
And both of the options I just mentioned are far bigger options too, though this device feels so compact I wouldn’t be surprised if it had some impressive tech to make that work. Those two other options also, assumably don’t have the versatility to be customized as the Razer Kitsune does either, though the Obsidion 2 does have a swappable joystick. When it comes down to what you are looking for in your controller, I can easily see the size being a turn-off, especially for the price. Speaking for myself I got them big ol’ sausage hands which might have something to do with it.
Verdict
While the price is arguably the biggest hurdle here, what you get for that is an overall solid arcade controller. The Razer Kitsune is well formatted and might take some getting used to if your not familiar with it, but is honestly worth it once you do. The biggest flaw here might be what was touted as its biggest strength as I feel like I could travel with a slightly bigger device while not feeling so compressed when using it.
The host of options here such as interchangeable buttons, and interchangeable faceplates, as well as the Chroma RGB, do a heavy amount to offset that price point though. Plus, even being so compact, it is very comfortable and lightweight to the point you might even forget it is there. Fighting game fans, this is absolutely an option that can be recommend to anybody looking to take their game to the next level.
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Compatible With PlayStation 5 And PC
Developer: Razer
Release Date: October 31st, 2023
An all optical, lever less arcade controller for fighting games from Razer.
Pros:
+Comfortable and lightweight
+Well designed
+Customization options
+Chroma RGB
+Tournament Ready
Con:
-Price
-Slightly smaller than desired
-Figuring out some features
