Ultimate Japanese Balltop Joystick Holding Guide

[jayham28]

I tried and tried and tried but I cannot play with the balltop. I am just not used to it. I have had to switch both of my fightsticks to bat top. I just cant play with that ball top unless im at the arcade and I HAVE to.

[AereVoS]

Nice video but....i believe that the best way to use a balltop stick is to use it with your RIGHT hand if your a righthanded person and the LEFT hand if you are a lefthanded person. Also the best grip for me is the "eagle" grip as you call it...with the RIGHT hand of course! Cheers! I am from Greece and i remember those days back in the 90s when I was really pissed of when the first japanese style arcade cabinets ( with the buttons on the right, stick on the left...) appeared.

[roboneko77]

sick arcade stick

[Weqqz]

I'm attempting to do missions in UMvC3 and I can not do →↓↘ + H motion to save my life. Every time I try to do the →↓↘ motion I hit a bunch of different directions. Hitting ↘ by itself is almost impossible. Is my stick faulty or is it hard for everyone new to a fightstick to get down those kinds of motions. I have a Eightarc fight stick btw.

[chosenxeno]

@Weqqz Order a Bat Top imo. I could do the moves on a Ball top but, today my Bat Top. I was playing KOF 13 and even with the lag my moves seems to come out consistently lol

[mseirco]

No homo here ;)

[mseirco]

@mseirco Please can you write me here for what the no homo hold is good? Because i not hear in your video

[MrCognee]

the douchebag

[killthemall55]

WHICH ARCADE STICK SHOULD I GET FOR AROUND 60 OR 70?

[glennfinito]

Lol I actually use the "no homo"

[legendofsource]

I like how instead of getting transparent seimitsu buttons you used grey plungers for sanwas.

[legendofsource]

I like how instead of getting transparent seimitsu buttons you used grey plungers for sanwas.

[Bobubobme]

CRY FOR THE MOON!

[ShinobiGarth]

i use bat-tops and use a modified monkey grip, pretty much the same only i rest my pinky below the shaft

[AbhiB]

Eagle, monkey why not show us the dragon and tiger grip as well, lol

nah just joking dude very nice as I will be attending Evo 2011 and will be using the wineglass or no homo one

[BigglesTh9]

Guile theme goes with everything

[TheSoufiane]

I use the eagle grip, minus the thumb, sometimes I use the thumb to jump but qcf's and qcbs just without thumb

[melikai187]

lol, the 'No Homo'. I have to learn a new. my execution sucks and I think thats part of problem. Thanks for the vid

[ThePsychoSavage]

Yo nice but Daigo actually holds it between his pinkie and ring finger. the way you said he holds is what he sais is the wrong way to hold a stick. I saw this on a show he did where he gave tips on how to hold a stick

[CantoV]

@ThePsychoSavage

Yes, correct. 

[Dakrayn]

@ThePsychoSavage I wonder if that applies on all hands, I mean big/tiny hands...

[KeiTakaro]

Great choice of music xD

[fr1ngeTV]

at 3:51 his voice cracked like a bitch.

[ROGERDERBY]

@fr1ngeTV Lmfao!

[lukie53]

Great video, thanks man :)

[BigBlueandWhite]

I got problems to do trials in Street Fighter IV, where you have to often press very fast ↓+ kick/hit and then →↓↘ + hit, in other words crouching hit and shoryuken. Any tips how to do it on arcade stick?

[CantoV]

@BigBlueandWhite

You have to buffer the motion. During the shoryuken motion, when you're at the down position, hit the kick button, then go to the diagonal and press punch for the shoruyken to come out.

You can do the same with crouch into super. Do one qcf motion, then on the second qcf motion when you're at the down position press the kick, go diagonal, then front, then press the punch button for the super to come out.

[CantoV]

@BigBlueandWhite

You have to buffer the motion. During the shoryuken motion, when you're at the down position, hit the kick button, then go to the diagonal and press punch for the shoruyken to come out.

[BigBlueandWhite]

@CantoV Wow, that was fast. I just keep my old comment few second and remove it to fix it, but you catch to answer it. Thanks!

[nottingham89]

I use the no-homo.

[ninjapan711]

Puberty hits at 3:51

[nic1357]

i certainly grip the shaft and ball in a way i feel comfortable with

[Drebln893]

PLEASE stop saying ball and shaft in the same sentence... XD

[lolmom]

What's the best way to hold a stick for shmup players?

[Bobubobme]

No-homo is the best! You should experiment with it a little bit to find the one that feels good and natural

[aznbreakerboi51o]

First thing I heard when I opened this video? Guile's theme. Sure as hell goes with everything.

[XxDeViLBrInGeRxX]

anyway, can you tell me what grip is better for the diagonals? cuz i have to use the a lot on Blazblue. the only thing I know is that I close my full hand, just surrounding the balltop

Thanks 4 the vid

PS:Guile´s theme always goes with everything!! xD

[thrash77581]

@XxDeViLBrInGeRxX

I think the wineglass grip works great for diagonals. It's a good grip because you can hit any direction pretty easily. I play BlazBlue also.

[wDawks]

I thought Daigo did 3 fingers up pinky below with thumb on the balltop?

[CantoV]

@wDawks

That's what she said ;).

[Skatemoreeee]

well...There is a video in which daigo shows how he holds the stick and why - He's holding it between the ringfinger and the pinkie :) gj tho

[Nikashi]

I use a combination of Wineglass/no homo, I think that's the one Daigo ended up using in his tutorial video WHICH I CAN'T FIND (Yours is great for showing ALL the styles though)

[aaronboi77]

...I never knew my holding style was called the "No Homo"....o_O

[GentlemanIRL]

what kind of arcade stick is good for tekken 6? please someone reply..

i been asking around for ages T _ T

[WakerOfWinds]

@GentlemanIRL Make sure its a Balltop(JP) one, and not too cheap. Get used to it. Once u feel like its not good enough anymore, mod it. Easy as pie

[viciousrape]

wine glass ftw

[EdOscuro]

Be comfortable for gains.

I think the way I hold it should be called THE SHOCKER, since it's more or less a cross between the Monkey and the Eagle grip. Magic Fourth Finger down, knuckle more or less free to come into contact with the shaft of a balltop, with the middle and pointy fingers around the ball and the thumb on top.

Surprised to see how comfortable most styles are though!

Excellent taste in music also; I didn't even know that cover existed.

[CantoV]

@EdOscuro

That sounds pretty awesome.

[RobinKyuubi]

@EdOscuro dude, I couldn't do Ryu's trials well before but I tried your way of holding the stick and I love it, I fucking love you man, no homo.

[mitzanu2007]

thanks man, think ill do a combination of wineglass and monkey :D

[daidouji]

This is very helpful and I never knew about these techniques. hehe.

[gateofbabylon]

I lol'd at this video, especially the no homo grip.

also as a fellow SRK member, just saying hi. I go by the name 'the middle east guy' on SRK, so send me a message if you want to say hello!

[CantoV]

@gateofbabylon

I can say hello right here!

Hello!

[5stargeneral313]

This is a joke...lol. Your going to rip off your lollipop doing that.

[faint255]

This helped a little actually coming from a person who wants to make a transition from the controller pad to arcade stick

[anirudhkrishnamani]

i saw daigo's tutorial he holds the stick between his ring finger and little finger.

and actually its quite comfortable.

[lordofkronos]

i hate people who say "hold it whichever way feels comfortable" that doesnt even work. better to use correct technique.

[rekkuchi]

good video, I'm definitely buying a stick next paycheck lol, and kudos to the Iced Earth ( \m/ ) in the background in the second half, it was pretty surprising to say the least...

[mdupre0423]

I've been playing street fighter for years and just recently just picked up a TE ps3 stick. And for the life of me i can't get a reliable shoryuken out T__T I feel like i'm 6 again

[kaimisawesome]

@mdupre0423 keep at it friend, i was in the exact same position as you when i got my stick this past spring.

i was at the point of regret and despair because i couldn't do well or do any of the things that i could on a controller. however i kept at it and now using a stick just feels natural for me. while not COMPLETELY on the same level like when i was on the controller, i'm getting pretty close. so my advice is just keep at it, play against friends on the stick, persist... you'll get it.

[foxworthy21]

tacky stick but yet it has class.... what?

[mixtapetyson]

i taught my girl the "no homo" grip ...now we never argue....

[LimitxKing]

guile theme goes with everything

[Apoklepz]

lol @ "the Douchebag" hehehe from Entourage, right?

Great vid, btw...in a sense, very educational.

[Zeronum2]

Guile's theme goes with everything?

Nice guide.

[sugadaddydan]

I just brought a TE stick and it kinda hurts when i do the utlra on the leftside its this normal?

[Skullomaniaaaa]

Is it just me or is the shaft on TE sticks too short to use most of these comfortably? I've got small hands too so that isn't the problem.

[MarklarRavencrest]

@Skullomaniaaaa I have the same problem though I never used any other sticks in my life b4.

[FREEBOOSIEboo]

i was going to ask whats the best grip to start off with i like the daigo one with the wine glass its super comfortable for me?

[CantoV]

@FREEBOOSIEboo

Definitely go for the one that gives you the best comfort for the amount of precision you get with it.

[FREEBOOSIEboo]

@CantoV i was also going to ask how do u set up buttons on the fightstick whats the usual at evo?

[CaptainRex619]

@FREEBOOSIEboo that's what she said lol

[Fishsticka]

put it inbetween the shaft.

[haaardstyle]

I say just hold the stick based on what's comfortable for you. All these names are useless.

[SuperDANBEAST]

i hold between my thumb and index finger and rest my wrist in the table. I want a stick for my ps3/pc but they cost a lot. Any advice on the cheapest way to make/get one?

[colonforsecs]

The douchebag hold wears out your stick faster, don't do it.

[TheOnlyLunaKage]

My hold isn't in this, I feel more original because of it lol.

[SFxXRobZombieXx]

Lol at the guiles theme

[Ketsui]

It's like giving someone a handjob.

[ashimoshuken]

rofl, get outa the way dont play him he uses the grip of doom! xD

[numbthumbs]

I totally see this guy looking like the dude from American Movie.

[Chriskent101]

Daigo holds his stick in between his pinky and ring finger. Not between his ring finger and middle finger.

[CantoV]

@Chriskent101

Correct. I was incorrect in the video.

[rainynet]

nice guide TBH keep going

[ChronoTriggerX]

Yah I bought an official one without the cruddy 6 buttons and nice art.

[biomat]

some of these techniques look ridiculous and im pretty sure this guy is just taking the piss. what a clown!

anyone learning to use a stick, take my advice... hold it what ever way feels most natural to you. fuck the "demon grip"! what a joke

[CantoV]

@biomat

Thanks for reiterating what I said from 0:21 - 0:43 except making yourself look like an absolute douchebag while doing so. :)

[KanzakixKikuchi]

weird names for cool moves. -___-

[racv8]

I´m living for giving the devil his due. But I´m burning ìm burning for you

[natsumerio0]

No homo here.

[Theguyinyourcloset]

Nice stick man. It has that "I'm homeless, and I found all this shit on the street to make this stick." kind of look to it. Very nice touch.

[clairemadeinheaven]

lol is that napoleon dynamites stick?

[beefcurrywithrice]

no homo

[xThunderxWolfx]

I can't do a shoryu on St. xD

[ChronoTriggerX]

your stick is butt ugly and tacky.

[CantoV]

@ChronoTriggerX

You got some pics of YOUR own custom made arcade stick???? Hmmmm????

[Aberusugi]

@CantoV Dude, it's funny, it's framed in wood, like BAD wood, and there is some furry fanart werewolf howling reminiscent of the three wolf moon shirt. It's a pretty ridiculous looking stick. Props to you for custom making, but like, wow it's really really ridiculous looking.

[CantoV]

Pfft!! You're totally mistaking the word "ridiculous" with "badass." Check out Macho Man Randy Savage to be englightened.

Everyone and their mothers comments on how cool the stick is when they see it up close and I like it a lot which is most important.

[terssi12]

@Aberusugi

Agreeing with Canto THATS freaking badass Joystick!

[o0SayNoToEmo0o]

@CantoV, Yeah agreed, I love the woodwork, really goes with the design. Love it!

[DCFerrisProductions]

"The grip of dooom! Get outa the way, don't play him." Hahahaha

[CrimsonSnow]

lol, the Grip of doom!

[JambalajaJimbo]

"Japanese players are superfast [...] and they're crazy" man i almost peed in my pants :)

[xyanide1986]

Haha awesome video, I had no idea there were actually so many grips used. I just found out I use a variation on the No Homo, but I tend to just rest my thumb over the top. I tried the wineglass but it really wasn't comfortable for me because my hand's aren't small enough or something. When I just started with mine I tried the monkey grip just by intuition but it was hard for me to do half circle movements. Video Fave'd.

[TrueGunnerShadow1]

I use The Eagle Grip when I hold the Joystick!!! No Homo!!!

[gjfwang]

I did the wine glass thinking that was how Japanese gamers hold it but apparently Daigo at least uses the no-homo with thumb. He gives a tutorial on it and why its the best grip (no extra inputs). I guess small asian hands have some advantage cause my hands are too big, can only do the no homo.

[godverdegodverdomme]

@gjfwang Why not try the Eagle Grip ?

I use it (or atleast a variation thereof), and I don't think you

need small hands for that.

I find it to be the most comfortable way to hold it,

and it gives me a sense of being in complete control of the movement.

[steveeeeboi]

ROFL I USE THE NO HOMO XD!!!! I always thought it was a version of a "modified wine glass" LOL now i know!

[MyNameIsBartos]

scratch that...apparently im too ignorant to read a description

hah

[MyNameIsBartos]

whats the name of the song as soon as "The Eagle Grip" starts?

[cheeriosNchex]

Maybe you can help me...

I play as Sakura a lot. Whenever I try to use her Shinko Haduken when she's on the left side, it seems to fail most of the time. On the right, I do it completely fine.

[CantoV]

@cheeriosNchex

Pretty common for people new to joysticks. You haven't practiced enough doing it on that side and that's why you're missing the moves.

Try using your thumb more to guide the motion. You need practice.

[cheeriosNchex]

@CantoV

Thanks for the reply back, it's greatly appreciated. I really do prefer the arcade joystick because it feels like I handle movements better.  I shall keep practicing!

[CapChronic]

Does J.Wong hold it the no homo way

[anchor2000]

I just got my first fighting stick, and i have one question: on the balltop types, is the stick supposed to rotate, or stay stationary?

[CantoV]

@anchor2000

It rotates.

[piskooooo]

Last one should be called "The Awesome" because you're giving a thumbs up the whole time.

[DragardKaos]

Holy shit, I've been doing the douche bag every time I play at an arcade...

[davidfof13]

"The douchebag" lol

[wra7h]

a 6 minute guide on how to hold a fucking stick? put ur hand over it and move it and hit the buttons

[eongen90]

My way off holding the stick ain't in there XD well Monkey is the closest but still not it.

i hold like "jang iksu" because that is the first way i tried to learn and it stuck.

[nagger221]

you owe me an apology...all my friends think im gay cause they heard me watching your video..all that stuff about putting your fingers on the shaft and pressing on the ball top...T_T...lmao

[CantoV]

@nagger221

Sorry!

[b7ray32]

@nagger221 lmao man when i read your comment i fell on the floor laughing

[CapChronic]

@nagger221 They probably had suspicions before they heard this video playin

[captainsynonym]

Dude, thanks a ton for this vid! I just got the Hori real arcade pro sa stick and SSF4 last night. Having grown up on using pads it's a huge obstacle for me to get acclimated to a stick, (I couldn't even do a double qcf motion!) so after watching this vid of yours I can't wait to get home and try out each grip to find the one that works best for me. I really appreciate it!

[dragoonerzerg]

@captainsynonym

I'm interested too but i can't until I come home from school tomorrow monday (shit!) so how good are these methods?

[captainsynonym]

@dragoonerzerg They're awesome, I'm happy to report. I use the "wineglass" technique myself, and was surprised to see how much more often supers and ultras came out just by making sure I was gripping the joystick that way. I'm totally converted now, and am enormously glad I got the stick. Good luck, dragoonerzerg!

[FrozenMutiny]

Are his terms like wine glass and monkey stick actually factual or did he make those names up?

[CantoV]

@FrozenMutiny

Wine glass is a common name for the hold. The others I made up with some friends of mine.

[FrozenMutiny]

@CantoV Hahhaha, i'm pretty impressed with the names actually, very funny :P

[davinderonline]

that artwork reminds me of altered beast for some reason...

[riceball23]

blue oyster cult ftw!

[vokuro88]

daigo uses no homo, and so do i. no homo.

[FriedxTofu]

it is possible if i can make a video on how to do ryu's ultra on the the 1st player side (left) showing your hands?. i have trouble with the execution,

[davantepresley]

that joystick is oldschool bad ass awesome.

[HFB]

the monkey grip is not the only way to use an american stick, i use the wineglass and i use a happ

[SlasherCheetah]

I use a hybrid homo where I just grab the entire thing.

Might try the grip of doom

[segano1]

Finally at long last someone bothered to upload a video like this,

Id go with the glass wine style, most natural to me

[maxgunn555]

@segano1 this videos been there since may 09. i use a mix of eagle and grip of doom which i call the pistol grip style - fuck what he says about whatever you feel comfortable for shoto characters that is the best cherry top grip.

[tippytop7]

I don't hold it any of those ways! I put my index and middle finger on the left side of the ball top, my thumb on the right side, and my ring finger and pinkie finger on the floor of the stick. Super effective method!

[R33GTRRRR]

I use the "wineglass" even with American Happ sticks... I don't suggest using it with bat sticks with out the dust cover I've pinched myself several times.

[Tottiroll360]

lol i use the wineglass

[mexicanmex]

1:55 he said shaft lol

[AgentSephiroth]

Daigo uses the modified 3 finger wineglass.

[elementpollo]

I'm douchebag + wineglass

[furyboy38109]

You forgot the pointer finger and thumb grip, with the other three fingers kinda resting on the side. Thats how I use it

[GR8GUY54]

I'm a modified Eagle Grip guy with a hint of the Wineglass - Shaft with middle and ring:} Nice tutorial!

[Sturm64]

I lost my girlfried to a guy who had a different wolf arcade stick for every day of the week.

[clairemadeinheaven]

@Sturm64 lmfao

[Hirashirou]

I tend to grab the dust washer when playing.

[boinkstzih]

I use the "The Monkey Grip"... so I´m a monkey...?

[thashadow911]

Nice vid, getting a TE stick today.

[PeaceMakerSAAEX]

I'm no homo...

lol

=D

[rtc7788]

Looks like a homemade joystick lol

[Tricky20x]

lol thank you for the vid, extremely helpful.

[CrimsonAzure7]

thanks for the tutorial i have some weird mix of the wineglass and the eagle grip i can finally pull off SRK into ultra sweet stuff man

[youngcharly]

Cool vid, man.

I use the 'No homo' grip xD

[spambucket99]

the wineglass hold looks like the hamburger helper mascot

[freshandlegal]

You sound like John C. Reilly

[crimsonhead27]

That table is going to fall apart.

[VirtualJudgement]

u have a nice stick no homo

[TheAlmightyBaco]

Lol. "Oh, it's the Grip of Doom! Get out of the way; don't play 'em!" I use the Bottle Top -- hold the tip of the ball like you are twisting off a bottle top. People run for the hills when they see me using it; they fear my opening a 20oz on 'em. Great guide.

[jaytothelu]

It's all about that eagle dawg

[xLeonil]

are you make the names up as you go? xD

[TacoManTuesday]

it's like the video was from the 90's.

[hammerinhand]

I usually cross my right and left arm because its what's comfortable for me. My grip wasn't mentioned. I take my pointer finger and my middle finger and put it on the bottom of the shaft so my hand is flat. I really need to get a Kthulu board so I can play on my Ps2!

[Edwin1503]

OUCH!!!! STOP IT HURTS ( Why are u so violent with Ur STick!!! )

[S7R31F]

after all that my grip wasn't in there...didn't think it was too unorthodox...

Pretty much index and middle fingers together and ring and pinkie finger together...stick goes in between with thumb on top pretty much

[Gorillazareking]

Is the wineglass typically played palm-up like that? I've been playing a middle-fingered wineglass, resting my hand on its side. Great video though, it really helped me out months ago when I first got a stick. Thanks!