With these boards, your arcade machine can play anything from the classics to the latest and greatest games found on platforms like Steam.
The Neo-Arcade Controller Board is the only native XInput controller board designed for arcade machines - making it perfect for both retro and modern arcade play. These boards solve all of the traditional issues that normally make XInput controller boards unsuitable for arcade machines.
Polycade has been using XInput controller boards in our arcade machines since our inception 7 years ago (most arcade manufacturers use keyboard controllers). In order to get standard XInput boards to work, we had to use a combination of weird hardware hacks and custom-made software, and we finally said ENOUGH - it's time to solve these issues with a dedicated product that anyone can use for their arcade builds! So we reached out to Brook Gaming - the best quality controller board manufacturer on the market - and worked with them to build these boards to our specification.
Notable features of the Neo-Arcade Controller Boards:
- XInput protocol. Not sure what this is? Games generally use one of 3 types of controllers: XInput, DInput, and Keyboard. XInput is the Xbox protocol, and is the standard for Windows based games. It's also easier for game developers to implement. Lastly, the buttons for XInput are standardized, so different developers end up mapping their game controls the same as other developers. These factors make it the most commonly used controller protocol in modern gaming. The bottom line? XInput is the most widely supported, standardized controller protocol in PC gaming, allowing you to play nearly any game and saving you from the tedious task of button mapping for every new game you install.
- Hardware-level player order. Configure up to 4 players in fixed positions on your button panel. Normally, XInput boards can't be set in specific positions, meaning player 1 will swap with player 2, leading to what feels like a broken experience. The Neo-Arcade board allows you to set the player position on the hardware level.
- No mode switching. These boards use XInput and that's it. Most controller boards enable you to switch protocols, which typically causes your arcade button mapping to be rendered useless until you switch it back. This might be fine for the arcade builder, but as soon as your kids or friends start pounding buttons and manage to change modes, they'll think your machine is broken and summon you to fix it. These boards don't switch, so your arcade machine will work regardless of button mashing!
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