So, I've been playing a few different fighting games lately after not playing any for quite a while, and I'm looking to buy an arcade stick.  However, I don't know shit about them!  I've only played a small handful of fighting games in arcades (due to there not being any real arcades here, I only played them when I was out of town), but I always preferred playing them with the arcade controls.  I'd really like to have this for when I play on consoles.

Ideally, I want one for the 360, because of me just getting SF2 Turbo HD Remix.  Looking around, I've ONLY seen the Hori ones.  I've seen both good and bad things about these, so I do not know what to think about them.  However, I haven't seen any alternatives either, so I'm hoping these are good!  Can anyone vouch for these being good, and worth the $50+ price tag (or know where to get them cheaper)?

Also, does anyone know of any good arcade sticks for the Dreamcast or the Gamecube?  I have SF3 for the DC and I just bought Capcom vs SNK 2 for the GC really cheap, and since they're older I'd hope that the arcade sticks wouldn't be too expensive.  However, I'd probably still be getting a 360 one so I wouldn't be putting too much money into these.

I know there are people on GW who know a lot of stuff about this kind of thing, so tell me about these things because I don't want to drop a bunch of money on something I'll regret buying.

I think you'll enjoy a hori, especially if you are still fresh to playing fighting games on the stick.  Hori's use cheap knock offs for their parts but there's pretty much no difference button wise, and you won't notice the difference stick-wise unless you've been playing on sanwas for a good while.

If you want to shell out the cash for the authentic japanese parts found in arcades you can get the hrap 3 which I think there is one for the 360 at least.  I think those go for about 100 dollars.  The HRAP (Hori real arcade pro) sticks use all sanwa parts as far as I know.  Also from what I gather they are much easier to modify than the hori ex fighting sticks if there is every something about them you don't like.   You'll see high level players using these all the time so I'd definetly give it a look.

If you want to shell out even more and maybe take care of the dreamcast issue (I wouldn't bother getting a gamecube stick when you can get almost every popular 2d fighting game on the dreamcast for free) you can drop by the trading post forum on shoryuken.com and request one from the custom stick builders there, but that will probably run you 200+ dollars. 

Also if you wanna play some hd you can hit me up on xbl my tag is sweet beard b.

Also if you wanna play some hd you can hit me up on xbl my tag is sweet beard b.

I might do this meself. Are you ready for some Red Cyclone?

EDIT: Anyone else up for some, my tag is DrBisse