The X-Arcade Tankstick combines the X-Arcade Dual Joystick and Trackball Mouse controllers into one unit, saving desk space for gamers. As with Xgaming’s other products, the Tankstick is a solid unit made of melamine-surfaced hardboard, trimmed with “authentic” arcade-style T-molding. This unit is the largest offered to date, measuring 29.5″ wide by 13″ deep and weighing in at a significant 20 pounds. Xgaming offers a lifetime warranty with free parts replacement for all of its products.

The controller has enough inputs to satisfy most gamers. Two self-centering joysticks and 22 buttons frame the large trackball centered on the top surface. The right and left sides have two buttons each, one for mouse-button input and one for “insert coin” or pinball use. The back of the Tankstick has two additional buttons and a sliding switch for customized setup and programming options.

Configuration

Setup for most games and emulators requires only changing the software preferences, specifically the keyboard and mouse settings. For games that do not offer control preferences, there are three hardware programmable settings accessed with the sliding switch on the back of the Tankstick. Position one is the non-programmable default configuration, but positions two through four are easily setup for use with non-configurable games and online services such as Gametap.

Emulators work well with the default hardware setting, since most have software preferences for both general and specific game use. To configure emulators for the trackball, use the analog control input options. Setup is similar for MacMAME, MAME, MAME32, and X-MAME.

While running a game in MAME, pressing the Tab key displays options for controller settings.

The Tankstick works extremely well with many first-person shooter games. The joysticks and buttons replace the keyboard and number-pad inputs, and the trackball replaces the mouse.