Unboxing the Retro Fighters Striker DC Controller for the Sega Dreamcast

In this video, we unbox the Retro Fighters StrikerDC controller for the Sega Dreamcast.

In February of 2019, Retro Fighters launched yet another Kickstarter for another one of their controller designs. This one, perhaps a controller more people had asked for a redesign than any other, was for the Dreamcast. Myself, I have never been a fan of the Dreamcast controller. I thought it is too large, has kind of a fat butt, and just never cared for the overall design. Retro Fighters reimagining of the Dreamcast controller, the StrikerDC, completely changes the game in many different ways.

The designers drew inspiration from their Brawler 64 Controller, clearly. The overall shape and design of the grips duplicate the Brawler 64's fairly well, however the analog stick, and face buttons are unique to this controller. The spring on the analog stick is considerably lighter then other controllers for the Dreamcast, it's something I actually really like myself. The A/B/X/Y buttons are all larger than the original's but grouped more closely together. The grouping reminds me very much of a PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch Pro controllers face button layout.

One place where Retro Fighters took some liberties with the design is in the shoulder buttons and analog triggers. The original Dreamcast controller did not have shoulder buttons at all, it only had the analog triggers. Retro Fighters has outfitted the StrikerDC with both digital shoulder buttons and analog triggers, which should make it much better for fighting games.

Perhaps one of the weirdest design aesthetics of the stock Dreamcast controller has to be the way the controller cable comes out of the controller. It comes towards the player instead of going towards the console, which makes no sense at all. The StrikerDC updates this with a 10 ft long controller cable that exits towards the console. This is a welcome redesign for sure.

2 VMU ports have even gotten a little bit of redesign as well. The window for the front-facing unit is a little bit larger than the original's, allowing you to see the VMU screen at a greater angle. Both ports can accept VMUs, rumble packs, microphones, and most other accessories. Retro Fighters does indicate that some 3rd Party accessories may not work, but thus far, I have not found an issue.

The overall fit and feel of the StrikerDC is nothing short of amazing. Everything I love about the Brawer 64 is here but in a design compatible with the Dreamcast. The controller is amazingly well balanced, my hands just seem to conform to the grips naturally, it just feels right.

Having tested the prototype, and now the production sample, Retro Fighters has hit a HUGE Homerun here. The StrikerDC is an amazing controller, and I cannot wait to get to spend a lot of time playing my Dreamcast with this controller. Make sure you stay subscribed to the channel, as we'll have our full-blown review up in the coming weeks.

#SegaDreamcast #RetroFighters #StrikerDC

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