2016 has been a great year for fighting game fans with the release of Street Fighter V and the ongoing support for Killer Instinct. Things are going to get even better with the upcoming launch of the highly anticipated The King of Fighters XIV. If you are interested in purchasing the latest King of Fighters installment, there are several PS4 fight pads we recommended buying if you are looking for controllers made specifically for 2D fighting games.
The King of Fighters XIV Button Layout
First, let’s take a look at the button layout of The King of Fighters XIV. The software product uses four main buttons: Square, X, Triangle and Circle. Gamers can also use shortcuts instead of two button combinations in order to use Blow Back, Emergency Evasion and MAX Mode. Furthermore, the button layout is completely customizable. You can check out the default controls when using the DualShock 4 below:
- Light Punch – Square
- Light Kick – X
- Heavy Punch – Triangle
- Heavy Kick – Circle
- Emergency Evasion (Light Punch and Light Kick) – L1
- Use MAX Mode (Heavy Punch and Heavy Kick) – R1
- Blow Back (Heavy Punch and Heavy Kick) – Triangle and Circle
- Light Punch and Heavy Punch – R2
- Light Punch and Light Kick – L2
You can find our rankings list of the best PS4 fight pads we recommend for The King of Fighters XIV below:
1. New Hori Fighting Commander
The best fighting pad option available for The King of Fighters XIV is the updated Hori Fighting Commander. This officially licensed product comes with a cross-shaped directional pad with a six button layout in addition to four shoulder buttons. By using the R/L switch, you will be able to access all the buttons with just your right hand.
Furthermore, the product supports turbo functionality in addition to being able to emulate the D-Pad as a left or right analog stick (so that you will be able play other non 2D fighters games).
If you are looking for the top fight pad for PS4, then the new Hori Fighting Commander is the best choice. You can purchase the controller with this link on Amazon.
2. Hori Fighting Commander 4
The Hori Fighting Commander 4 has many of the same features as the new Hori Fighting Commander. The older version of the controller has the same button layout, turbo functionality, R/L switch and DP/LS/RS switch. The FC4 also comes with the same cross-shaped directional pad; in this case, however, you will be able to rotate it in different angles.
While the new Hori Fighting Commander uses a symmetrical shape, the Hori Fighting Commander 4 is asymmetrical as the left handle is longer than the right one (so that you will feel more comfortable if you decide to use your index, middle and ring fingers with the face buttons instead of your right thumb).
If you are willing to sacrifice a better construction (as the newer Fighting Commander has better build quality) for more features, you can check out the Hori Fighting Commander 4 via this page.
3. DualShock 4
Of course, the DualShock 4 should also work well for The King of Fighters XIV. The official PS4 controller has a cross-shaped directional pad that is broken up in the middle. Depending on your tastes, this can be either great or bad for fighting games. The fourth version of the DualShock is also quite a bit improved when compared to the previous versions in terms of ergonomics.
With that said, the DualShock 4 only has four face buttons as opposed to six, so you won’t be able to effectively use your index, middle and ring fingers if you are planning to use shortcuts to pull off moves.
If you are still interested, you can order the DualShock 4 here.
4. Mad Catz Street Fighter V FightPad Pro
Perhaps the most interesting choice on our list is the Mad Catz Street Fighter V FightPad Pro. Instead of a traditional directional pad, the FightPad Pro uses a eight-way circular D-Pad. A lot of hardcore fighting fans did not like this change. With that said, it may end up suiting your play style if you can get used to the circular pad.
Mad Catz Street Fighter V FightPad Pro features six face buttons along with four should buttons (although the L2 and R2 buttons are trigger-like, which aren’t optimal for 2D fighting games). The other notable features include a left analog stick, touchpad control, light bar functionality and right stick emulation.
If you can get used to the circular D-Pad and R2/L2 triggers, then you might find Mad Catz Street Fighter V FightPad Pro useful when it comes to playing The King of Fighters XIV. If you are interested, you can buy this fighting pad with this link.
5. Mortal Kombat X Fight Pad
One last option you might want to consider is the Mortal Kombat X Fight Pad. The officially licensed controller also features a six button layout although it only has two shoulder buttons. Furthermore, it uses a traditional cross-shaped directional pad and features an asymmetrical shape where the left handle is longer than the right one. What really makes the PDP pad stand out from the rest of the controllers on this list is the micro-switch buttons, which provides a similar tactile feel of an arcade stick.
With that said, the build quality of the Mortal Kombat X Fight Pad is quite a bit worse when compared to the four other options. So, we highly recommend getting the alternatives if you are looking for the best possible controller to use when playing the latest King of Fighters.
If you are still interested, you can buy the Mortal Kombat X Fight Pad here.
The King of Fighters XIV will be released by Atlus for the PlayStation 4 on the 23rd of August in the North American region. If you are planning to play the fighting game with a controller, make sure you check out are rankings of the best possible options we mentioned above.