French professional gamer Marie-Laure ‘Kayane’ Norindr has once again teamed up with French publisher Nacon to bring an upgraded and updated version of her already revered Daija Arcade Stick.
This updated model of the Daija Arcade Stick comes with a slew of design enhancements and has been optimised for Playstation 5 and the latest Xbox consoles.
Fans of the previous model will feel at ease, as this iteration retains much of the excellent build quality that makes it such a premium gaming peripheral.
Players will notice how robust the Arcade Stick feels, and thanks to a metal plate in the bottom panel it weighs a nice 3.5kg. This alongside the rubber mat underneath helps to keep the controller secure at all times.
The Daija Arcade Stick has eight buttons and a joystick on the top which give players full control of their gaming.
Like before, this Arcade Stick has extra control buttons situated at the side of the controller, however, Nacon has included a few more which are now located on top of it. The newly added Profile and Lock buttons can be found next to the PS button.
The lock button is a nice feature we are seeing companies incorporate into the new generations of Arcade Sticks, as it allows players to focus on their game without having to worry about accidentally pressing these buttons.
The Profile button is also a great inclusion as it allows players to swap between their custom-made control schemes on the fly during matches.
The Daija keeps the control buttons that lets players swap between consoles and flip between left and right stick directions.
It's great that Nacon moved some buttons to a more accessible location, however, I would’ve loved to have the touchpad and a few others relocated there also.
That being said, the addition of the profile and lock buttons elevates the overall experience when compared to the still excellent previous model.
I am also thoroughly impressed how Nacon has still managed to keep a similar amount of surface space allowing players ample room to lay their wrist on the controller and textured palm rest.
It uses an industry-standard Sanwa stick that feels so robust and withstood my combative playstyle. It comes with two extra stick heads, so whether you are a fan of a Ball Top or Bat Top, Nacon has you covered.
The Daija was always built with customisation in mind, and players once again will be able to pop the lid up and change the buttons with ease while following the color-coded instructions.
This iteration will also allow players to place their own artwork by simply unscrewing the plastic cover and placing a new design. The screwdriver is also provided, which can be found inside the controller.
The Daija connected to my Playstation 5 straight out of the box via a 3-meter USB C cable and Nacon has listened to fans, making the cable detachable, which is amazing as it can be kept safely inside the controller.
The biggest new feature is Nacon’s companion app which allows players to create profiles with unique control schemes and update their controller.
This makes the Daija much more versatile, especially for competitive gamers as they can save game-specific control schemes.
Players will be able to use the app on PC, Xbox, and Macs, however, not on PlayStation 5 which is slightly frustrating as players will have to constantly go to a third-party source to access it.
Nacon Daija PlayStation 5 Verdict 5/5
Nacon’s original Daija was already one of the best Arcade Sticks on the market and this iteration elevates the entire experience by adding great enhancements. Its stellar build and new companion app make it an accessible controller that's great for both competitive and casual gamers
