HORI Announces Arcade Classic Pro Controller With Swappable Units
The four-unit swap system targets specific control schemes in Hamster's Arcade Archives catalog, a set of inputs that off-the-shelf arcade sticks do not cover.
Key Facts
- HORI announced the HORI Arcade Classic Pro for Nintendo Switch 2 on September 14, 2026.
- The HORI Arcade Classic Pro is priced at 39,980 yen including tax.
- Pre-orders for the HORI Arcade Classic Pro run from September 14 to October 2, 2026, at the HORI Store.
- The HORI Arcade Classic Pro ships with four swappable units: a stick, a trackball, a paddle, and a loop lever.
- The HORI Arcade Classic Pro is scheduled for release in early spring 2027, with one listing naming February 28, 2027.
Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, GAME Watch (Impress), ASCII.jp, Automaton.
HORI announced the HORI Arcade Classic Pro for Nintendo Switch 2 on September 14, 2026. The arcade controller is built for Hamster's Arcade Archives series and similar titles, and it supports Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and Windows 11 PCs over XInput. The price is 39,980 yen including tax. Pre-orders opened September 14 and run through October 2 at the HORI Store. The chassis measures about 50 by 29 by 11 centimeters and weighs roughly 2.0 kilograms without units. Eight buttons sit in the center of the top surface, and units mount on the left and right sides. The box includes four units: an 8-direction stick, a trackball, a paddle, and a loop lever, and they can be combined freely. HORI cites Qix for 4-direction stick input, Cybattler for the trackball, Arkanoid for the paddle, and Front Line for the loop lever. Rapid-fire and assignment functions are included. Release is scheduled for early spring 2027.
HORI's own product page is expected to list which Arcade Archives titles the controller has been optimized for, and the announcement does not name them yet. HORI gathered public feedback in January 2022 on a retro controller concept fitted with a trackball, paddle, and loop lever, and this product follows that concept.
The stick unit switches between 8-direction input and 4-direction input that disables diagonals, and the loop lever does 8-direction input while also rotating like a dial, so a single lever handles movement and attack direction. A wired USB Type-A connection carries the signal, and a roughly 3-meter cable is in the box. Rapid-fire, rapid-fire hold, and button assignment are set through the ASSIGN button on the top surface, at speeds of 5, 10, or 20 inputs per second.
The controller omits several Switch 2 features, among them gyro and acceleration sensors, vibration, the player lamp, amiibo reading, and the headphone mic terminal. HORI notes that some games may not be optimized for the unit layout.
- Stick: 8-direction input with an option to lock diagonals for 4-direction play; recommended for Qix
- Trackball: Roll the ball for mouse-like input; recommended for Cybattler
- Paddle: Turn a dial left and right; recommended for Arkanoid
- Loop Lever: 8-direction input plus dial rotation on the lever; recommended for Front Line
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net スティック，トラックボール，パドルにループレバーを付け替えられる前代未聞のSwitch2/Switch用ジョイスティックがホリから登場
- GAME Watch (Impress) クロミ、シナモロール、ポムポムプリンのSwitch 2用「ワイヤレスホリパッド」などキュートな新製品6点が今秋登場！
- ASCII.jp ホリからトラックボールやループレバーも使えるSwitch 2向けアーケードコントローラーが登場！
- Automaton Switch 2/Switch/PC用アケコン「HORI Arcade Classic Pro」発表。『アケアカ』対応、スティック以外にトラックボールなど4種付け替えで“あの頃”の操作感を実現