I’m a lifelong fighting game player — and this is the fightpad I’ve wanted for years

The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro ($109) is the fightpad of my dreams. It has all the best aspects of its predecessors and several upgrades that make it Hori’s best fighting game controller yet.

The biggest new features are swappable D-Pads and wireless connectivity, which are both firsts for its Fighting Commander controllers. You also get two programmable rear buttons and a right analog slide pad. And this wouldn’t be an Octa Pro controller without the eponymous octagonal gate left analog stick.

Using this controller is extremely comfortable thanks to its wide shape and textured hand grips. The six face buttons are as responsive and fun to click as ever, while the updated shoulder buttons’ square-ish shape makes them easier to press. Overall, this controller is an absolute joy to hold in your hands.

You can remap buttons, create profiles and adjust D-Pad sensitivity right on the controller. If you prefer doing this on your desktop, the Hori Device Manager app provides a nice and intuitive alternative for customizing the controller. It’s very easy to get the Fighting Commander Octa Pro to function exactly to your liking.

Though I wish it were a bit heavier and had rumble support, I have no major complaints with the Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro. It’s no Japanese Sega Saturn controller, but it’s the best fightpad I’ve used in decades and easily one of the best PC game controllers. Find out why in my full review!

Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro is an updated version of the company’s fightpad, featuring wireless connectivity, swappable D-pads, a more ergonomic design and new back buttons.
• Who is it for? This controller is for fighting game enthusiasts seeking a dependable wireless fightpad that’s highly customizable.
• How much does it cost? The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro costs $109 on Amazon.
• What do we like? We like the new ergonomic design, clicky face buttons, updated grips and lag-free wireless connectivity.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the controller’s relatively light weight and lack of rumble.

Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro review: Specs

Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro review: The ups

The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro is a stellar fightpad thanks to its ergonomic design, responsive controls, wireless connectivity and high customization.

Excellent design

The latest Fighting Commander Octa Pro is the most ergonomic Hori controller yet. Its large rectangular body and rounded hand grips make it feel like an extension of your hands. The handgrips have a slightly rough texture that ensures the controller won’t slip from your hands even during intense matches.

You get the six-button layout the Fighting Commander line is known for. There’s also a swappable D-Pad, a left stick with an octagonal gate, and a small right slider pad. The latter is something I really appreciate since I can use it to control the camera in Street Fighter 6’s third-person World Tour mode. And while I prefer using the D-Pad over the left analog stick, the stick is nice and responsive.

Other features include a tournament lock switch on the controller’s bottom that disables the Select, Home and Touchpad so you don’t accidentally disqualify yourself at a tournament. Beside that is a 3.5mm headphone jack and a slider to let you switch between PS5, PS4 and PC, depending on your platform. There are also small buttons for switching your profile and muting your mic.

Swappable D-Pad

The swappable D-Pad is one of the controller’s best features. Out of the box, the controller has the standard Fighting Commander D-Pad, which has raised directions (up, down, left, right), each with an arrow at its tip. This is the D-Pad I’m most used to and is still my favorite since it’s very reminiscent of a Sega Saturn or six-button Sega Genesis D-Pad.

There’s another D-Pad with less pronounced directions that appears almost like a flat disk. Finally, there’s a D-Pad with very pronounced directional inputs that remind me of a Super Nintendo D-Pad. Both perform well, and I have no trouble performing complex motions with either. But as I said, I prefer the D-Pad that comes attached to the controller. Regardless of which D-Pad you opt for, you won’t be disappointed. They’re also all very easy to snap in and out of the controller.

D-Pads can make or break fighting game controllers, and I’m happy to see that Hori now allows us to choose the kind of D-Pad we want to use. For some, this could be reason enough to purchase this Fighting Commander controller.

Responsive buttons

This controller’s other main draw is its six face buttons. They’re not only nice and big, but also satisfyingly clicky. Thanks to their size, it’s easy to press two buttons at once with your thumb, which makes performing throws and Drive Rushes in Street Fighter 6 a breeze. These buttons are as good as they’ve always been, and I’m glad Hori didn’t alter them in any noticeable way.

Then we have the four shoulder buttons. These are more squared off than previous versions, and they feel snappier to press. Some might complain that the L2 and R2 buttons aren’t triggers, but keep in mind this is a fightpad and not a regular controller. The shoulder buttons aren’t too clicky, but they still feel nice to press due to the relatively short travel distance.

Something new to Hori controllers is the inclusion of two programmable rear buttons. Each is located where your middle fingers naturally rest, so using them should come intuitively for most. The buttons feel and look like smaller versions of the shoulder buttons and are just as satisfying to press. I personally don’t use these buttons, but I appreciate their inclusion.

Precise performance

Hori’s controllers have always had phenomenal performance, and I’m happy to say the new Fighting Commander Octa Pro continues that tradition. Whether wireless or with the included braided cable attached, this controller performs like a dream.

I had a blast playing Street Fighter 6 and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves with this controller. I’ve used the previous Fighting Commander to play the former for nearly two years, and using this new controller feels even better due to the ergonomic design and lightning-fast responsiveness. The same is true for City of the Wolves, which is a more recent game. I also enjoy using the controller for 3D games like Tekken 8 and Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.

All previous Hori Fighting Commander controllers have been wired devices, so I was especially curious to see if playing wirelessly would introduce any input lag. I’m happy to say that wasn’t the case during my dozens of hours of playtime. Because of that, I almost exclusively play wirelessly now, unless I have to charge the controller when I’m playing.

If you’re a professional player, you’ll no doubt sense some input lag when playing wirelessly. That being the case, you can connect the controller to your PS5 or PC with the included cable or any USB-C cable of your choice. The controller even has a convenient cable lock that prevents the cable from accidental disconnects.

Simple programmability

The Fighting Commander Octa Pro performs great right out of the box, but you can customize it to your specific needs either on the controller itself or through the Hori Device Manager software.

By holding the aforementioned profile button, you’re able to remap buttons and adjust the D-Pad’s sensitivity, and create up to four different profiles. The latter feature is especially useful if you play many fighting games and require various profiles for their respective button layouts. All of this takes a few seconds at most.

Remapping buttons and D-Pad sensitivity is fast and intuitive. However, if you’re like me, you’ll opt to use the app since it’s easier to configure actions and create profiles. The UI isn’t much to look at, but it’s a clean interface that lets you quickly reprogram what you want. This is something I wish controllers like the Scuf Valor Pro featured.

Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro review: The downs

The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro is a nearly perfect fighting game controller. Unfortunately, it retains one aspect I’ve always found unappealing in this controller line.

Too lightweight

While the Fighting Commander Octa Pro is nice to hold, it feels very light compared to other controllers.

A light controller can be beneficial since it’s less likely to strain your hands after prolonged use. However, it makes Hori’s peripheral feel somewhat cheap since it weighs so little. The textured hand grips and elegant design help offset that, but if you picked up this controller with your eyes closed, it wouldn’t feel like a premium product.

I also wish this controller had rumble support. Having it shake with every attack would not only make playing games more immersive, but the small motors required for rumble would also introduce some added heft to the controller.

Sure, some players dislike rumble since it could inadvertently mess up their inputs, but they can simply disable rumble in the game’s menu. Rumble support would immediately fix the only two complaints I have.

Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro review: Verdict

The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro controller is the ultimate version of the company’s fightpad line. Though I wish it were heavier and had rumble support, there’s no denying it’s now the new standard for all fighting game controllers to follow.

Its ergonomic design, smart button layout, and smooth performance are what I’ve come to expect from this controller series. The inclusion of features I’ve always wanted, such as wireless connectivity and a swappable D-Pad, only serves to make this device even better. The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro is now my go-to peripheral for fighting games.