Do Any Celeste Runners Use Arcade Stick

less than a minute read 06-01-2025

The precision platformer Celeste demands lightning-fast reflexes and pinpoint accuracy. While controllers are the most common input method, the question of whether any speedrunners utilize arcade sticks is intriguing. The answer, while not definitively "no," is largely no. There's no widespread adoption of arcade sticks within the Celeste speedrunning community.

Why the Lack of Arcade Sticks?

Several factors contribute to this:

1. The Game's Design:

Celeste is designed around the responsiveness and nuanced control offered by standard controllers. The directional input, crucial for precise movements and quick changes in direction, is optimized for the analog stick or D-pad found in most controllers. The precise control offered by these allows players to make extremely fine adjustments, something that the typically less nuanced directional input of an arcade stick struggles to match.

2. Precision and Accuracy:

Arcade sticks, while offering a unique feel, generally lack the same level of granular control needed for the intricate movements required in Celeste speedruns. The subtle adjustments required to navigate tight gaps and perform precise dashes are significantly easier with the analog sensitivity of a standard controller. The all-or-nothing nature of many arcade stick directions can lead to more errors.

3. Community Norms and Established Techniques:

The established Celeste speedrunning community largely utilizes controllers, leading to a wealth of shared knowledge, strategies, and techniques built around controller usage. Switching to a significantly different input device would require significant adaptation, relearning many established techniques, and a potential loss of efficiency. This creates a high barrier to entry for adopting arcade sticks within the community.

Potential Exceptions?

While highly unlikely to be seen at the top level of competition, it's theoretically possible that an individual player might experiment with an arcade stick for personal enjoyment. However, such an occurrence would be anecdotal and not representative of the broader speedrunning community.

Conclusion:

In short, while not explicitly impossible, using an arcade stick for Celeste speedrunning is highly impractical. The game's mechanics and the established community norms strongly favor the use of standard controllers for optimal performance and efficiency. The precision and nuanced control offered by controllers remain unmatched for this title.