Back in April, we ran a story on Alt Lab’s prototype for an arcade stick-style controller for Super Smash Bros. The controller that was shown was still an obvious prototype, built on the case of an old HORI Real Arcade Pro 3, but still demonstrated the concept’s potential: pairing an analog joystick lever with a custom ergonomic button layout.

Now, Alt Lab has released a new video demonstration with a “beta” version of the Smash Stick, now in its own casing. The video once again demonstrates how the controller works, with an analog lever that uses Hall effect sensors for accuracy. This new build however has an revised “Home Row” button layout that’s been adjusted a bit more so as to further prevent hand and wrist injuries.

The latter is arguably the most important feature of the Smash Stick, as Alt Lab’s goal is to provide an alternate means of control without providing the controversial surgical precision that all-button controllers, such as the Smash Box and B0XX, supposedly provide.

Alt Lab’s hope is that the Smash Stick will be made legal, so that it can provide players with wrist and hand injuries a means to play Smash. This is something that hits close to home as Alt Lab founders TheBlackHombre and Broasty both have hand injuries, the former has De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis while the latter suffers from a combination of Carpal Tunnel syndrome and Cubital Tunnel syndrome.

Source: Alt Lab