Hori is a Japanese arcade parts manufacturer, and the EX2 is constructed using Japanese arcade design cues. Six main buttons are found on the face of the stick for achieving maximum compatibility with 3D fighting games like Virtua Fighter 5, and 2D games like Street Fighter. The thin design lets the stick fit well on your lap with the weighted plate on the bottom adding extra heft that restricts its movement without being unnecessarily heavy.
Japanese arcade sticks feature some major and minor differences that can affect the way people use them. One of the biggest and most obvious differences is in the joystick itself. Traditional American sticks are known as "bats" since they resemble the shape of a baseball bat. Japanese sticks are referred to as "gumball" design since they look like a gumball/lollipop. Alongside the aesthetics the movement of the sticks differ as well. American sticks use a circular box to restrict stick movement which results in a smoother, though some argue less precise, movement compared to the Japanese square box. The EX2 features a gumball stick with a square movement box that triggers digital microswitches, and is actually controlling the 360's digital directional pad and not the analog stick.
Six large buttons are found on the face of the joystiq placed in two curved rows of three. In order from left to right the top row maps to controller buttons B, X, Y, while the bottom row maps to A, Left Trigger, Right Trigger. Along the top of the stick are the bumpers, start, back, and guide buttons. On the bottom face of the stick is a microphone jack that is fitted for the 360 headset.
