Mortal Kombat TE Joystick is the Real Deal.

[Mandingo]

a nice looking piano hinge and a sturdy latch.

OK, this eases my fears about this arcade stick being sturdy. Good news.

And yeah, I agree about this being one of the best CE's of 2011. Having a replica stick that fans of MK easily recognize and get nostalgic over shows a real understanding of the fanbase, which is something game companies lack these days -- Understanding what fans want.