[nmglug] a linux gaming joystick for my son -- and MAME expertise?

[Mark Galassi]

My son Benjamin is considering building an arcade box for his linux
box, and then would like to have a joystick and buttons for it.

I've never used a joystick, or played any action games myself, so I
don't know much about it.

Can one get a joystick that basically just replaces the arrow keys in
games like "planetpenguin racer" and xscavenger (a Lode Runner clone)?
Are they usb?  The site http://www.happcontrols.com/ has stuff that
looks like it's made for pros and not PC USB joysticks.

And how about the buttons that arcade games have?

And has anyone used MAME?  I find it hard to get going.