Definitely an eight way. I have a picture here of the new plate and the old one. My monitor just started acting up, so I'll have to wait to make another video. I got the new one from arcadeshop. I usually like MikesArcade, but I built a CPO for mame a while back and wanted to get the cheaper joystick. Luckily for me, it was correctly a 4-way. I exchanged the plates.
I'm glad that I noticed. I greatly value integrity, and would feel awful to upload a PB, no matter how small and be above others on the list, when I had done something wrong.
Long story short, I got a new CPO for my machine and don't have the old one. I noticed it was very easy to transition to steer. I don't believe I had steered on ladders, because I didn't know that I could. Nor would I want to, because it's simply not regulation, even in private practice sessions.
Sometimes when it seems too good to be true, it is. LOL
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jEZTHcWKtyf5gwJlKHY384rTJP-5y-ah/view?usp=sharing