The Revolution controller, revealed at last

[Specineff]

This controller is nothing but a wireless version of Kirby's Tumble and Tilt or Pokemon Pinball. And they didn't set the world on fire.

Not quite- it isn't just tilt sensors. It detects motion in 3D. So, you could reach a virtual hand into the screen to pick something up and set it down someplace else. You could build a 3D sculpture, if you "painted" the object in 3D in front of you, and the game would draw it on screen.

And I want to play something like that over Armored Core, Wipeout, AVP, Street Fighter Alpha, GNG, Mega Man, Baten Kaitos, Metal Gear 1-4 and others because..?

The only possible use for this that I can think of would be some sort of Jedi Lightsaber battle game. That'd get boring after 30 minutes. And a conversion of that Konami police game where you can dodge the bullets by crouching in real life. Whoop-dee-doop. I seriously doubt this will be the next best thing to happen to gaming since the invention of the analog controller.

I'll be attracting flames with my view if I keep it up. I'll wait and see. Just like I did with Episode 1.

@Zubiac. I did read it. And the more I read it, the less I can understand how they expect to change the gaming world with that device. Kudos to them for having the guts to risk it, but without Yokoi, I don't think Nintendo's controllers are that hot anymore. May he RIP.

[BrianC]

@ Beatifik:

Yes. I have it with Wario Ware Touched. Guess how long can it keep me interested? 10 minutes at the most. The touch screen is nothing but a flat analog pad.

I use the DS to play GBA games instead. Metroid Zero Mission has pure bitching gameplay that keeps me glued for hours. And doesn't need fancy gimmicks or tricks like that.

Don't get me wrong. I really want Nintendo to succeed because otherwise it's going to be GTA and Madden and Halo everywhere. But innovation doesn't equal success. The VMU was innovative. How many games made use of it to a point that extended or enhanced the gameplay experience? None. How many games used it for something that could be done on the regular screen? Ikaruga and Resident Evil CV are two examples.

The Activator was innovative.

The Power pad was innovative.

The menacer was innovative, and wireless, just like this.

Seaman and the mike were innovative.

The GB camera was innovative.

Robbie the Robot was innovative. But what got Nintendo on the map was Mario and Metroid, and all the bitching, pure liquid-sex gameplay from other games. Contra? Castlevania? Mega Man? Crystalis?

Sega didn't need more than a blue hedgehog blazing accross the screen on their 16-bit machine to dethrone the tyrant. But what did the Sega CD (not counting Lunar and Lunar EB) do for the Genny, if not turn it into an expensive FMV player? The 32X?

Sony had a ram-starved, 2D-impaired machine to teach the dinosaurs of gaming a lesson or two. And look at them. Some of the most successful franchises of all time were born or launched there. Soul Blade? Tony Hawk? Crash? Colony Wars? Wipeout? All playable without any gimmicks.


You have all the right to pelt me with tomatoes the time we first meet in person if ever. I want to be wrong. I want to swallow my words. I want to admit in front of you "I was wrong. I misjudged. I don't know what I talk about." if this is a success. I just feel heavily it won't be so. This controller is nothing but a wireless version of Kirby's Tumble and Tilt or Pokemon Pinball. And they didn't set the world on fire.

There are so many times you can re-invent the wheel.

Thanks for listening, y'all.

Wario Ware Touched isn't even the best game on the DS (though it sounds like a good game to me). The Menacer isn't innovative. It borrows from the Super Scope, though I didn't think that was all that innovative either. I just got it becuase I like light gun games and the games in the Super Scope 6 pack sounded pretty cool (which they are). Also, you seem to complain about the light guns simply becuase not many games use them, but ignore the fact that some of the games that do use them are extremely well designed and more than a "gimmick".

It's not true that Tony Hawk, Crash, and Wipeout are without gimmicks, though I like the games quite a bit. Tony Hawk's gimmicks are Spider-Man and real athletes promoting the game. Wipeout uses speed and weapons as a gimmick. Crash Bandicoot just borrows from other games and the 3D behind the player view of the game is a gimmick.

As far as the Revolution controller goes, I'm a bit lukewarm about it, but it does have potential for some seriously cool games.

Also, I like Pokemon Pinball GBC and Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble becuase I find them to be well designed games. Pokemon Pinball is a fun pinball with decent physics and a fun collection element. The mini games are good fun too. It also has arcade like challenges. I don't care much for the rumble, but it can be turned off and ignored, so it's not an issue. Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble's tilt sensor actually helps the game and make it more fun. It wouldn't be the same without it.

[Marc]

Disappointing? More like a DISASTER. On par with the controllers for the Fairchild Channel F, the Philips CD-i, and the Intellivision.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there my good man. The Intelly controler was a fine piece of design may years in front of it's time. Honestly, I think that's a great controler, can't understand why people every had trouble with it.

[Specineff]

Agreed with the comments about the games I mentioned, Brian. Though I meant gimmick more like a physical object. Thingamajig. Gizmo. Now, take the original Tony Hawk, and strip it of all the athletes promoting it and the brands behind it. Name it "Super Duper Skateboard Adventure Alpha Plus X Omega Fana Bana Bo-bana". Does the gameplay change? Will the game become less fun? Do the combos and tricks become less fulfilling? Not the way I see it.

To put it in a few words. What can I do with that 3D sensor that I can't do with regular controllers? Shmup? Race? Explore Dracula's castle in 3D? Pull off the tricks and combos in Tony Hawk? Make Bomberman lay a bomb and have him get away before it blows up? Don't think so. Doodle, perhaps. Maybe bring Brave Firefighters home. Whoo-hoo.

That's why it itches so much, and I seriously doubt people will be enthralled moving their wonder wands in the air the way F-Zero did to me with the rotating and scaling tracks. And the sense of speed. Without fancy interfaces.

I refuse to "interact" with that kind of games. I need next gen versions of Contra, Castlevania, Mega Man, Little Samson, Shatterhand, Metroid (good luck pulling off a sequel to Prime with that) Streets of Rage, Ninja Gaiden, Samurai Shodown, Magician Lord, and such.

If I were a developer and got a kit like this in the mail to create a game for Nintendo, I'd be seriously at a loss to imagine what kind of games I'd be able to create with it, that would guarantee that I'd don't end up blowing money on them, while everybody is getting rich concentrating their resources on gameplay and good graphics on other systems worrying only about two analog sticks, face and shoulder buttons. I think that only Treasure would have the potential to make something moderately entertaining with this, but don't expect fast, sleek and dynamic gameplay like we are used to so far. ("Accurate fishing rod simulation. Now the line will sink exactly where you want it!")

People can sculpt 3D doodles with their Revolution if they want. I'll be burning rubber on a virtual Laguna Seca with my friends.

Pardon my skepticism. I'll go get a can of New Coke, if you excuse me.

[BrianC]

Specineff, you do know that the controller does have analog as a seperate attachment with two extra buttons, right? I'm a bit skeptical about the analog being seperate, but I'll wait and see.

[D]

People are so naive, they see something and new and they think of the possibilities.

Dream on.

All those who are overenthousiastic should be powergloved back to reality, eh....you knew where......hehe....

Nintendo DS..........

funniest post of the week:

looks likes someone glued a fishing rod, a remote and a nes pad and called it a day

And I am angry at them, I think Sony paid them 200 milion to come up with something so dumb nobody will buy it. Or are they betting on all non gamers who see something that looks like their remote and therefor will buy it?.....hmmmmmm, interesting...

[sethsez]

I need next gen versions of Contra, Castlevania, Mega Man, Little Samson, Shatterhand, Metroid (good luck pulling off a sequel to Prime with that) Streets of Rage, Ninja Gaiden, Samurai Shodown, Magician Lord, and such.

Okay, I think this controller is a dumb idea, but honestly, this mentality is why gaming is in such a rut.

With that said... I don't care if this controller is dumb or not. If I want standard games, the 360 and PS3 exist. Why do people need games to play the same on three different systems? At least with this, Nintendo is giving a valid reason for people to pick up their hardware. If the system was just PS3-lite, well... they'd just pick up the PS3 instead. Nintendo needs SOMETHING to differentiate itself aside from software, though I'm not sure this was the best way to do that.

Edit: Oh, and Prime is being used as a demo for this controller in the first place. Somehow I don't think Nintendo would be using Prime to unveil this to the media if they couldn't get it working.

[Icecap Veiwin]

Nintendo is going to fail inevitably, BECAUSE it is innovative.

Think about that for a second. People don't want innovation these days. All casual gamers want these days are shitty Halo and Final Fantasy sequels. Sony and M$ are making good moves by marketing to the casual gamer. They're selling millions, while the Revolution, with actually GOOD games and innovation, dies out inevitably.

I'm sorry for being so cynical, but it's true, unfortunately.

[Diabollokus]

Well, its er certainly not what I expected. I hate to say it but I think sony may be my first choice this time (the horror, the horror). microsoft have that white controller that looks cool but I hate the tower pc Idea, sony have a classy turbo duo console with free boomerang.

I think nintendo have tried to hard to become innovative and have inadvertantly alienated themselves from the gaming community, one the plus sie though it dosen't look like a kiddies console for once, possibly nintendo greatest mistake imo.

Provided ps3 has full backwards compatibility, good rpgs and quality hardware ( A longshot) I'll take one, 5 years ago I never though I'd say that.

regardless virtua fighter 5, shining force or radiant/ikaruga clone warant a console buy.

[FRO]

Nah. Remember, the Revolution also supports GC controllers.

Guess what most games will probably wind up using.

I'm glad GC controller support is included. I actually like the GC controllers, and anything (Wavebird anyone?) is better than a "remote control" that looks like it's for a kid's VCR.

[jordy]

Think outside the square my friends.

Nintendo have.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Nintendo Nunchucks

[Moogs]

Nintendo made it quite clear long before this unveiling that they weren't aiming for anything conventional, and yet everyone is acting like the Revolution's controller will punch their mom in the face everytime they press a button.

It's not all that bad, people.

I'll admit that my initial reaction was a hearty WHAT THE FUCK, but that was after only seeing the base part of the controller -- the part that looks like a vertical NES pad. After learning that you can attach an analog stick to it (and possibly other peripherals as well), I felt a lot better about it. People tend to fear change and then settle for stagnation, Nintendo is just trying to put a fire under the collective ass of the industry and say, "Look, you can continue to make all the fighters, racers, sports, and first person shooters you want... for the OTHER guys, but don't be afraid to light a spark in your brains and utilise some creativity with us."

The more I read about this, the more I like it. If it's convention you want, you've always got Sony and Microsoft. Nintendo am not d00m3d.

Get over it.

[beatifik]

I need next gen versions of Contra, Castlevania, Mega Man, Little Samson, Shatterhand, Metroid (good luck pulling off a sequel to Prime with that) Streets of Rage, Ninja Gaiden, Samurai Shodown, Magician Lord, and such.

Okay, I think this controller is a dumb idea, but honestly, this mentality is why gaming is in such a rut.

exactly.

you guys realize that you can play all of these old games on the older systems, right?

i don't care what anyone says, but sequels almost NEVER live up to the original. NEVER.

i'm just very glad that we'll finally get some new games. since ps1 came out, the whole industry has been about SEQUELS, SEQUELS, SEQUELS.

i'm just as guilty of buying sequels as everyone else, but i don't have many options.

[JBC]

What happens will... and there is nothing you WILL do about it. So shut yo' mouths and enjoy the ride.

I personally think it's neat because i get to try something different. On the other hand i understand why people think it will fail. Either way fretting over it and spouting predictions of a future that is uncertain to all will do nothing but render my excitment impure. I would rather just sit back and enjoy the ride because i know i will still be breathing after it's over.

It looks kinda like a vibrator.

[Marc]

I think Ninty are aiming for the Second machine spot. Looks like the 360 and PS3 are going to have pretty much interchangable line-ups, so I, and I suspect many others, will buy one of those, and the Revolution to complement it. I'm pleased they're trying to do something different. Let's home it becomes the small developer's machine of choice.

[The n00b]

Okay, boys and girls, time for a little HISTORY LESSON!

There was a time when many people thought the lightpen would be everyone's computer pointing device of choice. It was so intuitive, just touch the monitor with it. Unlike the mouse - you had to move it on the desk and see the result of your action somewhere else.

Why then are lightpens forgotten, and mouses in every computer out there? Because, to use a lightpen, you have to rise your arm and hold it against the screen. Sounds easy, but after a while it gets really tiresome, makes your arm ache. A mouse does not have this problem, you just rest your arm on the desk.

From the pics, I'd bet this controller has the same issue. It WILL be tiresome to play for too long - say, over half an hour. As someone in another forum described: "yet another game controller for non-gamers."

Disappointing? More like a DISASTER. On par with the controllers for the Fairchild Channel F, the Philips CD-i, and the Intellivision.

Nintendo R.I.P.

I think the controller looks very cool but damn you bring up a good point.

[Acid King]

Nintendo is going to fail inevitably, BECAUSE it is innovative.

Think about that for a second. People don't want innovation these days. All casual gamers want these days are shitty Halo and Final Fantasy sequels. Sony and M$ are making good moves by marketing to the casual gamer. They're selling millions, while the Revolution, with actually GOOD games and innovation, dies out inevitably.

I'm sorry for being so cynical, but it's true, unfortunately.

Eh, not really. I think the controller is kinda silly but they have name recognition and a solid base on top of their innovation and should be able to turn a profit. They may not be on top of the industry, but they'll still be around.

[freddiebamboo]

Can you use it side on like a nes pad?

If so, I reckon this is a good idea, there's been too many buttons for too many games recently

This will takes things back to the old days of simple gaming pleasures and yet all you old farts here are bitching that it doesn't have all the nessesary bits to play the latest EA games or crap like that

AND it looks like a remote control and everyone loves holding them even when their not using them

[Acid King]

Can you use it side on like a nes pad?

If so, I reckon this is a good idea, there's been too many buttons for too many games recently

This will takes things back to the old days of simple gaming pleasures and yet all you old farts here are bitching that it doesn't have all the nessesary bits to play the latest EA games or crap like that

AND it looks like a remote control and everyone loves holding them even when their not using them

It gives you a feeling of power like God has when he's holding a remote control.

[extrarice]

You know why I like it? Because it's different. Because it's something that hasn't been done to death a thousand times. Because I want to see creativity, not more clones.

{snip}

What he said! Which is why I picked up a DS instead of a PSP - I want something new, something different. Something that makes developers THINK and be creative instead of just re-hashing last year's best seller.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

IMO, we can have all the f*cken innovation in the world with a standard controller. Plus, a standard controller doesn't alienate developers.

[Acid King]

I gotta say, after reading how they made the controller work with Metroid Prime 2, my interest is piqued.

[system11]

First comment from Stormwatch - nails this right on the head.

What an idiotic idea for a controller. If anything at all was needed to _ensure_ the absolute failure of the Revolution outside of Japan, that is what it would look like.

[Valgar]

This will be cool for a couple of Nintendo Miyamoto games, but I don't know why Nintendo has to keep trying to make new tools instead of using the ones they already have to make great pieces of art.

Has anyone else tried the NAMCO Samurai Arcade game where you swing around a sword? Or the Motion Capture boxing game?

[fpbrush]

IMO, we can have all the f*cken innovation in the world with a standard controller. Plus, a standard controller doesn't alienate developers.

From what I have read, I think developers are more intersted than they are alienated right now. SquareEnix, Sega, and Konami have all expressed at the very least, interest in this controller.

I really think this is a good step for the industry to be taking. Nintendo has presented the idea that conventional controllers are not the only way to play games. For that I applaud them. I personally am not concerned about ports not being able to be played on this system. I dont want to play Madden 2007 on my Revolution.

Will this succeed? THAT is the real question! I can't really say one way or the other. I think some absolutely wonderful games will come out of this system that we will look back and smile on many years from now, but I cannot undoubtabely say that this console will succeed. I know what happend to the Dreamcast.

Either way I will support it. PS3/Xbox360 have MORE than filled the need for Mega Man X10, Metal Gear 5, Tony Hawks Pro Skater 7 and the like. And, I have plenty PLENTY of 2D goodness backcatalog to play through if this thing tanks. But lets get excited about the future!!

[Samudra]

Did nobody bother to read the article?


The Big N has developed a conventional controller shell that, according to executives, looks more like a Wave Bird. The "pointer" remote can be inserted into this shell so that more traditional games can be enjoyed as they always have. Obviously, it will be this shell that enables players to experience Super NES and N64 games on the platform. The even better news is that because the sensory functionality of the device remains operational even when it's in the shell, games like Madden could actually be expanded. Imagine, for instance, having access to all of the controls of a standard controller plus 3D movement options. Icon passing just got a whole lot easier.

So they are not losing anything here people. They simply designed something which has the possibility to enrich your gaming experience should it be well used by the industry.

[Turrican]

to all the guys that said: Nintendo "dead", Nintendo "failed", Nintendo "doomed".

Wake up guys. Just because you are hardcore gamers and studied books of gaming history, it doesn't mean that the industry is STILL stuck at the atari age.

Nintendo will be able to "coexist" with the others like it has done in the last decade. it won't suddenly die for a bad hardware or peripheral. Heck, from Virtual Boy, to N64, to original unlit GBA each of this hardware had serious flaws, and Nintendo is still there.

Because the hardware market is profitable, because they came up with pokemon and such.

Please stop with the idea that console wars are like a spaghetti western duel, and who draws for last dies. It's so naive. Have you ever seen, huh, Versace dying because of Dolce & Gabbana? Is there only a major film producer and publisher where you live? Do you think all the cars of Gran Turismo are made by the same company?

Nintendo will of course "lose" the console war, like in the previous generations. Heh, what a wild guess: it CAN'T win it. This means N will keep a lower market share than the other competitors, and will of course keep making millions out of this market share, doing lots of profits. Reggie will lose and he will still have more money than all of us, rest sure; somehow I don't sympathize.

This should only interest who's getting a degree in economy among you, really

Now, about the controller... I think it could put on some very interesting use. Some article mentioned that the analog add-on could be used like a flashlight, and this is definitely something I'd like to see in a Fatal Frame or Silent Hill game: lighting the environment with a torch that you really hold in hand, cool.

Besides that, it's true, it's totally unfit for traditional gameplay, but you know what? Gamecube pad was pure crap too. N64 pad was pretty bad, and even DC pad was bad. And I bet you still are in love with Wind Waker, Mario 64 and Soul Calibur. Despite them.
I mean, who was using N64 or NGC for capcom fighting games anyway?

It won't replace the standard controller of the industry, but this is just right, 'cause Revolution cannot replace PS3 either. But, if it's there to offer an innovative perspective of gameplay, I honestly think this time Nintendo did a better job than last time, when the big news was a stupid big A button.

[Specineff]

IMO, we can have all the f*cken innovation in the world with a standard controller. Plus, a standard controller doesn't alienate developers.

All my long posts can be resumed in this one. Thanks, UFO.

[Turrican]

IMO, we can have all the f*cken innovation in the world with a standard controller. Plus, a standard controller doesn't alienate developers.

Err... no. Some games are interesting because they require different peripheral. Now go and play Duck Hunt with the NES pad for the rest of the month.

No, seriously. I agree that often these weird controller are just gimmicks. Still, I don't see a problem into being innovative on pads. Even taking your statement as 100% correct, it's also true that a different controller doesn't limit creativity. It may alienate some developers: that's all good, we need people who dare, not those fastfood developers that release always the same crap every six months.

Again, you can reply that this is not a way to win a console war. But this is not Nintendo's purpose. I mean, they'd like to be in Sony's position but they aren't, so they aren't even trying to mimic them.