Back in May, Nintendo, along with Sony and Microsoft, announced their next-generation consoles. Sony and MS went all out with their marketing; over the span of a day or two, the gaming media learned almost everything there was to learn about their new machines. Nintendo, however, remained suspiciously quiet. While we saw pictures of their new console, the Revolution, Nintendo refused to give many specifics about the machine. They didn’t even have much to show us, all they made available were pictures of the console, not any of the accessories. At the time it seemed like a poor decision for Nintendo; they made it seem as if they were overwhelmed by Sony and Microsoft’s announcements and simply couldn’t compete. Aside from declaring that the Revolution would have access to Nintendo’s entire back-library of games, from the NES to the Gamecube, Nintendo didn’t leave their fans with much to get excited about. It seemed like Nintendo would once again end up trailing behind in the latest console wars.
So it was until last week, when Nintendo shook the console gaming industry to the core with their announcement of the Revolution’s controller. Instead of creating another typical console controller, something which Sony and MS were quick to do with their new machines, Nintendo pulled a Monty Python and opted for something completely different. The Revolution’s controller resembles a television remote at first glance, and while that doesn’t sound very interesting, its genius is in its implementation. It’s wireless, has a standard Nintendo directional pad towards the top, and features minimal buttons, but the kicker is it’s gyroscopic.
Imagine playing a tennis game by moving the controller as if it was a racket, and you’ll get the idea. Those who have actually tested this controller report that Nintendo has pretty much perfected the functionality. The possibilities for a controller of this type are pretty astounding, and in that respect Nintendo succeeded with making their new console a revolution. Imagine playing a fencing game, a fishing game, or anything of that sort with an accurate method of controlling movement in 3-D space. Imagine turning the controller on its side and using it to steer in a racing game. This sort of functionality has been attempted before in the gaming world, but never effectively, and it most certainly was never the basis for an entire platform.
What Nintendo is attempting with this new controller is risky. It’s a completely different way of designing a console controller, and they risk alienating the public with this radical redesign. I’ll admit, even I thought “WTF?!” when I first saw it, but now I can only think of the possibilities for such a unique design. A promotional video for the controller showed an incredibly diverse audience using the controller, from the very young to the elderly. I wouldn’t be surprised if this controller did end up attracting a more general audience for the Revolution, as opposed to the teenage/twenty-something male audience for the typical console. In May, Nintendo said that they weren’t too worried about the PS3 and the Xbox 360; they said they would be doing something different. Now we know what they meant.
With this radical controller, Nintendo will be able to offer a completely unique gaming experience on the Revolution, something which MS and Sony will find impossible to duplicate. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 are fighting for console dominance, Nintendo will mark their own territory. Gamers will want to have a Revolution along with either Sony or MS’s new consoles, Nintendo won’t need to fight with them.
As a longtime Nintendo fan, I feel that this new controller proves that they can still innovate. It will bring in a whole new audience to gaming, and also change the way games are played forever. They also won’t lose the core gamer market since the Revolution will also support more traditional controllers for certain games. In the end, this can only be good for Nintendo. It’s simply amazing what a difference a simple controller can make. Instead of being written off as another struggling Nintendo console, the Revolution will be just that, a revolutionary machine that will bring Nintendo back from the brink of failure.
About
A blog dedicated to technology and its impact on our lives. From consumer technology to the Singularity, no tech is taboo.
More about Devindra Hardawar
Amherst Bytes #9: Nintendo’s Revolution
Back in May, Nintendo, along with Sony and Microsoft, announced their next-generation consoles. Sony and MS went all out with their marketing; over the span of a day or two, the gaming media learned almost everything there was to learn about their new machines. Nintendo, however, remained suspiciously quiet. While we saw pictures of their new console, the Revolution, Nintendo refused to give many specifics about the machine. They didn’t even have much to show us, all they made available were pictures of the console, not any of the accessories. At the time it seemed like a poor decision for Nintendo; they made it seem as if they were overwhelmed by Sony and Microsoft’s announcements and simply couldn’t compete. Aside from declaring that the Revolution would have access to Nintendo’s entire back-library of games, from the NES to the Gamecube, Nintendo didn’t leave their fans with much to get excited about. It seemed like Nintendo would once again end up trailing behind in the latest console wars.
So it was until last week, when Nintendo shook the console gaming industry to the core with their announcement of the Revolution’s controller. Instead of creating another typical console controller, something which Sony and MS were quick to do with their new machines, Nintendo pulled a Monty Python and opted for something completely different. The Revolution’s controller resembles a television remote at first glance, and while that doesn’t sound very interesting, its genius is in its implementation. It’s wireless, has a standard Nintendo directional pad towards the top, and features minimal buttons, but the kicker is it’s gyroscopic.
Imagine playing a tennis game by moving the controller as if it was a racket, and you’ll get the idea. Those who have actually tested this controller report that Nintendo has pretty much perfected the functionality. The possibilities for a controller of this type are pretty astounding, and in that respect Nintendo succeeded with making their new console a revolution. Imagine playing a fencing game, a fishing game, or anything of that sort with an accurate method of controlling movement in 3-D space. Imagine turning the controller on its side and using it to steer in a racing game. This sort of functionality has been attempted before in the gaming world, but never effectively, and it most certainly was never the basis for an entire platform.
What Nintendo is attempting with this new controller is risky. It’s a completely different way of designing a console controller, and they risk alienating the public with this radical redesign. I’ll admit, even I thought “WTF?!” when I first saw it, but now I can only think of the possibilities for such a unique design. A promotional video for the controller showed an incredibly diverse audience using the controller, from the very young to the elderly. I wouldn’t be surprised if this controller did end up attracting a more general audience for the Revolution, as opposed to the teenage/twenty-something male audience for the typical console. In May, Nintendo said that they weren’t too worried about the PS3 and the Xbox 360; they said they would be doing something different. Now we know what they meant.
With this radical controller, Nintendo will be able to offer a completely unique gaming experience on the Revolution, something which MS and Sony will find impossible to duplicate. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 are fighting for console dominance, Nintendo will mark their own territory. Gamers will want to have a Revolution along with either Sony or MS’s new consoles, Nintendo won’t need to fight with them.
As a longtime Nintendo fan, I feel that this new controller proves that they can still innovate. It will bring in a whole new audience to gaming, and also change the way games are played forever. They also won’t lose the core gamer market since the Revolution will also support more traditional controllers for certain games. In the end, this can only be good for Nintendo. It’s simply amazing what a difference a simple controller can make. Instead of being written off as another struggling Nintendo console, the Revolution will be just that, a revolutionary machine that will bring Nintendo back from the brink of failure.