1UP.com got their hands on the much-anticipated controlled for Nintendo’s next-generation game system, the Revolution, and posted a nice review. A wireless system with a very remote control-like look, it comes with the ubiquitous directional pad and a series of buttons on top, along with a trigger button on the bottom and an expansion port at the end (pic shows analog stick attached).
Here’s the kicker: the controllers are not only wireless, they are also apparently sensitive to orientation. By relaying their position to a sensor placed near the television the controllers can supposedly be used to play games by simply moving the controller in space. 1up suggests in-game sword slashing, race car driving or pointing guns in first-person shooters. Awesome! Turn the “remote” on its side and it looks like a retro NES controller, which seems appropriate given the company’s promise that the Revolution will let owners play classic games on the system. I don’t know about you, but this gets me all hot and bothered.
Their conclusions? They really seem to enjoy the functionality of the controller; playing different games designed to showcase the design choice elicit positive responses (using the controller to “shoot” an area on screen, using it as a fishing pole, controlling a plane, etc.). According to the article, Nintendo wanted to break away from the design of traditional controllers and provide people with controllers that facilitate a “pick up and play” mentality.
I applaud the idea, and I’m excited to see the final product.