Yeah, I’ve been following this story all morning. I left a similar remark to yours at planetxbox360. Hard to debate you when I have the same inclinations. Not that it terribly matters, I wasn’t planning on picking up a Revolution first thing, but still, this is a bit… different. I have a hard time stating that it is innovative, as I do not see porting a TV remote into a gaming controler as meeting that definition. I noted that if you turn it sideways, you have your standard NES controller, though. As I understnad it, a standard controller will be made as well for the backward compatible games.

I cannot see myself pointing the remote at the TV the enitre time I am playing a game. Just not my style. I seriously wonder how long the batteries last. I think the nunchaku, or whatever it is called, will be easily broken, as I have a tendency to virously shake my controller whenever I muff up majorly and I could see myself inadvertantly snapping the connector cord. I also wonder how many times I’ll loose the controller as it has now become another remote to hide in the couch.

But, despite all that, it’ll be a year before it releases, and by then I should be heavily sedated with Xbox 360 goodness. I am curious to try the remote, though. It definitely made the Sony controller a little more appealing.

I’ve been doing some thinking, so forgive the second post (yeah, last post I just put together haphazardly). This controller will have an edge, especially on FPS style games. You have the left hand analog stick that moves your character forward, backward, etc. Then you have the remote controller that you just have to point and shoot. It would be quicker than a regular controller, and probably more efficient than a keyboard and mouse. It’s like duck hunt, kinda. You hold your weapon and direct it too. It’ll be faster than “pushing” an analog stick to the intended target.

When the NES came out and the Atari gamers looked at the rectangular controller, they didn’t think too highly of it. Then the analog stick came out on the N64, and again, met with criticizm. Now once we get this, it’ll revolutionize gaming, I bet M$ and $ony will build something similar. I don’t like the design, but the concept is sound. It probably will not mesh well with all game types, but for driving, FPS, et al., it may be the elite controller to have.

I’ve read quite a few comments on it thus far (well, all at engadget, planetxbox360, bungie and 1up), the reviews are about equal. Most people say it is “fugly”, but there are quite a few of reviews that give it props for being innovative. Personally, I think they could have been innovative by using an existing ergonomical controller design and got the same technology out there.

Now then, despite my most recent laudations towards the Rev., let me say that the Nintendo system itself is still flawed, and that without all the 3rd party support they used to have, they will remain in 3rd place still. But, because of this design, the Japan market will still be unfavorable toward M$ as the Japanese love new technology, and Nintendo is giving them just that. It’ll be interesting to see how this comes about one year from now.

Freakin’ comment spam - I’ll clean it up…

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