Nintendo unveiled 'Revolution' - one-handed wireless game controller
September 16, 2005
Nintendo unveiled the controller for its next home video game console, code-named Revolution, on Friday at the Tokyo Game Show. The one-handed wireless controller, seen in the right hand, senses motion, depth, positioning and targeting, and controls characters on the television screen with controller movements. The controller can be joined to a second analog unit, seen in the left hand, for more traditional control, and to give gamers an unprecedented sense of immersion, particularly in 3-D environments.
As the cornerstone of his speech today at the Tokyo Game Show's annual event, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata elaborated on the theme of the company's aim and proven ability to broaden the population of video game players. Two shining examples highlighted in his keynote include the smash- hit sales of the highly innovative Nintendogs game for the portable Nintendo DS system, and the new controller that will be central to the company's upcoming console system, code-named Revolution.
Nintendo breaks with more than 20 years of video game history by abandoning the traditional controller held with two hands and introducing an all-new freehand-style unit held with one hand.
The intuitive, pioneering interface allows players to run, jump, spin, slide, shoot, steer, accelerate, bank, dive, kick, throw and score in a way never experienced in the history of gaming.
"The feeling is so natural and real, as soon as players use the controller, their minds will spin with the possibilities of how this will change gaming as we know it today," explains Satoru Iwata, Nintendo president. "This is an extremely exciting innovation -- one that will thrill current players and entice new ones."
When picked up and pointed at the screen, the controller gives a lightning-quick element of interaction, sensing motion, depth, positioning and targeting dictated by movement of the controller itself.
The controller also allows for a variety of expansions, including a "nunchuk" style analog unit offering the enhanced game-play control hard-core gamers demand.
The response from all major publishers worldwide has been extremely positive. Beyond its other innovations, the new controller gives third parties flexibility, allowing them the option to use as many or as few of the controller features as they desire. In addition, incorporated technology will easily allow games from the NES, SNES, N64 and Nintendo GameCube generations to be controlled in familiar fashion.
Nintendogs for the DS, a virtual and sophisticated dogfest, has taken the gaming world by storm, already selling more than 1.5 million units in Japan and North America combined. The game, just as Iwata believes the Revolution controller will do, is exciting current game players and attracting hordes of new consumers into the playing world.
