Nintendo Revolution Controller
Nintendo's new controller for their forthcoming Revolution console has been unveiled at the Tokyo Games Show. A lot are unimpressed by its tv zapper style look, but looks are deceptive. The gyroscopic control aspect of it should hopefully bring new gameplay possibilities to tv screens just as the touchscreen and stylus combo has for handheld gaming through the DS. With the Xbox 360, PS3 and Revolution looking very similar specwise this is what's needed by Nintendo to stand out and innovate. Whether or not innovation translates into sales though is another thing, while the DS has many admirers the straightforward power and thrills of the PSP have it the winning handheld of the moment. Also, a lot of the games for the Revolution will be arcade ports or simultaneously designed for the rival consoles/pc, so how the controller can stand up to 'normal' gameplay will have to be seen. Anyhows I was getting pretty bored of the latest next gen race but this development has recharged my optimism about the next level of gaming innovation. It's great to see a developer realising that video gaming's development needs more that just raw processing power. Hopefully the Revolution will live up to its name!
links:
Gamespot / bbc online / Engadget