It’s time to stick up for the standard-issue video game controller. Yes, new, whiz-bang motion control, like the kind Sony and Microsoft demonstrated at E3 this week, may well be technologically impressive, and I appreciate the amount of work put into their development, but I can’t help but think, “Man, I have zero interest in any of that.” And I’m sure I’m not alone in preferring the standard-issue controller, like the DualShock 3 (or mouse and keyboard, for when I fire up the odd round or two of Team Fortress 2) or Xbox 360 control pad. Heck, I’d sooner try to play Fallout 3 with an 8-bit NES controller than punch the air, like a jerk, with Wii Motion Control Plus Boxing.
You now understand why, aside from The Last Guardian, this year’s E3 bored me. (It might also be because nearly everything of note was leaked before the first day of the show.) All I saw was rubbish tech demo after rubbish tech demo. “Check this out, I’m painting an elephant in the air! Isn’t that amazing?” No! It’s “interesting,” maybe, dare I say, even “neat,” for a minute or so, but that’s about it. I’m not going to play Gran Turismo 6 (assuming Gran Turismo 5 ever comes out) by putting my hands in the air and “turning” an invisible wheel. How is that any more “real” than using one of those expensive Logitech steering wheels? How is turning my hands in the middle of the air any more authentic than manipulating the DualShock 3’s left thumbstick? All I can say is that I sincerely hope that the industry isn’t moving full speed ahead with this motion control nonsense;it’s off-putting, if not disconcerting. It may be a cute gimmick every once in a while, but I’m not prepared to spend my money, hard-earned or not, on cute gimmicks. I may have been born at night, but not last night.
To put it another way: if motion control is the future, then I may well have to consider finding a new hobby. Perhaps crochet, or throwing bowling balls at mallards, or writing a piece-of-garbage sitcom for NBC about a team of like-minded aristocrats who spend their free time time-traveling and solving mysteries. I’d call it “I’m a Celebrity, Now Which Way To The Betty Ford Center?”
Or, maybe, have I just grown out of gaming? That’s a topic for another day. Say, tomorrow.
You really do not right an article that isnt negative. Cheer up Nic. Go get laid or something. Just once I want to see you write something positive.
I don’t see what’s so negative about this. I prefer “regular” controls to motion stuff. The tone is “annoyed” more than anything else. But thank you for your concern.
I’m just sayin… You never say “Wow this is a great product” or Im really excited about this”. If you do say something like that its more like ” Im excited to see how bad this will suck”.
He’s only saying what a lot of us are thinking.
Motion controlled games suck.
WORD! Say it, say it loud brother. You are 100% spot on Nick!
I got over motion control in 1989 when I got a U-Force http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-Force for Christmas.
Playing Top Gun without holding anything was “neat” for a day but it was less of an experience than holding an actual controller. I stopped using it before new years. That’s why I think the Wii is so successful. It’s the right mix of the two.
I hope my older brother doesn’t read this. He thought the U-Force was stupid but I argued, “this is the first step in virtual reality.” Fortunately he left for college before I gave up on it.
I couldn’t agree more with this article. Give me the Xbox 360 controller or Dual Shock 3 anyday.
Very well thought out IMO. I’ve been thinking the same thing since the Wii came out and those are the reasons I don’t own one. Sure Wii tennis was a blast when I played it at my brother’s house…for about an hour. I think there only needs to be one console for gimmicks and I think the Wii is the winner.
I find myself having the same problems with modern video games. I haven’t bought a console since my PS2 about 3-4 years ago and I don’t miss it one bit. I do play the occasional “casual” game on my iMac but if I had to choose between sitting in front of my TV playing a round of whatever the latest graphics intensive game is and playing a nice game of cards with the family, I’d choose the latter. Honestly the experience I have playing a good card or board game with the family is much better than any video game experience I’ve ever had. And, if I want to wave my arms around like an idiot in front my family, instead of booting up the Wii, I’d rather play a game of charades.
Would you like some cheese with that whine?
I like motion control. I use it to bowl and play tennis when I am too drunk to leave the house and really bowl or play tennis.
Look, motion control has been done. Let’s see microsoft or sony come up with their own idea. At least some one is…not that a “heart rate monitor” is all that exciting.
Kudos, Nicholas. You nailed it.
I second that kudos Nicholas! All this fuss of controller-less controlling interests me not one bit. I can see where it might be fun in a few sport and party games but other than that it’s not worth the hefty price tag that comes along with it. The reason I can’t stand the Wii is that it is simply a turbo GameCube with an odd interface.
Don’t get me wrong as I love my DS but I’m tired of Nintendo simply cutting corners and charging a premium for the games it released 20+ years ago! They are the only developer to release a game 20 times for every console they make and get idiots to bite! Nintendo wake “TF” up and release some of those great games that you ONCE were popular for! Stop the gimmicks and get back to gaming.
Right on! I feel like “motion control” actually removes me from the game experience because I can’t help but notice the connec/disconnect between my arm swinging and whatever is happening on screen. Bought my wife a Wii for Christmas and it hasn’t even been turned on since January. mickerlodeon hit the nail on the head regarding the idea of motion controlled video games as party games!
PS- Am I the only one who feels like the WiiMote is giving me carpal tunnel?