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Gaming, In My Opinion
The term ‘Peripheral’ seems to be changing its meaning recently, now stretching to special cameras and movement detectors. Originally, the controllers were the only peripheral you needed to run your console, and no amount of experimenting could improve on each of the consoles’ original controllers. Third parties, as usual, did their best to make a spot of cash: joysticks were brought out, controllers were released in different shapes and colours, but none of them really caught on (did anyone apart from me have a NES Turbo joystick?) Of course, third parties and peripheral manufacturers aren’t daft. You can still get a-million-and-one controllers for each console, though each is subtly different. These subtle differences can even be as pathetic as a logo branded on it, or a colour change; Nintendo here are experts. The amount of pokemon-branded GBAs, GBCs and controllers is incredible and somewhat irritating. Fortunately, Nintendo have many more imaginative peripherals available, but more on that later.
Then, of course, came a peripheral that we still use today; the light gun. Nintendo’s own gun for the NES classic, Duck Hunt, was a big success, and the idea continued to the famous Super Scope 6 for the SNES. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a light gun on a Nintendo since then, but we’ve had other gadgets to play with. Since games came into the third dimension (which, amazingly, is only about a decade ago), the range of peripherals has increased dramatically. The two giants (Microsoft weren’t in the preliminary games of the 3D Olympics, were they?) soon brought out ingenious devices to improve the gaming experience. Nintendo’s rumble pak was a breakthrough, and the concept had a wide range of uses. From something as simple as making the controller shudder as you received damage, to using the rumble to identify secrets in the treasure chest that is Ocarina of Time, the rumble pak was a fantastic idea, and one that is now a standard feature in all console controllers. The point of this ramble? To prove Nintendo’s ingenuity for creating peripherals. As far as the past three generations of consoles are concerned, Nintendo is at the top of the field. Mere colour changes are not enough for the big N. It’s always had to do something different; ‘the Nintendo difference’ to coin a rather cheesy phrase. The first ever rumble pak? Nintendo’s. One of the first console based light gun game? Nintendo’s. It’s not all firsts for Nintendo, of course. In the past generation, certainly, they’ve been behind. The Dance Mat for both Playstations, the Eye Toy for Playstation 2, the Headset for Xbox and that detachable memory thing for the late Dreamcast; Nintendo has failed to catch on to each craze. There was actually a Dance Mat game in development for the N64 (although the Disney license was probably the last nail in that coffin!), and there is believed to be one in development for the Cube (better late than never). However, Nintendo don’t seem that bothered about joining the Dance Mat craze. This is partially because the Dance Mat craze is essentially over, but also partly because Nintendo stubbornly refuse to follow the crowd. On the one hand, this can be seen as bad business for Nintendo. They’re missing out on a lot of money in yet another popular area of gaming, having already lost out on the mounds of cash that Online Gaming can bring in. Dance Mat games are rapidly creating a catalogue to rival that of The Sims’ expansions and the financial benefits of online gaming speak for themselves, especially as everyone is putting it on the pedestal of Next-Biggest-Thing(TM). On the other hand, Nintendo’s moves shows imagination in an industry that may be becoming generic and samey. Take the latest Nintendo announcement, for example. For ages (at least a year), Nintendo have been incredibly secretive about their “New Gaming Peripheral”. The majority of the media assumed it would be the belated GBA Camera, or the more popular idea of a Nintendo-only ‘Eye Toy’-style camera (and research unearthed a Nintendo copyright application to support this theory). Many even worried that it was the Donkey Bongos. But no. Nintendo are bringing out a microphone peripheral. Initially used to play Git on Da Mic and Nintendo’s own (shudder) Mario Party 6, the details of how these will work has not been revealed. In the case of the latter title, it will no doubt be used for minigames, but in the future it may lead to things like a Cube tribute to the N64 Japanese-only Hey You Pikachu!, or even commanding your troops in a future Rainbow Six title. Or something. The point is that Nintendo have gone against the obvious. Again. That is one of their strengths, and this can be seen throughout the history of peripherals. The Donkey Konga Bongos are a prime example, and this Microphone has definite potential. Who needs Eye Toys, Dance Mats and Headsets when Nintendo are bringing out gadgets you hadn’t even thought of? The World’s Gaming Press didn’t even think of the possibility of a microphone, and yet soon(ish) it will be in our hands. Hell, turning the GBA into a peripheral (what with all this connectivity) was a unique move! Further unique ideas for peripherals can be found in Nintendo’s catalogue of Patent Applications, including (brilliantly) an exercise bike controller! I can see it now: “Actually do the Tour de France without leaving your lounge!!” However unique these new peripherals are, though, there is still a problem for Nintendo; the peripherals are too much like novelties to be taken seriously. The Bongos in particular! In previous generations, Nintendo set the tone and the others followed, most notably in the case of the rumble pak. Nowadays, Nintendo seem content being different. Which is a crying shame, really, since some of their ideas defy belief, and make you wonder why they haven’t been thought of before. Browse around the net for Nintendo’s unused Patent Applications to see what I mean. Let’s just hope they don’t get left behind in the next generation! |