Classic Controllers FTW

The Nintendo Wii ignited a popular fascination with gaming. Its motion-based controls appeared to be the future. With Microsoft and Sony both developing their own answers to the Wii, it certainly appears that motion controls are now going to be around for a long time.

While many are excited for this, real gamers are left weeping. To real gamers, the idea of having to deal with these gimmicky devices is as appealing as rubbing shards of glass in one’s eyes.

With that painful imagery aside, let me just say that classic controllers > those things that make you move and wave your hands in an awkward fashion. That is not fun. That is just stupid.

I, among many others, was bamboozled into buying a Wii. I will admit it. I had hoped the system would have transformed gaming into a more realistic experience, and the motion concept seemed more able to achieve this goal than by just simply improving graphics, as the Xbox 360 and PS3 were seemingly doing.

The chance to swing your arms as if you were swinging Link’s sword was a much more appealing thought than watching Master Chief in HD.

Unfortunately, Nintendo horribly mismanaged their console, destroying these hopes in the process. They marketed their system and its innovative controls to the masses (Wii would like to play commercials); as a result, consumers were treated to mindless games that took advantage of the system whereas gamers were left with a horribly dull selection of titles to choose from.

Needless to say, I regret purchasing the Wii and it now sits next to my television untouched. It remains a shameful, dusty reminder of the unmet potential of the system (also a waste of $250).

Most importantly though, it is a monument that proves motion controls can only apply to amateur and casual gamers.

This argument is rooted in the fact that motion controls are designed to make gameplay more “fun” whereas conventional controllers are there to offer optimum precision and well…control.

These interactive controls place an emphasis on allowing people to experience the game rather than allowing players to play the game.

With current technology, it seems unlikely that motion controls can match the responsiveness of any classic controller. Looking at several Project Natal demonstrations it does indeed look pretty entertaining; however, any quick or jerky movements did not seem to get processed all the time. Plus, there is an obvious delay between a person’s movement and the game’s movement.

Granted the project is still under development, these problems have also been a nuisance for the Wii. Nintendo probably also recognized that there was no solution to this problem. Several games, including the popular Super Smash Bros. Brawl, do not even utilize the motion controls.

In a fighting game such as SSB, quick reactions are probably the most important trait to have, a factor that likely made its way into the developer’s decision.

So before more people get caught up in this hype, just stop and think for a moment. What is more important, being entertained or being able to effectively play a game.

Real gamers do not sacrifice control for an additional “fun” factor.