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Gesturing controls/interface
Why developers thought they would rock:
What immerses you in a videogame more than flailing about like an eager college professor with Parkinson’s? Nothing, if you believe the creators of Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s EyeToy. With simplified controls come simplified games the whole family can play, assuming no one’s suffering from major disabilities.
Why they suck:
By now, we’re sure that replacing a normal controller with your limbs won’t immerse you any more than bolting an actual sword to your wrist. You’re still only going to be able to perform the same canned animation as you would if you tapped a button. Face it: waggle-motion is the new button mash.
And sure, getting the whole clan together waving their arms like they just don’t care can be fun, but can any recent game with this control scheme keep your interest longer than the half-hour set aside for family time? We already know what it feels like to play a normal game like Twilight Princess with the minimal amount of movement necessary, and we bet you already figured out how to fidget just enough for that accelerometer to register.
And you look like an asshole when playing. Really, you do.
Too many buttons
Why developers thought they would rock:
Every new console continues the controller Cold War. Piggy-backing off the original NES’ simple two-button approach, the Genesis ramped that up to three (and then six), while the Super NES introduced super shoulder buttons. As games became more complex, there was a need for more buttons. More buttons make for better gameplay, right?
Why they suck:
Atari took this concept as gospel and tried to nuke the pissing match with the Jaguar’s 17 buttons. 17! Since then, all major platforms have tried to reverse Atari’s grave error in judgment and account for all buttons and thumbsticks, with varying degrees of success.
Earlier designs - like the Saturn and N64 controllers - felt like you were awkwardly groping a ten-pound dinner plate. And if you’re not doing that, then your man-hands are fumbling with petite buttons spaced nanometers apart.
Sadly, even the simplest games require you to carpal tunnel your way through by holding at least four buttons simultaneously to proceed down a hallway, walk forward, run, aim, shoot, jump, and possibly direct your squad mates. And to this day we have no clue why the Select or Back buttons still exist. Does anyone actually use these?
