The Nintendo 64 gamepad. The Wiimote. The Joy-Cons. When it comes to controllers, Nintendo has never shied away from devising wild and unique ideas for their devices. That's why it got rather interesting during the latest shareholder's meeting, where Nintendo was asked about their thoughts for the future of gaming controllers.

Looking at this year's E3, it seems like the mainstream for video games is the same as it has been for the past 30 years, namely, looking at the screen and playing with controller in hand. How do developers regard this, and do they think it will continue?

Nintendo's supervisor of business development, Shinya Takahashi, responded by saying Nintendo has been innovating how people play games, with titles like 1-2-Switch, and the Nintendo Labo VR kits.

We are always dreaming up new things. For example, for 1-2-Switch, the first game released for Nintendo Switch, we suggested that people play by looking at each other and not at the screen. And for VR, we thought about how we could change not just the controller but also the gameplay itself, and came up with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit. The software exhibited at this year's E3 just happened to be mostly the type that is played with controller in hand, looking at the screen. However, I think you can see from the software we've created that we are always trying out new ideas.

Shigeru Miyamoto then took the opportunity to reply, stating that Nintendo has set industry trends for decades, with the advent of the original D-pad and analog stick for the NES and N64 respectively. He also says that Nintendo is in the process of creating a controller that surpasses the current design of the Joy-Cons, and can be used with ease, making for something to set the standard for the next generation of systems.

Nintendo was the first to create the style of playing video games with a plus-shaped directional pad and additional buttons, which has now become the industry standard. It was also Nintendo that changed the original plus-shaped directional pad, which operated digitally in eight directions, into the first analog input device that moves freely in all directions for Nintendo 64. This, too, is now common. We are proud to have created a variety of user interfaces that have now become industry standards.

And, as of now, in terms of accuracy and reliability, I believe this style is the clear winner. At the same time, I also believe that we should quickly graduate from the current controller, and we are attempting all kinds of things. Our objective is to achieve an interface that surpasses the current controller, where what the player does is directly reflected on the screen, and the user can clearly feel the result. This has not been achieved yet. We have tried all kinds of motion controllers, but none seem to work for all people. As the company that knows the most about controllers, we have been striving to create a controller that can be used with ease, and that will become the standard for the next generation.

Source (Q13)

 

[AbsolAron]

Uses NES controller on a switch.
Next generation...huh.

 

[VitaType]

And we call it the Power-Up-Glove. Yeah... No thanks Nintendo.

 

[Bimmel]

I have big hands and they work okay... in portable mode.

Get a Gamecube controler and the Pdobq adapter for Nintendo Switch and Wii U to use on TV mode.

How big is your big? ;-)

I think it matters how long you hold them. Handhelds are usually a bit painful to hold for me. Just a bit too tiny.

 

[Bladexdsl]

yeah fuck them joycons i tried using them in zelda man my hands ached afterwards 4 hour sessions

 

[raxadian]

How big is your big? ;-)

I think it matters how long you hold them. Handhelds are usually a bit painful to hold for me. Just a bit too tiny.

Docked in portable mode there is way more space between the two joycons. That's why it works while on TV mode it doesn't.

I couldn't use a GBA mini even if I wanted to, not while holding it at the same time. Does that help?

And the Switch is quite big for a portable console so you actually get tired of holdinh it unless you are sitting down or in a resting position.

 

[sarcastic_didgeridoo]

I mean, they know the most about controllers... and yet they still picked a cheap analog stick that craps out in six months on the Joycons. The sensor has graphite pads and a steel slider, it's obvious they're designed as wear parts. The slider digs into the graphite and causes drifting after about 400 hours of use, really not a good lifetime for a gaming device. Hope this new Joycon they're talking about switches the analog sticks to something more durable like an optical rotary encoder.

 

[Immortallix]

Just gimmie a new wavebird (keep analog triggers pls) with a left bumper, bigger and actually good d-pad, the pro controller's analog sticks, a headphone jack, and HD rumble and you have perfection.

 

[duwen]

Shigeru Miyamoto then took the opportunity to reply, stating that Nintendo has set industry trends for decades, with the advent of the original D-pad...

...too bad that outside of their handhelds and first two home consoles their d-pads have been consistently piss poor when compared to the competition.
Good 'industry trend', Nintendo - "Twenty-five years of piss-poor d-pads!"

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

I disagree. Both the N64 and GC D-Pads are very good.
The worst ones were certain DS models (very difficult to press diagonally).

 

[Youkai]

omg guys whats wrong with you ... Gamecube Controller sucked so bad oO
N64 one was great even though I had a tiny little but of trouble getting to like it at first as well but I got used to it fast enough and fell in love with the Original N64 controler.

 

[DANTENDO]

omg guys whats wrong with you ... Gamecube Controller sucked so bad oO
N64 one was great even though I had a tiny little but of trouble getting to like it at first as well but I got used to it fast enough and fell in love with the Original N64 controler.

Everyone has different dna in ther hands

 

[duwen]

I disagree. Both the N64 and GC D-Pads are very good.
The worst ones were certain DS models (very difficult to press diagonally).

Don't get me wrong, I love the GC controller - it's possibly my favourite Nintendo control pad - but the d-pad is terrible... just try using it for a proper 2d fighting game (Capcom Vs SNK 2 EO, for example - as that's the title that forced me to get a PS2 Dual Shock adapter for my Gamecube).
It's too small and in a bad position.
Everything else about the controller is great though... it's almost the opposite of the N64 controller; the N64 controller's only redeeming feature is it's analog stick.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

I have used it for Cap vs SNK 2 and I had no problems executing 720° moves. In fact, it was even quicker than with other pads due to the small size. The GC controller is bad for Street Fighter (and similar) fighting games because of the button layout of the face buttons. Also, even your adapter did not recreate the L2 button, I take it.

I can't imagine playing Street Fighter-like games with a Dual Shock. It's not even D-Pad but 4 separate buttons.

 

[duwen]

I have used it for Cap vs SNK 2 and I had no problems executing 720° moves. In fact, it was even quicker than with other pads due to the small size. The GC controller is bad for Street Fighter (and similar) fighting games because of the button layout of the face buttons. Also, even your adapter did not recreate the L2 button, I take it.

I can't imagine playing Street Fighter-like games with a Dual Shock. It's not even D-Pad but 4 separate buttons.

Yeah, full circles are easy - it would be truly terrible if you couldn't do that on a d-pad... DP motion however, not so much.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

Not sure what you mean. Dragon Punch motions were always easy with any D Pad. 360 and 720° motions were difficult prior to the SF4 simplification.

 

[duwen]

Not sure what you mean. Dragon Punch motions were always easy with any D Pad. 360 and 720° motions were difficult prior to the SF4 simplification.

You must have tiny thumbs if you found them easy on a GC d-pad

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

I've always used the joint of my thumb.

 

[The Frenchman]

HONESTLY excluding GC controller, all others are mheeee, especially the N64 one, terrible idea to put analog stick in the middle far from left thumb.

It wasn't far from your thumb, you needed to hold the middle prong...

 

[leon315]

It wasn't far from your thumb, you needed to hold the middle prong...

we'd like the controllers which allows players to have ALL BUTTONS within reachable distance. if you have to hold middle stick with left hand, while playing Mario N64, how do you press directional buttons and LB??

 

[pedro702]

we'd like the controllers which allows players to have ALL BUTTONS within reachable distance. if you have to hold middle stick with left hand, while playing Mario N64, how do you press directional buttons and LB??

altough n64 controllers is porbably the worst noone motion controller nintendo ever created the poit of the n64 controller was not to reach all buttons since they tought you never needed to, since all games made by nintendo never used all buttons, you always had 3 controller choices
main combos

Dpad + C buttons+ L+R+A+B any games that didnt need the analog stick really

Main mode Analog(grab with left hand)+cbuttons+R+A+B+Z

dpad+ analog(grabbed with right hand)+L+Z mode for more simple games like shooters and such.

this was what nintendo suposed you could do, controller options and anyone used what they tought was best, the problem was games got more complicated needing more buttons and they they started to get wierd, but almost every game you have a controller choice and choose what best suits you.

But yeah they didnt tought it all through same way with gc controller missing another triggers just for the heel of it where nintendo tough no one is gonna need both lol, and then you had to use stuff like Z plus L/R is the missing trigger onm many games.