Episode 714: Nintendo Direct

The guys discuss the Nintendo Direct shown earlier in the day. In addition, they talk about Helldivers 2, Pokemon, and Killer Klowns From Outer Space.

The news includes:

  • The Nintendo Direct
  • Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be FromSoftware’s “largest expansion to date in terms of overall volume”
  • Sony isn’t happy with Bungie

Let us know what you think.

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The same company that brought us the NES Advantage has proven the Wii control scheme isn’t as bad as critics speculated. The beauty of adding the “waggle” technology is limiting your button count to a reasonable level without overwhelming gamers.

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Nintendo has usually been conservative on buttons, trying to work “shape” over sheer volume of buttons, barring the C button count on the N64 controller. Nintendo controllers change shape with each generation and they’ve evolved, not innovated, their way around with the Wii control scheme. Each function of the controller exists, on its own, in other products but nobody has built a fully functional controller in such a way for a game console until now.

Sony took pieces of this concept in their PS3 controller and its ability to detect “tilt.” Xbox 360 stuck with the beefy controller with lots of buttons and analog sticks. Not just a D-Pad but two analog sticks and a ton of buttons to press, some pressure sensitive as well. What of our next-generation console? Maybe a few new buttons?

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