From robots to fish finders, here's a roundup of strange peripherals for Nintendo consoles
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Nintendo Labo , a new type of game where you create your own peripherals using cardboard and string, will be released as a Nintendo Switch exclusive title on Friday, April 20, 2018. Nintendo is known for having a lot of unusual controllers and peripherals. Some of the most unusual peripherals for Nintendo's game consoles are featured in Polygon , a media outlet specializing in games.
Nintendo's weirdest hardware and peripherals - Polygon
https://www.polygon.com/2018/4/15/17239630/nintendo-weird-accessories-hardware-power-glove-rob-wii-vitality-sensor
◆01: Family Computer Robot
'Family Computer Robot' was released in Japan in 1985 as a peripheral for the Family Computer, and overseas as a peripheral for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) under the name ROB (Robotic Operating Buddy). The retail price at the time was 9,800 yen. It runs on 4 AA batteries.
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The robot's eyes are equipped with sensors that can read the light from the screen, allowing it to be controlled remotely in conjunction with the game content. However, the compatible software only allows you to move blocks remotely. With just two items, a block set (overseas title 'STACK-UP') and a gyro set (overseas title 'GYROMITE') that uses a top to operate the robot with a 2P controller, the robot was not a success, to put it mildly. It was a device that is difficult to describe. In later years, it appeared in various Nintendo games, and in 2008, it was included as a playable character in 'Super Smash Bros. Brawl.' The following movie is from the time of the game's release. This is a TV commercial for ROB that was aired overseas in.
Nintendo NES Rob the Robot commercial 1987 - YouTube
◆02: Power Gloves
The Power Glove is a controller for the Family Computer (NES) that was released in the United States in 1989 and in Japan in 1990. It was developed by the American toy company Mattel . It was born from the pioneering idea of incorporating virtual reality into games. The peripheral allowed players to control the game with finger or arm movements by choosing from 14 pre-programmed controls.
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However, in most games, the controller is much less easy to use than a standard controller, and it is quite heavy, so it takes a lot of practice for children to use it. With its cutting-edge concept, the Power Glove has proven popular among core gamers, with some even using it to control drones , making it a beloved peripheral device for many years.
◆03: Family Trainer
The Family Trainer is a mat-type controller that Bandai released for the Family Computer in 1986, and is sold overseas under the name Power Pad. When you run or jump on the Family Trainer laid on the floor, the corresponding This item allowed the characters in the game to move in the same way as the controller, making it a revolutionary controller at the time.
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The Family Trainer was revamped in 2008 and released as a Wii compatible controller .
◆04: Pocket camera
The 'Pocket Camera' was released in 1998 and is a Game Boy cartridge with a monochrome camera attached. The photos taken can be imported into a mini-game, and can also be printed on thermal paper with the separately sold 'Pocket Printer.' In 2017, a total solar eclipse was captured on a pocket camera, making headlines . Even 20 years after its release, pocket cameras remain popular items.
By Leo Jun
You can see what it's like to actually use a pocket camera by watching the movie below.
Gameboy Camera Who are you running from and dont be so silly screen - YouTube
◆05: Tarkonga
The 'Tarukonga' is a controller exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube music game 'Donkey Konga,' which was released in 2005. It is based on the percussion instrument conga , and is designed so that the input from the controller is determined by where you hit it. By modifying it so that it can be used on other game consoles and PCs, some hardcore players have emerged who can play difficult action games such as Dark Souls 3 and Overwatch on the Tarkonga.
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◆06: Nintendo 64 Mouse
The 64DD , an expansion disk drive exclusively for the Nintendo 64 released in 1999, was an advanced attempt at the time, in that it allowed users to play games distributed by subscribing to a paid online service. Among the special software was the drawing software 'Mario Artist Paint Studio,' which required a separately sold 'Nintendo 64 Mouse' instead of a standard controller to play.
◆07: Wii Vitality Sensor
The Wii Vitality Sensor is a peripheral device for the Wii that was announced at a game event in 2009. By inserting a finger into the expansion device connected to the bottom of the Wii Remote, it measures your heart rate and other information, allowing you to manage your health with the Wii. Although the concept and images were released, the company was unable to develop a sensor with satisfactory accuracy, and the Wii Vitality Sensor was never released. You can watch the Wii Vitality Sensor presentation given by then Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata at E3 in 2009.
E3 - 2009: Wii Vitality Sensor - YouTube
◆08: Balance Board
The Balance Board, which was announced in 2008 as a device exclusively for the Wii, was a huge hit , with over 20 million units sold in the first year after its release . It is possible to read the center of gravity, and this could be used not only for health management with 'Wii Fit,' but also for action games such as 'Family Ski World Ski & Snowboard.'
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Furthermore, he surprised many Nintendo fans by appearing as the 'Wii Fit Trainer' in 'Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U,' released in 2014.
◆09: Wii Bowling Ball
There are some strange items among the peripherals made by overseas manufacturers for Nintendo hardware. The 'Wii Bowling Ball' is a bowling ball-shaped controller that can be attached to the Wii remote control and released by CTA Digital.
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However, at the time of its release, there were several reports of the Wii remote slipping out and crashing into the TV, breaking it. Polygon said, 'The Wii Bowling Ball had no protection against slipping out, so it was a very dangerous device. 'It was a device,' he claims. The following movie shows a person actually playing a bowling game and cracking a TV screen with a remote control that has slipped out.
Man Breaks His TV with the Wiimote - YouTube
◆10: NHL Slapshot Hockey Stick
In the United States, where ice hockey is very popular, ice hockey games have also been released. The NHL Slapshot Hockey Stick is an attachment released by EA that can be used to attach the Wii remote and nunchuck. It is compatible with the Wii version of ' NHL 2K11 '. The NHL Slapshot Hockey Stick is shaped like a hockey stick, and when slamming into an opponent, you push the hockey stick forward.
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◆11: Fishfinder Pocket Sonar
Although it was not released overseas, in Japan, Bandai released the Game Boy exclusive software 'Pocket Sonar Fish Finder' in 1998 for a list price of 14,800 yen. The main unit had a sensor attached to the end of a 15m cord. It is a fish finder that can be operated by a Game Boy, a portable game console that is more than 30 years old, and can detect fish up to a depth of 20m when the sensor is placed in the sea or lake. It seems that there are still people who use them today, and one person said, 'At first glance it looks like a toy, but the contents are the real thing.The precision is just as good as that of more expensive ones.'
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