Break Out The Paddle

[Kamalot]

Chris Kohler from Wired's Game|Life column just got some play time with what could possibly be the coolest Nintendo DS peripheral, the Paddle Controller (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/09/hands-on-why-ta.html). The paddle is inserted into the GBA slot of the DS and provides players with a rotating knob, like the ones used to play Araknoid and Pong in the arcades. Chris had some wonderful things to say about the paddle, including that using it feels like, "literally just like standing in front of a miniature arcade machine."

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/goodavatar/Paddle.jpg (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/09/hands-on-why-ta.html)

But here's what I only found out when I got my hands on it: it's fantastic. It's not just a little plastic dial. It's sitting on ball bearings or something, and it's got momentum and a little bit of kickback to it. That means that it spins incredibly smoothly -- if you spin it and let go, it'll keep whizzing for a good five seconds or so. The response time is perfect.

In an accompanying article (http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/09/hands-on-space-.html), he talks about the upcoming Space Invaders game that makes use of the paddle.

As it turns out, Space Invaders Extreme crosses the classic look of Space Invaders with Rez. It's a light-and-sound-orgy, frenetic, what-is-going-on, super fun shooter that spans both screens of the DS.

[Yellowman]

That looks cool... Hope it doesn't fall into the 'peripheral trap', would be great to see some other games that use it as well.

[Zanzibar]

God damn - Tempest would f'ing ROCK.

[gzsfrk]

That looks freaking awesome. Can't wait for this to come out and then reap the whirlwind of re-released arcade games that used spinner controls.

Please, please, PLEASE release a well done Tron re-make with good controls using this thing.

[Heretic Machine]

Sounds shit-hot. I'd definitely be into some remixed arcade games that take advantage of this.

[Bone]

I love that the GBA slot can be used for stuff like that! I also hear there is a 3rd party add-on that provides gyro AND accelerometer control for those of us who have modded our DS for homebrew. I haven't found a link to the hardware though.

[mr. murphy]

My mom still calls all video game controllers "paddles".

[mkelehan]

Great, now give us an analog stick somehow.

[Baron Samedi]

Best portable ever just got a whole hell of a lot better.

[Johan]

Great, now give us an analog stick somehow.

I think you already have one shoved somewhere, Mr. Cranky Pants!

This device sounds amazing. I can't wait to see the games that come out of this. Oh man...hot stuff indeed!

[Rock Bandit]

So awesome.

Word is Guitar Hero for the DS will be using the GBA slot in a similar manner.

[UnderHero5]

I think you already have one shoved somewhere, Mr. Cranky Pants!

This device sounds amazing. I can't wait to see the games that come out of this. Oh man...hot stuff indeed!

I do agree that this thing is neat, but when I take a step back, I find it hilarious that people are so hyped up about an obsolete technology we stopped using 25 years ago. lol

[Johan]

I do agree that this thing is neat, but when I take a step back, I find it hilarious that people are so hyped up about an obsolete technology we stopped using 25 years ago. lol

It's perfect for a specific type of game. Much better, in my opinion, than a d-pad or touch interface.

There's a reason it worked so well for some of those games. It's an awesome control scheme for such games. I'm hoping it comes here, big time. It would make games like Missile Command, Centipede, Breakout and the like a blast. And I enjoy those types of games a lot.

[Spigot]

Very cool stuff.

Pong DS.... I can't wait :)

[mister_slim]

I fucking love paddle controllers. It's the only way to play Warlords. I even bought one of those working Atari paddle controller keychains (it really works! Hook it up to your TV and you can play Pong and Breakout!).

[Nessus]

I'm interested in the idea of using this in conjunction with other DS controls in a new kind of game.

I'd love to see someone tackle that, have the paddle as a pack-in with the game.

[DaXIthR]

Best portable ever just got a whole hell of a lot better.

I've been saying it for a while. The DS is on track to become the best system ever.

[Wayfarer]

Please, please, PLEASE release a well done Tron re-make with good controls using this thing.

This.
Yes.
Please.
Now.

[Nimos]

Arkanoid !!!!

[breeze]

coolest fucking thing I have seen so far today

[Headcase]

Very cool, I always thought that standard PC keyboards should have these things.

I guess if this was on the Wii people would complain about yet another special controller to buy.

[OrangePulp]

Sounds like this is something you can only really enjoy if you played paddle games back in the day. I never have, and thus it doesn't interest me in the slightest.

[Thumper]

Wow, this thread made me feel young again.

Because you guys are so damn old! Like the poster above me, I think I missed this one by a couple years. NES is about as far back as I go, and even that is pretty foggy. Vague visions of lightguns and plumbers.

[Spigot]

Wow, this thread made me feel young again.

Because you guys are so damn old! Like the poster above me, I think I missed this one by a couple years. NES is about as far back as I go, and even that is pretty foggy. Vague visions of lightguns and plumbers.Bah! Get back to preschool, sonny! Leave us old timers to our misty recollections of paddles and ball-based gaming...

[Skyelan]

I've never used a paddle. And this is still awesome.

For once, I'm actually HOPING some folks put out arcade collections because of this, and we've been burried with way too many on EVERY system in the past.

[[VSK]BadCRC]

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/goodavatar/Paddle.jpg


http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/1064/hurrysk0.gif

[Johan]

ball-based gaming...

That doesn't sound right...:D

[Spigot]

That doesn't sound right...:DAnd you wonder why they called them joysticks...

[Kamalot]

There are some videos of the paddle up now...
http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/010_01_h_02_01.png (http://besidegames.com/feature/010/01/)

I can't wait for this thing...

[Ultima Thulian]

I can wait. Now, if there is some great software to support it, then that'll rock. But peripherals are notoriously hit and miss, especially with Nintendo machines. Hopefully, some great original software, and not just old arcade titles, utilize this. But I'll wait and see.