Controller Concepts: Gun Games

The bigwigs at Nintendo have finally pulled back the curtain on their next-generation system's unique controller. Dubbed the "revolutionary" aspect of the platform prior to the unveiling, it is in hindsight easy to understand why. The Revolution's bold "free-hand-style pointer" unit looks like a slick television remote, but despite its seemingly minimalist design it packs a big gaming punch. Not only does the peripheral enable gamers full-freedom 3D movement in games simply by motioning with the device, but it has been created with expansion in mind. Developers unwilling to acquaint themselves with the pointer can alternatively opt to use a conventional controller shell that more or less mimics the design and functionality of a standard, Wave Bird-like device. Nintendo has also stated that a number of interesting expansions designed for everything from light-gun games to music/rhythm titles may be in the works.

In our Controller Concepts features, IGN takes a look at the possibilities open to Nintendo's new free-hand-style pointer unit with speculative insight supported by mocked-up images.

---

Gun Games

There is a clear different between the accepted description of a "gun game" and a first-person shooter, but we'll clarify for readers not already aware. Gun games fall into an old-school category best associated with titles like Time Crisis and House of the Dead. These titles employ a light gun device, which users aim at a television screen to target and shoot enemies and objects. Light guns work with television scan lines in order offer shooting accuracy. Console-based first-person shooters, meanwhile, bring to mind popular titles like Doom, Half-Life and Halo. These games often use a dual-analog controller configuration for movement and aiming. Nintendo's free-had-style pointer unit is able to connect with a "nunchuck" add-on (complete with analog stick and triggers), creating a perfect solution for FPS titles. Because the nunchuck unit ships with the pointer in Revolution's box, there's no need for a further add-on for any future Doom or Half-Life sequels.

But what about nostalgic light-gun games? Can they even work with Revolution, and if so, how? The good news is that they can. Traditional light gun titles rely on standard television scan lines to flourish and are not compatible with high-definition television sets. However, the Revolution uses motion sensors to detect precise movement and translate it into pinpoint accuracy, which means that light gun-style titles could be achieved with a new level of precision even on HD setups.

A light gun game like House of the Dead could effectively be played with the Revolution's pointer unit alone. Users would simply aim the device as though it were a gun at on-screen obstacles. That being true, the remote-like shape of the controller hardly conveys the feeling of holding a realistic gun. Thus, there are a number of attachments Nintendo could design to marry the free-hand-style pointer's motion-sensory flexibility with the comfort and aesthetics of a more conventional gun-like cradle.

Some mock-ups of a pistol-and-pointer combo have already hit the Web. But what about a shotgun-style attachment perfectly suited for dual-handed comfort? Nintendo itself could make use of the device by packaging it with an old classic that is long overdue for a Revolution remake. Of course, we're referring to the beloved Duck Hunt, which came to popularity on the Nintendo Entertainment System in the late 80s. See the illustration below for a better understanding of our vision:

Below, readers can see a concept of what a shotgun-style cradle for Revolution's pointer unit might look like. The free-hand remote fits snugly into the front of the shotgun casing, enabling users to hold the device as they might a real shotgun. A functioning trigger on the shotgun attachment enables intuitive shooting operations. The pump located underneath the gun could also be slid up and down to reload bullets in games, an action that would no doubt feel extremely realistic and be simultaneously fast.

The gun would be a natural fit for Nintendo's Duck Hunt franchise, allowing gamers to believably aim with the shotgun and pump for reloads all without giving it a second thought. The intuitive nature of the attachment would make precision aiming easier than ever before. But what might a next-generation Duck Hunt look like? We've included a crude, but nevertheless interesting mock-up just for kicks:

Of course, a light gun attachment would by no means need to be limited to static gameplay environments. A modified version of the add-on might include a rear-mounted analog stick for character movement. In a Revolution-specific Resident Evil sequel, players could control Leon S. Kennedy through environments with the analog stick while aiming, shooting and reloading with the shotgun attachment. See the modified attachment below:

The unit could also be used as an alternative control means for first-person shooters, enabling gamers to really become the so-called first person. In a deathmatch-specific multiplayer feature in Metroid Prime 3, players could maneuver Samus Aran through environments with the read-mounted analog stick and shoot at opponents with the shotgun's trigger. Weapon reloads could again be handled with the pump mechanic.

The likelihood of a gun-specific add-on for Revolution's pointer unit is high, in our estimate, especially given that both Nintendo and third parties could make use of it. Whether the Big N will develop one is still uncertain -- it may be busy enough with the conventional shell and nunchuck add-on, but we'd be willing to wager that a gun attachment will eventually surface for the console all the same. Light gun fans should be excited.

• More GameCube Features
• Latest GameCube News, Reviews, and Videos