The 3DS offers a huge wealth of control options for game designers to make use of: a traditional D-Pad and face buttons as well as an analogue stick, touchscreen, motion detectors and even the camera can all be used to control titles. Masuhiro Sakurai, the man in charge of bringing Kid Icarus: Uprising to the world, thinks his title will show other developers how well inventive controls can work.
Speaking to the Techland website, Mr Sakurai said:
I’ve found that, in the established genres, the controls are always the same. For example, in shooting games, you find first-person-shooters utilize all of the buttons on the controller and always do the same thing — the stick is for moving, triggers for shooting and they’re always trapped in this very restricted framework for gameplay. And, that’s just not creative. This time, with Kid Icarus, we wanted to address that certain problem and not only because I think the industry deserves it, but also because it’s a more satisfying experience personally.
Mr Sakurai describes how Super Smash Bros. revamped the fighting genre in a similar fashion, and that certainly seems to have worked out all right. With Kid Icarus using L to fire, the slide pad for moving Pit and the touchscreen to control the camera and aiming, it sounds like this could be one smooth ride, but we'll have to wait and see if the team's creative controls live up to expectations.
[source techland.com]
Comments 47
Hmm, sounds like a good control shceme.
This game sounds pretty cool. I'll probably pick it up with a 3DS if it's out on launch day.
I just wonder if there is a left handed configuration.
Sakurai has never failed us so far.
The mind boggles
Given the variety of gameplay styles shown in the demo, I'd expect this one to be quite playable.
"With Kid Icarus using L to fire, the slide pad for moving Pit and the touchscreen to control the camera and aiming,"
Excuse me if I'm missing something, but sounds like Sukurai's idea of revamping controls is to use exactly the same control scheme that Metroid Prime Hunters had.
Except that unless they give the 3DS another slide pad, lefties like me can't play this
People were always concered about not having a second analogue stick, but ever since the DS came out back then, the touchscreen would be OFTEN used to move the camera and then some now. It's funny to see some people freak out about not having a second analogue, when the Touchscreen was always that substitute of that 'C-Stcik'.
I hope this game does turn out to be what it has been living up for.. I still can't get over the similarities of the enemies to Kirby characters- but of course, it is directed by Kirby's creator, Sakurai.
I wonder how the 3D-screen/touch-screen ratio will be.
One the one hand, you should keep an eye on where you are tapping, on the other, you want to use the 3D effect as much as possible.
@4 Competative Smash Bros. players would beg to differ.
B-But what about LEFTAYS?! :c
Sakurai is freaking awesome, so I'm pretty sure he's doing well with this.
Sounds fun, but maybe a little difficult. I can personally see myself having trouble holding onto the 3DS well enough to use the slide pad when my index finger is jamming the L button...
@8: Lefties can't do dual-analogue with the 3DS, that's the problem. There's only one slider, and it's on the left, so we have to play with our dominant hand controlling that. Which means our failing right hand has to control the touchscreen. Which isn't easy.
I'll be honest, I really don't like SSB's control scheme. This sounds fine, but honestly it sounds just like what you'd find in a standard DS FPS.
I'm just hoping the shoulder buttons are stronger on the 3DS. Mine have broken several times.
Sakurai's referring to specific inputs instead of having to constantly swipe to move the camera a more direct, controlled swipe will move the camera.
It's talking about how the game actually controls, not what controls it uses.
Sakurai however fails for not being aware of the last game in the Kid Icarus series, he said that the last game involves 2 goddesses, actually no.
It was about Palutena dreaming about a demon called Orcos.
this is a big stinkin concern that 3DS games arent going to be left-hand compatible. every lefty needs to complain on as many boards as possible so nintendo gets the idea that this is a big issue. it wouldn't be that hard to make a smaller percentage of 3DS systems that have the analog on the right side an use the R button instead of the L. even if we have to special order it. a lefty playing a game with the stylus in the right hand in only barely possible and zero % fun
Crap, I hadn't thought about the single analog plus touch screen equals non-mirrorable controls problem before! Excitement for the 3DS shatters into a million pieces
another disappointed leftie here, if this is indeed how the game controls will work. it is bad enough that they made Link a right hander in the Wii games; now they have to make it impossible for us to play at all??
The Gameplay looks alot like Sin and Punishment mixs with a little bit of Zelda.
Creative controls? It's the same controls as any other FPS on the DS! LOL.
Why is it called a "slide pad"? Sounds weird. i thought it was an analog stick
I don't see why lefties will worry. I mean, it's not like you're writing anything, just aiming stuff.
The reason they call it a slide pad is has a different mechanism than an analog stick but serves the same purpose but for clamshell consoles which is a pretty ingenious idea. I love Nintendo's inventive names and ideas, especially the depth slider which could be used for a number of ideas. Not to mention a d-pad to use as well. I hope we can use the slide pad instead of the d-pad for top-down movement in certain DS games. Snakie here giving a clue to which one.
@WaveBoy Here's a crazy fact, Kid Icarus II got a better score than the one Sakurai is using as a reference.
@ The lefties Guys, I've tested the feeling of opposite my dominant hand and it feels not all that awkward. It's just moving the stylus across the screen to different points. We'll all be new to the gameplay so it won't be too cumbersome to our hands. I recommend moving your fingers like a twittle to move across the screen.
I'm left handed and it's not that hard to play without a lefty flip. When there's no flip option, it's usually because it's manageable. Don't sweat it.
@Xkhaoz+realar It's like holding a pencil, though. And I can't hold a pencil correctly to save my life with my right hand. Also, I just pretended to "aim" with my stylus using my right hand, and it was darn near impossible. For people who aren't ambidextrous whatsoever, like me, this is a huge problem.
Oh, and the 3DS better have decent shoulder buttons. They've broken on both my DS Lite and my DSi.
What Odnetnin said. I'm very strongly left-handed when it comes to anything like holding a stylus. I can handle spacial movements right-handed (necessary for Wii gaming in a lot of cases, including Skyward Sword if they don't change their minds), but anything even remotely writing-esque? Forget it.
I suggest all us disgruntled lefties e-mail Nintendo to complain. I'm not particularly optimistic it'll do any good, but I feel we've got to try, lest our right to equally enjoy games be stomped upon uncontested.
Really, I'm extremely disappointed with Nintendo right now. They have a long history of being lefty-friendly, and they're completely screwing it up now. What the heck?
I don't think he definitely said there wouldn't be a flip option, so let's hope for the best _
There's the rub, B-ry: There CAN'T be a flip option without a second slide pad to balance it out. Otherwise, we lefties will be stuck fighting with digital face buttons to control a game designed for analog.
My brother is lefty and he is fully capable of playing Metroid Prime hunters.
@Varoennauraa: Duh, that's because Prime Hunters has lefty modes in it.
SRY, I was/am stupid.
But I think in these cases the situation is similar than gamepad with dual analog, if you use thumbstrap. It might need a little of getting used to, but it will be better than dual analog when it starts to work.
Yeah real inventive. There is a reason that creativity losses to what works with shooters. Dual analog works better than anything else on consoles. Being creative never ends up better. We've learned this over and over with wii.
Wrist cramps were a major problem for me with Metroid hunters. Having a analog sick sliding around will make it even harder to hold the system during play.
This is not news i want to hear. Especially when the prices are looking to be so high. I don't want to have to have the system constantly propped up to play. Major disappointment for me.
I hope that Nintendo adds a second analogue stick above the face buttons, that way not only will it be easier to play normal DS games, also lefties won't be screwed with games like Kid Icarus.
Dual analog is hundred, no, infinitely worse than Wiimote. We've learned this over and over with wii. Wiimote is much much much more accurate, immersive and fun. You might be referring to developers budgets, which is the reason, why the prevailing genres entries in Wii are weaker than HD-Ready consoles.
Touchscreen is also far far far superior to last gen controllers in FPS.
I actually vastly prefer even the gimped Wii-versions of CoD's for example, because of the feeling of doing the warfare for yourself, instead of autoaiming! THATS modern warfare!
For example, Street Fighter on other hand is indisputably just better in HD-Ready consoles(I mean, if there even was a Wii version), because of the better graphics, but as much as better graphics on HD-Ready consoles is not an opinion, the undownably better controls of Wiimote in most genres is not an opinion either! DS is my second fave FPS-console, even with its remarkably poor graphics. But its touchscreen controls with thumbstrap is just like mouse+keyboard and just superb! Among other super great things I expect 3DS to be AWESOME FPS-console, with its already better than Wii gamesupport, vastly evolved graphics, with 3D and all, and touchscreen controls! I'm only worried, that nintendo has stopped using the thumbstraps, am I right?
And I hope, in the name of touch screen controls, that the lefty problem is not solved with space consuming, and thus expensive dual analog solution.
Yeah, this sounds just like the Metroid Prime Hunters controls. That game was great, but the controls hurt my hands. The controls in MPH feel smooth and give the player good aim, but it was totally awkward and uncomfortable. I really loved that game, so I kept playing - but even after months of playing, it still hurt my hands to play. Also, I always felt like my performance was hindered by the awkwardness... because I couldn't really tap the L button (while supporting the weight of the system with that hand) as fast I can usually mash a button in games.
Yeah.
Even my grown(but still not very large) hands might have some times been a little tired after long sessions of MPH, but I had no other problems and I happily exchange any analogue sticks for just a little bit tiring hand position and a touch screen, since smoother and faster aiming make me feel more connected to the game. Even more so in Wii, which is why I crave a adventurous and more immersive FPS for Wii too, instead of death match oriented games(which I want too). They both are extremely fast and accurate, but aiming towards the enemy is even more immersive.
And hand held games always makes your hands tire a little anyway.
Does anyone know, btw, is this "just" on rails, or is there any adventure feel in it, in land sequences for example? Hows this game structurally?
As I understand it, Uprising has some of both. After all, the trailer said Pit can only really fly for five minutes at a time. He's got to do SOMETHING the rest of the time!
Yes, Nintendo stopped the thumbstrap support ages ago...it was only ever for the original DS model. As such, I remain convinced that a second analog is the only way to fix this problem for lefties. They're probably already too far in the hardware development cycle to add it, though. So we're basically screwed.
Miyamoto is lefty, so I don't think this is surprise in Nintendo. And if you lefties took this more optimistically, this is an opprtunity to train your ambidexterousity! IF they revived the thumbstrap, I don't think...I mean, if I close my eyes and really try to step into your boots, I don't think it wouldn't be so hard to adapt this method, it would be almost like playing with dual analog, but better, when you get used to it. I think I could play MPH both ways.
gosh, I'm feeling burned right now, I was looking so forward to this, but now I'm worried. For a lefty like me, this could be hard. I hope they make an alternate control shceme (or make it so lefties CAN play it).
i love all the right handers tell us that 'it shouldn't be a problem'. hey! we've dealt with right-handed desks in school, right-handed everything else in the world. maybe we're sick of adapting. i think it's time to get ned flanders involved....
@Varoennauraa: You're right, with a well-designed thumb strap, this wouldn't be an issue...at least so long as it's all touch control for action occuring on the top screen, which will probably be most of the time since devs will want to put the action in 3D.
I don't remember if I'd heard Miyamoto was a lefty, but I should've figured. On average, lefties are much more creative. What righty could've come up with all the stuff that man has?
I don't know if they still do this in Japan, but in much of Asia lefties are still taught to write with their right hands. I never saw a Chinese person write with their left hand in over 2 total years of living there. Like I said, I don't know about Japan, but this could be why you don't see as much lefty support for games. It's a shame though. Hopefully they'll figure something out. I wouldn't mind a second control stick to accomodate lefties (or a smaller run left hand model wouldn't be a terrible idea). However, I know if they went with a dual analog setup, 90% of non Nintendo non shovelware games would have that bei their main control setup. Dual analog is an overy complicated, impricise, and difficult system that I cannot use for the life of me.
Lets hope Sakurai can show others how to use the 3DS.
People keep using the Wii as a motion controller but are unaware that they can use a Classic Controller.
Zack and Wiki did things right but no one bought it
This game made me want to get a 3DS cant wait!
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