Nintendo not so original : the first (?) balance-based videogame controller
March 18th, 2008 by perry
Here’s an interesting tidbit from a recent installment covering the legendary Atari 2600 in Gamasutra’s “History of Gaming Platforms” series :
Mogul Maniac was packed with the Joyboard, a joystick platform the player stood on and controlled by shifting bodyweight and staying balanced. These and the many other unusual devices produced for the VCS had varying degrees of usefulness and commercial success, but nevertheless enhanced the distinctiveness of Atari’s system.
Sound familiar …. ?? A board … that the player balances on … like, maybe a Balance Board ?
Everything old is new again (and maybe the Nintendo hardware designers aren’t as creative as a lot of people make out … they just have good memories ….)
