My house is simply not big enough for all my plastic gaming extra’s! It is actually getting beyond a joke, as my other half is threatening to move them all (including me) to the spare room where there is only an SD TV (gasp). What started as a small box to hold my Wii nunchucks and classic controller has now developed into 3 boxes and that is not all of it in them – Plastic guitars need big boxes!
We have always had peripherals. Back in the days of the NES Zapper and the first ever driving wheels and pedal combos. It is nothing new really. Except this year we have seen SO many new “plastic” based products released into the gaming world it is taking over my lounge. Some have been instant hits, some are just crap, some are in between. Some enhance the game, some are essential, some are the biggest waste of your cash since an Xbox HD-DVD drive.
One of the biggest peripheral sensations so far this year is the Wii Fit balance board. A Nintendo licensed set of bathroom scales that is actually taking the world by a storm. My other half insisted we get one (I think that is the only reason I don’t live in the spare room yet), even my mum has one! Keeping to the Nintendo Wii tradition this is aimed at the casual gamers and also at the politically correct “look video games are not as bad as you think and I’m actually getting exercise” population. Unfortunately, like with the Wii, Nintendo seem to have an inability to manufacture more than 5 a week meaning demand is higher than Amy Winehouse at Glastonbury. (Editor’s note: In case you didnt know, this paragraph gives all sorts of hints that the author is British)
Some enhance the game, some are essential, some are the biggest waste of your cash since an Xbox HD-DVD drive.
Rock Band hit the UK recently on the Xbox 360 only (Microsoft exclusive period!) and people were buying Xbox’s just so they could buy it and the way over priced “band-in-a-box”! Coming in at just under twice as expensive as our US counterparts (£189 = over $350) your rock band in a box was not a cheap purchase but the potential drumming related blisters, and an extra set of fret buttons tempted a massive amount of people. Although not taking the place of our beloved Gibson GH controllers which still sit proudly next to the TV (I have even pushed the boat out and decorated my own faceplate!)(Editors Note: I have no idea what that means either… must be a UK thing). For us PS3 owners though, the news of the Guitar Hero: World Tour package has reached us in time so we can save ourselves from Rock Band and go straight to GHWT. There is no way my missus would let me have two plastic drum kits in the house let alone the spare room.
Another new plastic peripheral to hit the gaming world this year has been the new Gcon 3 gun for use with Time Crisis 4. Now, this one takes the preverbial plastic biscuit – its bright orange! not even an attempt to make it look remotly cool has been made. Orange! of all the colours in the world it has to be orange. I for one will not be buying it. Attached to the side of the ghastly coloured thing is a nunchuck styled joystick and button combo making the whole thing incredably uncomfortable to hold and making you look just as stupid at the gun (except slightly less Orange). My love of the Time Crisis series can’t even save this one.
One of the Wii’s most anticipated game releases since its launch hit the streets this year complete with yet another plastic attachment for your Wiimote. (I haven’t found a need to attach tennis racket, golf club or even fishing rod attachments to my Wiimote – but a lot of people have!) The Wii Wheel is actually a lot of fun to use, if not a bit daft looking. The controls took a little while to get used too, but once you learn to steer subtly not stupidly your good to go. It certainly made the latest “plumber in a go kart” edition worth while getting. Also, Mario Kart Wii signaled the turning point for Nintendo with regards to on-line gaming.
It seems that even the handheld devices are getting in on the Plastic Peripheral business thanks to Guitar Hero: On Tour! a plastic guitar grip with 4 fret buttons plugs into the Game Boy port of your Nintendo DS and even comes with a guitar pick shaped stylus! Genius! what ever next… a finger drum kit?
One of the largest game peripherals I have seen (that isnt a drum kit) is the Ace Combat 6 Flight controller for the Xbox 360. My friend has one and its well…huge and… bulky. Kind of like a drum kit with more buttons but less fun. He enjoys it, bless him, but then again he has flight simulation games for his PC with what can only be described as a cockpit peripheral for them!
Hey lets not forget my 2 SingStar microphones and my PS3 Eye Toy camera, plus my Wii zapper. And we best not forget the eagerly anticipated wireless Buzz! Quiz TV controllers I pre-ordered ready for delivery this week! I haven’t mentioned the dvd remote, the external hard drives, or the controller charging units. They are going to have to design me a huge peripheral to store all this crap in. Either way I’m in danger of needing a bigger house!
This week saw the release of 2 new editions to the Guitar Hero family – but I doubt I am the only one who is still waiting for the most promising GH of 2008!
Ellipsis Gaming 