Too much buttons on the SNES pad ?
It's always fun to read old video game magazines and see what the journalists was thinking about games & hardware at that time.
Recently I hang out on abandonware-magazines.org, a french website that host lots of scan of old french magazines. The first video game magazine in France was Tilt in 1982, and it was talking about games, computers, consoles, softwares, ...
Recently I hang out on abandonware-magazines.org, a french website that host lots of scan of old french magazines. The first video game magazine in France was Tilt in 1982, and it was talking about games, computers, consoles, softwares, ...
So, I started to read some issues of Tilt and found an interesting article about the Super Nintendo in the issue #87 (feb 1991). It was the first time they played the Super Nintendo and gave their opinion. And something surprise me :
It is likely that most programs to be developed on this console will probably not use all of these buttons. It is possible to master complex controls like this with some training and may facilitate the use of richer programs, such as simulations."
From a today point of view it's funny to read that knowing that actual controlers have more sticks and buttons making them more complex. But I'm pretty sure that today casual gamers have the same kind of remarkes regarding the X360 or PS3 controlers. The simplier controlers of the Wii is surely a key of its success.
The WiiU controlers is also easier to use because of its tactile screen that can be used instead of buttons, with a forms & look that fit the fonction like in Zelda Ocarina of Time on 3DS.
The cover and the full article from the Tilt issue #87 (feb 1991):
[img]files/blog/67/tilt-87-fe_16.jpg" border="0" class="img-responsive" alt="Responsive image">
It is likely that most programs to be developed on this console will probably not use all of these buttons. It is possible to master complex controls like this with some training and may facilitate the use of richer programs, such as simulations."From a today point of view it's funny to read that knowing that actual controlers have more sticks and buttons making them more complex. But I'm pretty sure that today casual gamers have the same kind of remarkes regarding the X360 or PS3 controlers. The simplier controlers of the Wii is surely a key of its success.
The WiiU controlers is also easier to use because of its tactile screen that can be used instead of buttons, with a forms & look that fit the fonction like in Zelda Ocarina of Time on 3DS.
The cover and the full article from the Tilt issue #87 (feb 1991):
[img]files/blog/67/tilt-87-fe_16.jpg" border="0" class="img-responsive" alt="Responsive image">