HD Rumble Feature for the Joy-Con Controller Has Serious Potential
Nintendo has never shied away from innovation, with each console bringing not only new properties to its library of games, but innovative methods of input and gameplay mechanics. At the recent Nintendo Switch presentation they brought this fact to light during their opening segment, highlighting each step they took on their path with the original NES system to what is shaping up to be potentially Nintendo’s greatest console yet: the Switch. While some people are lamenting the suggested retail price of the console, what is being overlooked is the promised technology coming not just to the console itself but to the brand new Joy-Con controllers. What we saw during Nintendo’s Switch presentation was nothing short of amazing and, if their promises prove to be true, the Joy-Con technology with the staggeringly near limitless application of the HD Rumble will definitely make its higher price point worthwhile.
Starting off the presentation with the details about the Joy-Con made sense. It was clearly a subject everyone needed to know more about going forward, but as Nintendo wowed us with its upcoming list of games it was also easy to forget just what the Joy-Con controller is capable of; more specifically, the potential behind the HD Rumble. Our introduction to the HD Rumble feature was limited but impactful, with Nintendo Switch General Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi teasing us with the ‘Ice Cubes in a Glass’ demonstration and setting our imaginations ablaze with the possibilities this could have on gaming. Virtual Reality gaming is already becoming abundant but Nintendo has gone a different route for sensory immersive gameplay and it is definitely worth a moment to look at the potential the HD Rumble – if it functions as promised – and what it will bring to the future of gaming.
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“While some people are lamenting the suggested retail price of the console, what is being overlooked is the promised technology coming not just to the console itself but to the brand new Joy-con controllers.”
The first thought comes after seeing the way ARMS will use both Joy-Cons without the Joy-Con Grip for combat. I thought back to 2011’s Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on Wii and the first time Link was able to fight and defend with motion controls. Now, given the versatility of the Joy-Con I have to imagine multiple control styles will be applicable for various games, so seeing that option return for Breath of the Wild doesn’t seem far fetched, but consider what the HD Rumble can bring to the table: The impact of a heavy attack crashing down on your shield could actually be felt with varying degrees of force, keeping your shield raised for too long could actually cause the controller to feel heavier as you need to rest your arm. If your sword clashes with an unbreakable object you could feel the hit rattling in your hand.
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“Racing games could utilize the distinct rumble sensations when gears are shifting, or for varying amounts of collision damage.”Â
That is just the potential for games like Zelda. Racing games could utilize the distinct rumble sensations when gears are shifting, or for varying amounts of collision damage. Even slamming on the breaks could see the Joy-cons suddenly feel heavy as you lurch forward. With Skyrim confirmed for the Switch there is a ton of application possibilities for both the distinct rumble and weight shifting features with hit detection, spell casting, poison effects, and so much more. Platforming and puzzle solving games could see the controllers feel heavy as the character pushes objects around a giant puzzle board, or even while lifting objects. Fighting games can see the Joy-Cons get heavy when corresponding to a stamina gauge, forcing you to be more strategic in your fighting and actually feeling your character slow down and need a break (Anyone for Punch Out! On the Switch?)
As a fan of Nintendo, I can’t help but go through the long library of games I have played over the years and wonder what a new iteration could bring with these features the HD Rumble can provide. The potential for titles like Donkey Kong, Metroid, F Zero, Pokemon, Kirby, and so many others could no longer see motion and vibration controls as a simple peripheral, but rather the HD Rumble could deliver a new and untapped sensory interaction with video games that will most likely break ground in the future of gaming.
So what do you think about the Joy-Con controller? Will it live up to the hype? Will it function as promised? What games or features would you like to see the Joy-Con used for? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or in the Comments section below.