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Nintendo Won't Abandon Buttons for Playing Games Anytime Soon

Don't expect an Apple-like approach for Nintendo's future handhelds and consoles.


One can only hope for more pulsing blue lights.
One can only hope for more pulsing blue lights.
Given the continued success of Apple's touch-based iOS devices and rumors Nintendo's forthcoming successor to the Wii will include a screen on its mysterious controller, many have rightly wondered if Nintendo would consider following Apple down the patch of touch and motion-based only controls for games.

The short answer: no.

The longer answer comes from a translated question-and-answer between Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and analysts, following Nintendo's disclosure of its fiscal results. 

== TEASER == "Regarding the format you referred to as 'tablet,'" said Iwata, "which has a certain big screen and allows users to directly touch it, when we look at it from the viewpoint of 'developing software which uses a touch screen,' I think it is an interesting device if it creates an experience that is in line with the trend created by Nintendo DS."

"On the other hand," he continued, "we have never abandoned the + [up, down, left, right] Control Pad and buttons for our game systems because we think these functions are advantageous when creating highly reactive games. In this meaning, I do not think Nintendo hardware will take on any of the current tablet forms as they are without buttons, to make our game devices. However, this is only when we consider tablets as game devices and, for other purposes, I think tablets are very interesting, and they are a form of hardware that will continue to grow."

Iwata's quote sheds light on what we've been hearing about the primary controller for its next machine. In this case, buttons are here to stay. How those buttons will be used, however? Well, time will tell.  
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patrickklepek

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Edited By patrickklepek

One can only hope for more pulsing blue lights.
One can only hope for more pulsing blue lights.
Given the continued success of Apple's touch-based iOS devices and rumors Nintendo's forthcoming successor to the Wii will include a screen on its mysterious controller, many have rightly wondered if Nintendo would consider following Apple down the patch of touch and motion-based only controls for games.

The short answer: no.

The longer answer comes from a translated question-and-answer between Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and analysts, following Nintendo's disclosure of its fiscal results. 

== TEASER == "Regarding the format you referred to as 'tablet,'" said Iwata, "which has a certain big screen and allows users to directly touch it, when we look at it from the viewpoint of 'developing software which uses a touch screen,' I think it is an interesting device if it creates an experience that is in line with the trend created by Nintendo DS."

"On the other hand," he continued, "we have never abandoned the + [up, down, left, right] Control Pad and buttons for our game systems because we think these functions are advantageous when creating highly reactive games. In this meaning, I do not think Nintendo hardware will take on any of the current tablet forms as they are without buttons, to make our game devices. However, this is only when we consider tablets as game devices and, for other purposes, I think tablets are very interesting, and they are a form of hardware that will continue to grow."

Iwata's quote sheds light on what we've been hearing about the primary controller for its next machine. In this case, buttons are here to stay. How those buttons will be used, however? Well, time will tell.  
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wolf_blitzer85

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Edited By wolf_blitzer85

Feel Mii.

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MooseyMcMan

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Edited By MooseyMcMan

Yes! Long live buttons!

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TimmyChaw

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Edited By TimmyChaw

I wouldnt mind something akin to an Xbox controller with the chat pad, but instead of the chat pad its a touch screen. 


Just dont take my buttons away...
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DonPixel

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Edited By DonPixel

makes sense 

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mnzy

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Edited By mnzy

Oh buttons, I like you, too.

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craigbo180

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Edited By craigbo180

Thank god for that.

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FreakAche

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Edited By FreakAche

I honestly don't care what control scheme future Nintendo systems have, just so long as they keep pumping out great Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Smash, and (wishful thinking) Pikmin games.

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JoeyRavn

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Edited By JoeyRavn
@wolf_blitzer85 said:
" Feel Mii. "
Touch mii, feel mii, heal mii.
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metalsnakezero

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Edited By metalsnakezero

Buttons will live long in to the future.

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Brendan

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Edited By Brendan

Buttons are pretty damn good at what they do.  In fact, you could say that nothing is better at what they do than buttons!

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Julmust

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Edited By Julmust

I am so relieved. All hail buttons.

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ThePhantomnaut

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Edited By ThePhantomnaut
@JoeyRavn said:
" @wolf_blitzer85 said:
" Feel Mii. "
Touch mii, feel mii, heal mii. "
Oh fuck mii. :(
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Vexxan

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Edited By Vexxan

Buttons get the job done.

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striderno9

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Edited By striderno9

Well if they want ports of big games then they can never ever do it. Thank goodness.


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MordeaniisChaos

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Edited By MordeaniisChaos
@TimmyChaw said:
" I wouldnt mind something akin to an Xbox controller with the chat pad, but instead of the chat pad its a touch screen. 

Just dont take my buttons away...
"
That thing got pretty heavy with a chatpad, especially with rechargeable AAs. They would have to make it Sony style to make that work, but if they managed to do that, it would work pretty well I think. But ultimately I think a touchscreen is useless on a console controller. That chatpad worked because you could feel the buttons and always knew where they were with a little time to get familiar with it.
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JoeyRavn

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Edited By JoeyRavn
@ThePhantomnaut said:
" @JoeyRavn said:
" @wolf_blitzer85 said:
" Feel Mii. "
Touch mii, feel mii, heal mii. "
Oh fuck mii. :( "
I... don't think that's how the song goes.
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ThePhantomnaut

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Edited By ThePhantomnaut
@JoeyRavn said:
" @ThePhantomnaut said:
" @JoeyRavn said:
" @wolf_blitzer85 said:
" Feel Mii. "
Touch mii, feel mii, heal mii. "
Oh fuck mii. :( "
I... don't think that's how the song goes. "
Oh fuck mii. :(
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wickedsc3

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Edited By wickedsc3

umm duh why would they even think about touch screen controls, they suck.

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Tally_Pants

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Edited By Tally_Pants

Buttons are good! Buttons are best!

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onarum

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Edited By onarum
@craigbo180 said:
" Thank god for that. "
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CaptainDa

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Edited By CaptainDa


"I think it is an interesting device if it creates an experience that is in line with the trend created by Nintendo DS."

 

Super Nintendo Wii DS confirmed! Jeff called it on the Bonus Round! ; P

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Pop

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Edited By Pop

I kind of imagine the controller looking like a psp

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deactivated-5f90eabee6bba

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Trying to map buttons to a touch pad is such a bad idea. You should only do it if you have to.

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raiz265

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Edited By raiz265

Thank you Nintendo.

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tourgen

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Edited By tourgen

I like buttons.  Good news I guess.  I skipped the N64 and the Wii.  I'm about ready for another Nintendo box.  Sell me a collection of all of the 3D Marios and Metroids (that I skipped) to sweeten the deal.

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Bloodgraiv3

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Edited By Bloodgraiv3


Good to hear.

 

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moelarrycurly

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Edited By moelarrycurly

I still want it to be called the Super Wii.

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Claude

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Edited By Claude

You say button...

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Leafhopper

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Edited By Leafhopper

Thank God.

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ChrisTaran

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Edited By ChrisTaran

"many have rightly wondered"
If you've wondered that, there is nothing "right" about you.

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StrawHatLaw13

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Edited By StrawHatLaw13

I feel patronized when I hear a click from the speaker.


Although I'm still just as amused with the bubblewrap application.
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CarpetRemnant

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Edited By CarpetRemnant

I get a 500 error when I try to view the full story :-/

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cookiemonster

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Edited By cookiemonster
@Leakster said:
" I get a 500 error when I try to view the full story :-/ "
Yep, same. From the home page and from the 'read the full story link' on the news page. The title of the article on the news page does actually link you to the full article and doesn't give you an error.
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Kjellm87

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Edited By Kjellm87

heh,
I wasn't aware people was worried about that. 

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deactivated-5865c6a5c9438

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Cool. I like the responsiveness of buttons as well as the tactile feedback. If both of those things could be emulated by some other interface, I would welcome it.

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Creme

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Edited By Creme

Just put analog triggers and something else fancy on the Classic Controller Pro and make that the official controller as it's the best out there.

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liako21

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Edited By liako21

a DS as the controller and your finger as the stylus?

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lego_my_eggo

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Edited By lego_my_eggo
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Edited By Azteck
@wolf_blitzer85 said:
" Feel Mii. "
Fucking fantastic.

Consider yourself followed.
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PerryVandell

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Edited By PerryVandell

Nintendo would definitely be going off of the deep end if they got rid of buttons.  

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MysteriousBob

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Edited By MysteriousBob

A touchscreen only console would be beyond horrible.

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Edited By ptys

Everyone is so scared of Apple, it would be nice if other companies took inspiration from some of their aesthetic design choices. Not saying touch screen for gaming, but you have to admit they are the Mercedes Benz/BMW of tech.

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xpgamer7

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Edited By xpgamer7

BUTTONS!

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Edited By Reverseface

"There can be no future on electronic consoles without buttons, which haven't been invented yet because the year is like 434 at the moment and i'm kinda busy ruling the Huns"

That awesome quote which still makes sense today from Attila the Hun.

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Faint

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Edited By Faint

That'd be a step too far for Nintendo definitely. I mean, they allegedly have a TRI-core in their new console, when my reasonably standard run of the mill computer has had a quad core for about 4 years. Pushing technology leaps and bounds fo sho!

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thebatmobile

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Edited By thebatmobile

Sweet. Practically every single game on the iOS devices sucks control-wise.