Though response to Star Fox Zero has been generally positive, one of the main criticisms seems to lie with how the Arwing controls. As we echoed in our first impressions of the game at E3, the dual screen, gyroscopic controls definitely have a learning curve to them and this has been a point of concern for many. Nonetheless, Shigeru Miyamoto still stands by them and offered his defense for them when questioned in a recent interview with Spiegel Online.
Essentially, Miyamoto-san said that it takes a while to feel comfortable with what are, initially, very complicated controls. However, after one or two days, "the fun begins" as players become familiar with them. It seems that Star Fox Zero will be falling in the same camp as games such as Kid Icarus: Uprising, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, and Splatoon, which have proven that excellent gameplay can sometimes be hidden behind somewhat unconventional controls. Here's a rough translation of the quote from the interview:
Spiegel Online: The controls of "Star Fox Zero" are due to the two screens a challenge.
Miyamoto: Compared to other games, it is a bit complex. There are many ways how video games entertain the player. One of it is the process understanding how a game works - another the process to master the controls. With mastering the controls you improve, which results in having fun. Out intention was not that players suggest: "There are two screens, that is making it complicated" Instead: "There are two screens, I can do different things on them."
Spiegel Online: How long does it take to get into the game?
Miyamoto: It is hard to understand the basics, if you just try Star Fox Zero for a few minutes at like a games expo. Anyhow, if people buy the game and play it at home, after one or two days, they will reach the point where they understand how it works, how to master it - that is the moment the fun begins.
What do you think? Are the new controls better for the franchise or should Nintendo have stuck with a more conventional approach as the default option? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source spiegel.de, via gonintendo.com]
Comments 120
Unfortunately most people don't have that kind of patience.
Kid Icarus Uprising's controls were not a problem for me and I got pretty good at controlling Xenoblade Chronicles with Wii Remote and Nunchuk which I'm told is the "vastly inferior" control method, so bring it on. Different controls don't scare me.
I am so keen to play this. The controls and perspective should be a bit different, it being a flight and mech combat game. I'm looking forward to learning and mastering it, and replaying levels to improve my score
I trust Mr Miyamoto. Just like Splatoon, at first I hated the motion control with the gamepad but after sticking to it for a day, I can now see the advantages with going with this setup for better control.
I shouldn't have to spend a day or two mastering the controls in order for the "fun to begin". Controls should be easy to grasp otherwise it'll turn people off.
This is going to alienate a lot of kids I think.
Hopefully there will be a good tutorial level before the main game.
lol im sure people will still just turn off the motion controls or just use a normal type style to play o.O
I don't mind. It's rewarding to learn complex controls. It's a risk though for the developers. Sometimes controls that are too easy make me feel like I'm just running through the game and not achieving anything. I guess this is one of those swords with a double edge.
@DarkNinja9 If those options exist.
@Grumblevolcano Has been confirmed already.
Gyro or GTFO for me!
well im looking forward to this game, more nintendo released info about upcoming games, the better they look
Ive played a fair share of games with overly complicated controllschemes in my days:
Armored Core for instance, with camera controlls mapped to all four shoulder buttons, the original "I am Bread"
Project Slypheed, where every button had at least 3-4 different funktions. A whole macro keyboard at the palm of your hands.
And many others. Controll schemes are an obstacle, but not a brick wall.
All they have to do is work properly, the rest is just a learning process.
Remember when people claimed that Wonderful 101 was unplayable due to its controlls ?
@DarkNinja9 Yeah - cuz people don't know how to like nice things.
If it's anything like Platinum's other games, replaying Star Fox will be incredibly fun. Generally, first-time plays serve as an 'introduction', with second runs acting as the meat and potatoes.
Combine this with the multiple storyline routes of Star Fox, and I can see Zero having a tonne of replay value.
The point that Nintendo seem to miss these days is that if you try the game in a shop or at a friends on house you are very unlikely to purchase the game because of the controls. Nintendo try to reinvent game controls when there really is no need. They perfected gaming control on the N64.
@Einherjar W101 didn't even have hard controls. People are just flat out lazy today and afraid of change or learning something new.
@Einherjar and how well did w101 sell?
@FragRed my thoughts exactly.
@Boxmonkey vgcharts say 330k but that does not include digital sales. Not great and less than it deserved. It was a good game.
@Boxmonkey Last time i checked, were talking about complicated controlls ruining games and not their sales.
Please ditch motion controls Nintendo. Give us a normal controller!
Finally a Starfox game with good controls! That's how it should have been on the SNES and N64.
The controls don't worry me too much. In fact I'm looking forward to the challenge of trying to master them. I'm slightly more worried about how sparse the levels looked at E3. Hopefully platinum will sort this out before the game releases as the rouge squadron games from the gamecube days are among my all time favourite.
Since its reveal last year, I thought the GamePad controls seemed like a cool idea. With that being said, chances are my friends will want to try it with a conventional control option.
Didn't they already confirm a standard control option weeks ago?
I've played games like Jungle Climber, Uprising, Canvas Curse and many more that utilize the control scheme.
But I feel that Zero's control Scheme is better than Uprising mainly because it has dual analog support and it looks much easier to control than in uprising which forces you to not only use your basic movement, but to also use the touch screen as well and luckily, this isn't the case for Zero.
@Crimzonlogic What, really? I thought the Wiimote + Nunchuck was super easy to use. Like with all games, once I realized what button does what, it flowed. Plus games with the Wiimote and Nunchuck set up allow me to rest my arms anywhere, granted if I'm not having to point or shake.
I'm willing to give those gyro controls a shot. I'm not a fan of gyro controls on the 3DS since moving the system breaks the 3d sweet spot.
I don't know about anyone else but I am definitely looking forward to utilizing the motion controls since they will likely be more accurate once you get used to them.
Well, after playing Uprising and Splatoon I generally have a harder time playing without than with motion controls.
@Einherjar can the two not be linked? I didn't buy w101 after trying the demo because I hated the controls. I'm sure I'm not the only one, the same thing will happen with Star Fox. And I'm not exactly a casual gamer (Nintendo's target audience) I've just finished Bloodborne which has very tough controls.
@Einherjar I started off drawing the transformations on the tablet, since it was easy to make them, but it was hard to do so in the middle of the action. Even during the cutscenes it was hard to draw a shape that utilized all of my wonderful ones. It wasn't until I tried using the second stick that the controls finally clicked with me.
So if people stick with something, the can learn to master the controls, but the problem lies with people sticking with a game. And that's not something most gamers will be willing to do, unless they feel invested in the game.
As long as I can play the game while looking at the TV and not the gamepad, I'll be as sound as a pound.
The whining about Zero's controls is absolutely pathetic.
@Boxmonkey Im pretty much the opposite. I cant finish a Souls game even if my life depends on it, but i platinumed pretty much all of W101.
W101 had teh exact same controll scheme Bayonetta did. The only difference is the formation feature.
You need to be able to draw whatever you need inbetween combos.
Most of the basic stuff is easily done with the right analog stick.
The sword formation for instance is just a straight line, and its the bare minimum you need to finish the game.
Most people i talked to had problems with the games controll scheme becaus ethey expected it to play differently. They couldnt wrapt their heads around the fact that, although you basically controll 100 characters at the same time, youre just playing a game like Bayonetta or Devil May Cry with a gestures based weapon switch function.
The Souls series doesnt have difficult controlls, it has difficult mechanics. Its about frame timing etc. Button mapping and control schemes are basic hack & slay basics.
Not gonna lie, I could never sit down and really enjoy Kid Icarus Uprising because of the controls, so I hope it isn't like that. The thing that bothered me the most about it is that the game just seemed so fun, I was almost enjoying myself only to try to do something that should be simple - like dodging (in air and on ground) and I would get hit errytime. Perhaps I just wasn't very good at the game, but it wasn't any fun trying to get better lol.
Gamers today are so entitled and whiny. If a game needs a learning curve or to spend a little more than five minutes learning the controls "No fair, too hard!" I miss the good old arcades where everyone would spend days learning their fabourite characters' moveset. If you don't want to spend a little time learning the control scheme, maybe Nintendo's games are not for you?
I'd like to be able to use my Thrustmaster Warthog to fly... it beats any dual-analogue or gyro control for flying games...
First thing I did when getting Splatoon was to try and use a USB mouse to aim. Obviously, it didn't work
Standard USB input support would be so nice to have...
Struggled with Splatoon for a few hours until it clicked. Never got used to Kid Icarus tho and I really (would) like that game. So... let's wait and see.
@Luna_110
I don't think it's gamers necessarily. It's the Internet.
Sounds unlike Nintendo. They're always about games for everyone and accessibility. So weird to hear him state that after 2 days of trying, the fun begins. So you first have to endure 2 days of it not being fun before you can enjoy the game?
I'm sorry but to me this looks like a clear case of 'innovative' controls just for the sake of being innovative.
People have been wanting a real Star Fox game for years and years, had they just made the game as is, only with traditional controls and better graphics (which obviously look as bad as they do because the Wii U has to render everything twice, once for the TV and once for the Gamepad's screen) everybody everywhere would've been thrilled about it.
Most peoples problem with W101 stems from the fact that you have to build up your gauge to draw. If you don't, it doesn't work. You can't just spam drawings thoughtlessly. Keza didn't know this mechanic when she reviewed it for IGN...
Of course he is going to defend his own game. To me Nintendo is becoming irrelevant every day. They can keep their "new ways to play" for all I care. They should innovate with great games, not with gimmicks.
@CB85 Nintendo is all about accessibility? Really? Last time I checked they don't even allow something as simple as customizing controls on their games.
@TeeJay LOL! You mean adults... Kids aren't quitters. Adults are. I've watched my niece and nephews go for hours on a game they suck at... And they come back the next day and keep on truckin'... In fact they're pretty darned good at Tekken these days. if the subject matter appeals to them, they will play regardless of whether or not they are good at it.
they said the same thing about motion controls in Donkey Country Returns and the fun did not begin until the game was finally released on 3DS with proper controls
@garthvader oh snap! That was the best forum post by far! Honest, and straight to the point.
I eventually liked the controls in Splatoon and Kid Icarus Uprising, but it took a lot of gameplay first. We'll have to wait and see how good Star Fox's controls are after playing it for a while, but awkward controls could put people off the game.
"after one or two days"
But isn't the whole game only 2 or 3 hours?
I'm ok w/ things taking a long time to learn and master, in Xenoblade Chornciles it took me about 50 hours to start making gems and even at 105 hours I'm still mastering the unity attack (whatever its called, I've only maxed it out once) so I'm ok w/ learning things. But when you tell me 1 or 2 DAYS for a game that's only a few hours long, that's a problem.
I'm not too worried about the controls though. Both my kids played Kid Icarus no problem, we all played W101 no problem, we all play Spaltoon w/ motion no problem. But still, having the guy who made the game say "1 or 2 days" instead of something like "10 or 15 minutes" is warning sign.
I wonder if that means demo or no demo? It was nice to spend time playing the W101 demo before we got the game. Made it much easier to jump into. If it's going to take 1 or 2 days hopefully they'll put out a demo level w/ no restrictions. Target has the single player only Spaltoon demo, it could happen.
Very unusual for Miyamoto to do anything "complex" these days. He usually seems terrified of confusing gamers.
A man choses, a slave obeys.
Nintendo, would you kindly put in completely customizable controls?
A little complex is okay. Now if he says a little complex compared to a game from Platinum, then I might worry a little.
People didn't exactly like the Wii Zapper controls for Call of Duty at first. Now you hear about how vastly superior the scheme is to conventional controls. They're far more responsive and far more accurate than the regular control scheme ever was.
Sure, they'll whine about it at first, but the goal for StarFox Zero, it seems, is complete immersion with this control scheme. Bring it on, Miyamoto-san. I can take it. Let the brine-y noobs crawl through the ink back to their gamepads, keyboards and mice.
Kid Icarus Uprising all over again? Worst controls ever and they defended that too. Sometimes, conventional controls are ok Nintendo. If this game is hampered by another shoehorned kooky control scheme (Other M) I'm gonna be sad. Been waiting a long time for a true StarFox... * sigh *...
@Samuel-Flutter Yup, same here. Drawing the shapes with the stick, the controlls are as complicated as a fighting game.
You know what to do, now its just doing it properly and in time.
Its definitly hard, no question, but its absolutely doable with a little training and will.
And ill never understand people not investing time to learn a game properly. Why do i even bother to play games then, if im only willing to play games that either all controll the same or are basically playing themselfes ?
For me, getting a hang of a games controll scheme, its mechanics and physics is part of the experiece.
If this was PilotWings that had a cockpit view on the gamepad the internet would be praising the use.....but it is Star Fox and how dare Nintendo experiment with our beloved Fox.
Seems like a cool idea to me. Can't wait to barrel roll pass Slippy while taking out an enemy on his 6 only to flip to my right and save Falco from impending doom.
I hope this game is Nintendo hard and I struggle to get through each and every level
Sounds like a type of control I can get behind. Like those listed games and Wonderful 101, it wasn't that the controls are hard, it just different than what we're used to. It's like learning to play video games for the first time again. Once you get used to the new controls, it becomes second nature. I guess that's why the younger generation can adapt better to games like this than a good amount of people in my gen and maybe older (in my experience).
The only way I can think is too complex is when you a game that uses a lot of buttons for different things and/or crazy movements in-game with different button combo to execute certain moves like most fighting games.
If Miyamoto says the fun will begin, then the fun will begin. If you hadn't noticed, the N64 controller does not plug into the Wii U. Sometimes games need to do things differently, they just need to do that. Even the... yes, the controls.
Splatoon has unconventional controls? It's a twin stick shooter with motion for precision.
I'm all for different controls. Games get boring when they all control the same way, like 80% of all games nowadays. And Nintendo usually makes games as simple as possible (which people complain about) so it's nice to see them trying more complex controls (which people complain about).
So what you're saying is that I get better at playing the game by playing the game? Yeah ok.
Sorry, but the core controls have always been fine, there is no reason to experiment with them by adding gimmicky dual screen and gyro controls to them.
If anything IR controls would have been the best for Star Fox.
Miyamoto is stuck in the 90s.
I love gyro controls... It's just looking back and forth between screens that I'm not a fan of.
Good. I live for complexity and learning curves. This ain't the App Store this is home console gaming. I expect nothing less
Off-tv play, please.
I think he said after two days to cover the slow people out there as a lot of people at E3 got the controls during their second demo play.
Also if the duel screen and gyro are a gimmick so is anything but a joystick with one button. Maybe keep a simple option for those that want the same thing again and again. You can even have a select screen with standard controls or a picture of a baby playing with a pro controller.
Feel free to call me lazy if you want, but my opinion on control schemes is simple. The less buttons and craziness you have to fight to play a game, the better. A control scheme in my opinion should be easy to understand within five minutes of playing a game, and should feel natural to the player.
Were Wii Sports and Super Mario Bros enjoyable because they had simple, easy to understand control schemes? You don't have to go nuts with dual screens, motion controls, gyroscope support, and other things to have a deep game.
Virtua Fighter is considered the deepest fighting game series on the market, and it relies on a three button scheme(4 in Virtua Fighter 3). Its entire depth is based around how those buttons are used. Look at Smash Bros, again it uses a simple control scheme.
I don't agree with this mindset. Games with complicated controls are a turn-off for me, and I have walked away from or traded off games that were harder to play then they should be.
That's the main reason why I don't play games on the PC outside of Simcity 3000 or Simtower. When you have 20 buttons all over the keyboard, and then mouse buttons that are needed to control a game, then I'm not interested in playing, especially when console versions of the same games offer simpler controls.
As I said before, feel free to call me lazy or afraid of change. But I think no game should have a player fight with the controls to enjoy it. Why should I take days to master this new Star Fox's control scheme when I could understand the control scheme of the SNES Star Fox and Star Fox 64 in about 5 minutes?
Why fix something that is not broken?
It's not the same as before, raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Learn controls, git gud, enjoy.
I'll give the controls a fare try.
@LUIGITORNADO Stuck in the 90's because he's giving us a brand new way to play that's never been possible before?Yep so 90's.
Nope, graphics aren't good enough, game is going to be horrid.
People complaining that they have to learn new controls. It's like I'm on a board full of people who've never even played a video game before.
If I can play Kid Icarus, Monster Hunter and Splatoon fine, I'm pretty sure Starfox Zero's controls won't be hard to master.
And then people say Nintendo doesn't use the GamePad. They actually use it a lot all the time. The only game they didn't was Tropical Freeze.
That's right the graphics su-...wait, we're complaining about controls now? I can't keep up with you kids. >_> lol
Give me traditional controls and we're good. I dislike motion controls in my games.
@boxmonkey Except if you go over to a friends house to play Wii U games you probably dont own one yourself, so your not gonna buy the game anyway. Anyone who owns a Wii u will not be intimidated by these controls. Splatoon is incredibly rewarding to play due to the mastery available to you in the control scheme. Bring on the motion controls!!
It would be nice to have a choice between the new control scheme and the original, but screw it, I've been waiting years for a new Star Fox. I'll get used to the controls.
@Einherjar ha, remember the Mechwarrior series? That game was my first into to complicated controls in games.
Gyro controls are good for precise aiming. However, they're made better by control stick support as well. I would have stuck with motion controls on Splatoon if vertical movement with the right stick wasn't disabled.
@LUIGITORNADO Well tough luck they made the game with motion controls. Now quit acting like you know whats best, and turn them off when the game comes out. Do you know how useless this arguement is? You dont have to use them!! Ppl just like complaining and acting like they know what Nintendo should or shouldnt do. Your not game designers. You put a millisecond of thought into your arguement. The basic controls are there for those of you who dont have to skill to learn a new control scheme. It blows me away that Nintendo tries to appease the motion control critics by putting basic controls in the game, and then you chastise them anyway... so selfish. Hiw about trying something new? How about not being closed minded to anything that doesnt look like a duel shock?
@Mr_Zurkon Sadly, i never played those (shame on me).
Im just not a big fan of their mech designs. I much prefer humanoid designs over these chicken tanks and thats what kept me away from the series.
But yeah, i know of its complex controll schemes
How about Steel Batallion ? Might take a while to get used to this one
Miyamoto is the worst salesman ever. He is honest but only talk the bad details. C'mon "two days" ? What about deep and detailed controls that gets better the more you play? Same message, positive approach.
@Wii-1 What are you talking about? Many of the best games ever made have pick up and play style controls. The depth in those games did not come from forcing the player to use some weird or complicated control scheme, but from the depth of the gameplay itself.
Let me use Virtua Fighter as an example. Virtua Fighter 1, 2, 4, and 5 all have a three button control scheme which is a Punch, a Kick, and a Guard Button. A player walking up to play Virtua Fighter can quickly figure out the basic controls of the game.
But here's the kicker, Virtua Fighter with only three buttons(4 in VF3) is widely considered the deepest fighting game series ever made. The depth comes not from forcing the player to master an complicated control scheme, but from the button combinations that lead to various moves.
As for your Mario Kart example, something to keep in mind is that no Mario Kart has ever had a complicated control scheme. In general, Mario Kart has an accelerate, a brake, a button for going into slides(not sure what to call it) and the control pad or analog stick for controlling the Kart.
What you are talking about is not depth in terms of mastering a complicated control scheme, but mastering the gamer mechanics themselves. Most people can pick up and play Mario Kart in minutes. The challenge is mastering the gameplay mechanics for the Karts and knowing the courses themselves.
Again, like the VF example. Mario Kart offers a simple control scheme, but tons of depths in its gameplay.
Pick up and play games have always existed. As I said before some of your best games have easy to pick up control schemes, but deep gameplay.
If you have to defend your point, that means you are admitting your point is flawed and therefore you have just forfeited the argument.
To be honest, if it were not for Star Fox Zero's usage of the Gamepad, I probably wouldn't be interested in picking this game up day one.
I'm a huge fan of the gamepad though, and like what I'm hearing in regards to how the gamepad is used for this game. It also helps that I quite like gyro controls, and was a big fan of using them in Star Fox 64 3D.
"There are two screens, that is making it complicated" Instead: "There are two screens, I can do different things on them."
But in my opinion it's because make things complicated, and also I really dislike that they reduced the graphics so much.
@FragRed bingo! This is right on, I remember when Metroid Prime hunters came out for the DS, great game but I was always fighting the controls, and I never finished the game due to that issue.
My argument
Why use super precise buttons when instead you can just flail your arms with motion controls!-Jontron 2006
Also Nintendo said them selves that the Wii u dual screen thing is kinda a fail. It's almost impossible to pay attention to both screens at the same time. At least we can turn the motion control s off so it won't be much of a problem.
Miyamoto has lost his way a bit it seems. There was a time where he'd be the one saying that controls need to be easy to pick up play but hard to master*—as well as intuitive and fun—not clunky and gimmicky, unintuitive and not particularly suited to the game they've been added to.
Also; check out this quote from the developer of the new Animal Crossing game:
"I wouldn’t want to add a feature where people thought it was about time or expected the next iteration would have."
That right there sums up perfectly why many gamers and once loyal fans are leaving Nintendo left, right and centre.
*'Master' in terms of using them in tricky situations that test your true gamer skills but not in terms of having to faff around for a day just to even get used to them a be able to use them half competently in the first place.
Remember wii music anyone? Lol
If it plays like Splatoon, I'm all in.
i'm for new and interesting ways to control games. kid icarus was great! it was a all new experience in an established genre.
This is the exact opposite way that Nintendo used to do things, which also happened to be the kind of thinking that originally made them such a strong game company.
@Caryslan I never was good at Virtua Fighter... Controls were simply too wonky. Always amazed me that they made any sequels.
I think he confused 'complex' with 'convoluted'
Who let the Troll out?
Wow... Is everyone whining about control schemes they have yet to touch? Weird. I understand the complaint over visual medium, but this? You ain't touched the controls yet! C'mon folks, this is insane, unless you have played the game in person, you're just trolling.
If people want simple controls and simple game-play mechanics, then maybe mobile is the platform for them.
I remember the days when people actually needed to read their instruction manuals before booting up their new game.
@shinesprite
Are those the days where the manual said 'press A to shoot and B to jump'?
Sounds like this control scheme is a little bit different.
Control learning curve is good. It's like learning how to wall jump in Metroid games. Takes time and is quite rewarding to get good.
@garthvader: Yep, that's the whole problem. Most of the people aren't ready anymore to learn something new. They just want to be entertained quickly. It's a shame, really. Sometimes I think it's the fault of Playstation/Xbox and mobile gaming. Those platforms are made to be convenient, not innovative. Back in the days when games were generally harder, no one complained about it. Instead gamers wanted to master the hard games.
Nowadays there are still hard games and core gamers that want to master them. But there so many more "normal" or even "casual" gamers that destroy the art of game design, because every game has to be accessible for a wider audience.
Mariokart is probably the best example. The very first one on SNES had only a few items and the CPU always cheated by using items without having to pick them up. That game was really hard! But since N64, more and more items were added that on the one hand added randomness and one the other introduced a kind of handicap function, because when you're behind you get way more powerful items than on SNES.
Not that I don't love the recent Mariokart games, but they are way easier than the first one.
@EngieBengie: Absolutely!
@FragRed: First of all, that's really lazy. And second of all: I'm pretty sure it won't take a usual gamer 1-2 days. We're talking about a Nintendo game here! They are hard to master, but never hard to get into. Especially if you have some experience with the peripherals.
I'll bet it won't take me more than 30 minutes or at max, 1-2 hours. But surely not 1-2 days!
Miyamoto just has to say this for the less experienced players, because for those it could actually take 1-2 days, if they're no quicklearners.
@Dr_Corndog: So you're one of the lazy ones? I guess then you aren't really interested in playing something artful and innovative, you don't want to get the creators vision, but instead you like shallow entertainment and want every game to be exactly like the game before?
To anyone who feels like playing on a dual-screen-setup would be overwhelming to you: Play Affordable Space Adventures! It trains you to have both screens in mind when you're playing. Also, it's a great game.
By the way, at the end of that interview, Miyamoto states that they let test groups play the game and observed them while they were playing. This way they found out what kind of difficulties the players had and could use that feedback to improve the game. So I'm pretty sure Starfox Zero won't be that hard to control at all. Don't be so scared.
Funny thing though: I never would've expected to see a Spiegel Online article recited on NL. ^^
@MitchVogel: Does any of you guys speak German or how did you find that interview?
Haha wow, I did not expect this much response! Personally, I enjoy games like this with unconventional controls as, at least with Nintendo, it's usually to the game's benefit.
Since Star Fox is co-developed with Platinun, this is going to be most likely a W101/Bayonetta case: you will be able to play right off the bat, but don't expect you'll get 100% that way. If you want to get the higher ranks/medals/whatever they put in, you'll have to invest time. It's a fair trade-off - the game can't please everyone, there are other games that have simpler controls. I know that I'm happy for this, if Star Fox won't have better graphics, at least it deserves an awesome control scheme that makes us work for those high scores!
Honestly the control scheme doesn't seem hard at all. It's just different, and new. You tilt the game pad to move the reticle separate from moving your ship, simple. And on occasion you'll have to look at the gamepad when the main screen goes all cinematic, like in free range mode. It's really simple to understand, so I doubt it'd be incredibly hard to get into. Just don't expect it to have the same exact control scheme as 64. If it did, well, this game wouldn't be that "new" now would it?
Can't wait for Star Fox Zero... It's Going to be Amazing!!!!!!!
@Platypus101 Many have played this game. There are previews. The interviewer played it. I have a couple of friends who went to an event where they played it. Every one of them couldn't enjoy the game cause of the controls. I don't understand Miyamoto's statement. It can be fun taking your time mastering a game, but mastering controls is never fun.
I'll just wait to try the controls myself.
@Luna_110
Amen to that
It's games like these that make me miss Blockbuster. Sure, I will be buying Star Fox Zero on day 1, but I have been a fan of the series for about 18 years.
I think rentals would help some people who are on the fence determine for themselves whether they can grasp the controls or not. I am not worried, as I was one of the many who stuck through the difficult controls for Kid Icarus, and I still hold the game in high regard because I could see, even as I was struggling for control, that what was going on the screen was interesting and fun.
I guess we do have redbox and GameFly now, but I have never used any of those services for video games, and seldom for movies. I did, however, used to go to Blockbuster every single weekend to try new games for as long as I could remember, all the way up to when I was buying up inventory during their last weeks.
I'm fine with that, personally. But as other people said, not everyone has that much patience.
Still, I imagine the game will sell well enough. And chances are I'll be among the ones getting it.
@JeffreyG
Definately.
Comming from kb-mouse, gyro controls is a far superior control method to just plain old sticks.
Anyone complaining can't have tried the splatoon controls for more than a minute or two. It just works. Its that simple.
I like the idea. It makes thematic sense. I just hope the fact you're still moving it isn't too brain busting.
The apologetics for Nintendo in here is overwhelming. So much "Nintendo can do no wrong" in this article, it's dizzying. This is a company that built their reputation on the ease of getting into a game and understanding it. Now, their fans are defending them for doing the exact opposite--evidently creating a complicated, notably confusing control system just to justify the existence of a controller no one asked for. But it's okay, because Nintendo. It's automatically going to be awesome, because StarFox. It hurts no one to be skeptical of what they're doing with this game. But no one benefits from blind gullibility. Oh well.
I know Miyamoto has all these ideas about "changing gaming with hardware", but most people who have played Star Fox Zero at E3 have just said the touch screen controls were clunky and didn't make the game more fun to play, and when playing without the touch screen controls, the game didn't seem to be innovating that much over the original Star Fox 64 game play wise.
Well, we'll see.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/08/shigeru_miyamoto_confidently_outlines_nintendos_move_from_casual_to_core
Haven't you heard? Shigeru Miyamoto is done with casuals who won't take an extra initiative and take on a challenge. Learn the new controls, you dirty-rotten-pathetic-casuals who can only play games one way.
Seriously though. Are you a gamer or not? Try new stuff. All the excuses not to just sound like whining to me. "It will be difficult for me, my arms are weak, I need to be comfortable, I need it to be simple, 1 or 2 DAYS is 48 hours of game play before I have fun, I don't like challenges" lol.
Okay, I'm still being snarky but I'm trying not to. :/
Judging from other game control scenarios I've heard people whine about I'm expecting to love this one as well. Video games used to be so much more about learning how to play and what to do and mastering a new way to play. At least it seemed that way to me. Now, are people expecting it to work like the last game they played? No fun. Missing out on so much.
@Quorthon finally some rational thinking in this comment section.
@aaronsullivan learning how to be good at a game is fun, learning how to get used to bad controls isn't.
@TheFurminator I agree. What's your definition of bad controls? Many on here act like it's anything they haven't used before or can't immediately grasp. I'd say it's infantile but infants are much more willing to try new ways of interacting with their world.
The person here on Nintendo Life that didn't like the controls did a fine job of sharing honestly enough that it was very transparent he was fighting for them to work the old way without giving the new way a chance. His muscle memory from the old game he'd played very often getting in the way (was expecting to get high scores). This doesn't mean the controls are in any way bad to me. Just he can't adjust. Another opinion article gave the controls a great review. Guess what, he had an open mind to the new controls.
Who's winning, the stubborn one who won't move out of their myopic comfort zone or the one who has the big grin on their face having clearly mastered the controls to the point of doing more than was possible with the old control scheme (like a Treehouse Live player demonstrated).
I get that lazy waggle has left a bad taste in people's mouths but that is long over, IMO. Gyro GamePad controls have more than proven themselves to me since hours with my family in Metroid Blast and Battle Quest in Nintendo Land the first week after launch, some people are finally catching on with Splatoon.
I'm guessing most experienced Wii U gamers with an open mind will catch on after one stage when they are at home. Sadly experienced Wii U owners with an open mind seem to be a rare breed.
It seems to me that this message is addressed to the general Nintendo audience used to 2D Marios and Mario Kart as well. But maybe he is thinking of the stubborn resistance that some core gamers can have to anything they aren't accustomed to in controllers.
Maybe he isn't confident in it. Maybe it's not as great as he'd hoped. I'm trying it out for sure though and nothing I've seen or heard has me worried except for last year's introduction where I thought it was going to be crazy different from from the original two games.
Instead it seems like a cool enhancement. I still hope for more inspired stages while expecting fun and wacky boss stages from Platinum. Being developed in one year, at least we get a new experience and not just the same thing.
Worried me a bit that you'll be able to turn off the gyro controls, too.
After 1 or 2 days?! That's not the accesability nintendo is known for!
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