Marvel’s Iron Man VR, released on July 3, 2020, is an ambitious work.
Not only does it have a miniature garden space where you can move freely 360 degrees, but the operation using two PlayStation Move motion controllers is very unique. With your palms facing your back, you can enjoy the unmistakable “Iron Man” experience of flying around using the propulsion force.
There are many other systems that take advantage of Iron Man’s features and charms, and the result is a stunning result that reveals the meaning of creating a VR game with an Iron Man theme and adopting a unique control method.
Personally, I was particularly impressed with the operation using two Moves. This is because there was a fun way to move it that you couldn’t get with a traditional controller.
Unique and well-established controls
Looking back, since the huge success of the Nintendo DS in 2004 and the Wii in 2006, the controllers and consoles of today’s game consoles have come equipped with some special functions. Gyro sensors, pressure sensitive & capacitive touch screens, touch pads, etc. Microphones, which were once found on Family Computers, are also making a comeback.
Particularly in the early days of the Nintendo DS and Wii, games were released one after another that took advantage of these features and provided new controls. A new controller for the PlayStation 3, the “PlayStation Move Motion Controller”, which seems to have been inspired by the success of the Wii, also had a number of exclusive titles released at the time of its release. Subsequently, the Nintendo 3DS, WiiU, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita all had some kind of function on both the console and the controller, and many games were created that featured operations that took advantage of these functions.
What is the appeal of games that require such special controls?
I think it’s the “fun of moving” and “touchability” that you can never experience with conventional controllers. One example of this would be the realization of a game based on a subject matter that had been difficult until now.
The aforementioned Iron Man VR can be said to be a symbol of this.
Looking back at the past, the “Caduceus” series released by Atlus for the Nintendo DS is also a distinctive title. This game is an action game based on surgical operations, in which players use
scalpels and other medical instruments to defeat the disease that ravages patients.
This game was only possible thanks to the touch screen and stylus of the Nintendo DS, and it was very popular, especially overseas, and was turned into a series.
Later, a new game using the Wii remote control and nunchuk controller was released, and although the latest work at this point is from 10 years ago, “HOSPITAL. 6 Doctors” shows exactly what you can do with those controls. It can be said that this is an ambitious work that poured everything into it.
Another attractive feature of the special operation is its high level of comfort.
For example, if you trace the “touch pad” of the PlayStation 4’s standard controller “DUAL SHOCK4” in a specified direction, you can instantly change weapons.
“Far Cry 4” released by Ubisoft uses this control, allowing players to change weapons without displaying the wheel menu screen for displaying and selecting equipped firearms. This is especially useful during gunfights where you have to deal with multiple enemies. The design is extremely comfortable, as you can switch between menus without having to press the button that displays the menu.
There is also a function that instantly tells you your next objective using a similar operation.
“Ghost of Tsushima”, which was recently released on July 17, 2020, uses this, and it is a unique game that lets you know the direction in which the wind blows as you trace it. It has become. In that case, it may be tempting to complain that it would be convenient to always display a marker
in the direction of the destination, but thanks to the little information displayed on the screen, you can enjoy and enjoy the nature of Tsushima, where the setting is set, to your heart’s content. be able to. It is unique in its sense of “moving forward as the wind guides” and is very unique in that it expresses a playful place that matches the worldview.
Furthermore, the gyro sensor enables intuitive aiming operation.
It has had such an impact that it has drastically changed the play style of shooter games such as FPS and TPS, and Nintendo’s Splatoon in particular has been a key player in making its comfort known. Currently, the Nintendo Switch version of “Fortnite” supports gyro operation, which is a different strength from other versions.
This type of control method, which can be called “unique,” provides fun that you have never experienced before, and solves problems that sometimes felt inconvenient. When I think about the past, when various games were created within the framework of a cross key and buttons, I feel that we are now pursuing and realizing a truly rich variety of “movement methods”.
Because it is unique, it can cause injury if used incorrectly.
However, there are many games where the new control method is used incorrectly.
The reality is that there are many cases where it can be asserted that “conventional controller operation is better” or “there is no point in adopting it.”
I’ve encountered this type of game several times and found myself asking, “Do I need to use this?” This is especially true for those who are experiencing unnecessary stress due to the adoption of new operating methods.
It reminds me of “Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA f-” which was released in the early days of PSVita. In this work, the fourth in the series, a new star-shaped rhythm note called “Scratch” was added. If you rub the PSVita’s touch screen or the touch pad on the back, you can enjoy rhythm games with the same feel as if you were pulling the strings of a guitar.
However, it didn’t go well with the content of the game, which relies mainly on button operations, and there was also a problem where it was judged that it was not rubbed even though it was rubbed, and the operation feeling was not good. Once I set the touchpad on the back to rub, it became stable, and as advertised, I was able to enjoy the feel that I had never seen before in the series, as if I was plucking the strings of a guitar.
However, this point became a hindrance when trying to achieve a perfect clear, so I still couldn’t shake my disappointment. It would be fine if you were just clearing the game normally, but the control method placed an unnecessary burden on the player, and the new control method with new elements had an undeniable feeling of being idle.
After the PSVita version, the PlayStation 3 version was released, but in that version the scratch function was changed to flicking the stick. In the sequel “Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- F2”, the PSVita version also has a touch screen option. Naturally, there are almost no false positives when operating the stick. This proves the pointlessness of adopting it.
Donkey Kong Returns, which was released on the Wii in 2010, is another example of disappointing new controls. This is the latest work in the “Super Donkey Kong” series, with a completely new production team, and it uses a Wii remote control or Wii remote + nunchuck style controls.
However, the main character Donkey Kong’s main action, the “rolling attack,” which is often used for both attacks and movement, was surprisingly changed to involve shaking the Wii remote or nunchuck.
In the old series, it was a button, but for some reason it was made to have a unique operation. As a result, the usability is worse than the old series. In particular, he intended to use the same “hand slap” by shaking the remote control and nunchaku, but ended up doing something unexpected, such as falling into a hole and making a mistake if he was in the wrong place.
Once you get used to it, you’ll be able to use it naturally, and there’s also the breakthrough of being able to use it with nunchaku relatively smoothly. However, there was little point in daring to use this method for actions that were originally button-operated, and the issue of accidental firing ended up outweighing the disadvantages. The same operation, “hand slap,” is particularly special because it has a natural, even fun, feel.
As expected, the next work “Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze” returns to button operation. “Donkey Kong Returns 3D”, which was previously ported to the Nintendo 3DS, also adopted button controls, improving usability.
If I were to write down my personal thoughts, I still strongly believe that “Donkey Kong Returns” is the masterpiece of the series, but this is the only point that I am deeply disappointed in. When I played it, I thought, “If you press the buttons…!” My frustration kept exploding.
I eventually got used to it, but I wouldn’t say I accepted it.
In addition to these examples, there is also “Akumajo Dracula: Cross of the Blue Moon” where you are forced to draw a magic circle called a “magic circle” with a touch pen every time you deliver the final blow to a boss, and by holding the main body vertically and tilting it to draw the character. There are games such as “Mario & Luigi RPG 4 Dream Adventure,” which features boss battles in which players are forced to operate in unstable ways.
There was also a 3DS game where you were forced to sing through a microphone, although I won’t name the title because it would be a serious spoiler. Moreover, this game is basically controlled using the slide pad and buttons. Then, at the very end, I was suddenly asked to sing. What’s more, it’s a boss battle, so if you don’t sing, you’ll definitely lose. Needless to say, I was shocked. (By the way, I am a big fan of karaoke!)
When I experience this kind of operation, I can only sigh. At the same time, it makes me think about the dangers of adopting it for existing game genres, where the fun and comfort of conventional controllers has been established. Looking back, each example is an existing game genre. In “Donkey Kong Returns,” the controls that were originally buttons were purposefully used. Why would they do something like that in a game that has proven to be fun and stable with button controls?
The reason behind this is probably a desire to promote and use the function in question. Also, since the fun of the game has already been established, we want to expand the possibilities by using new operations. I want to show you the joy of moving like never before. Perhaps that pure desire for novelty led to his hiring. However, it is an operation that can be called “unique”. Because it is unusual, if used incorrectly it can cause serious injuries, even fatal.
A series of examples can be said to prove this.
Of course, thanks to its adoption, a unique operating feel has been realized, which leaves a lasting impression, for better or for worse. However, in the end, the most important thing is that games should be interesting, fun, and enjoyable. If there is even the slightest possibility that it might hinder the strategy and play, or put a burden on the movement method, wouldn’t it be better not to adopt it?
I think that the games I mentioned gave too much priority to novelty. As a result, it was less comfortable than button operations, and was abolished in the sequel.
It’s just a saying, “Then don’t use it.”
However, the use of the right materials in the right places has increased.
As I always think, when it comes to unique operations, I would like you to think about the right people in the right places. The question is whether it will be possible to create games with unprecedented themes using these controls, and whether it will be possible to achieve greater comfort and enjoyment than traditional controllers.
The gyro controls in “Splatoon” can be said to be a perfect example of this success.
The gyro-based shooting control demonstrated by Splatoon also expands the possibilities of existing genres.
This allows for intuitive aiming operations, which require delicate adjustments using the stick. It’s not hard to imagine how comfortable it is. Once you get used to it, you won’t be able to go back to a conventional controller. Unique controls shine when they open up new possibilities like this and make things interesting and fun.
The Iron Man VR and Caduceus series are also iconic examples of games that were made possible by unique controls.
One such example is “Adult DS Training to Train Your Brain,” which was an explosive hit on DS. Recently, a new game has been released for the Nintendo Switch, but it’s still so interesting that you can’t think of any other way to control it. There’s nothing strange about using the new “Motion IR Camera,” and it’s full of charm that was made possible by this operating method and functionality.
In this day and age, games are no longer only played using the cross pad and buttons on a controller. On smartphones, tap and swipe operations are the basics, and VR games are not limited to Iron Man, where you shake the controller directly, and recently, “hand tracking” style, where you operate directly with your hands, has also appeared.
It can be said that they have become established as an inseparable existence.
Because it is unique, there are cases where the above-mentioned mistakes are made in hiring, or cases where people are stubborn about it. However, as the years pass, such games seem to be becoming fewer and fewer.
For example, the Nintendo Switch uses a novel controller called Joy-con, but there are quite a lot of games that have the option to play with the same control method as before, regardless of the function. One example is “Super Mario Odyssey,” which is recommended with Joy-con, but can also be played with a PRO controller. Games with unique control methods, such as “Pocket Monsters: Let’s Go! Pikachu / Let’s Go! Eevee,” are notable for demonstrating the intent of adopting the system and the fun it brings. With the accumulation of experience over many years, it may be that the indicator that “this operation will shine if used here” has gradually become clearer.
What form will this type of unique operation take in the future? Whether it’s in a form that coexists with conventional controls or in a specialized form, the only thing I want is for it to be used to make the game more interesting. I want you to avoid using it in a way that causes discomfort, and consider using the right person in the right place.
It has been revealed that the controller for the PlayStation 5, which is scheduled to be released at the end of the year, will have various functions. I’m sure at first there will be many games that take advantage of these aspects, but I would like them to focus on fun and enjoyment.
Many of the new works that have already been unveiled reveal this attitude, so I look forward to the arrival of an even more ideal form in the future.
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