DS Arkanoid paddle spins into NEW GAME GET territory
Friday, September 21st, 2007 at 9:16am by Jack
Accessories on the whole are usually a mixed bag. The Wii Zapper, for example, is shaping up to be a pale shadow of the original accessory from which it takes its namesake. The Nyko Wii Party Station on the other hand? Crazy awesome fun.
So when I first saw that Taito would be releasing an Arkanoid DS paddle that mimics the old school arcade joystick, I was on the fence (Japan only, so far). But now I want it.
[H]ere’s what I only found out when I got my hands on it: it’s fantastic. It’s not just a little plastic dial. It’s sitting on ball bearings or something, and it’s got momentum and a little bit of kickback to it. That means that it spins incredibly smoothly — if you spin it and let go, it’ll keep whizzing for a good five seconds or so. The response time is perfect.It’s literally just like standing in front of a miniature arcade machine. Remember how much fun it was as a kid to just stand there and spin the dial, even if you weren’t playing the game? That’s what this is like.
The thing with accessories is companies often do them half-assed just to get them out the door in an effort to capitalize on the next big thing (see: iPod accessories, Wii accessories). In Taito’s case, they seem to “get it,” and released a robust piece of plastic with spinning magical gnomes inside that make this accessory a must import item if it ends up never making the trip across the Pacific.
September 21st, 2007 at 9:28 am
I WANT
September 21st, 2007 at 9:31 am
“The Wii Zapper, for example, is shaping up to be a pale shadow of the original accessory from which it takes its namesake.”
How do you figure that, exactly? It comes with a Zelda training game and costs $20 bucks. What’s not to like?
September 21st, 2007 at 11:12 am
It’s just what I’m reading, fairlady, that’s all.
September 21st, 2007 at 12:17 pm
I’m totally getting this!
Arkanoid used to be one of my favorite arcade games, and I’ve avoided getting a console or handheld version because without that spinner, the game is just not fun…
But there are SO MANY great games coming out for DS, it’s insane! There is at least one “must have” coming out every month for that thing!!
September 21st, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Still waiting for the paddle for the bottom of the wii-mote…
September 21st, 2007 at 2:23 pm
why is ‘new game get’ in all caps?
September 21st, 2007 at 2:54 pm
deepthought — you obviously don’t listen to the fine, fine Infendo podcast.
September 21st, 2007 at 4:40 pm
not habitually, it’s true.
September 21st, 2007 at 8:04 pm
I would love to see a LocoRoco type game use this also, except with touch controls to boot. Just an idea.