Summary
- Nintendo's weird console features may be baffling, but they create lasting memories for fans.
- The quirky additions like a GameCube handle or a mic on the DS show that fun is limitless.
- The company's unusual choices, like the Virtual Boy or Wii remotes, prove that Nintendo loves gimmicks.
Nintendo is constantly looking toward the next fun thing to bring to their millions of rabid fans. Over the years, the company has thought up a lot of interesting, out-of-left-field ideas that ended up being smash hits, and helped in creating lasting memories for those who enjoyed Nintendo's consoles as kids.
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They've also made a lot of baffling business decisions, with many of them being connected to the various strange features that have accompanied their many consoles. It seems that, as long as their players are having fun, there is no limit to how weird Nintendo is willing to get.
8 Gamecube Handle
Gamecube
What Makes It Weird?
- It's convenient, but takes up valuable space.
- Players might look funny holding a game console at their side.
The addition of a handle on the back of the Gamecube was a welcome, albeit incredibly weird, addition. Carrying the console around like a briefcase had sort of a novelty to it. Unfortunately, there is no way to detach it, so it always protrudes, taking up space in the TV stand where the console will spend most of its time.
It was, admittedly, a sturdy handle, but it got very little play outside of LAN parties, or minor trips between the living room and the bedroom. Unsurprisingly, no Nintendo console has since incorporated this little feature.
7 The Panasonic Q's...Everything
Panasonic Q
What Makes It Weird?
- Looks nothing like a game system and is very large.
- It has a bunch of buttons and functions that are uncharacteristic of Nintendo.
Not to be mistaken for a karaoke machine, the huge Panasonic Q had a rather sterile, metallic design, a bunch of extra buttons, and a media bar sticking out at the top of it. Despite how it looks, though, the system made an admirable attempt at bringing the GameCube closer to its contemporaries.
This meant it was a functional Nintendo console, with added CD and DVD support, with tons of buttons and a remote to control them. Unsurprisingly, the console was a dud, but it seemingly taught Nintendo a valuable lesson: Don't try to be something they're not.
6 Microphone
Nintendo DS
What Makes It Weird?
- The built-in mic was weird at first, but would start a trend.
- Functional in unconventional ways.
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was a great early attempt at online multiplayer between handhelds, with players able to use the built-in microphone on the DS to chat with friends. This is something that would eventually become standard for handheld gaming devices, but at the time it was a unique feature.
Then, in true Nintendo fashion, things got a little wacky. Pretty much immediately, games began using the microphone for gameplay purposes. One of the most notable examples is the handful of Mario Party DS minigames requiring players to blow into the mic, or shout minor commands into it. As weird as it was, the built-in mic did serve a purpose. It was just weird at the time, and still is in the context of how modern built-in mics are used.
5 3D Slider
3DS
What Makes It Weird?
- Relegates a powerful feature to a simple slider.
- 3D on a small, handheld device was a concept players had to experience to understand.
Upon the 3DS first being revealed, the slider that sat on the side of the top screen was, honestly, a bit unbelievable. How could such a tiny piece of hardware deliver a satisfying experience while incorporating 3D components that could be turned on and off at will? It was truly a beauty players had to see to believe.
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The modern 3D craze was just getting started around the time of the 3DS's release, so the technology was still working out its accessibility angle. As cases of motion sickness were hitting left and right, the 3DS said "if you don't want it, don't use it," and made the slider able to shut the feature off in an instant.
4 C-Stick Nub
New 3DS
What Makes It Weird?
- Extremely small, and has a bit of a learning curve.
- Was barely ever required to play games.
Not a lot of games require the New 3DS C-stick, and it takes a bit of getting used to, meaning it's hard to argue for its necessity. Regardless, it's really nice to have when playing heavy-hitters like Xenoblade Chronicles on the go.
Once players understand it, the cute little nub becomes a joy to use, with it not taking much force to whip the camera around. Just don't expect to get a ton of nuance in movement, like with a home console analog stick. It was a major improvement over the nub of the PSP, but it still wasn't a very precise control stick. Thankfully, very few games were designed around its use.
3 Wii Remote Motion Controls
Wii
What Makes It Weird?
- Had a level of motion control that was unheard of in 2006.
- The controller was usable in many different orientations, depending on the game.
It's hard to put a finger on just what made the Wii such a major success. A big part of it, though, had to have been the unique controls that the Wii remote brought to the table. As weird as they were for the time, they were beyond easy to pick up and enjoy.
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Swinging the Wiimote like a sword in Twilight Princess, or turning it like a steering wheel in Mario Kart are amazing feelings, comparable to using VR for the first time. When paired with the nunchuck for movement, players can't help but get completely immersed. It's a feature that never should have caught on in the era of HD gaming, but somehow, it became legendary.
2 Early VR Functionality
Virtual Boy
What Makes It Weird?
- The world just wasn't ready for it.
- Games were red. So, so red.
Nintendo definitely loves its gimmicks, and while some pan out in the most lucrative ways, some land flat on their face. The Virtual Boy, with its weird red interface (seriously, why was it so red?), falls somewhere close to the latter, as it was a major failure, but not necessarily because it didn't do its job.
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VR in the 90s was just a weird prospect, and definitely one that people were not ready to pay a premium for. Nintendo would come back to the idea later with the kid friendly Nintendo Labo VR Kit, but it's safe to say that another true attempt at breaking into the space isn't in the cards.
1 Saving Miis To The Wii Remote
Wii
What Makes It Weird?
- A completely unique way to share something with friends.
- Saving to a controller is just a really funny idea.
The Wii allowed players to create digital avatars that could be brought into games like Wii Sports Resort for an added layer of customization. But what if players want to take that little pal to a friend's house and load it up onto their Wii for use in games over there? The process is as easy as saving their Mii to their controller.
It's an extremely silly but super fun feature, especially when players reach their Mii Plaza and see a friend's Mii walking around. They could look at it as a reminder of all the good times that were had, as long as they don't mind the clutter on their menu.