Kid Icarus Uprising director says dual analog controls would have been 'impossible'

While Kid Icarus: Uprising was showered with critical praise upon its release, there was still one nagging complaint: the controls. So why didn't Uprising offer dual-analog controls? According to Sakurai, that would have been "impossible."

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While Kid Icarus: Uprising was showered with critical praise upon its release, there was still one nagging complaint: the controls. The odd combination of stylus-and-analog stick gameplay was one of the reasons why Nintendo had to bundle the game with a plastic support stand for the 3DS. It would enable players a "comfortable option for playing," suggesting (rightfully) that the game would be uncomfortable without it.

So why didn't Uprising offer a seemingly more sensible solution: support for dual-analog controls (via the Circle Pad Pro)? According to director Masahiro Sakurai, that would have been "impossible."

"Providing support for independent analog control was something that was technically impossible," he told IGN. His argument centers around the quick reaction speed necessary for the game--one that a style would better offer versus an analog stick. "If a player used to touchscreen-based aiming played against someone used to right-analog control, the first player would probably dominate. The speed is on a whole different level." Given online multiplayer is one of the game's selling points, Sakurai couldn't consider different control schemes. (It would be like a controller going against a keyboard and mouse, perhaps.)

What about people that complain about fatigue while playing the game? You're playing it wrong, Sakurai says. "If there are players who say that it makes their hand tired, that's because you're applying too much force. Try to relax and work on building a rhythm to your control. Place the pen in the middle of the touchscreen; when you're flicking it, take the pen off the screen as you're sweeping with it, and stop right there. That's the basic idea."

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 3, 2012 3:30 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Kid Icarus Uprising director says dual analog controls would have been 'impossible'.

    While Kid Icarus: Uprising was showered with critical praise upon its release, there was still one nagging complaint: the controls. So why didn't Uprising offer dual-analog controls? According to Sakurai, that would have been "impossible."

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      May 3, 2012 5:16 PM

      I really don't get the control complaints. I rented it sans stand and play for hours straight without a hitch

      Unless you're Jim Sterling and you have defective sausage hands, KI is A++++++ 11/10 best Nintendo game ever literally ever

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      May 3, 2012 5:19 PM

      Is he really saying a touch screen is more responsive than an analog joystick?

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        May 3, 2012 5:20 PM

        naw, just that analog joysticks would have been impossible

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          May 3, 2012 5:23 PM

          "If a player used to touchscreen-based aiming played against someone used to right-analog control, the first player would probably dominate. The speed is on a whole different level."

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            May 3, 2012 5:31 PM

            i guess that makes sense. you can point at something faster than you can tilt the stick to move a reticle to that same point

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        May 3, 2012 5:31 PM

        The difference is just like M+KB vs controller (as noted in the article), because you can flick 180 w/stylus on the touchscreen just like a mouse in a PC FPS

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          May 3, 2012 5:35 PM

          I don't know how the controls in Kid Icarus work, but for a fps for example, there is 0 way a track pad is more accurate than a mouse or an analog joystick. We've tested joystick vs mouse & keyboard vs trackpad and track pads are not even remotely acceptable for twitch gaming.

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            May 3, 2012 5:36 PM

            A track pad is completely different than using a stylus.

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              May 3, 2012 5:38 PM

              In precision yes but not in reaction time.

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                May 3, 2012 5:46 PM

                Precision probably more so, but there's still way more friction on a track pad than with a stylus.

                Play any sort of shooter on the DS and it's actually very accurate.

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                  May 3, 2012 5:48 PM

                  I played Dementium 1 & 2 and Moon and they were usable but in a mp situation a person with an analog would have smoked me.

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                May 3, 2012 5:53 PM

                It's not as good as a mouse, but if you could magically play Kid Icarus multiplayer with a mouse, you would not be able to tell who was using what. Meanwhile the people who aim with the face buttons (which is about as bad as a 2nd analog stick would be) turn and aim like tanks and get destroyed

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                May 3, 2012 5:58 PM

                But is that a design defect of the track-pad as opposed to the reaction of the player? I would think there is latency introduced via the track-pad and software for it.

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      May 3, 2012 5:51 PM

      So they should have included a thumb stylus, not a stand...

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        May 3, 2012 6:00 PM

        So you couldnt see the screen? No.

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          May 3, 2012 7:11 PM

          They can be fairly long. I used one to play through Moon and Dementium and it was fine.

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      May 3, 2012 7:19 PM

      Such a cool game, I wish there was a Wii version too. Easily the best on 3Ds as far as I know. It's like the smash brothers philosophy applied to a shooty game. dope.

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      May 3, 2012 8:21 PM

      Controls for this game are awesome. Better than playing with a 360 or PS3 controller. Not as good as a mouse and keyboard, but damn close.

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