More thoughts on the Wii zapper

by Ross Miller { Jul 13th 2007 at 5:48AM }

After our initial trial with the Wii zapper, we decided to take a second look at it. Is the newly-revealed attachment a gimmick or an integral part of gameplay? Capcom has the attachment on display at their mini-booth in the Barker Hanger at E3 and we were able to run through a demo of Resident Evil: Umbrealla Chronicles with the peripheral.

The control scheme is altered for using the zapper. Shooting is done with the trigger, while you look around with the control stick. The buttons on the nunchuk are surprisingly still accessible and needed for swapping weapons. Holding the gun and aiming proved to be awkward at first, and only slightly awkward as we kept playing. Reloading was accomplished by shaking the zapper.

Though the top buttons of the remote were accessible, we found it uncomfortable to do so when we had to hold the A button, the C button on the nunchuk, and then the trigger to lob a grenade (replace trigger for a gun shake to slash with your knife). It works fine, but the feeling of intuitive controls was at that moment lost for us.

For those wondering, the Capcom representative we spoke said the gun was not going to be compatible with Resident Evil 4. The Wii zapper is indeed interesting, but our initial impression using it with Umbrella Chronicles is that it doesn't add that much to what we'd enjoy with simply the remote-nunchuk combination.

Tags: capcom, e3, e307, handson, impressions, residentevil, umbrellachronicles, wiizapper, zapper

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Nerds With Attitude @ Jul 13th 2007 6:53AM

Here Nintendo, have my money, I don't want it.

Gavin @ Jul 13th 2007 7:01AM

Hey, that looks absolutely idiotic!!!

People complain about Sony screwing you on a high priced system, but Nintendo will nickle and dime you to death over the long run with shoddy crap like this. Remember how much the blasters were used on NES and SNES? Expect as much support for this crap.

JodyAnthony @ Jul 13th 2007 10:33AM

yeah, i can't believe nintendo! i mean it's not like you can play games without this attachment.

Purple Haze @ Jul 13th 2007 7:15AM

It doesn't look like it's worth paying $19.99 for but aren't they packing it in with Resident evil for the holidays or something?

@ Gavin
They can't nickel and dime you unless you let them, and they aren't making you buy anything you don't want anyway.

Gavin @ Jul 13th 2007 7:37AM

Yeah, they aren't nickel and diming me, because I'm not a moron. Pay top dollar for recyled ROMs as well....not me though. I'm not a sucker. There are plenty of idiots out there lapping this stuff up like it is some kind of real innovation. P.T. Barnum would be impressed.

Babel @ Jul 13th 2007 12:19PM

The irony of course being that you are, in fact, a moron.

greatslack @ Jul 13th 2007 8:39AM

Unless you are left-handed, I think it might have felt awkward because you were pulling the trigger with your left hand. I tried playing Duck Hunt with my left hand and the aiming was not as natural as with my right.

WoW @ Jul 13th 2007 8:45AM

WOW that looks SO AKWARD. Why 2 hands... Cmon, if your gonna do it, do it RIGHT!!!
Let me tell ya, what Great Designers for that one... LOL

Stupidiot @ Jul 13th 2007 9:10AM

Yeah! Real men only shoot their Wii with one hand! (sorry, please don't kill me!)

Slvrgun @ Jul 13th 2007 9:09AM

This was made purely for the suckers.

tcc3 @ Jul 13th 2007 9:14AM

Its funny that they pushed the idea that complicated modern controllers turned new users away. Now they are discovering that you really do need many buttons, and they need to be easily accessible.

So they've actually made things worse. In a lot of ways this looks more awkward than the often hated N64 controller.

Someone once made a joke about how the next Nintendo system would need your friend to push one of the buttons (it was a satyric criticism of the awkward GC Z button). Looks like they were onto something.

Alex S. @ Jul 13th 2007 10:59AM

I loved the N64 controller...

tcc3 @ Jul 13th 2007 11:19AM

I did too, it was revolutionary for its day. Once you got over not really needing the dpad, and grasping by the center handle it was fine.

But to hear some people talk on "Teh Intertubes" it was the worst controller ever.

majortom1981 @ Jul 13th 2007 12:17PM

Actuallly from what other sites have stated the wii zapper is much better when used with ghost squadron

Borat @ Jul 13th 2007 12:54PM

So how does the game know that you are using a Zapper? Do you have to change the settings in the game or what? Because it seems like it's nothing more than a hunk of plastic.

Mathew Howland @ Jul 13th 2007 12:59PM

This controller allows for left-handed gamers to enjoy First-person shooters on the Wii! With all the great press Metroid Prime 3 is getting, it could be one of the all time greats in gaming if the controls work perfectly with the zapper.

Jackson Pritt @ Jul 13th 2007 1:01PM

I'm glad Joystiq is giving Nintendo some flack for this half-assed controller shell. I'm excited about FPS games on the Wii and I think a controller shell could be very helpful, but the one that Nintendo is showing at this E3 just isn't the right solution. The Wii is elegant in its simplicity and ease of use, and this complicated and awkward looking add-on seems in direct contrast with everything Nintendo is trying to do with the Wii.

The gun shell that Nintendo showed at *last* E3 looked like a sure-fire winner, so I'm surprised that they strayed away from it. Some people have cited cost concerns since the old gun shell seemed to totally replace the Nunchuck, but if they can sell the Nunchuck for $19.99 I don't see why they couldn't sell something that was basically a Nunchuck that was shaped like a pistol grip for the same price.

Obi-Habby @ Jul 13th 2007 1:38PM

I thought the old gun looked really sharp too, but looking at it compared to the new one I can tell why they did the two hand approach. The original zapper design had the trigger at the back next to the handle like a real gun, but the analog was also right there on top. I dont know about you but using the analog with your thumb and the trigger with your index finger sounds pretty difficult and sloppy. If you were to use the analog with your other hand then both your hands are right on top of each other and it will screw with the weight(front heavy) and aiming with the gun that long and both your hands on/by the handle.

I think where this new design will excel the most will be with Medal of Honor and the other FPS games they choose to use this with. The only think I would change is having the nunchuk be built into the handle. I'm sure it would feel more solid that way, and would merit a $20 purchase.

As for the pack in software can anyone say Duck Hunt?

sayhellotomylittlefriend @ Jul 13th 2007 1:51PM

what other major 1st person shoters are coming out for the wii

Barry McAuley @ Jul 15th 2007 4:40PM

The only point to this periperal i can think of is from a design p.o.v. If the designers know that the nunchuck and reomte are in line with eachother then they will be to do some interesting things. It could allow for some cool melle attacks, initiated by swinging the nunchuck upwards. Actions initiated through movements to the left and right, such as the protagonist diving said direction, might be made more reiable.

Deaddy @ Jul 13th 2007 3:28PM

From what I've seen, I'd rather play RE UC without the shell. You can't really rest your elbow on your lap and do a subtle flick to reload with a shell, which is how i play in RE4.

Splinter @ Jul 13th 2007 4:01PM

If nintendo had only stuck to their original shotgun style zapper, but no, it looks too much like a real weapon.

J-Guy @ Jul 13th 2007 7:41PM

It looks okay, but it really depends on how the controls are. For example, this:

"hold the A button, the C button on the nunchuk, and then the trigger to lob a grenade "
Is the wrong way to set up the controls. Can you imagine holding the Zapper that way?