GDC09: Waggle finally arrives on DS

by JC Fletcher on Mar 26th 2009 12:40PM

If you thought PDP's motion-based GameTrak Freedom controller for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 was a great idea, prepare to be blown away. At GDC, the company is also showing off a motion controller for ... the Nintendo DS. This huge stick is the SmartStylus, a device that provides various advanced features for the DS, including rumble, uh, blinking lights, and, in one configuration, motion control.

The SmartStylus 1, expected to launch this fall pending Nintendo approval, is basically a Squiggle Wiggle Writer connected via (we believe) a GBA cartridge, acting as a rumble pack. The SmartStylus 2 "can include a variety of added features, including LEDs, sound and motion feedback." Wow, all that in just one hilariously oversized device! After the break we've got a shot, taken by Kevin Kelly, of the SmartStylus display on the show floor.

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Tags: gdc-2009, motion-control, pdp, smart-stylus

Reader Comments (13)

At least it will be harder for my kids to lose than the regular stylus. Just look for the blinking light.

Jeez look at the size of that thing. In addition to all those fancy bells and whistles, it also doubles as a, ahem, women's marital aid.

And much to their surprise, the lights on the end indicate if they're pregnant or not.

LEDS improve everything.

If I have my facts straight, this won't be running on the new Nintendo Dsi? If that is so, for shame I suppose... but the utilization with the original stylus is enough, I'm not sure the DS needs any more movement added. However, taking into account the sales of the DS, who am I to say.

No it just means they will lose something more expensive then a thin piece of plastic.

If it is connected by the GBA port, there might be a problem.

Doesn't the DSi lose the GBA Port?

That's really only a problem until Nintendo releases the GBA Adapter for it.

Good lord, JC, thanks for being merciful and not putting this on the main page :P

to everyone who is complaining about the DSi loosing the GBA slot, is everyone having a mass DS/DSlite genocide on launch day, i'll be keeping my DSlite