Nunchaku Controller Feature Revealed

Last week, a rumor hit the net claiming that the Nintendo Revolution’s nunchaku controller features a built-in acellerometer allowing it to sense it being tilted left or right, or being moved up, down, left, right and in a number of other directions as well.

Today, AMN has confirmed through a developer incredibly close to Nintendo that this rumor is in fact true. The nunchaku peripheral does feature this secondary function. However, we were also told that the nunchaku controller does not feature the same pointing and motion sensing abilities that allow the Revolution free-hand controller to be used like a “pointer” or “wand.”

One example we’ve come up to describe how this function will be useful in future software involves a first-person shooter, in which you use the free-hand controller to look around and aim, while you use the nunchaku controllers analog stick to move around and strafe. Most importantly, you’d be able to tilt the nunchaku controller to the left or right to reload your weapon.

More intriguing than all this, perhaps, our source told us that this “feature” of the nunchaku controller has been in their development kits since they first received them over six months ago. This raises the question, of course, is this the second big secret function of the Revolution controller? It could be. However, it’s odd that developers have had access to the feature and information all along, without ever being told to keep the information under wraps.

Nintendo Revolution will be in full playable form during the Electronic Entertainment Expo., which kicks off May 9, 2006 with Nintendo’s annual press briefing. AMN will be on hand at the event with full coverage.