DS slide-sensor add-on revealed

Official online video from Nintendo Japan reveals 5,800-yen mouselike peripheral for ever-popular handheld, bundled with new game.

"Slide, slide, slippity slide..."

Earlier this week, a filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office appeared to reveal Nintendo was working on a new portable. Accompanied by images of what looked roughly like an original Game Boy, the recently granted patent was for motion-sensing technology. The tech would re-create "change caused in the actual space in a form of a game-space state change, based on at least one of an amount and a direction of a tilt, movement or impact applied to the housing."

Now, Nintendo Japan has unveiled a motion-sensing peripheral which uses far simpler technology. Last week, the company quietly launched a new motion-sensing "slide controller" add-on for its DS handheld. As by a video on the site, the add-on clips into the Game Boy Advance cart slot. Photos taken by popular Japanese-game importer NCS show the slide controller turns the entire DS into a mouse via an optical sensor on its underside (pictured).

The DS slide controller comes bundled with a new game for the handheld, Slide Adventure: Mag Kid. According to NCS, the game centers around a small robot, Mag Kid, tasked with reassembling itself in the face of attacks from rogue salvage operations. The robot can defend himself with a dashing attack and also gleans new powers from defeated enemies. The title will also feature 12 minigames which will put the Kid through his motion-sensing paces.

Slide Adventure: Mag Kid is already on the market in Japan, where it retails for 5,800 yen (around $48). Nintendo has not made public any plans to release the slide peripheral or outside its homeland. As of press time, US PR reps for the publisher had not responded to inquiries about the device or the game.

221 Comments

  • KingKoop

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 2:19 am PT

    I hope to see this in Europe.

  • IonescoF

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 9:23 am PT

    davidhua said: when is it released in the US?

    As far as I know, it's Japan-only, although things might change any soon...

  • Neoyamaneko

    Posted Aug 17, 2007 9:22 pm PT

    "davidhua"

    The name is mentioned in the article: Slide Adventure: Mag Kid

  • davidhua

    Posted Aug 16, 2007 6:58 pm PT

    when is it released in the US?

  • davidhua

    Posted Aug 16, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    sounds cool but does anyone know the name of that game?

  • Zuul13

    Posted Aug 16, 2007 1:55 pm PT

    This idea totally blows. How useful could this "mouse" be? I don't know about you but I get motion sickness if im walking/riding in a car while playing my DS already. Now im going to be barfing every 5mins when I'm trying to focus on a little sceen while moving it around. Only seems useful for games like Warioware. and btw motion sensing for the DS (GBA actually) has already been done (Warioware Twisted). I would like to have a add-on corded mouse attachment. It would be nice for games like Metroid Prime and Brothers in Arms, few less hand cramps!

    Result: Pessimistic

  • KittyKatLaura12

    Posted Aug 16, 2007 4:44 am PT

    Looks like a fun game that comes with it, but the slider would be impossible to use unless you were playing on a table, which isn't very good for a portable game.

  • okassar

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 8:26 am PT

    That makes the DS that much cooler.But the DS is MADE for motion sensing,so it shouldn't be REVOLUTIONARY,just a nice add-on.This,however,hints that Nintendo is really considering adding motion-sensing on to its next handheld,because if they release that motion sensing add-on,why go from good to worse?

  • meesey01

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 1:29 am PT

    Yea it looks cool but I'd only buy it if they incorporate it into some classic Nintendo franchises like Mario, Mario Sports, Metroid etc.

  • SaxxyGamer18

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    This could be pretty cool. What would this mean for, say, Metroid Prime Hunters? Hmm...I like how Nintendo is expanding their innovation by adding more peripherals to their machines.

  • JDaniels48

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 11:00 am PT

    nice

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:43 am PT

    cool

  • jack_sparrow_28

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 1:52 pm PT

    So, do you have to roll this thing on a table... Or... How does it work... Is it for, like, the DS Browser... I'm confused. Games shouldn't make you confused! DAAAAAH!

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 1:12 pm PT

    it sucks and the game sucks. dont bother. if you want for nostalgias sake then get it cause it'll be another ninendo glove in the end. im selling mine on ebay right now

  • MrPuzzlez

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 9:37 am PT

    Could it actually bring back the once lost shooter Genre? It'd be nice...

  • MrPuzzlez

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 9:32 am PT

    Might be a weird way to use the DS browser...

  • XBASX

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 9:17 am PT

    Merl57
    Yes, what IS wrong with trying out new things? You tell us

  • Merl57

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 7:20 am PT

    What what do you mean another stupid idea. That is a really dumb thing to say yourself. If Nintendo didn't try to make stuff new we would be playing the same boring system the same way forever, whats wrong with trying some new stuff out. Coratel you suck.

  • Raiko101

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 3:01 am PT

    Might look daft now. But could be technology built into all future handhelds one day...

  • coratel posted Aug 10, 2007 1:47 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    coratel

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 1:47 am PT (hide)

    Another stupid idea from nintendo......

  • ynfive

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 10:43 pm PT

    Since 1986 Nintendo has always tried to add in gimmicky peripherals that get lost into one hit wonder nostalgia. At least with the Wii and the DS I thought they finally focused these gimmicks into a cohesive package. But it still seems that they are at it again.

  • Junior_AIN

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:43 pm PT

    Looks pretty interesting!!!!!

    /200

  • bededog

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:49 pm PT

    Seems kind of pointless seeing has we have Wii. Leave the DS to touch screen control.

  • bigmick07

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 5:46 pm PT

    looks really stupid and pointless, but thats just my opinion, because i already own a wii!!!

  • R3B311I0N

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 5:32 pm PT

    man, this is really starting to scare me...seems the big N is releasing new add ons to the DS and Wii left and right

  • wikkedclown17

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:48 pm PT

    hmm...well. it definately has potential if they market it right and work it into more than just disposable mini-games. it also has the probability of becoming a forgotten gimmick accessory (i.e. gameboy printer) but it would be ideal for FPS games. move with the D-pad and look around with the slide mouse.

  • metaldeath87

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:31 pm PT

    Huh, that seems interesting. Have to pay attention to that one.

  • rouguesquadron

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:19 pm PT

    I love the Wii's motion sensing controls, but I 'm not interested in doing the same for my DS.

  • peanutbudda37

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:41 pm PT

    i have a DS, and want absolutly nothing to do with nintendos junk PoS add ons. period.

  • hackR2

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:04 pm PT

    awesome! hope it come to north america

  • masterrosi1

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:50 am PT

    revolution ds

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:28 am PT

    WTF? Uhh.. okay!

  • Agreb91

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:17 am PT

    That is an awesome add-on. I hope it come and makes landfall in North America.

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:15 am PT

    -It looks cool, but I am still more interested in stylus based gaming.

  • doctorteeth

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:01 am PT

    WarioWare Twisted for GBA was fantastic...

    *shrug*

  • ftjx

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 8:27 am PT

    thats QUIET!!!

  • powerframe8

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 7:19 am PT

    This is as odd as the stupid GBA rumble pack. Or GBA wireless connecter only available with pokemon. Can they just make a new damn DS already. DS2 anyone. Tilt and motion control. two touch screens (that are much bigger). A sleek and sexy design to begin with. Wifi, blutooth enabled. Able to connect with the Wii2. NO MORE FRIEND CODES. Oh and Picotochat becomes wifi too.

  • AceCometh

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:41 am PT

    Meh. Nintendo's love affair with add ons killed the N64. I'd hate to see the DS head in the same direction,

  • jonnyjd

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:38 am PT

    Not too interested. Even if this were to come to the states, I won't be an early adopter of this add-on.

    ...end of line...

  • freerunner01

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 4:37 am PT

    A lot of people are saying they don't want it, but the fact is, Nintendo will probbaly not realease it outside of Japan, wil probbaly just released the tech so that the developers get busy, and then releaese a new DS with the technology built in

  • amogley

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 3:55 am PT

    Interesting .. but how useful exactly?

  • KBABZ

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:33 am PT

    Not as innovative as the touch-screen, even as an add-on, and if I had a DS, I can't see myself using this that much. Here's what NIntendo did wrong: Release it now. Why? Because people are impatient. They want this stuff NOW. If this was available for the DS on launch, it would have been much more accepted, because instead of "No good games will use this", people would have said "Wait for the good games that use this to come out", and Nintendo would have made more money.

    Granted, Nintendo may not have been able to do this on the DS's release.

  • NinjaMunkey01

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:25 am PT

    not add ons. this will be really bad and I dont want anything to do with it.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:10 am PT

    I usually like Nintendo's idea's but this is silly.

  • brandon2802

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 10:52 pm PT

    The thing that was entered into the patent office isn't the same thing as in Japan, right? It reads like the thing for US is like a Wii-mote on a DS. So racing games would get a steering wheel and could be used for some puzzle games.

  • ctg867

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 10:05 pm PT

    Worst.Idea.Ever.

    $50? What a waste of money for some more crappy third party games that will most likely suck. *Waits for more good first party games that don't use tacked on crap, since that's the best stuff on the DS anyway*

  • Wolverine77

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:30 pm PT

    yeah right, this is japan only.

  • yohan7

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:51 pm PT

    nintendo is always the only one to use it's own perifereals.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:38 pm PT

    Maybe if more games come out which use the peripheral more, I might get one.

  • CT-Link

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:38 pm PT

    Ooooh I smell a much cooler Mario Kart on the way with this new technology....come to think about it, they might use it WITH the Mario Kart due on the Wii...side by side playing, like the Pokemon Battle Revolution....heh

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