10 Obscure Gaming Accessories That Broke The Mold

As an interactive medium, video games require controllers. Some companies have experimented with alternatives to controllers, but more often than not manufacturers return to the tried and true strategy of placing a plastic gizmo filled with buttons and analog sticks between players' hands. However, just because controllers are the de facto method of controlling games doesn't mean companies can't have some fun with the design.

The world of video games is full of off-the-wall controllers, many of which have become famous — or infamous. Most gamers probably know about the Nintendo Power Glove and why it was so bad or that Capcom and Microsoft once manufactured a behemoth of a controller that simulated commanding a walking tank. However, did you know Nerf once produced a controller for the Wii? Or that Nintendo's first foray into motion controls never left Japan? 

Probably not, and there's plenty more where that comes from. With that in mind, let's look at some of the most obscure controllers ever sold to gamers, shall we?

Many board games have been converted into video games. However, most if not all of these digital translations utilize the standard control schemes of mouse and keyboard or controller, possibly because most board games use dice. Japanese designers thought it would be a great idea to give a dice-free game a unique control scheme that required an equally unique controller.

When "The Game of Life" was ported to the PlayStation, the American version used the buttons already available on the controller, and like most games, this port primarily revolved around the X button. Press X to make selections, press X to confirm choices, and, most importantly, hold X to spin the digital spinner that determines how many spaces you move. The Japanese version of "The Game of Life" for the PS1 was mostly the same, albeit with more aesthetically pleasing chibi characters instead of giant bobbleheads. However, the biggest difference was the controller.

Dubbed the Takara Roulette Controller, or sometimes the Roulette Controller or Jinsei Controller ("Jinsei" means "Life" in Japanese), this exclusive peripheral looked less like a PS1 controller and more like a square. The bottom portion had all the face buttons of a normal PS1 controller, although the shoulder buttons and triggers had migrated to the front. The controller's most striking feature was the titular roulette that dominated the device's face. 

This component only had one use — to be spun. Whenever players wanted to move, they spun the roulette, which controlled the digital spinner. It might seem like a superfluous addition, but it went the extra mile to make the video game feel like an actual session of "The Game of Life."

Microsoft's Kinect was ultimately a failed experiment. Even though the peripheral was supposed to turn gamers into their own controllers, most Kinect games struggled to register player movements or provide fun gameplay. On the bright side, Kinect didn't require any additional accessories — just set up the camera and cross your fingers. Some third-party manufacturers didn't get the memo.

One of the first titles released for the Kinect was "Kinect Adventures!" The game sold fairly well — mostly because a copy was included with every Kinect — and centered around minigame challenges such as smashing blocks with balls and whitewater rafting. To help gamers get into the spirit of rafting, the unofficial peripheral company Atomic Accessories created the Play On Game Boat.

This accessory's name said it all, as the Game Boat was an inflatable boat. That's it. The item was pure gimmick since it didn't offer any advantages in "Kinect Adventures!" and was designed with one minigame in mind. The Game Boat's only redeeming quality was that it could probably float on water — with an emphasis on the word "probably." We're not sure if anyone ever tested this feature, but even if they did, we wouldn't be surprised if they concluded that an inflatable game accessory designed for living rooms didn't work as well as an actual raft designed for water.

In 1987, Coconuts Japan released the first in a series of pachinko games for the Famicom. The games, colloquially known as Pachio-kun, starred the company's mascot, an anthropomorphic (and vaguely Pac-Man-esque) pachinko ball of the same name. The first entries used the standard Famicom controllers, but in 1991, Coconuts Japan released a unique Famicom add-on modeled after real pachinko machines.

The Coconuts Japan Pachinko Controller (which is spelled "Pachinko Controler" on the box) was a U-shaped, fully functional Famicom controller with an additional spring-loaded wheel. This inclusion functioned the same as a real pachinko machine's wheel, as by twisting it, gamers could alter the speed balls launched in the game. It might not sound like much, but truth be told, turning wheels to alter ball launch speed is really all there is to pachinko games in general.

Since the Coconuts Japan Pachinko Controller was released late in the Pachio-kun franchise's life, and because Coconuts Japan cornered the market on Famicom pachinko games, the device's pachinko wheel was only compatible with a handful of titles. On the bright side, however, the Pachinko Controller's buttons were fully functional, so the device could also fill the role of a regular Famicom controller if necessary.

While a video game's content determines its target demographic, the control scheme is also a deciding factor. Games with complex controls or mechanics generally cater to older audiences, whereas younger players usually require simpler controls. So what's the best way to program the controls of a game meant for toddlers?

Kids Station is one of Japan's premier children-oriented TV stations, and it used to produce licensed games aimed at very young children. While toddlers could play these titles with a standard PlayStation 1 controller, the games were designed for Kids Station's proprietary controller, which was essentially just the PS1's main face buttons inflated to insane proportions. No D-pad or shoulder buttons, just the X, O, Square, and Triangle buttons. Despite lacking most of a PS1's inputs, the Kids Station controller was compatible with all but a few of the company's titles.

While most Kids Station games worked with the Kids Station oversized buttons, a few were designed for the company's other controller, Hanamaru-kun. This accessory was named after the main character of the show "Guru Guru Town Hanamaru-kun," Hanamaru, and sported a D-pad, an X and O button, as well as a microphone, all packed in with "Guru Guru Town Hanamaru-kun" game. 

Like other Kids Station titles, this simple controller reflected a simple gameplay loop, and Kids Station recycled the design for similar titles starring Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh. Each exterior looked different, but they all shared the same innards and functions. Plus, each controller came with their own game!

The "Cooking Mama" games began as a minigame collection on the Nintendo DS and soon arrived on the Wii. The franchise also branched into spin-offs that focused on different activities commonly associated with motherhood. Regardless of the subject matter, each Wii entry invariably required players to waggle around the Wii remote, but when it came time to make a game about caring for babies, the developers wanted to do something special.

Like "Cooking Mama" before it, "Babysitting Mama" was a minigame collection revolving around activities related to babies. These included feeding a baby, burping a baby, changing a baby, and rushing to stop dinner from burning because you spent so much time with the baby. Like the "Cooking Mama" games released on the Nintendo Wii, every "Babysitting Mama" activity relied on the Wii remote. However, because Wii remotes were distinctly non-baby-shaped, each copy of "Babysitting Mama" included a large plush doll shaped like an anime infant.

On its own, the doll didn't do anything special, but it had a slot in its back meant to house the Wii remote. Players only had to insert the controller into the plush's back, and they would be ready to play. The accessory made all the movements necessary to play the minigames easier, while the Wii remote's accelerometer did the rest. Also, the controller's speaker would occasionally utter coos and cries to help players judge their performance.