It’s strange to think that there was a time where the idea of motion controls in video games seemed far-fetched, or out of reach. The idea of using your body to control a game was an outlandish idea until the release of the Wii in 2006. Suddenly, motion-controlled games were the new trend, with other developers and major companies rushing to catch up.
Of course, for every motion control success story, there were plenty of failures. Partly due to many games forcing the presence of motion controls where they were not previously planned, the concept of motion controls themselves became a sour one, with many people thinking some games would have been fine, or even better with a standard controller. However, is it often forgotten that there are and were many games that utilized motion controls in a way that not only defined them, but arguably made them better.
10 Punch-Out (2009) Offered An Innovative Way To Fight
This installment of the Punch-Out series featured an interesting (if not always perfect) method for taking on boxers. Instead of the usual controller and two buttons, Punch-Out (2009) allowed the use of motion controls through the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. In addition, players could also use the Wii Fit Balance Board to control Little Mac’s dodges. While innovative, the Balance Board didn’t always detect movement properly, but the experience of literally putting your back into it was a bizarre and fun one.
While not perfect, Punch-Out (2009) offered player’s a brand-new way to box against the likes of Glass Joe and King Hippo that was novel and for the most part, fully functional.
9 1-2 Switch Had Creative And Fun Motion Controlled Minigames
One of the first games to be released for the Nintendo Switch, 1-2 Switch was a launch title for the fledgling console, and was really more of a tech demo for what the system could do. Despite that, it had creative and fun minigames that served as something fun to do at a party, or with a small group of friends. Who can forget the fun of getting into a western-style draw using Joy-Cons?
While not a ground-breaking game by any means, 1-2 Switch still manages to deliver a fun collection of minigames that use the Switch’s motion controls in fun, creative ways.
8 The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword Has A Mixed Reputation, But Generally Hits Home
Skyward Sword is a game that has generated a myriad of different opinions over its lifetime and sparked many a heated debate. Perhaps the most heated of those debates is on the subject of the game’s motion controls. From a rocky E3 presentation where the motion controls malfunctioned for the whole world to see, to many mechanics such as bomb bowling and slowly moving Link’s sword in a circle to confuse eyeballs on doors (similar to Mario running circles around Mr. Is in Mario 64), the game had ambitious ideas on how to use the Wii Remote, and not all of them sat well with players.
While the motion controls didn’t always work as intended, they usually provided an enjoyable experience, allowing for more nuanced sword swings than Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
7 Super Mario Party Uses Motion Controlled Mini-Games To Great Effect
Released in 2018 for the Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Party is a more recent game that utilizes motion controls. Many of its minigames use them, such as “Trike Harder” and “Candy Shakedown” which not only respond well to the motion of the Joy-Con, but also detect subtler movements quite accurately, something especially important in “Candy Shakedown” as players desperately shake candy out of a jar. In addition, the game features several other modes that fully revolve around motion controls, such as the Sound Stage mode, which is an entire mode dedicated to motion-controlled rhythm minigames.
While there are a few minigames that don’t respond quite right, Super Mario Party generally hits the mark on motion controls in a way that feels like a natural evolution from Mario Party 8.
6 ARMS Utilized Motion To Create A Fun Fighting Experience
ARMS is another Switch game that makes great use of motion controls, to the point where playing without actually reduces the kind of experience players will get from the game. When using motion controls, players can more effectively control the direction and movement of their character’s arms while they fight, making quick and efficient alterations to the arm’s trajectory. Players will also be able to experience the frantic fun of flailing their arms in real life to use their character’s flurry attack.
While ARMS can be played without motion controls, and indeed some may prefer it that way, there’s a certain charm the game has that gets lost without motion controls.
5 Mario Kart Wii Allows Players To Feel Like They’re Behind The Wheel With Mario and Co.
At the time of its release, Mario Kart Wii was one of the biggest names when discussing motion controls in games. Nintendo knew this too, releasing a special Wii peripheral that would turn the Wii Remote into a proper steering wheel (which did sometimes make it harder to steer, but it was worth it). One of the newest innovations of the game was the ability to do tricks in mid-air by shaking the remote or popping wheelies on motorcycles by tilting the remote back. These extra flourishes added to the sense of really being behind the wheel and made the game that much more of a standout.
While the motion controls weren’t always the best for a fast-paced kart racer, the feeling of turning the Wii Remote as far as you could to make a sharp turn made it feel like Mario and his friends were in a high-octane car chase more so than a kart race.
4 This May Not Be The Best Way To Play Skyrim, But It Certainly Is One Of The Most Fun
Since its original release, Skyrim has seen a lot of rereleases on a lot of different platforms, even Amazon Alexa. It only seems natural then, that it would also get a rerelease on the Nintendo Switch, complete with motion controls. The motion controls for Skyrim aren’t perfect, but they are versatile, and cover everything in the game from raising a shield to block to activating the Dragonborn’s shouts, which ends up adding more to the immersion of the game than it takes away.
While not perfect, Skyrim‘s motion controls offer a new way for long-time fans to experience this tried-and-true RPG.
3 Wii Sports Resort Is The Pinnacle Sports Game
The sequel to the original Wii Sports for Wii, this title improved on the sports featured in the previous installment and added many more. With the addition of Wii Motion Plus, the games were able to be more complex, more dynamic, and more responsive. Swordplay, basketball, wave riding, and even biking were all some standout additions to the lineup of sports games. While it may not seem like a big deal, the gameplay of Wii Sports Resort was and is incredibly fun and incredibly solid.
It’s a special game that can combine intense flailing and exercise successfully, even rarer to for that combination to be fun. Wii Sports Resort not only combines these, but still holds up today as a fun time.
2 The Metroid Prime Trilogy Takes The First Person Perspective Of The Games To New Heights
A re-release collection for the Wii, the Metroid Prime Trilogy added motion controls, par for the course for most Wii games, but it was what these motion controls did for the player when coupled with the first-person perspective of the games. Suddenly players weren’t just looking through Samus’ eyes, they were controlling her gun as if it was on their arm. This new way of controlling Samus’ gun, coupled with the games’ lock-on mechanic, allowed for the games to have a new level of precision shooting and fast-paced combat that the previous versions of the game did not.
The Metroid Prime Trilogy is one of the most enticing uses of motion controls, allowing players to really feel like they’re in Samus’ shoes as they fight their way through menacing aliens. The trilogy is easily the best way to play these games.
1 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 Allowed Players To Fire Their Own Kamehamehas
Not only does this game boast 161 playable characters, but Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 features one of the best uses of motion controls in any game. Most longtime fans of Dragon Ball will remember a time in their childhood where they tried to fire their own Kamehameha Wave like Goku in the anime, this game allows fans to live out that childhood dream. While basic attacks and movement are handled by the buttons and joystick on the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the activation of special attacks was done by imitating the actual actions of the attack. If a player wanted to use Goku’s Kamehameha they first had to bring the remote and nunchuk back like when Goku cups his hands to gather ki, then thrust their hands forward the same way Goku does when firing the attack. Not only did the game use this method of firing special attacks for every character, but the controls were also incredibly responsive and accurate.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 allowed fans to unleash their full power with a series of clever motion controls and clever game design that elevated the game to a level that many other Dragon Ball games still aspire to reach to this day.
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