For the fourth year running, the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco featured an exhibit on alternative controllers. Called alt.ctrl.GDC, the showcase invites developers to throw out their preconceptions of what a game controller looks like and explore some strange and wonderful alternatives.
Nick Robinson was at GDC all week, and went hands-on with some of these games. Watch him highlight his favorites in the video above.
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One of his top picks was Spacebox, which uses a cardboard box as the controller. The box is kitted out as, of course, a spaceship. By lifting the sides of the box, the player activates the ship’s shields. Hitting buttons on the box’s front flap fires weapons.
Nick also enjoyed Super Furry Neon Cat Heads. This rhythm game can be played in and out of VR. In VR, the player stands before an audience of cats and hits colored mice to the beat.
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Most importantly, they wear a flashing furry cat hat. That really completes the look. Check out the video to hear more about Nick’s favorite alternative controllers.
