Nintendo DS Wrist Strap Thumb Pad - thoughts?

[gtmtnbiker]

For the past couple of months, I've been playing Super Mario 64 DS. In the manual, it refers to the Nintendo DS Wrist Strap as one method of control. I never had the original DS (have the DS Lite & XL) so I wasn't familiar with it.

Here's a photo of it:


If you used the thumb pad, what was your impression of it as a way to control the character? Were there any other games besides Super Mario 64 DS that used it as a control?

Personally, I ended up getting used to using the stylus in my left hand (I'm a righty) as a way to control the character. My second preference was the D-pad. I didn't care to use the dual mode where you use the D-pad instead of buttons if you're a righty.

[YoshiEgg25]

Ah yes, the thumb pad. I tried using it for SM64DS, but it didn't feel right to me. Same with Metroid Prime Hunters. Your thumb just isn't the best thing to be controlling something on the touch screen.

In SM64DS, I just ended up not using the touch screen for control at all. I used the D-Pad to move around and the buttons for movement.

You said that since you're a righty, you would use the buttons for movement; why would you think that? That's for lefties.

[GSZX1337]

Used it once, hated it.

[MrPopo]

The whole point of it was to emulate an analog stick. But as we've seen with the iPhone a virtual joystick sucks; you don't get the feedback to know when you're holding vs in neutral.

[WrathOskvro]

Just a stupid gimmick IMO. I had it and..just like everyone else, a stylus > thumb pad.


If those things were any good at all, they would still be making them.

[CRTGAMER]

I didn't know this. Meh, ridiculous desperation to me. Found this pic.



"Hey, who put dent marks on my touch screen?"

[gtmtnbiker]

In SM64DS, I just ended up not using the touch screen for control at all. I used the D-Pad to move around and the buttons for movement.

You said that since you're a righty, you would use the buttons for movement; why would you think that? That's for lefties.

I'm referring to dual mode where you can use either hand with the stylus. Here's a screen shot from the manual:



The mode I would use for the game would be standard mode:


I will use the stylus in my left hand for movement with the right hand controlling the buttons for jumps/punching. For certain moves like the backward flip, I would switch to using the d-pad instead of the stylus.

I had tried using the d-pad instead of the stylus but certain moves were harder to do (e.g, running around in a circle).

[gtmtnbiker]

If those things were any good at all, they would still be making them.

I agree. But I give Nintendo credit for trying out a new idea. I would have never thought of such a concept like a thumb pad. I can understand why they introduced it because the DS was a big shift from traditional gaming. The thumb pad was a way to allow traditional gamers who didn't want to use the stylus a way to get finer control. But as others have commented, it didn't work that well.

[YoshiEgg25]

The mode I would use for the game would be standard mode:


I will use the stylus in my left hand for movement with the right hand controlling the buttons for jumps/punching. For certain moves like the backward flip, I would switch to using the d-pad instead of the stylus.

I had tried using the d-pad instead of the stylus but certain moves were harder to do (e.g, running around in a circle).

Ah, it sounded like you were using the buttons as a D-Pad from what I thought you said.

Also, yeah, running in a circle is problematic. A few times, I've been in a boss battle and my thumb has slid a little too far up...right into the Power button.

[gtmtnbiker]

Ah, it sounded like you were using the buttons as a D-Pad from what I thought you said.

As a righty stylus user in dual mode, you would use the d-pad as buttons. This seems really unnatural to me. Still, I give Nintendo credit for thinking outside the box.