Wiimote/nunchuk controls for Super Smash Bros Brawl

I enjoyed Super Smash Bros. Melee very much, which is why I was quite shocked when the developers announced that the new Wii game, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, doesn't work with the great Wiimote/nunchuk combination at all. Many of us who don't have GC controllers (any more) or who haven't spend their money on the classic controllers, will surely give a second thought on buying Brawl, which will probably be at its best as an offline multiplayer game and so requires many controllers. Excluding Wiimote/Nunchuk controls as an option would definately hurt sales.

That's why I've come up with an easy, intuitive and effective Wiimote/nunchuk controls for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I think it would be very good idea to at least make it possible to play the game with Wii's unique controllers.

There would be a cursor next to the character on the screen (1) and it is controlled with Wiimote, enabling full 360 degrees for aiming. The opacity of the cursor could be adjusted and so professional players could use zero opacity if they feel the cursor is unnecessary, as the character itself reflects the direction where the cursor is.

The cursor moves relative to the character, not the battle field, and is set on a track (2) with fixed distance from the character. When Wiimote is being held upwards, the cursor moves to the top of the character and the character looks (and aims) upwards. When the Wiimote is held downwards, the character looks down, when held left, the character looks to the left (3), when held right, it looks to the right etc. The character follows the movement of the cursor smoothly for all the 360 degress it is operational. 

Because the cursor moves relative to the character on a set track, there's no misconceptions about which cursor belongs to which player. It also fits to the style of moving and panning screen of Super Smash Bros. Most important of all, it is a very intuitive and precise control method.

Melee Battle

The cursor is an indicator of where the player will hit. For example, when it is held up-right, the character executes a kick to up-right direction when the action button is pushed (4).

Pushing the Z-button in bottom makes the character draw melee weapon, a sword for example, and its action is executed with the action button. When equipped with sword and flying mid-air, waving the Wiimote would execute a spinning sword attack (5). When A is pushed in bottom and the player executes a 180 degree wave with the Wiimote, the character makes a powerful spinning kick (6). These kind of combinations could be used for a whole bunch of intuitive, character dependant moves.

Moving around

Because the character always faces to the direction of the cursor, moving backwards and forwards is very easy (7/8). The moving is executed with the analog stick of the nunchuk-controller. Pushing the analog stick up makes the player jump. Pushing the analog stick left/right slightly makes the character walk (7) and pushing it all the way makes the character run (8).

Fire

The aiming works for special weapons (fire balls, arrows, missiles etc.) in the same way (9). The character fires to the direction of the cursor. Aiming is easy from any position imaginable, be it mid-air, crouching, or running backwards. Fire is executed by pushing B-button in bottom and tapping A-button.

Other moves

C is used to block moves. Pushing C and A simultaneously executes a grabbing motion. D-pad is used for Smash-moves and the combination of analog stick, Z-button and A-button can be used for special moves assigned to B-button of GC-controller in Super Smash Bros Melee.

Here's the picture the numbers refer to:

What do you think? If you think optional Wiimote/nunchuk controls would be good for the game, you should start making noise about it so that the Nin-people notice this.

I agree that the Wiimote control scheme you have outlined works in principal, and it would indeed be a fun and creative way in order to control SSB characters. Being a reasonably seasoned player with SSB (7000 game minutes min per character in a house with 3 Uni students, resutling in 2 worn out discs, and now onto our 3rd, we have wasted a lot of our lives on this game, and not sure how they "wore out" but they don't read anymore) the thing you realise with the GC control scheme is that the speed at which you can deliver your moves is intrinsically tied into buttons. For example, with Fox you want the fireball attack down, hit the ground  and roll away, followed by a roll back, followed by a smash attack, etc, etc.  Buttons allow you to execute these moves extremely rapidly. This is something the Wiimotes IR sensing and motion sensing capabilities cannot allow you to do with the same precision and speed. Compare how long a button combination takes to execute to the Wiimote control scheme you have outlined? If you have to move the Wiimote/Cursor combo in a circular motion around your character on screen and then press a button at the end of this to execute the move as opposed to B+stick direction to execute a similar special move the timings are longer for the Wiimote move. As i'm sure many a SSB player atests to, timing is essential. Could this be overcome with the Wiimote/nunchuk? I believe it could be. Mapping GC controls to Wiimote/nunchuk might be as simple as A/B for standing attack, B+direction flick for moves, A+ direction flick for special moves, Analog  stick for movement/jump,  C button for shield/block, C+ Nunchuck direction flick for roll, Z for grab/pick up/throw object, etc (i could continue to think on this but i i'm too tired) But you should be able to see the essence of what i'm trying to explain.

For all those that think the Wiimote/nunchuk has limited button options look at the controller in this light, the motion sensing on Wiimote/Nunchuck gives you 2 analog sticks, or two D-Pads (where a Dpad direction press is equal to a quick flick) you then have another analog stick, and then two buttons per hand C/Z, A/B, and finally a D Pad. You could argue to disclude the DPad from this equation as it is not always easily accessible, but even so the possibilities are there without this. And this doesn't even conisder the +/- buttons or the 1/2 buttons. I'm sure there is more i can add, and i'm sure there are holes in my argument, but i'm too tired to really think anymore on this. 

Either way, whether it is a Wiimote/Nunchuk or classic/GC controller for SSB, i'm still looking forward to it, and i'm sure Ninty will do a decent job of it.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm thinking the basic moves would be controlled by the pointing+button (which is basically real-time) and only the special moves, that take a long time to execute in the Melee too because of the charging, would have something more added like moving the cursor around the character. Speed and responsiveness is very important, as you said. EDIT: the spinning of the Wiimote can be actually very responsive, as the Super Mario Galaxy trailer shows.

At first I want to say you did a good job figuring out a wiimote control scheme for brawl.

But i really can't understand why it is so important for you to have such a control scheme. You already said that you enjoyed Melee, so why wouldn't you buy a new Smash Brothers with classic controls?

I think this is what really harms the wii. A game isn't worse if it doesn't use the wiimote's new functions. For some games this adds something and then it should be used. but sometimes it adds nothing and then it is important that the developper dare to use a classic control scheme.

Yeah. The formula works with the GC controller, so why change it? SSBB doesnt need the intuitiveness of the Wiimote/Nunchuck in order to succeed. It may just ruin the experience. Why take the chance? Nice control scheme, though I cant imagine myself doing all does actions very quickly.

It's purely a price issue. Smash Bros is at its best as a multiplayer game and I enjoy offline gaming. I've sold my GC which is why I don't have GC controllers any more. I surely won't buy classic/GC controllers just for playing Brawl's multiplayer offline. Excluding Wiimote/nunchuk controls would definately hurt Brawl's sales too.

Alright, then I can understand it. This really is an issue, i haven't really thought about that... Best thing would be that they sell it with an included Classic Controller.

That would be great. I really think it's possible to make great Wii-specific controls for Brawl and this is only one basic concept I've had. The talented design team would surely have loads of improvements, additions and corrections in mind. Wiimote/Nunchuk controls, I think, are very important review- and sales-wise, because they are the main controllers for the Wii.