Official Site: http://nyko.com/
[Nyko Free Fighter Fight Stick]
Source: Youtube Channel compLexityINSIDER
Nyko has always created ergonomically strange controllers in the past and none stood out too much. Apparently, a new Fight Stick was revealed at this year's E3. Nyko's "Free Fighter" for the Playstation 3 boasts itself for being an ambidextrous controller where the joystick can switch from the left side to the right side (as demonstrated in the video). Jordan Mallory over at Joystiq didn't quite like the "look" of the controller but thought it had an interesting design that made it almost feel industrial. Mike Fahey from Kotaku mentioned that despite being smaller than the typical fight stick, it "felt nice". Just looking at it, many readers have pointed out possible problems to the controller. Street Fighter IV Tourney player "Gootecks" gives us a preview of the controller in action in the video above. At the end of the video, after completing his match (which he seemingly won if he was indeed player 2), he mentions to the guy showcasing the controller that there's some issues with the device. Problem is, he makes no mention of what they are (most likely to avoid putting down Nyko's product when it's still a prototype). So some of the advantages mentioned are: portability, ability to switch to left-handed layout, separate them and connect with a wire (could be used to set up an arcade cabinet), and programmable macros for those who might want to play more casually with friends or against the computer. Some foreseeable flaws that the controller may have by readers and speculations from the video above are: the hand cramping from having no palm resting space, fragility in case design, unresponsive input or input delay, and of course unfair advantage over online play. What makes it an even harder product to sell is that it's going to be sold at $180 for launch. Most left-handed gamers I know use a regular style fight stick perfectly fine (and most are actually weirded out by having the joystick on the right side) and those that actually want to invest in one (because they're pretty expensive) are usually serious about the game and wouldn't bother using macros since they're not allowed in tournament play anyways. This is going to be difficult for Nyko.
[Nyko Power Grip Pro]
This is Nyko's answer to the ugly Circle Pad Pro Nintendo had created for the 3DS so that it would have more buttons and an extra analog stick. The big question that circulated the internet when the Circle Pad Pro was announced was "why wasn't it implemented in the device to begin with?" For whatever the reason, Nyko is attempting to create the same attachment that is aesthetically more pleasing with an extra, rechargeable battery pack with it to compensate for the low battery life of the 3DS. It looks really nice, but a bit scary on price ($30). If there were more games out that uses those extra buttons, analog stick, and the new model won't be out till much later, then I may consider investing in one of these with a current model 3DS.
[Nyko PlayPad]
Mobile gaming and touchscreen games have evolved a lot in the years; however, developers are working backwards to try to adapt to the button-less devices when creating games that were traditionally played with a game pad. The technology behind tablets and even phones are stronger than some computers I've owned in the past, and so games with incredible graphics and complexity is possible now for those devices. The problem has always been creating controls that work with the kind of games that require a pad and they end up being a mess of a game trying to adjust to the non-tactile feel (honestly, game developers for mobile devices need to focus on what works best for touch screens). Nyko is hoping to provide an alternate solution with an obvious answer: give the player an actual controller to play with. I imagine this would be great for gamers who need to travel a lot and neither want to play on a small screen or bring their consoles around; however, a majority of the market for mobile gaming seems to be more casual from grandparents, parents to young children. Those willing to buy core games will already own a gaming handheld, play on consoles, or on PC/laptop and so the market for core games will be smaller. With that, even those who buy core games on tablets and mobile devices may not want to invest in a controller that doesn't even have a price tag yet. If I ever get an "Android" tablet and there's a good number of games compatible with the controller, I may consider investing in one; however, it seems rather unlikely at this point.
Sources:
-Joystiq: Hands on: Nyko Free Fighter arcade stick (plus bonus Nyko booth gadgets)
-Kotaku: This Transforming Stick Wants to Change the Way You Play Fighting Games
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