And for those that haven't seen it, here is the controller from the Philips CDI, another "not traditional gaming" system with a controller based on a remote control:

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Here's the one from the Commodore CDTV:

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I just wonder if Nintendo will ever be able to achieve the same mass market penetration as those machines.

Yes, I remember walking into game shops and oogling all those wonderful CD-I gam... wait, nevermind.

Yeah, and what about the CDTV? I mean, what decent games ever came out for the Commodore Amiga?

But two is the same number as the GBA and DS!

The most recent Powerbooks have a gyroscope type thing that detects two angles of rotation from the horizontal and downward velocity, which is designed to quickly take the data heads off the hard drive in the event of someone dropping the thing so as to prevent data loss.

Instead many have written code to use that feature as a control device for games. This page describes Neverball (the GPL Super Monkey Ball alike) as particularly good for it.

The DS has a SNES feel to it's button controls (A,B,X,Y,L,R,START,SELECT,D-pad)

You should read Mr. Iwata speech to understand the whys.

• Nintendo cannot beat Microsoft and Sony machines hardware-wise. They cannot afford to lose the money MS and sony will.

• Nintendo public is the family. In a standard family (father, mother, two children), it is most likely both children play, while the parents watch.

• Nintendo wants to expand the amount of players. Right now they have two. They want to have the four, including father and mother, playing. Half it is already achieved: a child don't call his dads to show how he is f***ing a woman in a car in GTA, or how he just snipped the head of a soldier in [insert your FPS game here], but he may call him to play a soccer, american football, or hockey game with him. Currently, most parents don't do that.

• One of the reasons Nintendo discovered through feedback and studies is that grown ups cannot control the joystick. Too many buttons.

• However, a similar control like the remote control is used by all the family without complain. They are used to it, know how to handle it, how to pick it up, choose, move, and throw into the table without fearing.

• A controller that fits the "remote control" paradigm, that is, that anyone can pick and use without being afraid, would bring a lot of public who right now cannot understand why there are so many buttons in the controls.

• Who hasn't moved to a side when playing a simulator trying to dodge an asteroid? Or pressed the buttons hard to get a better punch, or imagined using a weapon to shoot the NPCs?

It is fine some people cannot understand what this means to the game industry. Some are just too "classic" and afraid of changes, while others are more open. Not everyone goes for a Linux or OSX, people prefer using the classic Windows. They may have tried and rejected the change for several reasons, that is fine. But most don't because they are just used to it. That is not right, you should try and test it yourself. I see people in these forums encouraging to try Linux, Firefox and so many other free stuff. This is the same. It is a completely new way of playing games, of interacting with games.

Sure, the CD-I had a similar control. When was that? 10 years ago? Changes don't happen anytime, they need a time, a place, an environment. I believe this is the right time, place and environment. Gamers want new sensations. They want new games, not the same cricket, soccer or american football rebranded again and again. Why you think people buy DSs (never mind if it is selling better or worse or similar to the PSP), because it is "cool"? PSP is "cool", DS isn't. It is heavy, big, with small screens. Why people buy it anyways, why it gets so many good reviews? Because it brings innovation at the right time. People want new games, Nintendogs, Brain Exercises and Adult Training show that.

That is why I think Nintendo will succeed, not in being the best selling company, but instead in marking where the path leads. And no doubt, Sony and Microsoft will follow.

I am interested to know why you feel that the time, place and environment conditions are now fulfilled when they weren't 14 years ago.

Given that Nintendo had quite a lot to do with the CDI and it's almost certain that most of the significant people there used one on several occasions, they obviously agree but that is beside the point.

Perhaps someone could locate and dust off Hotel Mario or Zelda's Adventure and tell us?

You have a point, but their idea (as I see it) is not to fit into the ubiquitous genres we're restricted to now, but to create new ones. Sure, some of the old ones won't fit very well, but that's a risk they are willing to take.

This happens with Sony and MS as well.

Do not fear: I was being sarcastic! All the higher forms of wit eluded me.

The Zelda game plays in the style of the SNES equivalent. Unfortunately the CDI Mario game that would have been equivalent to the SNES Marios was cancelled, despite looking really great. Perhaps it is telling that the developers recommended players go out and buy the plug in console style controller for it.

I can't get that video link to work, but here's some stuff off IGN:
"At a glance" - general controller info for lazy people
"The Possibilities" - taking existing game genres and seeing how this controller could apply to them
Teaser video - shown in japan
Keynote video - includes same teaser video, and has Satoru Iwata explaining why, and whatnot.
ign editors' responses - much the same of what has been discussed here, but sometimes more intelligent
third party supporters - their 'official' opinions on revolution

Marcello

I could just see people looking goofy with this thing, using it like a wand or steering wheel in games, but that makes them more fun I guess. However I'm sure regular "oldschool" controllers will be released as well for those who aren't used to the new controller, though you'd have to buy them separately it looks. Well it looks better than the PS3 controller... it looks like a boomerang

We should have a 'next generation controller mockup' competition!