Wii U GamePad Trumps PS3 Controller, Wii Remote with Nine-Axis Motion Controls

Sixaxis controls are a thing of the past.

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Nintendo's been all hush-hush about the Wii U's internal components, including those in its unique GamePad controller. But Gamesbeat has delved into what makes that GamePad tick by interviewing the "really smart people" behind its new nine-axis motion control technology.

Most motion controllers, including the old Wii Remote and the PS3 Sixaxis controller, use an accelerometer and a gyroscope to track position and movement, according to Gamesbeat's report. But California's PNI Sensor Corporation teamed with Nintendo to add geomagnetic sensors to that equation, turning the Sixaxis norm into a nine-axis wonder with more accurate motion controls than ever before.

“Nintendo was looking for something that had the means to do better motion tracking,” PNI Chief Executive Officer Becky Oh told GamesBeat. “They did a lot of different testing in many different areas so that if they did do a nine-axis tracking it would work in all different situations.”

Oh suggested that the technology could be used to make shooters, driving games and flying games better, if utilized properly by developers.

Have you tried out the Wii U GamePad's nine-axis motion controls? Games like Nintendo Land, a pack-in for the Wii U deluxe edition, utilize them quite well. What do you think?

[via Gamesbeat]

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