Aside the fact that the infrared sensor would obviously make it impossible to play in portable mode, it was already half-obsolete when Nintendo released the Wiimote+ that had a gyroscope. The only...
Aside the fact that the infrared sensor would obviously make it impossible to play in portable mode, it was already half-obsolete when Nintendo released the Wiimote+ that had a gyroscope. The only downside of it is that you need to recalibrate it once in a while to set its "neutral" state.
And honestly, if you want good controllers with a gyroscope, look at how Steam did it with the Steam Controller back in 2015, and now on the Steam Deck: the gyroscope can be triggered on demand, e.g. by putting your thumb on the stick or the trackpad, because having it active all the time is pretty terrible.
Aren't current-gen gyroscopes still not achieving the same high precision level as the Wii Remote's combination of motion sensor/gyroscope and IR pointer does? Good luck trying to aim quickly and...
Exemplary
Aren't current-gen gyroscopes still not achieving the same high precision level as the Wii Remote's combination of motion sensor/gyroscope and IR pointer does? Good luck trying to aim quickly and accurately at the onslaught of foes in the challenging rail-shooter Sin & Punishment Star Successor with a Joy-Con!
At least up to the early 2020s, I remember experiencing and hearing among peoples how often the gyroscope's calibration would easily go off-centre, especially when rapidly tilting the device. So in practice, you'd need to recalibrate it every so often, or rely on a joystick to move the reticle quickly and then tilt the controller for fine-tuning the aim like in some of the Wii U and Switch Nintendo-published games.
The Wii/Wii U IR sensor bar not only serves to bring up the cursor on screen exactly to where a Wii Remote pointing at, but some games also use it as a way to automatically recalibrate the motion sensor. It's all done by lighting up one set of LEDs at each side of the screen, to which the IR pointer will rely on.
Embedding that technology above the screen like the Wii U GamePad did while not requiring to have the handheld tethered to an AC adapter can also enable the use of pointer control even in portable play. That, however, still takes more room between the player and the handheld than usual in order to use pointer control more effectively.
I wish that more people (including at Nintendo) understood how big of a difference this makes.
The Wii/Wii U IR sensor bar not only serves to bring up the cursor on screen exactly to where a Wii Remote pointing at, but some games also use it as a way to automatically recalibrate the motion sensor. It's all done by lighting up one set of LEDs at each side of the screen, to which the IR pointer will rely on.
I wish that more people (including at Nintendo) understood how big of a difference this makes.
I mean, frankly, I've found the ability to be pointing anywhere and recentering by just pressing R/+ to be far more ergonomic. So I'm always miffed by people who want the IR pointer back.
I mean, frankly, I've found the ability to be pointing anywhere and recentering by just pressing R/+ to be far more ergonomic. So I'm always miffed by people who want the IR pointer back.
I think technically the joycon do everything the Wii remote can do. I'm not sure how they'd solve the sensor bar issue. It was the form factor of the Wii remote that was the greatest thing about...
I think technically the joycon do everything the Wii remote can do. I'm not sure how they'd solve the sensor bar issue. It was the form factor of the Wii remote that was the greatest thing about it imho.
I agree. The shape of the Wii Remote was just so ergonomic, especially for point-and-click mechanics. The Joy-Cons are so tiny and unwieldy in comparison.
I agree. The shape of the Wii Remote was just so ergonomic, especially for point-and-click mechanics. The Joy-Cons are so tiny and unwieldy in comparison.
The joycons are honestly the worst part of the switch IMHO. The only controller that I can think of that is more fiddly is the 8bitdo Zero, a controller that was designed to be as small as...
The joycons are honestly the worst part of the switch IMHO. The only controller that I can think of that is more fiddly is the 8bitdo Zero, a controller that was designed to be as small as realistically possible. The switch doesn't really gain anything from removing the joycons from it's docks, so the only real occasion it really makes any sense to detatch it is if you're going to be playing a two-player game on the go and hunch over the relatively tiny screen - something I have literally never witnessed in the wild.
I assume you consider the plastic controller mold thing a “dock”, otherwise I mean anytime you use the switch in docked mode you’d detach the joycons. I often use the joycons separated from each...
I assume you consider the plastic controller mold thing a “dock”, otherwise I mean anytime you use the switch in docked mode you’d detach the joycons.
I often use the joycons separated from each other. Sometimes it’s just more comfortable to be able to let my hands be wherever they want to be instead of forced together. Obviously it’s necessary for some motion control games like the skyward sword remaster.
Also, it is useful for party games. Every switch is two controllers for Mario party or Mario kart or even smash in a pinch. It’s not optimal, but it’s a lot easier to find 2 people with joycons for 4 player Mario kart than 4 controllers.
Nope! If I'm playing the thing with it docked, it's going to be with a different controller. Even with the joycon dock thing I find the experience really uncomfortable, with the placement of the...
Nope! If I'm playing the thing with it docked, it's going to be with a different controller. Even with the joycon dock thing I find the experience really uncomfortable, with the placement of the d-pad particularly egregious.
I dislike party games myself, so I can't speak out of experience, but I can't see anyone wanting to play one of them portably since it's hard to get the screen where everyone can actually see it well enough. And if you're going to play it with a TV is the issue of how portable the controller is really that big of a deal?
I think the point about party games is that a lot of them only need one joycon, so you automatically have at least two controllers. Which I actually wish I knew last time my friends and I tried to...
I think the point about party games is that a lot of them only need one joycon, so you automatically have at least two controllers. Which I actually wish I knew last time my friends and I tried to play Mario Kart 8.
That said, playing with a single joycon definitely feels weird and wrong. I do have fairly small hands so it's not as bad for me as for some people, and I've played a few games with the joycons separated, but to play with just one? Definitely feels too small.
A lot of people only have joycons as the controller for their switch 2, so it’s a bit of a moot point. A lot? I mean, the usual context for a party game is that one person hosts and then other...
A lot of people only have joycons as the controller for their switch 2, so it’s a bit of a moot point.
And if you're going to play it with a TV is the issue of how portable the controller is really that big of a deal?
A lot? I mean, the usual context for a party game is that one person hosts and then other people need to bring controllers. The size and availability of joycons matter. Joycons come with the console, and you automatically get 2 of them. Two pro controllers are far larger in the bag and cost like $140 extra.
Correct me if I'm wrong because it's been over a decade, but aren't Wiimotes long chunky rectangles? Iirc you needed a silicone sleeve to make it comfortable to hold.
The shape of the Wii Remote was just so ergonomic
Correct me if I'm wrong because it's been over a decade, but aren't Wiimotes long chunky rectangles? Iirc you needed a silicone sleeve to make it comfortable to hold.
It was ok vertically. Horizontally was really bad though. Honestly one of the most uncomfortable controllers ever. It's really odd that the author cited the ergonomics on one of the least...
It was ok vertically. Horizontally was really bad though. Honestly one of the most uncomfortable controllers ever. It's really odd that the author cited the ergonomics on one of the least ergonomic controllers of all time in one of its two major modes.
So I just picked up the Retro Shooter Reaper 3 light gun and like others that use the four IR lights around the monitor, it's excellent. I was using a Wiimote with a community software previously,...
So I just picked up the Retro Shooter Reaper 3 light gun and like others that use the four IR lights around the monitor, it's excellent. I was using a Wiimote with a community software previously, but there's no comparison.
For anybody who's kept up with the tech enabling light guns non CRTs, it's not simple. Some use white borders within the screen to help with aiming, others use top and bottom IR - it's a dog's breakfast, and none of them work as well as the OG zapper.
That all said, I really like this unit and am happy to say that with a fisheye lens, they're super responsive. If Nintendo were to bring back the Wiimote, I hope that they'd develop it in this direction.
How’s the accuracy as you head towards the corners of the screen? I’ve got a Gun4IR setup and it’s amazing, but the pointer does get slightly off as I approach the corners. It’s not a huge deal,...
How’s the accuracy as you head towards the corners of the screen?
I’ve got a Gun4IR setup and it’s amazing, but the pointer does get slightly off as I approach the corners.
It’s not a huge deal, as nearly everything I play is in 4:3 and doesn’t even use those parts of the screen, but I’m curious if the Reaper 3 has the same issue.
I haven't tested it to the degree that I've noticed yet, but it's quite good. I'll often play with the fisheye lens on, so it's likely that it skews the tracking a bit. That said, the scroll rate...
I haven't tested it to the degree that I've noticed yet, but it's quite good. I'll often play with the fisheye lens on, so it's likely that it skews the tracking a bit. That said, the scroll rate is amazing - it pans the screen like a fast mouse move, something that I was never able to do with Wiimotes.
Is Gun4IR the one with the white border around content? Is that a bit of a pain?
The Gun4IR uses 4 IR lights around the screen like the Reaper. And I do suspect the corner issue is due to the fisheye lens, but I’ll take that tradeoff in a heartbeat, as it lets me stand a...
The Gun4IR uses 4 IR lights around the screen like the Reaper. And I do suspect the corner issue is due to the fisheye lens, but I’ll take that tradeoff in a heartbeat, as it lets me stand a reasonable distance from the screen instead of WAY far away.
The Sinden is the one that uses the white border. I asked about it here and got some good feedback. Reading those responses helped push me towards the Gun4IR, which I’ve been very happy with.
So great to hear. Us lightgun fans have been lost in the woods for years without a solution and I'm so happy that in an age with proper arcade emulation that we have a gun, too. Favorite games? I...
So great to hear. Us lightgun fans have been lost in the woods for years without a solution and I'm so happy that in an age with proper arcade emulation that we have a gun, too.
Favorite games? I really like Sega Model 2 and 3 games and non gun rail shooters like Rez and Child of Eden.
My nostalgia lives with various PS1 and Dreamcast games that I had back in the day (Time Crisis, Area 51, Confidential Mission, Silent Scope). Also Duck Hunt (lol). I need to branch out and try...
My nostalgia lives with various PS1 and Dreamcast games that I had back in the day (Time Crisis, Area 51, Confidential Mission, Silent Scope).
Also Duck Hunt (lol).
I need to branch out and try some new-to-me ones, but I haven't got there yet. But, like you, I'm thrilled that light guns are back on the menu! It's been too long.
Ah yeah, those Dreamcast titles are high on my list too. Point Blank as well. Hopefully the genre sees a pickup in interest. There's a Panzer Dragoon Zwei remake on the horizon and I'm super...
Ah yeah, those Dreamcast titles are high on my list too. Point Blank as well.
Hopefully the genre sees a pickup in interest. There's a Panzer Dragoon Zwei remake on the horizon and I'm super excited about that.
Don't worry, they'll bring em back to use with their next console's subscription VC at $120 for each throwback Wiimote-Nunchuck pairing. They'll have a shitty print run, though, because some exec...
Don't worry, they'll bring em back to use with their next console's subscription VC at $120 for each throwback Wiimote-Nunchuck pairing. They'll have a shitty print run, though, because some exec insisted the next console had to be called the Switch 2-II: Switch 2 Da New Console!. When pressed, the exec tells media "a bad name really worked out well for the Switch after the Wii U". They never get around to porting Radiant Dawn, causing used copies to skyrocket to $500.
This is my plan to afford the Switch 2. Thanks, Nintendo.
(Not joking about the VC, hopefully joking about the price. Probably not.)
Oh yeah, navigating VC is likely most people's gateway into piracy. Buying the same game multiple times for each successive console -- what a frustrating experience
Oh yeah, navigating VC is likely most people's gateway into piracy. Buying the same game multiple times for each successive console -- what a frustrating experience
This was still possible with the first iteration of Joy Cons, as discussed and shown in this article about World of Goo. It even works without a sensor bar! But apparently they removed the IR...
This was still possible with the first iteration of Joy Cons, as discussed and shown in this article about World of Goo. It even works without a sensor bar!
But apparently they removed the IR sensor from the Joy Con 2.
Nintendo are the true leaders of making features and peripherals that are only used a few times in a console's lifetime. The Wii may have had the most of these. One example that comes to mind is Wii Speak, which was mainly used for Animal Crossing (but does have some other supported games).
Pointer functionality with Joy-Cons was provided by the MEMS gyroscope, not the IR transceiver. That's why it worked without a sensor bar. The downside is that the gyroscope isn't super precise;...
Pointer functionality with Joy-Cons was provided by the MEMS gyroscope, not the IR transceiver. That's why it worked without a sensor bar.
The downside is that the gyroscope isn't super precise; it drifts, requiring the user to occasionally press a button to recenter it.
In fact your original comment was correct--the Nintendo Switch does have an IR sensor/camera. If you've got an original or OLED Switch and look at the right joycon there's a black plastic "window"...
In fact your original comment was correct--the Nintendo Switch does have an IR sensor/camera. If you've got an original or OLED Switch and look at the right joycon there's a black plastic "window" that covers it up. Looks kind of like what you'd see covering the IR blaster on a TV remote.
As far as I know only a single game ever used it though, the 1-2-Switch tech demo thingy that probably nobody ever played (maybe also some now-defunct Labo stuff, I'm not sure).
I'm just speculating, but I think in theory Nintendo could have released an IR bar peripheral for the Nintendo Switch that would allow the right joycon to become a Wii-mote like pointing device. I guess they ultimately decided to just ignore the fact that it exists though.
Huh. Funny thing is that I was surprised by your earlier comment at first, but I now remember reading up on games that used the IR camera back when the Switch 2 was announced. So I should've known...
Huh. Funny thing is that I was surprised by your earlier comment at first, but I now remember reading up on games that used the IR camera back when the Switch 2 was announced. So I should've known it wasn't the sole means of detecting motion.
Similarly, barely any games use the speakers in the joycons. The only reason I know joycons can play sound is because of Luigi's Mansion 3. ...though your mention of Wii Speak now makes me...
To be fair, not many Switch games really use the IR sensor for some reason. The main ones I remember using it were Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Galaxy in the All-Stars collection. Actually come to think of it, I found it annoying to play SMG in handheld because you'd have to tap the touchscreen to collect the star things, and the tap does some other functions too. Meanwhile on docked I think you just need to have the cursor pass over them.
I get the motion detection isn't as refined as the Wiimote, but it's still a bit of a waste that so few games took advantage of it. It can add a bit of extra immersion or open new avenues for gameplay a bit. Similarly, barely any games use the speakers in the joycons. The only reason I know joycons can play sound is because of Luigi's Mansion 3.
...though your mention of Wii Speak now makes me disappointed that the Wii didn't get an official port of Seaman. Imagine if we could use the Wiimote to interact with him...
EDIT: I mistook the IR sensors as being part of the motion detection, so most of the comment is nullified. That said, I still stand by my points about the underused sound feature in joycons, and also the tragedy of never getting to see Seaman on Wii.
Your comment got me curious because I've opened my joycons to swap out the shell, and don't remember seeing speakers in there. From what I read the games that play music through the joycons are...
Your comment got me curious because I've opened my joycons to swap out the shell, and don't remember seeing speakers in there. From what I read the games that play music through the joycons are actually using the HD rumble feature to generate sounds... like vibrating at a specific frequency to produce the desired notes. Wild.
Aside the fact that the infrared sensor would obviously make it impossible to play in portable mode, it was already half-obsolete when Nintendo released the Wiimote+ that had a gyroscope. The only downside of it is that you need to recalibrate it once in a while to set its "neutral" state.
And honestly, if you want good controllers with a gyroscope, look at how Steam did it with the Steam Controller back in 2015, and now on the Steam Deck: the gyroscope can be triggered on demand, e.g. by putting your thumb on the stick or the trackpad, because having it active all the time is pretty terrible.
Aren't current-gen gyroscopes still not achieving the same high precision level as the Wii Remote's combination of motion sensor/gyroscope and IR pointer does? Good luck trying to aim quickly and accurately at the onslaught of foes in the challenging rail-shooter Sin & Punishment Star Successor with a Joy-Con!
At least up to the early 2020s, I remember experiencing and hearing among peoples how often the gyroscope's calibration would easily go off-centre, especially when rapidly tilting the device. So in practice, you'd need to recalibrate it every so often, or rely on a joystick to move the reticle quickly and then tilt the controller for fine-tuning the aim like in some of the Wii U and Switch Nintendo-published games.
The Wii/Wii U IR sensor bar not only serves to bring up the cursor on screen exactly to where a Wii Remote pointing at, but some games also use it as a way to automatically recalibrate the motion sensor. It's all done by lighting up one set of LEDs at each side of the screen, to which the IR pointer will rely on.
Embedding that technology above the screen like the Wii U GamePad did while not requiring to have the handheld tethered to an AC adapter can also enable the use of pointer control even in portable play. That, however, still takes more room between the player and the handheld than usual in order to use pointer control more effectively.
I wish that more people (including at Nintendo) understood how big of a difference this makes.
I mean, frankly, I've found the ability to be pointing anywhere and recentering by just pressing R/+ to be far more ergonomic. So I'm always miffed by people who want the IR pointer back.
One of the main upgrades in the Switch 2 controllers is a new 9-axis gyroscope that is supposed to nearly eliminate the problem of drift.
I think technically the joycon do everything the Wii remote can do. I'm not sure how they'd solve the sensor bar issue. It was the form factor of the Wii remote that was the greatest thing about it imho.
I agree. The shape of the Wii Remote was just so ergonomic, especially for point-and-click mechanics. The Joy-Cons are so tiny and unwieldy in comparison.
The joycons are honestly the worst part of the switch IMHO. The only controller that I can think of that is more fiddly is the 8bitdo Zero, a controller that was designed to be as small as realistically possible. The switch doesn't really gain anything from removing the joycons from it's docks, so the only real occasion it really makes any sense to detatch it is if you're going to be playing a two-player game on the go and hunch over the relatively tiny screen - something I have literally never witnessed in the wild.
I assume you consider the plastic controller mold thing a “dock”, otherwise I mean anytime you use the switch in docked mode you’d detach the joycons.
I often use the joycons separated from each other. Sometimes it’s just more comfortable to be able to let my hands be wherever they want to be instead of forced together. Obviously it’s necessary for some motion control games like the skyward sword remaster.
Also, it is useful for party games. Every switch is two controllers for Mario party or Mario kart or even smash in a pinch. It’s not optimal, but it’s a lot easier to find 2 people with joycons for 4 player Mario kart than 4 controllers.
Nope! If I'm playing the thing with it docked, it's going to be with a different controller. Even with the joycon dock thing I find the experience really uncomfortable, with the placement of the d-pad particularly egregious.
I dislike party games myself, so I can't speak out of experience, but I can't see anyone wanting to play one of them portably since it's hard to get the screen where everyone can actually see it well enough. And if you're going to play it with a TV is the issue of how portable the controller is really that big of a deal?
I think the point about party games is that a lot of them only need one joycon, so you automatically have at least two controllers. Which I actually wish I knew last time my friends and I tried to play Mario Kart 8.
That said, playing with a single joycon definitely feels weird and wrong. I do have fairly small hands so it's not as bad for me as for some people, and I've played a few games with the joycons separated, but to play with just one? Definitely feels too small.
A lot of people only have joycons as the controller for their switch 2, so it’s a bit of a moot point.
A lot? I mean, the usual context for a party game is that one person hosts and then other people need to bring controllers. The size and availability of joycons matter. Joycons come with the console, and you automatically get 2 of them. Two pro controllers are far larger in the bag and cost like $140 extra.
Correct me if I'm wrong because it's been over a decade, but aren't Wiimotes long chunky rectangles? Iirc you needed a silicone sleeve to make it comfortable to hold.
I played the heck out of my Wii and it never felt uncomfortable to me, even before I got the sleeves (which I never really needed).
It was ok vertically. Horizontally was really bad though. Honestly one of the most uncomfortable controllers ever. It's really odd that the author cited the ergonomics on one of the least ergonomic controllers of all time in one of its two major modes.
Seeing your and the OP's replies side by side in my notifications was very funny.
Let no one say this site is a hivemind
Yeah, it was a beautiful thing all right.
So I just picked up the Retro Shooter Reaper 3 light gun and like others that use the four IR lights around the monitor, it's excellent. I was using a Wiimote with a community software previously, but there's no comparison.
https://retroshooter.com/rs3-reaper/#checkout
For anybody who's kept up with the tech enabling light guns non CRTs, it's not simple. Some use white borders within the screen to help with aiming, others use top and bottom IR - it's a dog's breakfast, and none of them work as well as the OG zapper.
That all said, I really like this unit and am happy to say that with a fisheye lens, they're super responsive. If Nintendo were to bring back the Wiimote, I hope that they'd develop it in this direction.
How’s the accuracy as you head towards the corners of the screen?
I’ve got a Gun4IR setup and it’s amazing, but the pointer does get slightly off as I approach the corners.
It’s not a huge deal, as nearly everything I play is in 4:3 and doesn’t even use those parts of the screen, but I’m curious if the Reaper 3 has the same issue.
I haven't tested it to the degree that I've noticed yet, but it's quite good. I'll often play with the fisheye lens on, so it's likely that it skews the tracking a bit. That said, the scroll rate is amazing - it pans the screen like a fast mouse move, something that I was never able to do with Wiimotes.
Is Gun4IR the one with the white border around content? Is that a bit of a pain?
The Gun4IR uses 4 IR lights around the screen like the Reaper. And I do suspect the corner issue is due to the fisheye lens, but I’ll take that tradeoff in a heartbeat, as it lets me stand a reasonable distance from the screen instead of WAY far away.
The Sinden is the one that uses the white border. I asked about it here and got some good feedback. Reading those responses helped push me towards the Gun4IR, which I’ve been very happy with.
So great to hear. Us lightgun fans have been lost in the woods for years without a solution and I'm so happy that in an age with proper arcade emulation that we have a gun, too.
Favorite games? I really like Sega Model 2 and 3 games and non gun rail shooters like Rez and Child of Eden.
My nostalgia lives with various PS1 and Dreamcast games that I had back in the day (Time Crisis, Area 51, Confidential Mission, Silent Scope).
Also Duck Hunt (lol).
I need to branch out and try some new-to-me ones, but I haven't got there yet. But, like you, I'm thrilled that light guns are back on the menu! It's been too long.
Ah yeah, those Dreamcast titles are high on my list too. Point Blank as well.
Hopefully the genre sees a pickup in interest. There's a Panzer Dragoon Zwei remake on the horizon and I'm super excited about that.
Don't worry, they'll bring em back to use with their next console's subscription VC at $120 for each throwback Wiimote-Nunchuck pairing. They'll have a shitty print run, though, because some exec insisted the next console had to be called the Switch 2-II: Switch 2 Da New Console!. When pressed, the exec tells media "a bad name really worked out well for the Switch after the Wii U". They never get around to porting Radiant Dawn, causing used copies to skyrocket to $500.
This is my plan to afford the Switch 2. Thanks, Nintendo.
(Not joking about the VC, hopefully joking about the price. Probably not.)
Oh yeah, navigating VC is likely most people's gateway into piracy. Buying the same game multiple times for each successive console -- what a frustrating experience
lol I felt this.
This was still possible with the first iteration of Joy Cons, as discussed and shown in this article about World of Goo. It even works without a sensor bar!
But apparently they removed the IR sensor from the Joy Con 2.
Nintendo are the true leaders of making features and peripherals that are only used a few times in a console's lifetime. The Wii may have had the most of these. One example that comes to mind is Wii Speak, which was mainly used for Animal Crossing (but does have some other supported games).
Pointer functionality with Joy-Cons was provided by the MEMS gyroscope, not the IR transceiver. That's why it worked without a sensor bar.
The downside is that the gyroscope isn't super precise; it drifts, requiring the user to occasionally press a button to recenter it.
This has improved substantially with the new Joy-Cons on the Switch 2 thanks to a new gyro design. I can't attest to their performance in pointer games, but the new Pro Controller's gyro aiming has been a noticeable upgrade in Splatoon 3.
Thanks for the correction. That's a pretty cool use of tech.
In fact your original comment was correct--the Nintendo Switch does have an IR sensor/camera. If you've got an original or OLED Switch and look at the right joycon there's a black plastic "window" that covers it up. Looks kind of like what you'd see covering the IR blaster on a TV remote.
As far as I know only a single game ever used it though, the 1-2-Switch tech demo thingy that probably nobody ever played (maybe also some now-defunct Labo stuff, I'm not sure).
I'm just speculating, but I think in theory Nintendo could have released an IR bar peripheral for the Nintendo Switch that would allow the right joycon to become a Wii-mote like pointing device. I guess they ultimately decided to just ignore the fact that it exists though.
Huh. Funny thing is that I was surprised by your earlier comment at first, but I now remember reading up on games that used the IR camera back when the Switch 2 was announced. So I should've known it wasn't the sole means of detecting motion.
On that note, here's a list from Destructoid of games that use it. Mostly shovelware, though Ring Fit uses it to measure heartrate and Resident Evil Revelations uses it to reload ammo.
To be fair, not many Switch games really use the IR sensor for some reason. The main ones I remember using it were Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Galaxy in the All-Stars collection. Actually come to think of it, I found it annoying to play SMG in handheld because you'd have to tap the touchscreen to collect the star things, and the tap does some other functions too. Meanwhile on docked I think you just need to have the cursor pass over them.I get the motion detection isn't as refined as the Wiimote, but it's still a bit of a waste that so few games took advantage of it. It can add a bit of extra immersion or open new avenues for gameplay a bit.Similarly, barely any games use the speakers in the joycons. The only reason I know joycons can play sound is because of Luigi's Mansion 3....though your mention of Wii Speak now makes me disappointed that the Wii didn't get an official port of Seaman. Imagine if we could use the Wiimote to interact with him...
EDIT: I mistook the IR sensors as being part of the motion detection, so most of the comment is nullified. That said, I still stand by my points about the underused sound feature in joycons, and also the tragedy of never getting to see Seaman on Wii.
Your comment got me curious because I've opened my joycons to swap out the shell, and don't remember seeing speakers in there. From what I read the games that play music through the joycons are actually using the HD rumble feature to generate sounds... like vibrating at a specific frequency to produce the desired notes. Wild.
Just get a second hand Wii and soft mod it. Nintendo is going to be milking this rerelease cow like it’s nobody’s business.