Patent: Nintendo's Wii Football Controller

(PhysOrg.com) -- Nintendo has come up with yet another idea for an accessory to add to its list of Wii peripherals. This time it's a soft football-shaped controller that is said to simulate the feel and touch of a real ball when playing football simulation games such as the NFL game, Madden.

A patent application for the football controller was lodged recently by the Vice President of Research and Development for Nintendo of America, Howard Cheng. The patent has been filed but not yet approved. The device is certainly not in production, and since it is only a patent application, it may never be manufactured.

The football controller is designed to simulate movements during football games, such as running, jumping and throwing. The football is moved quickly from side to side to dodge opponents, and raising the ball simulates a jump. Making jogging motions with the ball is supposed to determine the running speed. Other options are available on the Wii remote, which fits into a slot on the ball.

The football also simulates throwing, of course. The player grasps the ball and makes a throwing movement. The direction and power of the throw in the game are determined by the power, angle, force and pitch of the throwing motion. Fortunately, the football has a strap, which should (with any luck) stop players throwing the ball at the TV screen!

The football controller holds the Wii remote and another slot holds the nunchuk, which increases the sensitivity of the football. The device also has support for Wii Motion Plus, to improve the controller's recognition of movements, detect orientation and improve its accuracy.

At this stage, the football controller is only at the patent application stage and may not make it to the retail stores, but since there's already a Wii bowling ball and similar controllers, it may well become available in the near future.