Page 18 - Old School Gamer Magazine Issue #40 FREE Edition

directions, which comprises a
base plate having a plurality of electrodes formed thereon, a key top having an indication showing predetermined four pressing directions in an identifiable manner, a support member constituting a fulcrum between
the base plate and the key top, a plurality of conductive rubbers disposed opposing to the plurality of electrodes so as to be in electrical contact with corresponding ones
of the electrodes, and a sustaining member having the plurality of conductive rubbers fixed thereto and having elastic force for sustaining the conductive rubbers so as not to be in contact with the electrodes when the key top is not pressed.”
Gunpei Yokoi once inquired of
his boss, “What should I make?” Chief Executive Hiroshi Yamauchi replied, “Something great.” Taken
to heart, Yokoi would not only revolutionize the entire gaming industry with the advent of his D-pad design, but he would also
be responsible for leading the design of the groundbreaking Game
Boy handheld device as well as producing legendary game titles including Metroid and Kid Icarus. Since its inception, virtually every Nintendo device has incorporated its use... sometimes even using two D-pads on a single controller as in the case of the Virtual Boy.
FORWARD
The simple magnificence of the D-pad has been a mainstay of
the gaming industry for over four decades and remains relatively unchanged. Gaming hardware
and graphical presentations have changed drastically over that time, but the D-pad’s forward-thinking has carved its irreplaceable, indelible mark upon gaming. Even as more modern consoles like the Sony Playstation and the Microsoft Xbox welcomed us into the 3D era and the use of analog stick inputs, the D-pad remains as a mandatory inclusion in virtually all modern- day controllers.
CONCLUSION
So significant was the invention of the D-pad that it successfully transcended video games altogether. Various semblances of the D-pad can be found in
TV remotes, car consoles, home appliances, cell phones, industrial equipment, and more. It’s safe to say that the D-pad is here to stay... and thankfully so. When it comes
to simple, cost-effective, reliable, precise directional input technology, nothing has thus far dethroned Yokoi’s magnum opus.
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OLD SCHOOL GAMER MAGAZINE • ISSUE #40