Sticking Outside the Box: Games which use analog sticks in unconventional ways
Recently realised that I'm a sucker for this type of thing, so I thought it might be handy to make a list of examples of it on the off chance that anybody else is. Being pretty loose with "unconventional" here (basically anything where the left stick isn't just movement or wiggling out of sticky situations and where the right stick isn't just the camera) and am no doubt forgetting some, so feel free to comment on any other examples of this sort of stuff that stuck out to you as feeling unique. The notes for each game listed include some (mostly) brief descriptions of how it puts a different spin on our thumb twiddling.
Other notes:
- Special move inputs in fighting games and action games came to mind, but I wasn't sure about including them since they're standard in the context of their genres, whereas something like Symphony of the Night's similar inputs for hidden attacks are pretty unusual for its respective type of game.
- I've never played a console port of an RTS originally made for computers, but I'm sure there'd be a bunch here if I had.
- For some reason I was absolutely sure that A Dog's Life would be able to fit on it here, but nope, the manual says it's just the camera. I reckon it's because this is a general ode to weirdness and I'd conflated it in my head because it's such a charmingly weird game.
- On that note, there should be more games where you play as animals. Uppa Mister Mosquito, Tokyo Jungle and also Mad Rat Dead while we're at it.
- Very inadvertently light blue first row.
Other notes:
- Special move inputs in fighting games and action games came to mind, but I wasn't sure about including them since they're standard in the context of their genres, whereas something like Symphony of the Night's similar inputs for hidden attacks are pretty unusual for its respective type of game.
- I've never played a console port of an RTS originally made for computers, but I'm sure there'd be a bunch here if I had.
- For some reason I was absolutely sure that A Dog's Life would be able to fit on it here, but nope, the manual says it's just the camera. I reckon it's because this is a general ode to weirdness and I'd conflated it in my head because it's such a charmingly weird game.
- On that note, there should be more games where you play as animals. Uppa Mister Mosquito, Tokyo Jungle and also Mad Rat Dead while we're at it.
- Very inadvertently light blue first row.
62 Games
Uses the right stick to control various gadgets, e.g. swinging the baton or net in the direction you tilt it, rotating it to glide using the propeller or sprint using the hula hoop, simultaneously controlling an RC car (in the same way Spike’s movement is controlled with the left stick), dragging it backwards then releasing to shoot the slingshot, etc. Also features some other cool, more contextual segments where both sticks have to be rotated in tandem with each other to steer a boat, simulating the motion of how you’d use rows in real life, or to control the treads of a tank.
Pretty much had to be first on the list since the DualShock was basically banked on it. I've no idea how the PSP remake of this is supposed to work because, y'know.
Pretty much had to be first on the list since the DualShock was basically banked on it. I've no idea how the PSP remake of this is supposed to work because, y'know.
Largely the same situation as with the first game but features some new gadgets it didn’t have, like a magnet with which you aim at objects using the right stick and can then move around using the left.
Same again, but with the addition of the right stick being used to control the new morphs you can transform into. These range from pretty simple ones like the tilting the stick to use the Fantasy Knight’s lance like a heavier version of the baton (which stuns monkeys better) or a bit more out-there ones like the Wild West Kid, which essentially turns the game into a Ratchet sequel and has you shooting with the right stick while strafing with the left. My favourite one’s the Cyber Ace, which lets you air dash in whichever direction you tilt the right stick in.
The right stick controls the Wonder Liner, which lets you rearrange your team into various shapes to switch between different weapons, alter the size and speed of said weapons, recruit near-death enemies into your squad, pick up and throw enemies, interact with bits of the environment, counterattack mini-bosses and bosses during contextual windows, perform QTEs (which give you more points the longer you spend drawing their solutions), etc. Also has some one-off segments where it’s used in other ways, like the part in Operation 004 where you simultaneously control Blue using the right stick and Red using the left.
When in Blade Mode, the analog sticks can be used varyingly to strafe, perform weak sword slashes or (most importantly) change the angle at which Raiden swings his sword.
When your Legion's summoned, the right stick controls its movement. Enables some of the game's other unique quirks, like having the Legion walk in a circle around an enemy to wrap them in the astral chain™ and temporarily immobilise them (or individual limbs, in the case of really big fellas). Different Legions also have "modes" unique to each of them which affect the sticks' functions, like the Sword Legion having what's essentially an equivalent Metal Gear Rising's Blade Mode (in which the sticks aim the direction of his slashes) or the Arrow Legion's TPS over the shoulder shooting mode.
Depending on whether he's in his plushie form or summoned in full, Cheshire will either extend out from Cereza in whichever direction you tilt the right stick in (which can be used to uncover items hidden in foliage, jump between certain platforms or distract enemies with a series of light punches) or move around independently of her. Something cool about this control scheme's that there's no in-game distinction between playing it by yourself or with somebody, so you can just hand a joycon to someone and play it as a defacto co-op game.
Similarly to Bayo Origins, the stick and shoulder buttons on the right half of the controller move Cream around while the left half's used to control Cookie.
While placing a sticker on a character or level geometry, tilting the right stick up or down will adjust the size of the sticker. Plastering everywhere with giant Henry VIIIs was the zenith of humour to my 10 year old self (and still is, now that I'm thinking about it again).
If you hold down L2 and/or R2, you can also point Sackboy's arms in whichever direction you want using the corresponding analog stick, which can be used to punch other players if you swing it from one direction to the opposite really fast while they're next to you. It never got old.
If you hold down L2 and/or R2, you can also point Sackboy's arms in whichever direction you want using the corresponding analog stick, which can be used to punch other players if you swing it from one direction to the opposite really fast while they're next to you. It never got old.
Same as the first LBP, but with the addition of aiming the Paintinator using the right stick.
Tilting the right stick up zooms the camera in, which has all sorts of different effects depending on context. Normally, doing this causes Joe's attacks to become more powerful (and continually punch for as long as you hold the button) and replaces his standard kicks with a deflective spinning kick thing which temporarily makes him invulnerable. Zooming in while descending mid-air causes him to do a stomp which creates shockwaves on either side, while doing it during a Red Hot Kick causes him to start spinning and essentially turn into a drill, and jumping while zoomed in also causes his jump to do damage. If you have Ukemi unlocked, you can zoom in as soon as Joe hits the ground after getting knocked over to have him leap back up and recover a single heart's worth of health.
My absolute favourite use of it is if you have Viewtiful Forever unlocked, where zooming in after dodging an enemy's attack in slow-mo expends all of your meter and does a tiny amount of damage as Joe strikes a pose. Still on a high from beating the last boss with that once.
My absolute favourite use of it is if you have Viewtiful Forever unlocked, where zooming in after dodging an enemy's attack in slow-mo expends all of your meter and does a tiny amount of damage as Joe strikes a pose. Still on a high from beating the last boss with that once.
Mostly the same deal as its predecessor except that zooming in has some different effects for Silvia since she's got a different moveset in this one, namely replacing her gunshots with a shoulder thrust and her kicks with a front flip attack.
Holding down one of the shoulder buttons lets you use the sticks to move around and paint with the Celestial Brush, which can be used in different contexts to cause trees to bloom, build bridges across gaps, make bombs to blow up creaky walls with, finish off weakened enemies quicker, etc. The buttons in this mode are also pressure-sensitive and control the size/strength of the brush's inkblots, which is pretty gnarly.
You perform one of three different kinds of dodges depending on the direction you move the right stick in; tilting up ducks under high attacks with a Dempsey roll, tilting to either side dashes to the left or right and tilting down does a backflip which creates some space between Gene and his enemy.
Penny can perform all of Yo-yo's tricks by using the right analog stick, like tilting it twice in a certain direction to dash in that direction or rotating it to have her swing him clockwise or anticlockwise (similarly to spinning with the baton in Ape Escape).
Tilting the right stick will cause whichever animal you're controlling to dodge in the corresponding direction.
Side note: the dodging row begins now.
Side note: the dodging row begins now.
The right stick causes Kratos to do a dodge roll in whichever direction you tilt it in.
Samers.
Same again, but with the addition of being able to perform an aerial dash with Icarus' wings by tilting the stick in any direction.
You know the score.
The dodging row is now over.
The dodging row is now over.
And with that comes the even cooler with gyro row.
While zooming in to aim, moving the stick can be used to aim at any part of the screen within Bond's POV. Simulates the strain of actually aiming a gun in a cool way since it snaps back to the middle of the screen if you let go of the stick.
While zooming in to aim, moving the stick can be used to aim at any part of the screen within Bond's POV. Simulates the strain of actually aiming a gun in a cool way since it snaps back to the middle of the screen if you let go of the stick.
Same as Goldeneye, but with Joanna Dark instead of Pierce Brosnan.
Aiming mode works similarly to those of Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, locking your POV in place in exchange for letting you aim anywhere on the screen within that POV using the right analog stick. And, like, having a second stick.
Ditto.
Same as the previous two games, though this time it's an option and you can switch between it and more conventional FPS analog aiming if you like.
The right analog stick's used to move Mr. Mosquito up, down, left or right and turn specifically whenever you've pierced a human's skin, whereas the left one's used to turn normally. Wacky shack!
The controls can be altered to let you move around the Imp (who's essentially Dreams' equivalent of a mouse cursor) by tilting one or both of the right and left sticks.
The left stick's used both for movement and for targeting your shots/slashes, depending on whether or not you're currently aiming your gun or have the knife readied.
Same as RE4, but with twice the mega power.
Alucard and Richter can both perform lots of different, initially hidden attacks or spells through special inputs performed with the left stick.
Using Bash will cause the enemy, projectile or obstacle Ori's latched onto to shoot in the opposite direction you move in. Also, by holding down a shoulder button as you tilt the left stick, Ori will throw a Light Burst (basically a magic grenade) in the corresponding direction; you can increase or decrease the strength and distance of the throw by tilting the stick towards or away from Ori too.
Light Burst and Bash return from the first game.
While Sargon has the Chakram readied, tilting the left stick will alter the direction in which it's thrown (and show you the angles at which it'll rebound off of surfaces).
Samus simultaneously aims at whichever angle you input into the left stick in addition to controlling her movement as you'd expect.
When using a controller, moving the right analog stick will cause your next standard attack to swing at the angle you've tilted it in (while also controlling the camera as per).
When using Magnesis on a metallic object, the right stick's used to manipulate that object instead of for camera control.
Ultrahand works similarly to Magnesis, but for non-metallic objects and with some additional functions; namely, holding down a shoulder button while carrying an object with Ultrahand lets you rotate the object using the right stick and wiggling the right stick can detatch two or more objects which you'd previously attached together.
When motion controls are disabled, tilting the right stick is used both for melee attacks and using items.
(suggested by bwoe)
(suggested by bwoe)
The throttle and break can both be controlled via the right stick (if you set it up that way).
Same.
Similarly to the first two Gran Turismos, you can use the right analog stick to control the throttle.
Your character will target whichever opponent or obstacle most closely fits the direction you tilt the stick in.
You can input various motions into both the left and right sticks to perform different kinds of tricks; tilting the left up and down after taking off to flip the board, tilting the right to perform goofy variations of ollies and pop-shuvits, etc.
(suggested by jeffbackloggd)
(suggested by jeffbackloggd)
Same as the first.
(suggested by jeffbackloggd)
(suggested by jeffbackloggd)
Same again.
(suggested by jeffbackloggd)
(suggested by jeffbackloggd)
Tilting both analog sticks in various motions will move the ball accordingly; for example, spinning them both to do a 180 degree turn, repeatedly pulling one down as you push the other up to dash forward with the ball, or only tilting one while leaving the other untouched in order to turn the camera.
(suggested by chandelierius)
(suggested by chandelierius)
Same as its predecessor.
(suggested by chandelierius)
(suggested by chandelierius)
You know it.
(suggested by chandelierius)
(suggested by chandelierius)
You still know it.
(suggested by chandelierius)
(suggested by chandelierius)
The left stick controls the front of Boy's body while the right stick controls his back end.
Instead of face buttons, attacks are performed by tilting the right analog stick.
(suggested by clownswords)
(suggested by clownswords)
Same as its predecessor.
(suggested by clownswords)
(suggested by clownswords)
The right stick is used both for melee attacks and for throwing weapons.
(suggested by bwoe)
(suggested by bwoe)
Another example of the right stick controlling melee attacks.
(suggested by bwoe)
(suggested by bwoe)
Instead of controlling the movement of your character, moving the left stick tilts the entire stage, which causes the ball your character's in to roll in the corresponding direction at a proportional speed.
(suggested by bwoe)
(suggested by bwoe)
Using the right analog stick will cause your Pikmin to swarm, which makes them automatically interact with anything you've moved them towards; attack enemies, move objects, etc.
Ditto.
(suggested by thephilosopher)
(suggested by thephilosopher)
Holding a button while tilting the left stick up or down will varyingly dismiss your selected Pikmin or use Ultra Spicy Spray.
After getting the Lineup Trumpet, you can hold one of the shoulder buttons and then tilt the right stick up, down, left or right to move your Pikmin in the corresponding direction.
The right analog stick's typically used to make Nina attack, but also has other more contextual uses; for example, zooming a sniper scope in or out according to which direction you tilt it or rotating it to have her operate a crank.
(suggested by thephilosopher)
(suggested by thephilosopher)
When playing in singleplayer mode, the right and left analog sticks control the movement of both bothers independently of one another, similarly to Bayonetta Origins or The Adventures of Cookies & Cream.
(suggested by bwoe)
(suggested by bwoe)
I'm 100% cheating with this since it doesn't actually involve a controller, but adjusting Sam's walking and running speed on the fly by spinning the mouse wheel in the corresponding direction feels at least a little bit analogous to some of these other examples, and otherwise feels so unbelievably nice to use that I can't believe it's not standard in basically every PC game where you control an individual character.
10 Comments
monhun originally had attacks bound to the right stick
THE SKATE GAMES THE SKATE GAMES THE SKATE GAMES THE SKATE GAMES
@jeffbackloggd Good shout, thanks!
No Death By Degrees?
Also, Pikmin 2.
@thephilosopher Added them both, thanks. Also chucked on the other Pikmins (Pikmen?) too.
Fuck, I was just thinking about making a list like this, I am less original than I thought.
Grabbed by the Ghoulies - right stick used for attacks and throwing weapons
Too Human - right stick is used for melee attacks
Super Monkey Ball - stick is used to tilt entire stage, not for movement
Skyward Sword HD - right stick is used for attacks and items when motion controls are disabled, does this count?
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - when playing single-player, sticks are used to control each character
Grabbed by the Ghoulies - right stick used for attacks and throwing weapons
Too Human - right stick is used for melee attacks
Super Monkey Ball - stick is used to tilt entire stage, not for movement
Skyward Sword HD - right stick is used for attacks and items when motion controls are disabled, does this count?
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - when playing single-player, sticks are used to control each character
@bwoe Funky controls enjoyers need to stick together. Good shouts on all of these, cheers (and yeah SS HD works).
chandelierius
3 months ago