Video game controllers come in all shapes and sizes, and no design is guaranteed to please everyone. From PS5's DualSense to the Gucci Xbox collab, we've seen some shockers in our time. And the list has another addition, courtesy of everyone's favourite blue blur.
Just in time for the new film, Hori has announced a Sonic-themed Nintendo Switch controller – and as far as design goes, this thing is anything but minimal. With logos galore and some unfortunate joystick placement, it already has gamers talking. (Want to start gaming? Check out the best Nintendo Switch deals available now.)
The controller in all its busy glory (Image credit: Hori)
The officially licensed Horipad controller has a lot going on. We have Sonic on the right-hand side, running at speed towards the left. One joystick is bright red, the other bright blue. There's a big Sonic logo and a slightly less big Hori logo. And, for good measure, a bunch of diagonal blue lines. The whole thing makes McDonald's DualSense design look positively tasteful.
Twitter has, as Twitter does, made its feelings known about the design. "$59? For a controller skin like that?" one user comments. "Would look so much cleaner without the branding," another adds along with a helpful mockup of the, yes – much cleaner, alternative (below).
Much cleaner (Image credit: Hori/@BoxMan908 on Twitter)
But the thing that really caught people's eyes is the placement of the right joystick. Our minds never even went there, but, er, once it's been pointed out, it's hard to unsee. We'll let the tweets do the talking:
Hori, I love you, but we need to talk about where you put that right stick in relation to sonics private area. https://t.co/XoJe3C2PatMarch 14, 2022
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Hey, Sonic! Is that an analog stick or are you happy to see us? Now YOU can’t unsee it, either. You’re welcome. https://t.co/UzntcNwTbSMarch 13, 2022
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So there we have it – a seemingly innocent Nintendo Switch controller is making me think about Sonic the Hedgehog's nether regions. Which is a first. Looking for some more family-friendly blue blur content? Check out this awesome fan-made Sonic 2 poster.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles. He has interviewed leaders and designers at brands including Apple, Microsoft and Adobe. Daniel's debut book of short stories and poems was published in 2018, and his comedy newsletter is a Substack Bestseller.
