Highlights
- Shy Man is my go-to racer in Mario Kart, however hand cramps from the small Pleasure-Con controller have affected my efficiency throughout gameplay.
- Rumors of a brand new Nintendo Change with magnetic Pleasure-Cons sound promising, however fixing ergonomic points could require a bigger console redesign.
- Regardless of having fun with solo play, tiny Pleasure-Cons make multiplayer irritating, inflicting hand cramps and unintended drifts, impacting efficiency.
Not like different Nintendo IPs Tremendous Smash Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, I honed the talents wanted for Mario Kart fairly shortly. After a quick introduction to the racer on Mario Kart DS, I took my shot at Mario Kart 8, initially overwhelmed by the colourful and close to psychedelic tracks on supply. Now, there’s confidence in saying I’m a good contender within the newest entry, however one thing that does maintain me again from turning god-tier is the dexterity of the only Nintendo Change Pleasure-Con.
With out fail, Shy Man is my one and solely character to race with. The lovable, masked entity – and all his coloured hoodies – is a wonderful companion and doesn’t blast any annoying sound bites like different characters – Toad and Daisy, I’m taking a look at you. Whereas my quick good friend is laser-focused on the monitor forward, sweating to maintain Bowser and the infuriating villagers off our tail, I’m doing my half with the steering, and nearly every part else. Nevertheless, first place has been compromised a number of occasions because of hand cramps, and I can solely hope the Nintendo Change 2 Pleasure-Cons are extra ergonomic.

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Pleasure-Con Hand Cramps Are The Bane Of My Racing Life
Rumors referring to Nintendo’s new and improved handheld have been circulating for years, however we’re lastly narrowing in on a launch window with {hardware} options and demos now being examined at unique occasions. Certainly one of these whispers suggests the Change 2 could have “magnetic Pleasure-Cons”, that means as an alternative of attaching every controller to the equipped grip, the Pleasure-Cons will presumably snap collectively to make one controller. Whereas it is a useful, progressive characteristic, it doesn’t tackle my downside with the solo Pleasure-Cons, until all the Change 2 console is greater in dimension.
…Nintendo’s built-in controller needs to be comfy sufficient to make even a number of cups look like mild work, and never immediate the necessity for a therapeutic massage after one spin round Thwomp Ruins.
If you happen to play Mario Kart 8 with anybody apart from your self, you’ll know every participant has to have one Pleasure-Con every, and its dimension leaves one thing to be desired. Constantly holding the A button to speed up whereas usually urgent the proper bumper down to carry a banana or different helpful gadgets behind your car is a surefire recipe for hand cramps. Even after one race, I can really feel the annoying niggle within the palm of my hand, and should you’re caught in no man’s land with the majority of offended racers, having the ability to shake off the cramp isn’t an possibility. Frequenters of the sport will know taking your thumb off the accelerator, even whenever you’re in first place, isn’t an possibility. Subsequently, I often bear the discomfort and keep on.
It usually makes enjoying in opposition to pals or household a nuisance and has knocked me off rhythm whereas drifting a number of occasions earlier than, or it’s induced me to deploy a shell earlier than I meant. I’ve even tried totally different strategies for holding the Pleasure-Con by gripping it lighter and even investing in a separate Change Professional controller only for my profit. The purpose being, nonetheless, Nintendo’s built-in controller needs to be comfy sufficient to make even one match mild work, and never immediate the necessity for a therapeutic massage after one spin round Thwomp Ruins.

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Pleasure-Con Drift Is An Simple Repair In contrast To Ergonomic Points
Understandably, I notice it is a petty downside that solely impacts a minority or the big-hand group (despite the fact that I haven’t got, what I might think about, giant fingers), however I’d like to see the Change 2 enhance the button format. I am no machine designer, however having the proper bumper behind the controller as an alternative of on prime or spacing out the core buttons could take away the necessity to lock my hand in a strained place.
In my view, one thing feels off with regards to the Change’s consolation, and the truth that these racers might be tense means worrying about discomfort whereas enjoying shouldn’t be a problem.
In my view, one thing feels off with regards to the Change’s consolation, explaining why there are such a lot of grips and luxury equipment on the market from Hori and Satisfye, for instance, and the truth that these racers might be tense means worrying about discomfort whereas enjoying shouldn’t be a problem. Even the Pleasure-Con strap accent looks like a band-aid over a extra obvious ergonomic challenge, and there seems to be a number of long-term Nintendo gamers who struggled with the writer’s handheld ergonomics even again through the DS days.
Regardless of the annoyance of the tiny Pleasure-Con controller threatening to sabotage my Mario Kart win streak, I nonetheless get pleasure from enjoying the racer continuously as a solo participant. Nevertheless, it has put me off enjoying the sport in teams or 1v1 challenges due to the Pleasure-Cons’ design. Fortunately, I made a decision to ship my Pleasure-Cons away to get the drift mounted, as managing hand cramps and drift was just about insufferable. With drift being a straightforward repair, I’m hoping Nintendo improves on the controllers’ design within the machine’s successor as a result of it might kill me to see Shy Man, my companion in crime, hold his head in disgrace on the end line because of my involuntary hand spasms.
Mario Kart 8
- Launched
- April 28, 2017
- Writer(s)
- Nintendo

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