A game controller for two at the Nintendo Museum

Press a direction and hit the jump button. In a familiar game, two hands coordinate almost automatically. But if one person handles movement and another handles the buttons, even a simple jump needs a conversation. The Nintendo Museum's Big Controller turns something once held by one player into a task shared by two.

At the museum in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, familiar controllers from older consoles have been enlarged dramatically. The shape is recognizable; the scale is not. The official instructions require two players and say the experience cannot be used alone. The challenge is not learning a new game, but performing familiar actions together.

Moving a character forward and making it jump always required coordination. On a small gamepad, one person supplied it. With the enlarged controller, two people must anticipate each other's actions. The game becomes a matter of agreeing when to press, not simply strength or reaction speed.

Other experiences also ask visitors to revisit older products through different movements. Ultra Machine SP recreates the indoor pitching toy released in 1968: visitors hit balls thrown by a machine in a room styled after an older home. Game & Watch SP moves pocket games onto a large screen and uses the player's shadow as a control. Changes in scale and input produce new ways to play.

These experiences occupy the exhibition building's first floor. Upstairs are products Nintendo has released over the years. Rather than supplying lengthy explanations, the arrangement encourages visitors to find connections among objects. Recognizing a device upstairs and trying an unfamiliar version of its controls downstairs gives the museum a character beyond a collection of old products.

The experiences cannot be repeated without limit. Each visitor receives 10 digital coins, and activities cost different amounts. Big Controller costs two coins per person for its two players. Ten coins will not cover every activity, so visitors must choose. Admission tickets have a separate reservation process; the official ticket information should be checked when planning a visit.

An experienced player may need no explanation of a familiar controller. The museum changes that familiarity by changing its size. A jump once handled by one finger now needs coordination with a neighbor. In front of a gamepad normally held alone, there is room for two.

Official introduction video

Nintendo of America · Nintendo Museum Direct
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JApUMBscKOc

Official channel
https://www.youtube.com/@NintendoAmerica