14 DAY TRIAL // One of the weirdest moments of 2009 was the reveal of the Nintendo Vitality Sensor by the Japanese company, at this summer's E3 trade show. The company said that the new device would be able to read the pulse of a player and could translate that into some interesting gameplay mechanics, some of them based around the emotions which the gamer might exhibit while enjoying the experience offered through the Nintendo Wii. The device seems like a supremely weird proposition, but Nintendo is forging ahead with its plans for release next year, when the first game compatible with it is shown off.
Reggie Fils-Aime, who is the president of Nintendo of America, has told Kotaku that “We will show off the Vitality Sensor with software. I'm not going to give you any more hints beyond that.” So be prepared to see a host of videogame which will tap into the rhythm of your heart between June 15 and 17 of next year, when the E3 trade shows is set to take place. Some reports suggested that the first game supporting the Wii Vitality Sensor would be offered in time for Christmas 2010.
Shigeru Miyamoto, the creative mind behind the most successful videogames marketed by Nintendo, like the Zelda and the Mario series, is apparently very interested in the new device and he might even surprise gamers by integrating it into one of the big franchises.
Moreover, in a neat twist, Nintendo is saying that a big announcement related to the next Zelda game for the Nintendo Wii will arrive at next year's E3, so it might just be that players will get a chance to use the Wii Vitality Sensor in order to control some aspect of Link in his new quest. We will not know until next year, but the possibility is very interesting.