Peripheral Visions

Rejoice! For many years the zany Nintendo peripheral was a diminishing phenomenon. But no longer. Thanks to the Wii, all manner of weird and wonderful accessories are being released again, while the Virtual Console continues to churn up deep feelings of nostalgia for the games and peripherals of ages past. In honour of this new golden age, we thought we’d root around our collective memories for some of the more bizarre, wonderful and downright useless peripherals we’ve encountered over the many ages of gaming. From trash to triumph, join us as we excavate through the layers of Nintendo’s peripheral past.

Power Glove (NES)
Everyone wanted a Power Glove when they were a kid. Controlling games via a motion-sensing glove? That was the dream. Sadly, it didn’t quite work like that, and the control it offered could only be described as appalling - little more than having a NES pad glued to your wrist. But thanks to its appearance in Nintendo marketing coup-cum-film The Wizard, it shifted a respectable number of units. In all other regards, it’s the least respectable NES accessory of all time.

R.O.B. the Robot (NES)
He might look unassuming, but our Robotic Operating Buddy here may very well be what saved Nintendo’s fortunes after the great video game crash of ’83 - convincing retailers to stock the young NES console so long as it was bundled with this cutie.

Famicom Light Gun (NES)
Everyone loves the original gray (and then pumpkin-orange) NES Zapper. But did you know it had an older, meaner brother? Meet the Famicom Light Gun, Nintendo’s first photodiode blaster. If you tried to hold up a liquor store with the original NES Zapper, you’d be laughed out of the building. But approach the till with the Famicom Light Gun? You’ll be getting a bit of respect.

Roll & Rocker (NES)
You might not know it, but there have been many attempts prior to Wii Fit to combine the divergent activities of gaming and exercise. The Roll & Rocker was the first to appear on a Nintendo console. Problem is, it had a 100 lb weight limit, meaning you either had to be a rather athletic child or be operating in a low-gravity environment to use it in the first place.

Latest in Gaming
Helldivers 2 Borderline Justice Warbond helldiver using hoverpack to shoot down with hunting rifle
Talking points from the Game Developers Conference 2025 and how they could impact the future of gaming
GDC The Game Developers logo
Biggest announcements from the Game Developers Conference 2025
FGS Spring 2025
How to watch The Future Game Show Spring Showcase 2025 – and what to expect
Image of the Death Stranding 2 On The Beach Collector's Edition on a purple GamesRadar background.
Death Stranding 2 collector's edition is a sight to behold and here's where to pre-order yours
GDC The Game Developers logo
When is the Game Developers Conference 2025 and why is it so interesting?
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Everything announced at Pokemon Presents 2025
Latest in Features
Naoe kills a target with a black and white filter over the camera highlighting the red of blood spray in Assassin's Creed Shadows, with an On The Radar orange frame
Assassin's Creed Shadows "has a little bit of Tarantino flavor", but its real secret ingredient is intrigue: "It's almost like you're watching an episode of Shogun"
Helldivers 2 Borderline Justice Warbond helldiver using hoverpack to shoot down with hunting rifle
Talking points from the Game Developers Conference 2025 and how they could impact the future of gaming
Flexispot E7 Plus with plant, monitor, soundbar, and controller on top next to white wall lighting.
Gaming desks vs regular desks: which surface should you buy?
Google Pixel 9a smartphones on a beige background
One Google Pixel 9a feature could make it a better gaming phone than most budget mainstream models
Yasuke and Naoe ready to fight on the Assassin's Creed Shadows On The Radar thumbnail
On The Radar: Assassin's Creed Shadows coverage hub
Captain Planet #1
Captain Planet is back after 33 years with a "sexy" makeover and a message that's as important as ever: "Reality has gotten a lot less subtle"