see deal Kid Icarus Uprising - Nintendo 3DS $34.99 on Gamestop

For all its strengths, Kid Icarus Uprising had one polarizing element that frustrated many gamers. The game's controls, which use the 3DS's circle pad for movement and the stylus for aiming, proved cumbersome. Determining the best position to hold the system while playing, particularly with the angle-sensitive 3D effect turned on, proved problematic for many. Adding to this issue is the fact that Uprising

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"Considering how close to the limit we pushed the 3DS during development, it's a miracle that we were even able to provide support for left-handed controls at the point of completion," Uprising director Masahiro Sakurai told me in an e-mail interview. "Providing support for independent analog control was something that was technically impossible."Sakurai's doubts about the implementation of dual-slider control ranged well beyond whether his team could have technically achieved those settings during the game's development. His reasoning extended to competitive equality and innovation as well. "I do have my doubts over whether it'd be that easy to provide support," Sakurai said. "I think any game needs to provide new experiences and stimulating things to discover, but if we provided run-of-the-mill controls for it, that cuts down on the game's potential. If a player used to touchscreen-based aiming played against someone used to right-analog control, the first player would probably dominate. The speed is on a whole different level."At the root of the demand for a dual-stick solution is the fact that holding a 3DS while aiming with the stylus doesn't always feel the best, particularly when trying to keep the portable still for an optimum 3D effect."If there are players who say that it makes their hand tired, that's because you're applying too much force," Sakurai told me. "Try to relax and work on building a rhythm to your control. Place the pen in the middle of the touchscreen; when you're flicking it, take the pen off the screen as you're sweeping with it, and stop right there. That's the basic idea."Sakurai's steadfast belief in his latest production comes from the fact that he's been doubted before. As odd as it might seem now, some 13 years after the franchise has become one of Nintendo's biggest, there were plenty of those who doubted the direction of Super Smash Bros."Smash Bros. led to similar misunderstandings when it first came out," Sakurai said. "Some people, including within the company, commented that they couldn't imagine a worse game. The project was really saved by the fact that people "got" how to play it after it was released. If we had just listened to the complaints and instituted health gauges or command-based special moves, I don't think we would have invented a new style of play that way. The controls here really aren't that difficult, either, so I'm hoping that people will be able to get used to them."

Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com and the 'Papa Koopa' of the IGN Nintendo team. He also covers Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed and much more. Join him in his ridiculous adventures onand. Got questions about IGN, Nintendo or games? You canpage. Keep it cool, Koopalings.