X

Odd-looking gaming devices (pictures)

Thought the Nintendo 2DS was weird? Join us as we gawk at some of the weirder game devices made since the year 2000 by Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony.

Christopher MacManus
Crave contributor Christopher MacManus regularly spends his time exploring the latest in science, gaming, and geek culture -- aiming to provide a fun and informative look at some of the most marvelous subjects from around the world.
Christopher MacManus
red1.jpg
1 of 11 Nintendo

Nintendo 2DS

With the introduction of the Nintendo 2DS, it's the perfect time to reminisce about peculiar-looking hardware released by the three major video game console manufacturers -- Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo -- since the year 2000.

Nintendo shocked the gaming world Wednesday with the Nintendo 2DS -- a budget-friendly, non-3D alternative to its popular Nintendo 3DS handheld -- by abandoning the hinged-design used in every portable Nintendo gaming device since the Game Boy Micro. The radical 2DS redesign inspired CNET commenters to call the device names such as "hideous," "atrocious monstrosity," and well, other colorful adjectives.

Xbox-Console-Set.png
2 of 11 Microsoft

Xbox

Who can forget Microsoft's big splash into the gaming world with the Xbox? Unfortunately, the gaming gizmo wasn't much of a looker, but that didn't stand in the way of the console's success. The first Xbox and its bulky controller look completely bloated in comparison to its successors, which sport much slimmer, sleeker designs. In fact, the original Xbox controller was so bulky that Microsoft eventually switched to a smaller design (Controller S, seen above) that proved much more popular. Thank goodness Microsoft eventually toned down that tacky "X" branding!
ps3-playstation-move-controller-angled-hand.jpg
3 of 11 Sony

PlayStation Move

There are few things more odd than Sony's PlayStation Move controller -- a black stick with a glowing multicolored LED ball at the end. Especially when you're frantically waving it in front of a television.
Nintendo3DSCirclePadPro_35163037_01.jpg
4 of 11 Nintendo

Nintendo 3DS Circle Pad Pro

When the Sony PlayStation Vita arrived with dual analog joysticks, it sent waves through the community of hard-core gamers who had always desired that feature in a powerful portable gaming device. In response, Nintendo launched an accessory, called the Circle Pad Pro, that latches onto the 3DS and gives that second joystick experience. The jury is still out on how that Frankenstein combo actually looks, though.
kinect-sports-.jpg
5 of 11 Microsoft

Microsoft Kinect

Let's face it. One of the oddest controllers in existence has to be a human kicking, pawing, and jumping around when using a Microsoft Kinect. It's almost as embarrassing as those people trying on the Oculus Rift for the first time.
10000.jpg
6 of 11 Microsoft/Sony

Those keypads

As online gaming proliferated in the late 2000s and more people started communicating over gaming consoles, Microsoft and Sony released keyboard accessories for their respective game controllers. Unfortunately, these useful add-ons make both controllers look quite weird.
Pokewalker.png
7 of 11 Nintendo

Pokewalker

There are countless video game accessories out there, but the Pokewalker perfectly fits the criteria of an odd gaming device created by one of the big three video game manufacturers. This unusual pedometer, bundled with every copy of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver for Nintendo DS, alters the Pokemon game based on the owner's real-world movement. It also serves as a storage container for Pokemon captured in the video game.
Super_Slim_PS3.jpg
8 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

PlayStation 3

When it came time to create the PlayStation 3, Sony's design gurus felt it was "vital that the case be able to outshine plain, boxy computers and AV equipment." While the PlayStation 3 certainly differed from any gaming console ever released prior, it inspired a range of criticism over its original, curvy design -- such as comments referring to it having a similar appearance to a George Foreman grill. In an attempt to sell a cheaper console, Sony's redesigned PS3 Slim completely abandoned the glossy, sophisticated look the company originally went for, but sadly, it looks quite boring. The PS3 Super Slim sort of serves as a strangely decent-looking mix of its predecessors, but some people aren't too keen on that sliding disc tray.

GameCube-Set.jpg
9 of 11 Nintendo

Nintendo GameCube

Nintendo, already familiar with creating colorful gaming devices, went with a purple (or silver) scheme for its GameCube video game console. While the box-shape design isn't really that off-putting, the color scheme doesn't really work in any room except a kids' nursery and the controller looks better suited for an Octopus.
7891660284_78a2a578ae_o.jpg
10 of 11 Sony

Sony head-mounted display

While not marketed exclusively as a PlayStation 3 accessory, Sony's HMZ-T1/HMZ-T2 OLED video headset will probably go down in history as a cool but strange-looking product made during that early phase before glasses-integrated displays took off.
dkbongos.jpg
11 of 11 Nintendo

DK Bongos

Forget joysticks and buttons and just palm-slap your way to the top with the Donkey Konga Bongos by Nintendo.

Feel free to leave us a comment with your favorite oddest gaming device made after the year 2000, including some of those countless third-party accessories.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos