Last week, Nintendo announced that it would be adding classic Nintendo 64 games to its lineup on the Nintendo Switch Online library. Perhaps in the spirit of that, in the spirit of the upcoming Halloween season, by the command of the darkest depths of their psyche, or some other unfathomable reason, one fan decided to create a truly terrifying take on the retro console's iconic controller.
With the reveal that several retro games from Nintendo 64 era will be joining the ranks of Nintendo Switch online, it's little wonder that there's renewed interest in the console and its hardware. Most evidently, the interest lies in the console's unconventional controller. One fan took "unconventional" to a whole new level with their creation.
Posted on Twitter by user @evanjmillar with the simple caption of "Good morning," this take on the controller of the Nintendo 64 is definitely something one's either already seen in their nightmares, or if they haven't, this image may do the trick. Given the follow-up comment by the poster, it doesn't look like they made the controller themselves. Rather, if the comments section is to be believed, the controller was made by one 'Michael Adams' and posted to a Facebook crafting group. Regrettably, the helpful commenter didn't clarify which Facebook group this might have been posted to, but at least there's a name to this rather ocular creation.
While it's likely to give one the shivers, the craftsmanship is undeniable. It commits fully to the body horror of its premise, with the D-pad made of teeth and covered in a flesh-like substance that is unnervingly glistening. But perhaps the best feature are the buttons, composed of ever-vigilant and unblinking eyes. They're even the correct colors of the Nintendo 64 controller buttons, which shows great attention to detail.
The comments that emerged from the Twitter post show that, even the face of something terrifying, at least people retain their senses of humor. "I'd hate to see the Z button" one user dreaded. "Does this plug into my spinal cord?" pondered another. There were more than a few clever names for the device, one user referring to it as the "Nintendonomicon." It would certainly be an interesting experience playing any Nintendo 64 classic on this.
A particularly prevalent response was bringing up eXistenZ, a science fiction horror film released in 1999 starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law. In the film, a game designer finds herself the target of numerous assassins while playing a virtual reality game of her own creation. The film received a modest amount of accolades, and was even nominated for a Saturn award for Best Science Fiction film, although it lost this award to The Matrix.
There's a transgressive appeal to looking at the creation even if it isn't normally one's taste. Maybe someone wants to admire the craftsmanship that went into this frightening display, or perhaps they want something to get them in the mood for the spooky season. Regardless of the reason, it certainly fits the season.