Is Darwin going to shift the balance of power away from Nintendo?

At first glance, it would seem as if Motus Games is looking to cash in on the Wii craze with its introduction of the Darwin controller, but as Galagabug highlights in his community blog, nothing could be further from the truth. However, it’s still all too easy to forget that the technology predates the Wii by more than a few years, especially when the product you unveil not only looks like it was the bastard son of a lightsaber and some sort of electronic bug — but comes with an obvious Xbox 360 color scheme.

However, it’s not looks that are important here — it’s refinement. According to Motus Games, the controller is superior to the Wiimote in every way, and they claim to have the videos to prove it… or do they? Although the split controller idea is quite attractive, footage of LEGO Star Wars II in action — controlled by what appears to be a PS3 version of Darwin — shows some obvious lag time between swings and what’s seen onscreen. Then again, a lot can change between now, and when the controller is finally available in stores. Perhaps this can be fixed.

Don’t let my cautious tone give you the wrong idea, as this controller not only shows promise, but also fills the void that some Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 fans currently suffer through. Many of us enjoy the Wii experience, but wish that Nintendo had only put some more muscle under the hood. If Motus makes good on its promise of producing the consummate motion-sensing controller (and developers line up some quality games behind it), the Wii could suddenly find itself a lot less attractive. That is, if the price is right. The question is, will it work… and is it already too late?

[Thanks, Adam]