The
U-FORCE is a (basically) hands-free
NES controller created by
Brøderbund Software (the company
that released the "Where in ___ is
Carmen Sandiego?" series). It looks like a little
laptop when it's
open, if you've never seen a picture.
One of its
main purposes was to make controls on
Mike Tyson's
PunchOut!! more realistic (i.e. your
punching motions would be
mimicked by
Little Mac). The main
unit of the U-FORCE consists of 10
sensors, a "
START" and "
SELECT" button,
turbo switches (for the
"A" and "B" buttons), and four game switches. It can be opened to
three different positions, closed for
easy carrying, and comes with a "
T-Bar,"
firing grips, and a "
Power Bar." The manual calls these
positions
standard,
standard with tilt, and
flat. In standard position, the U-FORCE is opened to an
85° angle. The
standard with tilt position is where the U-FORCE is
tilted back a little to form a
110° angle, hence the clever name.
Flat is, well,
flat.
The "T-Bar":
This little T-shaped bar fits in a small pit on the bottom section of the U-FORCE. The tips are set
up so that a pair of firing grips (see next part) can be fixed onto the sides. The T-Bar could be
moved up, down, left, and right.
The firing grips:
These can either be hooked onto the T-Bar or used alone. They each have a red firing button on the
top. When pressed, small discs on the bottom flip to reflect the infrared light emmitted from the
sensors.
The "Power Bar":
This is placed on the bottom part of the U-FORCE. It has two reflectors on each end that bend the
infrared light at a 90° angle so the U-FORCE has additional input as to what you are doing. This is
only used for Mike Tyson's Punch Out (it was also intended for use with games made just for the
U-FORCE which, incidentially, were never made).
Most people haven't even heard of this short-lived device. And there is a reason. The long and the short of it was that the U-FORCE didn't work well. At all. One more "neat idea" that fell apart during implementation.
Thanks to Ted Michael for much of this node
From an old U-FORCE advertisement:
"Now you can feel the power without touching a thing. It's U-FORCE from Broderbund -- the first and
only video game controller that, without touching anything, electronically senses your every move.
And reacts. There's nothing to hold, nothing to jump on, nothing to
wear. U-FORCE creates a power field that responds to your every command -- making
you the controller. It's the most amazing accessory in video game history -- and it will change
the way you play video games forever. It's the challenge of the future. U-FORCE. Now nothing comes
between you and the game."
The U-FORCE is copyright © 1989 Brøderbund Software, Inc.