You can see in this early prototype the beginning of what would become the PlayStation controller: the triangle-shaped start button and the eight gameplay buttons (two of the face buttons would become shoulder buttons in the final controller). This thing would be the prize of any game collection. We don't know how this eBay seller got his hands on this thing; we'd expect it to be locked up in Nintendo headquarters somewhere. It must have been an ordeal to obtain.
It is priced accordingly.
[Via GameSniped]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-28-2007 @ 3:07PM
mgroves said...
Wow, it's like the missing link between SNES controller and PSX controller.
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 3:13PM
Andrew M said...
Somehow I doubt the authenticity of this...I mean first off it connects using a serial port...what nut would make a Console that uses serial ports like on a computer...FAKE!!!
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 3:21PM
Christmas NiGHTS said...
It was an early dev kit
Anything's possible
12-28-2007 @ 3:24PM
MountainLionLink said...
It's called a devi-kit, look back at older devi-kits for examples of computer connections so programing can be done easier.
I would say "duh" but meh, its not needed.
12-28-2007 @ 3:43PM
vidGuy said...
Most dev kits controllers connect via serial or PS/2. I'll say it... duh!
12-30-2007 @ 12:04PM
SUPERPHILO.O said...
Have you ever seen a Genesis controllers were the same shape as serial ports.... and Devkits controllers normally hook up to computers like everyone else has said... Oh and some consoles now (Xbox 360) have usb controllers..... Wii even uses bluetooth which is used on many computers. So it's pretty normal for controllers to have the same ports or technologies as computers.
12-30-2007 @ 12:57PM
Michael Langford said...
DB9 (what you're calling a serial port) is a common connector for controllers for devices of all electronics of the period, not just video games.
Many of them actually are RS232 devices (i.e. a "real" serial port device).
Your incredulity is astounding, since one of the modern systems, Xbox 360, uses standard USB2.0, the common connector of today. Why would things have been different in the past?
--Michael
12-28-2007 @ 8:56PM
HellsHammer said...
This is real. I've seen it a few time before.
There used to be a SNES fansite (I look and I couldn't find it recently) that had all the info about the fallout of Sony and Nintendo. The site even had developers pictures of the Nintendo CD system.
Seems Nintendo made a big mistake and ended up creating a competitor...oops.
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 9:40PM
DomoBraden said...
You know, maybe this is narrow thinking, but I'm kind of glad the Sony/Nintendo console ever came to be. For all we know it could have potentially been a glorified CD-i, effectively deleting all gaming history post-PSX/N64. *shudders* It's an eerie thought...
Reply
12-28-2007 @ 9:41PM
DomoBraden said...
*never -- never came to be...that's what I meant to type..
12-29-2007 @ 12:06PM
Christmas NiGHTS said...
You're right, though, but it probably would've fallen out thus;
Nintendo 64 would be a CD console, no PlayStation, and one competitor to thrash the ill-prepared Saturn instead of 2
It would probably be a 2 console game right now
12-28-2007 @ 11:44PM
David W. said...
haha before I read the title I thought to myself...looks like a playstation controller and a Genises controller smashed together...then I read the story and yea, made sense :P
Reply
12-29-2007 @ 10:41AM
Hannes The Hun said...
well, there you go, an early PSX controller prototype, directly from the Sony showcase: http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20040429/scej09.jpg
... and so Big N created a monster.
Reply
12-29-2007 @ 10:29PM
Nushio (NDF - Blue) said...
Wow, Nintendo copied Sony! Wiimotes have the + and - buttons too!
12-30-2007 @ 3:58AM
Logan M. said...
I would so buy this, but the $8.95 shipping is just too much for me. :(
Reply
12-30-2007 @ 9:20AM
peter gusztav said...
great article,I havnt heard about the snes for a long time. I even placed it on my blog, with extra comments, www.opentopix.com/topic/gadgets/the-coolest-sns-pad
Reply
12-30-2007 @ 10:47AM
Kaczmar said...
I call bullsh*t. Conveniently the back label of the controller is covered by cord and the text is blurry.
This is a weird third party (maybe Asian) controller that looks similar. Nothing more...
Reply
12-30-2007 @ 11:54AM
Joe said...
its not a sony snes cd controller, it is a playstation dev controller made after the break up of nintendo and sony.
Reply
12-30-2007 @ 12:13PM
SUPERPHILO.O said...
I speak good
Reply
1-11-2008 @ 9:42PM
terronthesnake said...
Every one who thinks this is fake, well i'm not even going to say it again(everyone else already has) But pay attention to what the smart people here are saying!!!!What do you think a Video Game System is.....hmmmm a glorified computer...dilweeds!
Reply