Ultra Hand SP
Ultra Hand SP is an interactive exhibit at the Nintendo Museum in which participants use the classic Ultra Hand toy to collect Pokémon-themed objects.[1]
The Ultra Hand is a toy first released by Nintendo in 1966. The exhibit uses an updated version of the Ultra Hand, which is sold at the Nintendo Museum's shop. When using the Ultra Hand, the arm extends as the grip is closed, and retracts as it is opened.
Gameplay
Participants are challenged to swiftly grab moving balls — specifically Voltorb, Electrode, and Poké Balls — that are attached to strings gliding along the lanes. Players collect the balls and drop them into a Mario-themed pipe in front of them. Dropping a ball into a pipe earns points and triggers Pokémon-themed fireworks on the screen above, depending on the size of the ball.
Music from Pokémon Gold and Silver plays during the game.
History
The original Ultra Hand was the first toy created by Gunpei Yokoi, who later designed notable Nintendo products like the Game Boy and the D-pad. Released in 1966, the Ultra Hand used crisscrossed plastic parts in a "lazy tongs" mechanism. Pulling the scissor-like handles extended the arms, allowing users to grab items with two bowl-shaped grips. The original packaging included three colored balls with stands for users to practice grabbing. The toy's design used weights to prevent the "hands" from opening too early, adding a challenge to the gameplay.
Yokoi developed the toy during his time at Nintendo, and it retailed for ¥600.[2] It sold over 1.2 million units.[3] The toy's popularity established Yokoi's career as a product developer and helped position Nintendo in the toy market, and its success led to the creation of other Ultra-series products, such as the Ultra Machine and Ultra Scope.
The Ultra Hand has made appearances in several Nintendo games, such as Animal Crossing: New Leaf, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, and Mario Tennis GC.
External links
References
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This article is part of Project Real-Life, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on Pokémon activities and events experienced in the real world. |
