Released in 1989, Mattel’s Power Glove offered Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) players an alternative to the traditional joystick or controller. Worn on the right hand, the futuristic accessory used sensors to track hand movements and finger positions, allowing players to control on-screen action through physical gestures.
Promoted under the bold headline “POWERPLAY,” this advertisement claimed the Power Glove let players “actually knock out Mike Tyson” and “grab the steering wheel of Rad Racer.” The glove featured a programmable keypad, a directional control pad, and 3-D sensors that tracked hand movements. Players could also program specific gestures to perform actions in compatible games, such as bending a finger to activate a special move.
Mattel’s advertising promised “new moves at your disposal” and greater control over games, particularly vertical-scrolling titles. Although the Power Glove could be used with many NES games, its motion controls were often difficult to operate consistently, and the product ultimately failed to gain widespread acceptance among players.
