Rumble Pak

A Nintendo 64 gamepad with the Rumble Pak attached.

The Rumble Pak is a device from Nintendo that provides haptic feedback while playing video games. Games that support the Rumble Pak cause it to vibrate in select situations, such as when firing a weapon or receiving damage, to immerse the player in the game. Versions of the Rumble Pak are available for the Nintendo 64, the Nintendo DS, and the Nintendo DS Lite.

Nintendo 64

The original Rumble Pak, designed for the Nintendo 64 controller, was released in April 1997 in Japan, May 1997 in North America, and October 1997 in Europe. It requires two AAA batteries and is inserted into the controller's memory cartridge slot, which prevents the use of the Controller Pak in the same controller. This usually has little impact, as Nintendo 64 games are cartridge based and have the ability to store saved data in the cartridge. For games that support the Controller Pak, it is possible to switch between accessories at certain points, a method known as "hot swapping".

The Rumble Pak was introduced bundled with the game Star Fox 64 (known as Lylat Wars in PAL territories) and made available as a separate purchase two months later. Rumble Pak support soon became a standard for N64 games. Launch titles Wave Race 64 and Super Mario 64 were re-released in Japan in July 1997 with Rumble Pak support.

Several third-party versions of the Rumble Pak, such as the Tremor Pak, followed. Some draw power from the controller instead of batteries, but the lower power makes them less effective. The TremorPak Plus allows a memory card to be inserted simultaneously, eliminating the need to switch between two accessories. The Hyper Pak Plus contains internal memory and allows the user to adjust the amount of feedback.

Nintendo DS

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Rumble Pak for the Nintendo DS (top) and the smaller version for the DS Lite (bottom) .

The Rumble Pak for the Nintendo DS is a DS Option Pak shaped like a Game Boy Advance cartridge and is designed to be inserted in the system's Game Boy Advance game slot. In North America, it was first made available bundled with Metroid Prime Pinball, but is now available through promotions or as a stand-alone purchase. The accessory is not easily available in Europe, pending the (as yet undated) release of Metroid Prime Pinball, although various DS games supporting it (Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and the recent 42 All-Time Classics, aka Clubhouse Games) have been released in Europe. However Codestorm, Nintendo's UK customer services contractor sell original-DS-style Rumble Paks as a spare part for a little under £10. The recently released game 'Actionloop' now contains a rumble pak in the UK.

Although the Rumble Pak works with both the Nintendo DS and the redesigned Nintendo DS Lite, it protrudes from the Nintendo DS Lite when inserted. For this reason, a smaller version of the Rumble Pak is available in Japan, which is flush with the system when inserted. It was initially available in just black, but other colours, such as white (see picture), have been released. Other colour variations and releases in other regions have yet to be announced.

List of Nintendo DS games supporting the Rumble Pak

• 42 All-Time Classics (aka Clubhouse Games)
• Custom Robo Arena
• Diddy Kong Racing DS
• Elite Beat Agents
• Hotel Dusk: Room 215
• The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning (DS version)
• Actionloop (aka Magnetica)
• Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
• Metroid Prime Pinball (bundled with rumble pak)
• Metroid Prime: Hunters
• Star Fox Command
• Star Trek: Tactical Assault
• Super Princess Peach

Health concerns

As the use of vibrating tools for long periods (for example, jackhammers) is associated with chronic hand and arm conditions ("hand-arm vibration syndrome"), some have expressed concerns regarding the use of vibrating controllers. At least one suspected case is documented[1]. Vibrating controllers and accessories currently on sale in 2006 carry health warnings, advising users to take breaks (usually of ten to fifteen minutes during every hour of play), and to discontinue use if uncomfortable or tingling sensations are experienced in the hands or arms. Some games also feature an option to either turn the rumble off completely or weaken the rumble strength should the player desire.