The NES Power Glove is notorious among Nintendo fans for being one of the worst gaming accessories of all time. Well I'm here to do what no one else seems to want to do: I'm gonna stand up for the Power Glove.
Sure, it's wonky, it's weird and it's a lot more hassle than a good ol' D-pad and buttons, but I consider playing with the Power Glove to simply be a different experience rather than universally a worse one. I've heard many complaints regarding the general functionality of the thing, but I don't seem to have issues after the initial setup. I always turn off the turbo fire and flex the finger and thumb to ensure maximum responsiveness, then I don't typically have problems during play. I can beat a few levels of Super Mario Bros., even.
Some games just feel good with the Power Glove, too. I recommend Rad Racer for sure. It's a blast! Good luck getting anywhere in Ninja Gaiden, though. Your stack of precision platformers aren't going to play nice with the P-Glove. Wait, isn't the P-Glove an item from Zelda II? Maybe not... Anyways, 3rd person games like Rad Racer, Top Gun and Punch-Out!! are more what you should lean towards, but for Punch-Out!! I'd personally recommend the U-Force controller (review coming soon) if you want a somewhat more consistent experience. I should also note that there's a game called Glove Ball, developed specially for the Power Glove which allows for smooth movement only achievable with the peripheral's sensors, however, I must confess I haven't spent much time with this title.
In conclusion, the Power Glove really isn't quite as bad as people say it is. At the very least, it works as intended. Whether or not that's an intent you're interested in is up to the individual. Personally, if you have the chance, I recommend you sit down with the Power Glove and a stack of games of all different genres and just give them a try. Who knows, you might just have a good time! It has a little something for everyone.
Published 7/17/21