Think the Wii MotionPlus is just Nintendo tacking on a gyro sensor to the Wii Remote? Think again! As Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata, points out, the development process was full of trial and errors, deciding between plastic and steel components, rounding up old Pokemon store displays, and more. Here’s a little excerpt from the latest in the “Iwata Asks” series:

Kuniaki Ito: …We boiled the entire circuit board.
Satoru Iwata: You boiled it? You’re telling me you really tried that?
Everyone: (laughs)
Satoru Iwata: Circuit boards aren’t normally something you boil, you know! (laughs)
Junji Takamoto: There are ways to get plastic to absorb moisture so that it becomes stable. One of those ways is to boil it.
Satoru Iwata: Well I never…!
Kuniaki Ito: So we went and bought a pressure cooker…
Satoru Iwata: A pressure cooker?
Kuniaki Ito: Er… And we put it on expenses. Sorry about that!

You can read more details about how the Wii MotionPlus came to be, from its conception in early 2008 up through now. Head on over for the full interview session!

Iwata Asks