Early prototype designs rarely look as good or function as well as the finished article - that’s why they’re prototypes, silly - though it has to be said we rather liked the look of this 2001 design for the Nintendo Wii's Wiimote and nunchuk.

The picture above was dug up by gadgets blog Gizmodo, and shows a device known as the GyroPod, a motion-sensing joypad that detaches into two separate pieces. It was designed specifically for Nintendo by Gyration - a company with numerous motion-sensing patents on its books - around the same time that the GameCube was launching.

While it doesn’t look half as sleek as Nintendo’s final choice, the idea behind it is certainly along the right lines. It’s also an intriguing little insight into what could have been, and to be honest looks a damn sight better than previously unearthed Wiimote prototypes. Scroll down for another couple of shots of the GyroPod being put to use in the most generic-looking first-person shooter ever.