Nintendo have responded to Microsoft Vice President Phil Spencer’s claims that the Wii U developers are “building a platform that is effectively a 360″.

Phil Spencer made the comment about Nintendo’s next gen console last week in an interview with GamesIndustry, particularly focusing on the consoles Pro Controller, which he called “an on-ramp for the back catalog of games that are on 360″, commenting on the style and shape of the controller.

When asked about Spencer’s comments, Nintendo stated that “The Wii U Pro Controller is an enhanced version of the Classic Controller Pro that has been designed specially to work with the Wii U console. It simply offers another way to play and more options for developers use. We do not compare ourselves to the other consoles.”

Now whilst Nintendo have been using the boomerang-shape for their controllers since the Gamecube, it is difficult to look at the new Wii U Pro Controller and an Xbox 360 controller side by side and immediately not see a glaring resemblance.

Nintendo have given the new Pro Controller a much smoother body, than that of the previous 2006 Classic Pro Controller, as well as moving the analog sticks higher up, forcing the d-pad and buttons lower down. The bottom triggers also appear to have become curved, giving players a better grip.

With Xbox 360 ports such as Batman Arkham City, and a focus on more titles to appeal to “hardcore gamers”, basing a controller design on something that gamers are familiar and comfortable with using for these titles makes sense.

Whilst Nintendo may not compare themselves to other consoles, gamers certainly do.

Source: That Short Guy