[noahlt]

I was disappointed the article didn't answer one question I've had for a while:

Which game first used radial menus that mapped directly onto the analog stick / joycon? That is, the angle of the stick maps directly to the angle of the selected item on the radial menu? This way you can immediately select any item, as well as switch from any current selection to any arbitrary new selection.

I first saw this in Horizon: Zero Dawn, but I haven't played many console games.

Contrast this with the Secret of Mana games where you have to repeatedly press the D-pad arrows to cycle to the desired menu item — in that style, the radial nature of the menu is entirely cosmetic.

[egypturnash]

The first one I recall seeing was Ratchet & Clank, in 2002 on the PS2.