Although you won’t find NYKO Technologies Inc. on the trade show floor at the LVCC, the video game accessories maker is totally attending CES 2008. I had to head up to their private suite at the Las Vegas Hilton to check out their gear, but coming from a long-time console gamer, I have to say that the trip up the elevator was totally worth the trip. They had accessories and goodies for just about every system on the market, but it was in the home market where they piqued my interest. Here’s a quick rundown of what they had to offer.
Sony PlayStation 3
Ah, the PS3. Some people say that this is the system responsible for Blu-ray’s tentative victory over HD DVD (although the latter isn’t technically dead just yet). It goes without saying that Nyko would have a full complement of accessories for this glossy black wonder, and the first of which is a less expensive alternative to the official Blu-ray remote control. Called the BluWave Infrared Remote, it has just about the same functionality as the official Sony counterpart. A USB dongle plugs into the front of your PlayStation 3 and then you’re enjoying your favorite Blu-ray movie from your couch. The effective range is about 25 feet and it’s powered through 2 AAA batteries.
One of the pains associated with the PS3 is the fact that the system has to stay on for you to charge the controllers through the USB ports in the front. Nyko has made this a lot simpler with the release of the Charge Base 2. The reasonably compact unit has enough room for two controllers, and then the whole thing plugs into a regular wall outlet. It’s also notable that the Charge Base 2 doesn’t connect to the PS3 controllers via miniUSB, per se, instead making use of a special adapter that converts the miniUSB port into a battery connector.
The flagship product from Nyko is the Zero Wireless controller for the PS3. Easily the biggest feature is that this controller has SIXAXIS and vibration! Yes, Nyko has beat Sony to market with a PS3 controller with both functionalities. Too bad there aren’t too many games that current offer full vibration feedback. It’s nice that the controller makes use of a “unique metal polymer resin hybrid” for ergonomics and cooling. I also appreciate that it had some weight to it. What’s weird is that it’s powered by an AA battery pack rather than some sort of rechargeable solution.
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Microsoft Xbox 360
Walking over to the Microsoft Xbox 360 table, I didn’t really find anything that jumped out at me.
One of the biggest highlights is the Nyko Intercooler EX, featuring “snap-on assembly for easy installation.” As you can imagine, it helps to keep your gaming machine at a reasonable temperature while you frag all your friends online on Halo 3. There are at least two active fans in there, providing “improved protection for internal circuitry” and “enhanced performance for your Xbox 360.”
On the much lower tech end of things are some cotton Guitar Hero (and Rock Band, I guess) straps. They say these are much better quality than the OEM models (ha!) and they come in at least four different designs.
Nintendo Wii
Being a proud Wii owner myself, I was particularly interested in the goodies that Nyko has in store for everyone’s favorite motion-sensitive gaming machine.
Perhaps the most notable product in Nyko’s future lineup is the Frontman Wireless Guitar. Set to be the first third-party guitar available for the Nintendo Wii (and really the only way to get a second guitar for Guitar Hero III without having to buy a whole new bundle), the Frontman is naturally compatible with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Like the version that comes packaged with Activision’s offering, the Frontman Guitar also gets its power and wireless connectivity from the Wii Remote that conveniently slides into an available slot. The fret buttons seem to mimic the Rock Band guitar in that they are less color coded, but you still get a bi-directional strum bar and an “accurate” whammy bar. Estimated price is in the $50 range.
When Nintendo first showed off the Wii Remote and Nunchuk attachment, many folks were confused that a supposedly wireless controller has a cable connecting its two components. Nyko has addressed this issue by creating a wireless Nunchuk. A small transmitter plugs into the bottom of your Wii Remote and it connects to the wireless Nunchuk on the other half of the equation. The wireless Nunchuk is powered by a pair of AAA batteries.
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As an alternative to the Wii Zapper, Nyko has the Perfect Shot. It’s actually quite a different beast, because the form factor is closer to the traditional light gun games that you find in the arcade. I found that it was very head heavy, because there are virtually no components in the pistol grip whereas the Wii Remote packs pretty much all of the weight. They say that this “one handed pistol-like grip” is more intuitive for traditional shooting games. They also say that the B button-activated trigger is easier to use than Nintendo’s official offering. Heck, it’s even got an aiming sight. If you’re wondering about Nunchuk connectivity, there’s a pass-through that goes through the grip.
Nyko Cuts Wires, Provides Power
I’m usually not a big fan of third party peripherals for video game consoles, because their build quality and usability typically aren’t as good as their first party counterparts. Although the units that I fondled in the Nyko suite weren’t the final retail versions, I can say that they have done a great job with quality and innovation. I’m really looking forward to the final Frontman guitar for the Wii, because you can only play Guitar Hero III on the Wii by yourself for so long.
One final highlight I’d like to mention is the wireless guitar for the PS3 that allows you to play both Guitar Hero III and Rock Band. This is accomplished by a toggle switch in the base transmitter. Nyko says that they’re the first to do this.
For more pictures from our visit with Nyko you can check out our CES 2008 Nyko Photo Gallery.
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