It was nearly impossible to find a Nintendo Wii in stock during its launch in 2006. Last year, the holiday shopping season brought about yet another shortage of Nintendo’s motion-sensing game machine. Even now, some 25 months after its initial release, the Wii is still in short supply. Clearly, the Nintendo Wii is doing very well for itself and this has really opened up the market for all sorts of fun video game accessories. You don’t have to stick with Nintendo-branded products though.
Growing up, I usually stayed away from third-party video game accessories, because the quality of these items paled in comparison to their first-party counterparts. This was true on the Super Nintendo, the PlayStation, and even as recently as the GameCube. Third-party manufacturers are quickly catching up, however, offering a wide range of video game accessories that are more affordable than the Nintendo-branded stuff. We’ve collected an assortment of third-party Nintendo Wii gaming accessories and, by and large, they’re pretty good.
Penguin United Dual Charge Station
With the advent of wireless controllers came the issue of keeping those batteries charged. We didn’t have this problem back in the day of wired controllers, because no additional power source was required. Whether you’re rocking a PS3, Xbox 360, or a Nintendo Wii, you’ll want to load up on some sort of rechargeable solution for your controllers. This is especially true if you plan on hosting some holiday gaming parties.
The Penguin United Dual Charge Station is designed to work with the Wii Remote, providing slots for two of Nintendo’s waggle-tastic controllers. Included in the package are the charging base itself, two rechargeable battery packs, and two replacement battery covers.
To get this apparatus to work, you remove the OEM battery cover and the regular AA batteries that you would normally find inside the Wii Remote. Slide one of the provided battery packs into the Remote and attach the modified battery cover. You’ll notice that there are battery contacts on the outside of this cover. That’s because you can slide your entire Wii Remote into the charging station.
The added advantage is that the rechargeable battery pack is actually lighter than a pair of AA batteries, so your arms won’t get as tired as you swing wildly for Wii Sports: Tennis. I found the charging base to be a little finicky in terms of getting the battery contacts to align, but given the super affordable price, that’s easily forgivable. If you need to charge more controllers, there’s also a Quad Charging Station for a little more money.
C2Tech Component Video Cable
The Nintendo Wii, unlike its competitors from Sony and Microsoft, is not capable of producing any high-definition content. Even so, you can at least upgrade from the standard composite video cable to get some decent 480p (progressive scan) widescreen action through a set of component video cables.
If you were to go with the Nintendo-branded set of cables, you’d be looking at somewhere in the $30-$40 range. This is a relatively small investment to gain a noticeable difference in video quality. Being able to go widescreen also makes for a more enjoyable video game experience. Even so, a penny saved is a penny earned and that’s why you should also consider third-party alternatives.
For example, what you see here is the Wii Component Cable kit from C2Tech. I picked up this set of cables, which is just as good as the official Nintendo version, for ten bucks. That represents a $20-$30 savings over the Nintendo-branded version. You will find other similar component cables from other manufacturers as well, including Icon, Nyko, and Intec.
Nyko Wing Classic Controller
Going with a third-party solution may not only save you a few bucks that can then be spent on something else, it can also offer you some increased functionality. That’s exactly the case with the Nyko Wing, a Classic Controller replacement for the Nintendo Wii.
As you may already know, the Nintendo Classic Controller actually connects to a Wii Remote through a physical cable. This is similar to how the Nunchuk attachment works. By contrast, the Nyko Wing is a completely wireless solution. There is a small receiver that attaches to the base of your Wii Remote and then the Wing can pull its Classic Controller duties sans cable. Very nice.
In addition to supporting your addiction to the Wii Virtual Console, this controller will also work with games like Mario Kart Wii that support the Classic Controller.
I felt the build quality was just as good as the official Nintendo counterpart, although I find the red and blue color scheme to be a little too colorful for my tastes. You’ll also have to deal with an additional set of batteries, but that’s a small price to pay for wireless freedom at only $29.99 US MSRP.
CTA Digital Shred Axe Wireless Guitar
Get ready to rock! One of the hottest genres these days is the rhythm game genre. People just can’t get enough Guitar Hero action, but buying the full band kit can be quite the expensive endeavor. Further still, most retail units only come with one guitar.
For a while there, it was not even possible to buy a second guitar on its own. Filling that void, several third party manufacturers came to the rescue and one of these offerings is the Shred Axe from CTA Digital. Provided to us by Geeks.com, this wireless controller is just as good as the official guitar that comes with Guitar Hero.
In fact, I think it looks even better, because it boasts a faux mahogany finish instead of a plain white one. The build quality is good overall, but the flap that provides access to the Wii Remote slot is a little bothersome.
My main complaint about this Wii wireless guitar is that there is no ridge on the yellow fret button. As silly as it sounds, that little ridge made it a lot easier to know where my fingers were as I rocked out to Metallica and Dragonforce. It’s also a bit off-putting that the fret buttons are white. The Shred Axe would have been even more aesthetically-pleasing if the fret buttons were black or wood-colored.
Generic Twin Shock Controller
If you’re looking to enjoy some Virtual Console and WiiWare titles on the Nintendo Wii but don’t want to spend the money on a Classic Controller, opting for a GameCube controller can be almost as good. Most Virtual Console games designed for the Classic Controller can also be played with a GameCube controller. This is a great way to keep to your budget while enjoying a similar level of gaming satisfaction.
Looking through the Wii Accessories section on Geeks.com, I came across this generic Nintendo GameCube controller that is clearly being branded to work with the Wii as well. I’m not really sure how to produce that weird umlaut-infused “U” in the logo, but that’s pretty Wii-esque if you ask me.
Playing with this controller is no different than an OEM GameCube controller, except the Twin Shock Controller is dressed up in Wii white. As an added advantage, because this controller is wired, you won’t have to deal with another set of batteries. That’s a reasonably green option, I guess, and it only costs about ten bucks.
Thrustmaster T-Fitness Pro Pack NW
Are you having a hard time finding Wii Fit in stock? You’re not alone. If you are lucky enough to own a Wii Fit and the Wii Balance Board, however, you’ll find a good number of accessories that will expand your Wii-based exercise regimen.
A short while ago, I told you guys about the Nyko Energy Pak for the Wii Balance Board. Much like the Penguin Charge Station described earlier in this guide, this provided a rechargeable battery solution for the Balance Board. The Thrustmaster T-Fitness Pro Pack NW goes even further with its Wii Fit accessorizing by tossing in a few very useful items to further enhance your Wii Fit experience.
In addition to a rechargeable battery pack and USB cable, which allows the console itself to charge the battery, this Wii Fit accessory pack comes with a yoga mat, a carrying bag, a lanyard for your MP3 player, a matching headband, ankle weights, and a cleaning cloth. Given all of these extras, the Thrustmaster T-Fitness Pro Pack NW provides quite a good value at $49.00 US MSRP. I just wish it came with a protective silicone sleeve for the Balance Board itself. That’s the only thing that this kit is really missing.
Nothing Wrong with Non-Nintendo
Just as you can save a ton of money with refurbished cameras and debranded LCDs, the same can be said about opting for third-party Nintendo Wii gaming accessories. You don’t need to pay for that Nintendo badge, as much as Shigeru Miyamoto would like to convince you otherwise.
Whether you’re looking for an extra wireless guitar, a good Wii Remote charging base, or a wireless Classic Controller replacement, third party manufacturers have you covered when it comes to Wii accessories. This is just another way for you to penny-pinch during the holidays (and throughout the year).
Discuss This Article in the Futurelooks Community Forums
Futurelooks Holiday 2008 Guide to Third-Party Nintendo Wii Accessories Photos
