-
CNET editors' rating:
3.5
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 6 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The
good: Wireless controller that works with Nintendo's GameCube and Wii systems; selectable wireless channels; identical design and feel as the standard GameCube controller.
The
bad: Comparatively bulky and heavy; button layout isn't the best match for some pre-GameCube Virtual Console titles.
The
bottom
line: It's not the perfect controller for Virtual Console games, but the WaveBird remains the best wireless controller for playing older games on the Nintendo Wii.
Specifications: Form factor: External ; Compatibility: Game console ; Battery size: AA type ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 02/09/2007
The GameCube's replacement, the Nintendo Wii, can do everything the GameCube could and more. It can handle both GameCube and Wii game discs, plus a selection of classic NES, Super NES, Sega Genesis, Turbografix 16, and Nintendo 64 titles on its pay-per-download Virtual Console. But while the GameCube console itself is defunct, its accessories are not: Most of them work on the Wii, and--because GameCube games and most of the Virtual Console titles can't utilize the standard Wiimote controller--you'll actually need some of them. The Nintendo WaveBird ($35) is one such controller, a wireless GameCube game pad that plugs into the Wii's top controller ports to play older games.
The WaveBird is chunky, but fits comfortably in the hand. The controller weighs just over half a pound, making it heavier than the smaller Mad Catz GameCube MicroCon Wireless Controller, but not uncomfortably so. Since both the WaveBird and the original wired GameCube controller are made by Nintendo, they share the same layout, and their buttons feel almost identical.
The WaveBird communicates with the Wii via a small dongle that plugs into one of the console's four GameCube controller ports. It works fine, but the need to open the cover flap (on the side or the top, depending on whether your Wii is oriented horizontally or vertically) and attach the transceiver does ruin the console's minimalist aesthetic. As with the Wii controllers, the WaveBird utilizes two AA batteries; you'll probably want to invest in a set of third-party rechargeables.
Continue reading- See more CNET content tagged:
- Nintendo GameCube,
- Nintendo Wii,
- controller,
- Nintendo Co. Ltd.,
- channel
User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 6 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
%20Game%20Accessory%20reviews%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/game-accessories/nintendo-wavebird-platinum/4505-10110_7-31136262.html){kind=small}