Nyko's "Wand" a Better Wiimote?

Kris Erickson • Jan 8, 2009 • Comments ()

Fresh off the show floor at CES 2009 comes a new video from peripheral manufacturer Nyko. Nyko is known for creating third-party copies of controllers and peripherals for various gaming systems. Now they have turned their attention towards the Wii, and the Wiimote in particular. Everyone knows that these controllers are expensive, so an affordably-priced device that had the same functionality as the Nintendo offering could be a huge commercial success.

Of course, Nyko isn't allowed to call it a Wiimote, so they have chosen to call their knockoff a "Wand". Without knowing anything about the motion sensitivity of the controller, it appears to make some aesthetic improvements to the trusted Nintendo design. Large, rubberized grips make the buttons easier to push, while a slightly larger d-pad should make direction control a bit easier. The device can attach to other third-party devices, such as the gun casing pictured in the video below. What do you think? Would you consider trading in your Nintendo Wiimote controllers for one of these if the price was right? Discuss it in our Wii forums.