Topic: I bought a new toy... (minor Super Paper Mario spoilers)

[UncleBob]

After playing crap-tons of Super Paper Mario, I came to the realization that, while it's handy to be able to turn the Wii Controller sideways and use it as a regular controller... it's not very comfortable at all.  Even more so when trying to pull off stylish moves.

So, when I saw this at GameCrazy for $10, I figured. why the heck not?

The unit is very comfortable and made out of a nice quality plastic.  Without a controller in it, it feels kinda cheap, but the controller does a good job of adding weight to it.

There are a couple of downsides though.  In order to use the grip, you have to remove the Wii Remote's wrist strap - which is kinda a pain to do often.  Additionally, the 'controller' tends to feel a little top-heavy with the remote in it - the grips themselves are empty, so it seems like it would have been easy (and wise) to put weights in them to even out the balance.

My biggest complaint with this is since the grip covers the top of the remote, you have to remove the remote from the grips each time you need to navagate the Wii menu (or, in the case of Super Paper Mario, any time you want to use Tippi).  It seems to me that a little window on the end would have gone a long way to help this product.  Don't get me wrong, the controller, while fitting snug in the grips, is pretty easy to take out... it just really slows down the pace of a game.

Overall, however, I think the grips make a fine addition to the controller for VC content (NES/Genesis/TG-16 games).  I played through some SMB with it and it was way more comfortable than without.

Worth the $10?  'meh.  If you play a lot of NES/Genesis/TG-16 games, totally.  If you want something to go with Super Paper Mario, while using Tippi isn't something you do a lot of, I think the grips would be more of a pain to take off/put on every time you do.  For some parts of the game namely, the two pits of 100 trials and the sammer tournament, I think this would have been awesome to have.

[Pale]

Chances are the manufacturer didn't even understand that there was something on the end of the Wii Remote.  We are seeing so many of these silly accessories, it isn't even funny.

[nitsu niflheim]

you must have strange hands, because I don't find holding the Wii controller sideways uncomfortable at all, even for long lengths of time.  At first I thought it might be, but after being required to play SPM like that, I found it was very natural feeling.

[UncleBob]

I wouldn't say "strange" hands, but I have rather long, skinny fingers and, alltogether rather large hands.  For me, holding the Wii controller sideways only really gives me a spot to rest my thumbs (on the top, of course) and two fingers on the bottom.  My other to fingers are just kinda stuck hanging out with no particular place to rest.  The grips take care of that.

[Ceric]

UncleBob why don't you mark and dremel a hole for the IR Camera?  I'm pretty sure they are hollow so at that point you could possible add some fishing weights to counterbalance the Wiimote.

[AwesomeMan]

how would you play Genesis games with that? a couple of them sure but 3=/=2

[couchmonkey]

I wouldn't mind something like this...I don't find the sideways Wiimote painfully uncomfortable, but it's hardly ergonomic.

[UncleBob]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
UncleBob why don't you mark and dremel a hole for the IR Camera?  I'm pretty sure they are hollow so at that point you could possible add some fishing weights to counterbalance the Wiimote.

I hadn't considered drilling IR holes in the top (/side) of it.. that's not a bad idea.  I did consider putting some weights in the grips though...

Quote
Originally posted by: AwesomeMan
how would you play Genesis games with that? a couple of them sure but 3=/=2

It's my understanding that many of the Genesis games can play with the standard Wii Controller.  I've only downloaded one, and it does...

Quote
Originally posted by: couchmonkey
I wouldn't mind something like this...I don't find the sideways Wiimote painfully uncomfortable, but it's hardly ergonomic.

Exactly.  Super Paper Mario wasn't unenjoyable because of the control, but I think I'll like this much better.

[IceCold]

Gunstar Heroes uses the A button to switch weapons.  

[Ceric]

You know I remember a time when Nintendo was all into Ergonomics.  Then after the original GBA they sort of threw that down the list, hence the DS designs, ones akward and the other has a piece that cuts into ya.

[couchmonkey]

DS is also kind of hard to make ergonomic, what with the touch screen, but yeah, Nintendo sacrificed ergonomics for style in recent years, and (a little unfortunately) it has paid off.