1. A $39.99 price is the Nyko Wand+'s prominent selling point. Consider Nintendo's Wiimote costs $39.99 and that's without the added cost of the WiiMotion Plus, $24.99. That means the Wand+, which contains Full-Motion Technology, an alternative to MotionPlus, swallows the extra 25 bucks. Even if you buy Nintendo's Wiimote/MotionPlus pack at $54.99 available February 14, you're still down 15.
2. With Full-Motion Technology built-in, the Nyko Wand is significantly lighter than a Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus attached. That's not to say either are particularly heavy, rather that MotionPlus carries its weight poorly. like say a potbelly, all in one place, and Nyko Wand+ carries it splendidly, like a toned stomach, its weight well spread.
3. Compared to the Wiimote's boxy buttons, Niko's are large and easy-to-tap. They sort of feel like bubble wrap. Whether you have big thumbs or plan to play Virtual Console games without a Classic Controller, they're a plus. Ugh, no pun intended.
4.And lastly, the Nyko Wand+ cuts down on real estate. For me, every plug-in or snap-on only serves to further clutter my plastic controller storage unit. Saving me the headache of digging through that goes a long way.
There is one negative: the stigma of a third-party
controller. However Nintendo's refusal to innovate on the standard Wii Remote
or build MotionPlus into a future controller should have even the
most snobby first party controller loyalist looking at other options. And lest we forget, it's
a recession. Forget stigmas; consider your wallet.
The Nyko Wand+ will be available this March for $39.99 in both black and white
models and includes Full-Motion Technology, the companies answer to (read, legal
evasion of) Nintendo's MotionPlus tech.
