Improving the Wii Remote sounds like a fool's errand. With a blocky design, a few buttons, a protective jacket and a leash, there's very little to improve, right?



Meet the Nyko Wand, a Wii Remote controller that promises a few improvements that enhance your Wii gaming experiences. At first glance, the well-known rectangular design is a carbon copy of its Nintendo cousin with larger and colored buttons for in-game actions. Bigger buttons do make it slightly easier to press during games and moving the Home button slightly north of the + and – keys seems like a better solution. The D-pad has also been designed from the classic Nintendo four-way D-pad design with a focus on the positions between left, right, up and down. Underneath, the Wand features a rubberized battery cover and a large rubberized "B" button.



One unique feature is Nyko's Trans-Port technology which allows players to use digital signals from other Trans-Port enabled devices via three metal touch areas underneath the Wand's Nunchuk plug. So while your light gun kit may work just fine, having that trigger turned digital, players would be able to shoot faster and more often. Of course, this currently means that you'd only be able to use such a feature with other Nyko devices.

Found at GameStop for $29.99, $5 less than the Nintendo Wii Remote, it's also a good way to save money for your next game. And if you're a light gun fanatic, the Nyko Action Pak ($45) adds a pistol grip attachment that uses the Trans-Port technology for faster trigger responses.



During our testing with the device over the past few weeks, we can report that there are no real flaws with the Wii Remote apart from the device powering down faster than the Wii Remote when it wasn't in use (annoying in one regard, though more energy friendly.) Encapsulated in a protective blue jacket that features more padding at the front, it even bounces off the floor just like the Wii Remote. That's not all bad considering that some third party peripherals are often plagued by cheaper plastic cases with buttons that squirm all over the place and parts that break off long before they should. Nyko's Wand might not shake up how the Wii Remote works but with bigger buttons and a lower price, it's a true contender for your living room.

For all the cordless freedom that the Wii gives players, the cord that connects to the Nunchuk feels like an insult. Thankfully the nice geeks at Nyko have got our backs by introducing the Kama Wireless Controller, a wireless Nunchuk that's will immediately make you ask, "Why didn't Nintendo do this in the first place?"

The Kama kit comes in two parts, a wireless controller and a small module that plugs into the bottom of your Wii Remote. Once you wake the Wii Remote up, you hit the glowing blue button, do the same on the Kama and you're set. Seriously, even your mom could do it.

But mom doesn't play like you do and Nyko evolves the design of the Nunchuk with several other improvements. Wider and slightly heavier than the default Nunchuk, the Kama also makes the C and Z buttons wider and even added a little lip to the bottom of the Z button that makes it look a little like a wide gun trigger -- a worthy addition. Up on deck, the analog controller is similar to the Nunchuk's but with a circular base, replacing the chuk's octagonal one and two recessed buttons are used for powering on and syncing the Kama with its module (which we've only done once). Underneath, the battery cover is skinned with a rubber tread for better gripping and where the normal Nunchuk cord should be, there's a leash.


Performance-wise, we never lost a connection during the weeks that we've been playing with it. Nyko rates the two AAA's battery life at around 30 hours, and during our testing, we only had to change the batteries once. The Kama feels natural and the only learning curve here is getting used to the missing cord that always seemed to whack us in the face during heavy play session -- especially during MadWorld. It even cured a flaw in one of our Wii Remotes where the plug to the Nunchuk would occasionally lose its connection.



Yet, there's one big flaw. With the arrival of the MotionPlus module with every copy of Wii Sports Resort, the Kama module lacks a Nunchuk plug at its base and the MotionPlus module comes with two pieces of plastic that help secure the new Wii MotionPlus jacket. Those little pieces make it impossible to plug the Kama module in. Of course, after much thought, we chopped off the two little pieces, then shaved down the curvy top part of the Kama module with our handy Dremel to ensure a secure fit. Now our Wii Remote, looking like an odd baton with both modules attached and the Kama module lit up, a good sign. Wii Sports Resort started... and then we discovered that with both modules attached, the game fails to recognize the Kama and asks the user to "Connect the Nunchuk to the Wii MotionPlus accessory." Grrr... our hopes for MotionPlus wireless nirvana were dashed.


Even with the Wii MotionPlus issue, Nyko's Kama Wireless Controller should have been standard issue with every Wii and we highly recommend it. With so few games that support MotionPlus, it works with nearly all your other games. And with the lowest price we found ($19.99) matching the price of a new wired Nunchuk, the Kama Wireless Controller offers a lot more motion for your buck.

DSi owners found that bigger screens and faster operating speeds presented an unwelcome side effect, lower battery life. Thankfully, TeknoCreations' TekCase for DSi combines a glossy protective covering that contains a battery that nearly triples your playtime. To prove its worth, we took it on a long flight to Paris and then gave it to nature's most destructive force, a five year old, for "durability testing." The results were far better than expected.

Defined as a shell, the TekCase fits snuggly around the DSi without the need for adhesives, straps or clips. Cutouts around the hard case give you access to volume, game cart slot, SD card slot, L and R shoulder buttons and headphone jack. The DSi pen is accessed by using a small switch on the bottom of the device that pops it out from the DSi. At the back of the TekCase is a knob that plugs into the DSi's power port. This knob allows you to recharge the DSi and the TekCase using any mini USB cord (so you can leave your DSi charger at home) and the case does come with a USB wall charger that you use to charge the device or any other USB powered device.

On our flight to Paris, we got around 8-9 hours between the DSi's native battery and the TekCase's battery, with an additional 2-3 hours back in the hotel and return flight. Once the DSi battery winds down, you flip an on/off switch on the case to supply the additional power. The battery also did well and didn't seem to lose much of a charge when it wasn't in use.

Given to a five year old with an addiction to Pokemon and a penchant for dropping stuff, we found about 11 hours of battery life as well. Plus, he dropped it a several times and while the cart popped out once, the DSi and the case survived with just a few scratches.

So we love the additional battery life, the sturdy plastic casing, the USB charging and the little cutout for the outward facing camera (which otherwise would get scratched). Our biggest gripe was with the return of the mirror black casing, since we're fond of the DSi's naturally fingerprint-free casing. The additional girth that the TekCase adds (along with a nearly 1/2 inch knob at the back) will force you to ditch any slimmer cases you might already own but still feels comfortable in hand. Also, if you have a two-prong DS/DSi set of headphones with microphone, one of our bigger adapters didn't fit -- leaving you to use more conventional headphone. But if you're going on a long trip, the TekCase proves to be durable, adds hours to gameplay sessions between charges and at only $29.99, it's an easy pick-up.

Keeping pace with the insane bass of Guitar Hero Metallica takes nerves of steel, a near unachievable level of speed and a good set of eyes. While Nyko can't legally speed you up or has yet to venture into eye accessories, its new Metal Pedal does offer Guitar Hero and Rock Band players a way to smack down that bass with toes of wanton destruction.

Over the past week, we took the coffin-encased pedal through the paces and discovered several advantages that drummers will enjoy and, at a mere $19.99, a nice upgrade to their default kit's bass pedal.

First and foremost, Nyko's Metal Pedal isn't all metal. It's mostly plastic but a screwed on chrome-like metal inlay sits on the foot pedal along with a raised metal area made to look like spikes (we'd like real spikes but for $20, we'll let it slide). It's also compatible with Rock Band and Guitar Hero: World Tour drum kits via a switch on the coiled cable. An included Dual Pedal Adaptor also lets Rock Band 2 and World Tour players play with their original pedal and the new metal pedal.


World Tour players have the most to gain since the petal is wider than the stock pedal and comes with four rubber pads that should solve the bass pedal drift that World Tour players are used to. Of course, there are cutouts for the Rock Band drum kit's cross bar and with two rubber inlays, players should find less side to side motion.

While it's highly recommended as a replacement for the stock pedal, getting our Rock Band 2 kit to recognize it took several attempts. Once working, the two rubber pads as the bottom of the pedal produce a nice "thock" sound as a smaller pad hits the sensor pad. There's one other issue too. While the metal plate should last quite a while, the plate itself has a chrome skeleton that looks cool but when surrounded by a smooth black surface, so boot wearing drummers might want to put on some sneakers instead.

Recently, we test drove Nyko's new Nyko Wing controller for the Nintendo Wii. This is an alternative take on Nintendo's Wii Classic Controller, with two functional analog sticks, several buttons mapped across the pad and a D-pad. The main difference lies in its design.



Rather than being an oddly shaped controller, the Nyko Wing feels more like a traditional controller pad. The grips are easy to take hold of, so you won't have to contort them around a weird design. The analog sticks are easy to access with your thumbs, and both work suitably well. Then there's the button layout, with two shoulder buttons, two functional Z buttons next to those buttons, a number of face buttons (with lower case lettering, rather than the usual capitalized letters), and a D-pad. The D-pad isn't 100 percent comfortable, but it serves its purpose.

The controller is a cinch to use. You simply plug a wireless dongle into a Wii controller. From there, you turn on the Nyko Wing and use a connect function for it to recognize the signal. With our first test drive, connection only took a few seconds, and then we were off and running. Those of you without a charger for your Wii remote shouldn't worry about the Wing's dongle sucking battery life away. In fact, the Wing lasts up to 30 hours on a single set of AAA batteries. (Two are included with the controller.)

We tested the Nyko Wing controller with three different games. The first was Sin and Punishment, a game that isn't known for easy gameplay. Fortunately, it only took a minute to get right into the action with the Nyko Wing. The second game, Super Mario Bros., handled very nicely as well, despite the odd-feeling D-pad. The third, Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2, responded accordingly, and we were winning fights in a matter of minutes. It seems that the Nyko Wing does the trick no matter which game a Classic Controller calls for.

If there is one complaint about the Nyko Wing (aside from the D-pad), it would be the somewhat plasticky feel. Although the controller has an ergonomic design that's easy to grip, it's a little too smooth for its own good. Fortunately, the white paint design prevents the appearance of ugly smudges.

Overall, the Nyko Wing is a great improvement on the traditional Classic Controller set-up. There's no cord to get in the way, the battery life is long lasting for a third-party peripheral, and it handles great for the most part. It's a strong value for $30, if you're the kind of person that must have that retro feel to go with your retro games.

With its contoured design and small LCD screen, the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard resembles a reduced version of the G15 keyboard. It features 25 fully programmable keys and a mini-joystick so that can either compliment or replace a keyboard for gaming functions.

However, when using it, Big Download discovered it wasn't quite the keyboard replacement hoped it would be... but the doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it yet... check out the rest of the review on BigDownload.

Every DS gamer knows that taking all your favorite games on the road is now easy, especially when there are so many games out there. Thankfully Penguin United's new DS Game Card Collection Pouch lets players carry up to 24 games in a small carrying case that's light, small and only $14.99. It's similar to the company's popular DS Game Pouch. While simple, the soft plastic case comes with four see-through sleeves that fit each DS game nicely and a zipper closes the case for added security.

Unlike most other cases, which come in one color, the 24X DS Game Card Collection Pouch comes in four colors: black with red stripe or white with light blue, pink and dark blue stripes. So if you've noticed that a potential gift recipient has a stack of DS games in a bag or seems to keep misplacing their games, the 24X DS Game Card Collection Pouch is an easy and inexpensive gift for any DS game there needs a touch of organization for the holidays.

Life would be easier if your Xbox 360 controllers were fully charged every time you played. That's the idea around NYKO's Charge Base 360 (MSRP$29.99). The package comes complete with a heavy charging base and two NiMH battery packs that fit right into the bottom of each Xbox 360 controller. Once placed, they look and feel similar in weight to the conventional battery pack. To recharge, you simple plop the controller onto the base unit. A big red light lets you know that it's charging and when it turns green, you're ready to go in about an hour.

NYKO says that each battery pack lasts up to 25 hours of playtime be recharge. Real-time testing got us about 12-18 hours per charge but we suspect that the batteries lost a bit of charge even when not playing. The base/charging unit is incredibly sturdy with an Xbox 360 white style and a rubber-like pad on the bottom makes it so it won't slide around. Apart from lower than reported battery life, we had two other issues. First, the charge light is really too bright. If you plan to add this to your bedroom, it's nearly nightlight bright. Secondly, the charger only charges battery packs while they're in the controller. So if you don't have two controllers, you can't charge the second battery pack by itself.

Overall, the drop-in design makes the Charge Base 360 a great solution for those looking for an attractive battery charges that looks and feels as sturdy as the Xbox 360.

Nyko's latest cooling device for the Xbox 360 seems to have learned its lessons from past mistakes. Rather than a pass-through power connector that caused a few 360 to go haywire, the new Intercooler TS for Xbox 360 (MSRP$24.99) comes with its own power cord. Rather than just turn the thing on when you played, the new device now senses temperature changes and turns on three fans to draw out the hot air.

Ingeniously, the Intercooler TS uses the ventilation holes on the back of the Xbox 360 to secure itself. Plug in the included 10-foot-cord and you're ready to go. While we assumed that our systems were running cool, the unit turned on almost immediately. Once we fired a game up, we didn't hear any change of speed with the fan. Apparently "sensing" means "sensing when the system turns on."

As the Xbox 360 doesn't report its internal temperature, it's hard to tell how effective the Intercooler TS really is. It does feel like its drawing a great deal of heat out of the system. If you live in a warmer climate and lack air conditioning, it could help reduce the temperature. But there's one negative -- it's noisy. A unit with bigger fans (80 or 120mm) might have achieved the same airflow but without all the extra noise, yet it might not look as nice.

Also, newer versions of the Xbox 360 sport smaller chips, better heatsinks and create far less heat than the original. For gamers who still have original Xbox 360 systems, the Intercooler TS might help avoid the eventual heating issues that plague the early units. If you have a new system and you're worried about heat, this might help alleviate your hottest fears.

The audio nerds at Turtle Beach know that many gamers can't blast the 5.1 system because the neighbors are cranky. Making amends usually involves the gamer having to wear headphones. Thankfully, Turtle Beach is bringing its popular X1 headphone series for Xbox 360 to the PlayStation 3 as the Ear Force PX1. Plus, they're adding the Audio Advantage USB-based audio card to enhance game audio and online chatting. While the audio card will also work with PCs, the headphones will work with Xbox 360 too. You can pick up the Ear Force PX1 headphones through the Turtle Beach site for a mere $79.99.

Nyko's popular current gen console cooler, Intercooler, quickly became a "must have" accessory as gamers could easily sense that their Xbox 360 and PS3 gaming machines gave off a massive amount of heat. As newer versions of Xbox 360s featured smaller chips that gave off less heat with improved airflow and as PS3s seemed to still work with the high level of heat, Nyko needed to change its product for the market.

Earlier this year at E3 2008, Nyko unveiled the new Intercooler TS series that innovates the product like with what it calls TempSmart technology. In short, along with more powerful and quieter fans, the new units automatically detect increases in a console's temperature output and turns on fans to cool it down. Past units either required manual activation or the constant rumble of fans added to a room's noise level.

The Intercooler TS clips to the back of the Xbox 360 or PS3 and features a separate AC adaptor that ensures cooling for a few moments after the console powers down. The PS3 version also offers a user-controlled fan speed to turn it on full blast during heavy gaming sessions

"We have taken the concept that made the original Intercooler one of our most popular products of all time and incorporated consumer feedback and our own innovations into that design," said Chris Arbogast, Director of Marketing at Nyko Technologies. "The result is an upgraded cooling solution for today's game consoles."

Whether you're concerned about the heat inside your console or looking to upgrade your current Intercooler, the Intercooler TS for Xbox 360 sells for $24.99 and the PS3 version sells for $34.99. For a little less money but without the automatic TempSmart technology, gamers can also buy the Intercooler EX for Xbox 360 for a mere $19.99.

Keeping your Wii Remote charged can be a real pain in the neck, especially if you've made your Wii the ultimate party game with four players. Rather than toss those used batteries in the trash, Penguin United came up with the 4X Quad Charge Station for Wii, a stylish device that lets Wii owners replace their batteries with four battery modules for MSRP$44.99.

The base charger couldn't be simpler. Once plugged in, the white base glows a icy blue color and is angled so that, if you own four Wii Remotes, they're all displayed. The four modules that come with the device, replace the battery doors on the bottom side of the remote and two metal touch points let you charge each remote when they're safely in the base. For marathon players, the 2000 mAh lithium ion modules offer enough juice for regular playtime (Penguin says about 13 hours with a four hour recharge time) and the modules actually lighten the Wii Remote considerably (which is good or bad depending on the user).

While solidly constructed, there are a few points of consideration. First, the charging base's light is insanely bright so placing it in a bedroom or a living room near the TV isn't advised and unplugging it is the only way to turn it off. Second, each ports only fits each controller without a protective Wii jacket. Even the Wii's leash got in the way of seating the remote (you can see how we got it to work in the enclosed picture). Also, if you don't have four Wii Remotes, you can't charge just the modules, a design flaw that limits the device to owners of 3-4 Wii Remotes.

More technically savvy players may find better solutions with longer term (1800-2900 mAh) rechargeable batteries that may outweigh the convenience offered here. For Wii owners and their families, the 4X Quad Charger complements the Wii's simplicity with an easy to manage recharge system that most anyone can enjoy.

While PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles face constant attacks by their owners, or error-prone system patches, the one attack both share is based on basic physics, as power hungry systems commonly spit out enough heat to cook eggs. So Nyko, creators of many console peripherals, made the Intercooler EX add-on, which straddled the back of each console and offered bigger fans to help decrease that heat.

At last week's E3, we checked out the company's upcoming upgrade, called the Intercooler TS (TempSmart) and we expect that they'll add new devotees to the Nyko brand. First off, it looks different. While former products used a pass through power connection that piggybacked on the console's own power plug, the new TS uses a two-prong power adapter, so you'll need to have an open space in your already cramped power strip in order to reap the cooling benefits.

Both products, as you might suspect by the name, use a temperature sensor that turns on the peripheral's fans when the temp goes up 3 degrees, and shuts the fans off when the system heat drops down 5 degrees. This is good news for anyone using the PS3 since DVD/Blu-ray playback functions cause far less heat than playing games. On the PS3 version, the accessory supplies four fans in a single piano black unit (the previous version was in two parts) and a dial that users can use to raise or lower the benefits of the fans (since it will be at the back of the system, most people might not use the dial much). When attached, the Intercooler TS does lift up the back of the PS3 slightly if it's laid down horizontally.

The Intercooler TS for Xbox 360 looks a bit different as it's changed from three larger fans to two larger fans and one smaller fan and incased in a semi-translucent casing that is also smaller due to the fan size difference and the lack of a pass-through power connection.

Gamers can expect the Intercooler TS for both Xbox 360 ($24.99) and PlayStation 3 ($34.99) to ship in September (the company plans to offer the older EX models for $19.99. A Nyko rep cited that the extra fan and fan controller and other components in the PS3 version is the reason for the higher cost.

So far, Nyko wasn't talking about how much cooler systems with the TS would run but said that those numbers would come soon from an outside testing group.

Nyko's Zero Wireless controller seems like the result of a company seriously listening to gamers. Inside the $59.99 package is the controller, a rechargeable NiMH battery, an additional battery pack for two AA batteries, a 10-foot hot red USB cable and a USB wireless receiver. Rather than merely offer simple game controls, the Zero is the first aftermarket controller to offer vibration, a welcome addition since our desire to buy a new hand cramping PS3 controller is rather low.

Picking up the controller, you'll notice a slim width and two palm pads adding a rounded spike end. On top, a single d-pad, two analog sticks and the start and select buttons are all available, but the PS button was replaced with a jewel-like button. While it doesn't turn the PS3 on remotely (meaning that you'll have to turn the PS3 on before using the Zero), it does toggle the backlit buttons on and off. Yes, action buttons are backlit red, thanks to transparent action shapes (not stickers so you won't wear them down). Most interestingly, if you add a second controller, the backlit color changes to blue (player 3 gets an orange color and player 4 gets green). Even with the backlighting, Nyko claims up to 25 hours of wireless gameplay with the rechargeable battery pack.

Controls add to the feature list, as the two analog sticks offer concave, rubber-topped surfaces with movements that feel smoother than the stock PS3 controller. They're fast enough that you'll need some time to get used to the change, but it quickly becomes second nature. The L1 and R1 buttons offer a familiar blocky feel, but the L2 and R2 buttons are sharpened triggers, which felt like they made our R2 shots in Haze feel a bit faster. If you care about colors, the controller comes in three shades: black, silver and white. Each pad's surface is covered with a slightly course metal plate that Nyko says improves heat dispensation -- which is nice, but makes the controller feel more solid.


That's not to say that the device doesn't have some negatives that we think most gamers can live with. First, this is not a Bluetooth controller, so you'll have to plug the included USB receiver into the PS3 in order to use (it didn't appear to affect speed in games though). Second, the controller's d-bad is a single piece of plastic that lacks the higher-quality feel of the Zero's analog sticks or action buttons. Third, the included USB receiver features an on light that's brighter than anything in our entertainment cabinet (the wife even asked if the light indicated that something was wrong). We also would have liked the option to change the backlight colors on demand (we prefer blue).


Does that mean we wouldn't buy it? No. Actually, the negatives are pretty minor compared to what gamers get for their money. Gamers with larger hands might find the device cramped, but packed with two battery packs, SIXAXIS motion controls, added comfort for long playing marathons, vibration feedback, backlit action buttons and improved dual analog sticks. Nyko's Zero Wireless controller clearly makes Sony's DualShock 3 the second best choice for playing your PlayStation 3 games.

The mouse has always been the de facto standard pointing device for PC-based first-person shooter games. Zalman, best known for its PC cooling accessories, hopes to end that dominance with its FG1000 FPSGUN mouse.

Looking like an upside down blaster off the set of Stargate SG-1, Zalman's design is unique and oddly long with a mouse-like sensor at one and and a lighted scroll wheel with gun grip at the other. The idea is simple; the sensor is at the far end, as the pistol is at the other end, giving players a wider range of motion with less movement (moving the angle of the hand is faster than moving your arm). Zalman says that it doubles the 20mm degrees of aim to 40mm degrees, which sounds good but may take some getting used to.

Offering sensor tracking from 100-2000 DPI, a small button on top of the pistol grip as the glowing scroll wheel indicates the current rate of speed by changing between colors (violet, blue or red). Sure, we haven't tried it yet and it might not make our experience with Word or Excel any better but it's be nice weaponry for any FPS fan. While the devices MSRPs at $69.99, we've seen it for as low as $59.99 with mostly favorable hands-on reviews.