kjell1979's Full Review: Nintendo WaveBird Wireless Controller (DOL A BPL) ...
Gaming veterans like me have seen many wireless devices come and go. One of the more notable of these accessories was the NES Satellite, a 4-player adapter for the NES where the unit connected to the control deck wirelessly. To be blunt, the majority of these devices sucked. They were either fragile, defective, or couldn't get a clear signal to the receiver on the other end. This is during a time where I can remember remote controls lasting for more than 5 years where it will change the channel even if you pointed the remote away from the TV. I just couldn't understand why the remote controls were so good, but the wireless gaming devices were so bad.
Now GameCube owners are finally treated to a device that not only has great range, but also durability as well as the compatibility seriously lacking in traditional 3rd party accessories. The Wavebird is manufactured by Nintendo, which means that it's guaranteed to work with any GameCube game. In addition, the quality of Nintendo accessories has been very good for many years.
Technology and Design
The Wavebird controller uses radio frequencies to carry the signal from the controller to the device plugged into the Gamecube. Like with the portable phones around your house, you can adjust the frequency channel for which the GameCube is transmitting just in case it interferes with other devices. The channel number is located on each dial located on the receiver unit plugged into the GameCube and the controller itself. The radio frequencies allow for a pretty sizable range. I was able to sit 20 feet away from the GameCube and still have the controller act responsive with no hiccups.
The receiver is roughly half the size of a pez dispenser with an plug to fit into your GameCube controller port. The frequency dial is located on the bottom of the unit. On the front is a small rectangular LED that lights up whenever a signal from the controller unit is received.
The controller looks exactly like the Nintendo GameCube controller that comes with your console with a few minor differences. The shape of the controller is very similar to the Playstation's. Like other controllers of this era, it has 2 analog sticks and 1 digital directional pad. The d-pad and the left analog sticks are swapped where they would normally reside on the Playstation controller. On the right side of the controller is a large green A button and 3 buttons surrounding it. Those buttons are (starting on the left and going counter-clockwise) a red B button, a gray Y button, and gray X button. In the middle there's a single small start button. On the front side of the controller there is a trigger button for each side. There is also a second smaller Z trigger button on the right side that resides on top of the larger trigger. The controller has a built in rumble function. I only have two gripes about this controller. First, the buttons do not have much symmetry. This is an issue in sports games like MVP Baseball where the bases are mapped to a diamond-style button scheme. Secondly, the analog sticks are too loose for what I'm used to. Keep in mind these gripes are rather subjective as I'm used to controllers with more symmetry and joysticks with more resistance.
The difference with this controller and the regular controller is that it's slightly larger around the front and bottom of the unit. This is because it takes one AA battery in the bottom of the controller. On the front in the middle, there's an LED similar to that on the receiver. When powered on, it lights up and doesn't go off until the controller is turned off or the battery runs out. Too bad there is no indication when the battery is running low. Also on the front is the power switch for the device and the frequency dial.
Conclusions
There are many applications for a wireless gaming device. The most obvious use for such a device is to cater to the lazy gamers out there. However, given that their GameCube has to be turned on manually, laziness plays a surprisingly small role in the device's usefulness. The main reason why I find the Wavebird useful is because there are no cords to trip over. My daughter likes to flip off the device while I'm playing it, but she rarely sees me playing video games to be able to do that very often. Also, someone can walk in front of me without having to worry about messing up my game from a physical standpoint.
The biggest downside to owning a Wavebird is how much it costs. This controller will probably set you back $35. If you're big into 4 player games and everyone wants to have a Wavebird, that's $140 in all; $40 more than the price of a new GameCube. In addition, you'll have to supply batteries to it. People with small children shouldn't have to worry too much about that since they'll have spare batteries lying around.
Given the reliability and overall usefulness of this device, I have to say that it is one of the best accessories released for any system. Yes the price isn't terribly friendly, but the reliability and utility of the device will be worth it for many GameCube owners. You won't have to worry about the analog buttons stop recognizing the Y-axis, nor will you have to worry that your new GameCube game might not work with your controller either. When you combine that with a strong and reliable signal, then you have an accessory that is highly desirable.
Control your favorite games from up to 20 feet away -- the RF transmitter send signals to a Receiver that plugs into your GameCube Up to 16 different ...More at Amazon Marketplace
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