Since the birth of the Wii Remote, man has yearned for a way to hold the controller sideways with maximum comfort. Unfortunately, the controller is very small for some, causing cramping and discomfort. Introducing the B.O.S.S. Controller Shell, or Big Oversized Super Shell for the acronymically challenged.
The shell is a plastic peripheral that houses the Wii Remote. Simply push the Wii Remote into the underside of the device, and viola! The buttons of the controller are now pressed against those of the Wii Remote, allowing for full access to the controller’s button and motion capabilities. Additionally, holes for the remote’s speaker and IR sensor are fully accounted for.
When using the controller, the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s pretty big. In fact, pictures may be deceiving. Although slightly resembling a SNES controller, the B.O.S.S. Controller Shell is much thicker. Although granted, it is housing the Wii Remote, so you’d expect some bulk to be there. The plastic shell feels good, but it’s not nearly as comfortable as, say, the Nerf adapters we love here at The Tanooki.
The buttons feel good, responding as well as you’d want. You can use the controller for any Wii title requiring a sideways control scheme, as well as Virtual Console titles with the same requirements. During my time using the controller, I found the shell to fit my hands very well. Again, because of the SNES resemblance, don’t be fooled that this will work on any of those games, as it’s just an extension of the Wii Remote’s button configuration and does not add any buttons of its own.
The biggest drawback in design is that the 1 and 2 buttons are diagonal, but in the opposite direction that you’d expect. When naturally placing your thumbs over the controller, you’ll notice that you’re right thumb is aligned in the opposite direction of the 1 and 2 buttons. If switched, it would have offered a perfect control setup, for maximum comfort. This placement issue is something you’ll naturally get used to after spending some time playing, but it’s a bit of a speed bump to an otherwise perfect layout.
Bottom line: If you have large hands and using the Wii Remote sideways isn’t really cutting it, the B.O.S.S. will certainly cure your frustrations. It’s a comfortable solution to aiding those hand and fingers cramps you may be accustomed to. A good rule of thumb is, if the Wii Remote sideways fits well for you, then the B.O.S.S. is going to be monstrous for your tiny girl hands. However, if you feel it’s just too small, then give the B.O.S.S. a try.
The B.O.S.S. Controller Shell is available in a variety of colors, for $9.99.
*This product review was written based off the product supplied by PDP for review purposes, with over 12 hours of gameplay using Wii software title ‘New Super Mario Bros. Wii’ and Virtual Console titles ‘Super Mario Bros. 3′ and ‘Ninja Gaiden.’
