Whether or not you prefer the Wii Remote as your choice of video game controller, you have to admire the adaptability of the lil’ sucker. Third party peripheral developers, and even Nintendo themselves have had a ball creating a slew of shells, add-ons and enclosures for the white wondrous motion controller. Today, I’ll be reviewing Nyko’s Wand Action Pak, which bundles their latest shooting peripheral the Pistol Grip with the Wand controller, the company’s budget Wii Remote option.
You may have seen a similar Nyko pistol product on store shelves dubbed the Perfect Shot, but it’s not as advanced as the new Pistol Grip, which is only available in this bundled set. The pistol itself is made up of a gun handle, and the bottom shelf of the gun barrel. The shelf will actually replace the battery cover of your controller of choice, but I’ll get back to this later. The Pistol Grip features a beautiful blue spring trigger, a delight to use in-game compared to the Wii Zapper’s unsatisfying squishy trigger. To begin use, simply slide off the battery cover of the Nyko Wand (or Wii Remote) and slide the controller into the attached battery cover/shelf compartment. Now you’re all set. The Wand controller in turn becomes the barrel of the gun. Included is an orange rubber safety tip that slides over the edge of the controller, which ties together the pistol look. Using Nyko’s exclusive Trans-Port technology, button placement and vibration feedback from the Wand controller are extended to the Pistol Grip flawlessly.
Ditching the bells and whistles for a more streamlined appearance, the Pistol Grip is the sleekest looking Wii weapon peripheral on the market. With its light weight, textured grip, and compact size, you’re easily able to control the device with one hand, a necessity for some quick zombie killing. The Pistol Grip features its own Nunchuk port, easily accessible on the base of the handle. Unlike Nintendo’s Wii Zapper which locks the Nunchuk into a plastic seatbelt, it’s a breeze to lighten the load and remove the fully unrestricted yet tethered sub-controller.
A revolutionary addition that makes this a must have for shooter buffs is a small blue switch located near the Nunchuk port on the bottom of the handle. Just flip the switch, and the controller’s “A” and “B” button functions will reverse. Games that aren’t developed with the Wii Zapper in mind often have menu selection prompts that require you to press the “A” key on the top of the Wii Remote, instead of the “B” trigger — which often defaults as a “back” button. It’s very inconvenient to have to press buttons on the top of the controller when in the pistol shell, so Nyko took the initiative to offer you the option to remap the “A” and “B” buttons. It is very simple to switch between both layouts in the same game, say for instance if you wanted to use the “B” button for both menu controls, and for actual gameplay. You truly don’t realize how great the feature is until you need to use it.
The Pistol Grip really is a fantastic gun option. The button placement is terrific, the trigger is very satisfying, and responsive. However there is one notable flaw that may bug a few energy savers. Many Wii owners use battery chargers to extend the playtime of their controllers. Since you have to use the battery cover built into the Pistol Grip, some of your battery packs that come attached to their own battery covers won’t be compatible to use with the Pistol Grip. In turn, you’ll have to take off your battery pack, and pick up a pair of batteries around the house in order for it to work. It’s a shame, especially when using one of Nyko’s own Wii Remote battery chargers, you can’t find a way around this little inconvenience.
The second part of the Action Pak bundle is the inclusion of a Nyko Wand. Since the Pistol Grip is essentially a shell requiring a Wand or Wii Remote to be inserted, it’s great that Nyko bundled it together as one ready-to-go package. And of course, the controller can be used separately, compatible with any Wii title on the market. It also supports the use of Wii Motion Plus. The Wand features a similar button layout to the Wii Remote, with some minor differences. The “1″ and “2″ buttons are squared, as are the “A” and “Home” buttons, all surprisingly comfortable. The directional pad is plus shaped, with a squared center. Although it looks quite bizarre at first, it will alleviate any D-pad thumb imprints, something that happens to me often with games that require me to hold the Wii Remote horizontally. The minor differences to Nyko’s Wand offer the player a replicated gameplay experience to that of the Wii Remote, which is a good thing. The Pak also comes with a light blue Wand silicon jacket, and wrist strap. Oh, and a pair of batteries too! It’s hard to duplicate a first party controller, but after a few minutes playing with Nyko’s Wand, you’ll easily forget it wasn’t made by Nintendo themselves.
Bottom Line: The Nyko Wand Action Pak is a great peripheral bundle for all shooter fans. Wii’s impressive line-up of old and new shooting titles will keep the Pistol Grip in constant use. From arcade classics to newer on-rails horror survival titles, the Pistol Grip is a perfect option, offering the closest thing to an authentic pistol for the console to date. Bundled with a Nyko Wand, you’re ready for action on day one. Although the Pistol Grip does not support the use of battery packs fused with their own battery covers, the value of getting a worthy Wii controller with a gun peripheral makes this an impressive deal. I highly recommend kicking your feet up, grabbing the game of your choosing, and topping it off with Nyko’s Wand Action Pak. You’ll find both the console’s most realistic shooting experience, and one hell of a good time.
The Nyko Wand Action Pak is currently available for $39.99.
