While the name may not exactly roll off the tongue, Thrustmaster’s T-Wireless NW gamepad for the Nintendo Wii does aim to solve one of the console’s more annoying issues – wired Virtual Console gameplay.
The Classic Controller released by Nintendo for use with the Virtual Console features a button layout that is optimally configured for playing older games, but the damn thing has to be attached to an idle Wii-mote the entire time it’s in use. This leaves players dumbstruck, wondering what exactly to do with that veritable ball and chain. Does it lay on the couch, does it get shoved in a pocket, or does it just dangle in midair?
Well, the T-Wireless solves that problem by plugging a receiver dongle into the Wii’s Gamecube ports, effectively cutting the cord on the classic gaming experience and giving players a 30-foot radius to play in.
The controller is priced at $19.99, matching Nintendo’s pricing, so although the slow- and turbo-equipped T-Wireless is a bit less attractive than the smooth-lined Classic Controller, it’s funtionality may very well be worth the switch.
