Rock Thunder Guitar for Guitar Hero and Rock Band
Manufacturer: Talismoon
Site: Buy from Divineo US / Buy from Divineo China
Price: $64.99


Overview : One guitar rocks them all!

The Talismoon Rock Thunder Guitar brings you the newest in convenience. Completely wireless, and with all the features you need! It works for all versions of Guitar Hero and Rock Band on the Nintendo Wii.

Features :

• Compatible with all versions of Guitar Hero for Nintendo Wii
• Compatible with all versions of Rock Band for Nintendo Wii
• 10 fret buttons
• Tactile feedback strum bar
• Wireless
• 5 positions switch or choosing guitar effects
• Good for left and right handed people
• Sleep mode saves batteries
• Motion sensor to launch bonus time or to "savior" a fellow player
• Whammy bar for heightening cool effects
• 2.4GHz transmitter technology
• Foldable neck for easy transportation
• RoHS certified
• CE compatible

Quality/Usability : I dont know about most people, but when it comes to video game and accessories, I dont have much room to store them. Especially when it comes to big accessories like guitars and drums. Its worse when you're a big gamer and a HUGE fan of games like Guitar Hero and Rockband and you have two guitars, one for each game and they dont work together. One guitar is specific to Guitar Hero and the other guitars is Rock Band only. Ok, so that isnt that bad. Two guitars. But what if you want multiplayer action!? Now you have to buy another Guitar Hero guitar.

Talismoon has helped the elimination of having multiple guitars. The Rock Thunder Guitar for Guitar Hero and Rock Band is one guitar, for both games. The guitar comes with instructions on how to sync the guitar with Rock Band as well as an instruction manual. Like other guitars, you'll need to insert a Wii controller into it. The Rock Thunder requires 2 AA batteries and there is a USB receiver (included) that needs to be connected to one of the USB ports on the back of the Wii. After 10 mins of no operation, it will go into sleep-mode. To wake up the guitar, press the button next to the joystick.

To use it with Guitar Hero, you simply insert the Wii Remote, slide the power toggle switch to GH and you're ready to go. If you are using the guitar for Rock Band, you will have to detach the Wii remote as it is not needed. Plug in the USB wireless receiver into the Wii. Turn on the Wii and the receiver will begin to flash. On the guitar, simply slide the switch to RB, press the connect button on the guitar and receiver at the same time. When the RX indicator stops flashing, the connection is complete.

There are blue LEDs around the strum bar. This lets you know when the guitar is ON. If you dont see the lit up, guitar is not ON. To change between Rock Band and Guitar Hero, there is a switch "RB" and "GH", respectively. The chrome switches and the thumbstick located near the wii remote only work when you are playing Guitar Hero, and when the wii remote is plugged in. You don't have the wii remote plugged in when you play rock band, so, they don't operate at that time. You must use a separate wii remote to operate the basic game functions. If the guitar is not sync with Rockband, hold down the green fret button on the guitar while a song is starting. If the green fret bar indicator on the screen stays solid, you have a good sync. If it blinks, then you have a bad sync. Unplug the dongle from the Wii and plug it back in again. re-sync the guitar. Try the fret button test described in the first two sentences again.

Syncing and getting the controller set up is not as bad as it seems. Might get annoying just removing the controller but thats no big deal at all. The wireless receiver offers a good range. What interests me is that there is a LAN adapter. Its like a phone plug. What does this do or what is it for? I have no idea. It was not mentioned as to what the purpose of this was for except that there was a LAN plug.


Conclusion : Overall, the Rock Thunder Guitar for Guitar Hero and Rock Band works pretty good. It cuts down on space of having multiple guitars for multiplayer experience. For the price of $64.99, you get 2 guitar controllers. But may cost more if you have to constantly replace the 2 AA batteries. The batteries lasted a good while but I always use rechargeables. I didnt have problems syncing but switching from GH to RB, you will have to resync each time.

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Team Symbiote Wii-BOSS Modchip
Manufacturer: Team Symbiote
Site: N/A
Price: $40.00-$45.00


Overview : Almost all other conventional and homebrew modchips consist of two parts where the code is held, of which only the smaller EEPROM section of the chip can be changed easily. This EEPROM part of the code is very useful for small pre defined simple on or off selectable 1’s and 0’s and possibly a very small “additional feature” section. For example: Speed setting your chip or enabling multi-zone. However, if you want to update the entire chip, you need to physically remove the chip from the Wii, put it on a programmer, reprogram it, and then reinstall the chip into the Wii. This is not something you want to be doing constantly keep up with new optimized modchip codes for the Nintendo Wii.

Features :

• The Wii-Boss is designed as a ‘quick solder’ chip with an external ribbon cable that can be left inside the machine, taped down on the back of the Wii, or even hidden inside the memory card bay. This chip can be fully programmed inside the machine with any code that supports the 12F629 PIC Microchip.
• The Wii-Boss is also designed to allow external booting off the ribbon cable, therefore protecting the user against ever having to pull the Wii apart ever again if their requirements for a particular style of modchip change. External adapters to make competitor modchips and PC applications like DVD-Tool boot externally have already been designed and will be produced soon after the initial release of the premier product for a very minimal charge. These will likely be included in future kits at no extra charge.
• The Wii-boss even comes packaged with its own RS-232 port external programmer. Software for the programmer is open source and therefore also provided free. The programmer is based on an open source project and therefore could be ‘modded’, theoretically, to be used as a standard RS-232 PIC programmer.
• Contains provision for 2 LED's. LED's are a great look, but also good to use to check to see if your chip is installed correctly without needing to check it with a import or backup game.

Quality/Usability : This review is based on a North American (NTSC-US) Wii. All games tested during this review, we own the original games. This modchip is only compatible with Wii's that have a DMS, D2A or D2B chipset. This will NOT work on a D2C chipset.

Installation : You can find installation manual at Wii-BOSS' installation page. The installation page contains images on how to install the Wii-BOSS as well as to Nintendo Wii's with the 3-legs cut off the chip.

Like all other modchips that requiring soldering, you must dismantle the Wii. The Wii-BOSS also allows you to either install via quick solder or wire method (the latter method is preferred as you can remove the chip easily). Once you have dismantled the Wii, you must locate the points outlined in their installation guide. These points is where you will connect the soldering between the Wii and the Wii-BOSS. When soldering, you must remember to stay within the points and not to use too much solder or you may risk shorting out the chip as well as the Wii.

Once soldered, connect the ribbon cable to the Wii-BOSS. Once connected, you must fold the cable a certain way so that it fits in between the Wii components. Folding the cable may take some trial and error in order to fit correctly in place. If folded correctly, the ribbon cable will now be exiting through the USB port of the Wii once it has been put back together. When the Wii is put back together, connect the Wii-BOSS programmer to the ribbon cable and installation is complete.


The Wii-BOSS is similar to that of the WiiFree Easy Connect in terms of look and installation. But the Wii-BOSS allows you to use any open source modchip of your choice. At the time of this review, Wii-BOSS supports the following codes (in no particular order):

• Wii-Free – last stable release ver2.45
• YAOSM – last stable release ver1.8
• Wiinja – last stable release ver2.0 (deluxe currently not available)
• Open-Wii – last stable release ver1.3
• Wii-skas – last stable release unknown
• MaxBoot – last stable release ver1.0 (redirection code for external booting)

We were able to try Open-Wii, Wii-Free and YAOSM. All worked flawlessly and without a problem.

Compatibility issues is dependent on the open source modchip itself. We did not have any problem booting Wii games with any of the above mentioned open sources.

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii-BOSS handled itself pretty well. The included tri-wing screwdriver was durable. The packaging of the Wii-BOSS was very professional unlike some other modchips where they came in either ESD bags or in small bubblewraps. It would have been nice if it included a blank 12F629 PIC chip. Those thinking of purchasing the Wii-BOSS, I suggest picking up one or two 12F629 PIC chips first or you'll be left holding a Wii-BOSS. Reason I mentioned to get one or two is because if you are using Wii-Free and ...

Shinobii Blue Sphere Charging Dock
Manufacturer: Shinobii
Site: Buy from Shinobii / Buy from Amazon
Price: €39.99 / $39.99


Overview : The BLUE SPHERE Charging Dock from Shinobii allows you to charge up to 4 Wii Remotes™ at the same time. It comes with 4 Powerful NiMH battery packs where each one provides up to 20 hours of play time and is perfectly designed to fit the Wii Remote™.

The BLUE SPHERE Charging Dock features 3 top LED lights that indicates the charging status in three steps: 33%, 66% and 100%. BLUE SPHERE is powered by the official Wii™ AC adapter and includes a pass-through powercord which is simply connected between the Wii™ AC adapter and console.

The BLUE SPHERE Charging Dock is fully functional even with the Wii™ console powered off.

Features :

• Charge up to 4 Wii Remotes™ at the same time
• Top LED lights that indicates charging status in 3 steps
• Includes 4 rechargeable 1200mAh NiMH battery packs
• Powered by the official Wii™ AC adapter
• Connected with a pass-through powercord
• Fully functional even with the Wii powered off

Quality/Usability : At first glance, the Blue Sphere Charging Dock looks like an obese flying saucer from an alien space ship. The Blue Sphere charges up to 4 Wii Remotes simultaneously. To charge your controllers, the Blue Sphere does not use a separate power adapter but rather gets its power from the Wii itself using a pass-through plug. With this, the Wii does not have to be ON. It can be in standby/sleep mode and it will still charge your controllers.

Rather than have one LED that has 2 colors (one for charging and one for when its done), Shinobii has included three LEDs for each port. Each LED represents how much it has charged. First LED is 33%, second LED is 66% and the third LED is 100%. Included in the package are four NiMH battery packs which replaces the batteries and battery cover on the remote. The batteries are said to provide up to 20 hours of gaming on a full charge. I don't play for 20 hours straight but with playing games here and there, I would say its about right.

Like the blue light in the disc slot of the Wii, the Blue Sphere Charging Dock also has a blue ring around the dock that lights up blue when plugged in. However, when this is plugged in, the color makes reading the charging LEDs harder to read. However, Shinobii has informed me that on the final product the three top led bulbs will be transparent (not blue) when light is OFF so you can tell more easily if light is turned ON (blue).

Conclusion : Overall, the Blue Sphere Charging Dock is a solidly built charging dock for the Nintendo Wii. The look is appealing and different from some of the other docks I have seen and reviewed. It takes a bit of fiddling to get the contacts to touch in order to charge but is not a big hassle. If you have a rubber skin whether it be aftermarket or from Nintendo, you will either need to remove it or lift the bottom half so that the controller fits into the dock.

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2.4Ghz Wireless Nunchuk Controller
Manufacturer: N/A
Site: Buy from BudgetGadgets
Price: $17.78; add $1.35 if you want packaging (use coupon code TM5OFF8 and get 5% off site wide)


Overview : This product is a 2.4G wireless controller for Wii Nunchuck with high frequency and coordinates with Wii Remotes (Remote Control) to use on Wii console, which makes it more convenient and fast when operating. It is designed with built-in rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and can save trouble of replacing batteries. It is compatible with Motion Plus.

Specs:

• Size: 82g or 2.89oz
• Cable Length: 1020mm or 40.16in
• Bluetooth Controller Work Voltage: DC 3.3v
• Effective Distance: 5m
• Frequency: 2.4G

Quality/Usability : Having to use the wired Nunchuk controller can get a bit annoying when you're playing a game that requires swinging and moving of both arms. Either the Nunchuk wire gets in the way and you get tangled up or you get slapped with it. Nintendo should of made the Nunchuk wireless but where they fail, other 3rd party manfacturers will pick up the slack. The 2.4Ghz Wireless Nunchuk Controller was from BudgetGadgets and came with no packaging. It comes with Nunchuk, receiver, wrist strap, USB cable and manual. You may or may not receive packaging with any item you purchase from them. Even if you wanted packaging, you would have to pay an additional cost. I'll get into this more in the Conclusion at the bottom.

Shape and size is identical to that of the Nintendo Nunchuk...minus the wire. The blue backing of the Nunchuk has a rubber texture to allow better grip. On the bottom left side of the wireless Nunchuk is a switch. This lets you turn it ON and turn OFF for when you're using it and to save battery when you're not. The very bottom is a little port to insert the USB plug for when you need to charge it. The bottom front is a small LED indicator to let you know when its pairing (blinking) and when its paired (steady blue).

The receiver has a small LED indicator at the bottom of the Nunchuk. When the Nunchuk is plugged in and charging, the LED is red. When the Nunchuk is done charging, the LED will turn off. After about 2 hours or so of charging, the controller is ready to be put to use. A blue LED is lit to let you know when its pairing and when its paired with the Nunchuk. The receiver connects to the bottom of the Wii Remote Controller. If you have a Wii Motion Plus adapter, the receiver would connect to the bottom of the Wii Motion Plus. The size of the receiver is fairly long, so it will get in the way if you bend your wrist. To remove the receiver, simply pull it out. There is no clips holding it in place like the plug on the wired Nunchuk controller but the receiver is held in place securely. I was able to get a good 12-14 hours of gameplay before the Nunchuk needed to be recharged. However since the receiver is running off the Wii Remote, it drains the battery even quicker. So if you're still using regular alkaline battery, I suggest getting rechargeable battery packs.

Conclusion : Overall, the 2.4Ghz Wireless Nunchuk Controller is what the Nunchuk should of been from the start. The reception was great (than again, your arms arent going to be that far apart) and the accuracy is very good. Since it draws power from the Wii Remote, expect the battery life of the Wii Remote to be shorter. I was able to get a good amount of play time before the Nunchuk had to be recharged. It would have been nice if there was also an indicator stating when the battery is running low.

For the price of $18 (no packaging) or $20 (with packaging), its a bit pricey. For the same amount, you can get a Nyko Kama which has a small length receiver and longer battery life but uses (2) AAA batteries.

Now, back to BudgetGadgets packaging issue. Under their FAQ, this is what is stated about packaging:


For those items that gives you the 'Package' option, I dont know if its worth it or not to pay extra when it should be included. Than again, its going to get thrown away when you receive it and bust open the package but I would like the satisfaction that it was from a sealed package and I'm the one that opened it. I can see how BudgetGadgets is offering free shipping by cutting back on including packaging. However, other online stores include the packaging ...

Joybox PlayStation Controller Adapter
Manufacturer: N/A
Site: Buy from Goldenshop
Price: $9.00


Overview : Use your most beloved PlayStation controller on your GameCube/Wii.

Features :

• High quality 3rd party product.
• Convert the PSX/PSX2 controller to be used on the GameCube or Wii console.
• Supports rumble function.
• Supports all the buttons.

Quality/Usability : I know I'm probably not the one that enjoys and loves the way the PlayStation controller feels in our hands. Some may not like the feel of the GameCube controller whether it be design or button layout but now, there is an option to let you use your beloved PlayStation controller instead.

We tested the Joybox PlayStation Controller Adapter. Nothing fancy. Just a simple piece of adapter that plugs into the GameCube controller port and a female PlayStation adapter to plug your PlayStation controller. The best part about the Joybox is the compatibility with the PlayStation 2 controller. Yes, the Dual Shock feedback even works. Here is a layout of the buttons compared between the GameCube and PlayStation controllers:


You wont be able to configure the button setups but I dont know why you would want to considering the PlayStation controller layout is almost the same as the GameCubes. For some games, the "Z" button on the GameCube is the R1 on the PlayStation but depending on the game, it can also be L1. So you get to use both R1 or L1.

Regarding the feedback, I noticed that for some games, it was strong as if I was playing a PlayStation game but with some, the rumble feedback wasnt as strong but you can still feel it.

Conclusion : Overall, the Joybox PlayStation Controller Adapter works well for those who want to play GameCube games with their PlayStation controllers. A nice feature is the ability to allow rumble feedback when using a Dual Shock controller. The price of $9 for this adapter is fairly cheap. The layout of the buttons is similar to that of the GameCube controller. If you dont have an extra GameCube controller for that extra multiplayer fun but have a PlayStation controller, this will come in handy.

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Wii 5-in-1 Laser Pointer Gun
Manufacturer: PEGA
Site: Buy from Goldenshop
Price: $14.00


Overview : Improve your shooting skills with this 5-in-1 laser pointer gun.

Features

• High quality 3rd party product.
• Easy to install.
• Natural Nunchuk trigger combined with the functional innovation of the Wii Remote.
• Ergonomically balanced and weighted gun, comfortable for 1 handed or 2 handed gamplay.
• Maintains Wii Innovation Motion.
• Secure and easy installation. Extended grip for the directional control of the rear nunchuk analog joystick.
• Full access to all buttons and digital pad.
• Can be used as handgun only.
• Can be used as tommy gun.
• Comes with laser targeting - operated by 2 AAA size batteries.
• The Nunchuk can be separated easily.
• The folding angle of the Nunchuk can be adjusted.

Quality/Usability : All these light gun are just plastic shells so you can fit your Wii remote and Nunchuk into them. There are different kinds of light gun attachment whether they are shaped differently or colored differently. But these 3rd party peripheral manufacturers will add anything to their products to attract potential buyers. This time, PEGA has included a laser pointer underneath the gun.

Honestly, the moment I saw this attachment, I knew there was going to be a lot of faults with this. There are two attachments. One is for the Wii remote and the other is the attachment for the Nunchuk.

The top of the main base has a cover. This allows you to insert the Wii Remote control and secure it in place. The tabs that keeps this cover secure feels so cheap and flimsy. Every time I open it or close it, I'm afraid that I may break it. On both sides of the gun is a small opening. This allows you to put the Nunchuk cable through so you can connect to the Wii Remote. So if you're a lefty, you'll have the cable coming out from the right side and if you're a righty, you'll have to cable coming out from the left side.

The front bottom of the gun houses a laser pointer. Yes, the same laser pointer that you use for presentations or annoying people. Underneath the laser is a battery compartment. This battery compartment houses two (2) AAA batteries to power the laser pointer. The trigger itself though feels sturdy and reaches the B button on the Wii Remote. I personally wished it was close to the B button so I dont have to pull so far. Underneath the trigger is a small button. Pressing this button will turn on the laser pointer. The laser pointer fails horribly. It works..as in it points but not where you would think it would point. Instead of pointing straight, its pointed way off to the right. If you're sitting fairly away from the screen, the pointer will be pointed to the right of you. The further away you are, the more way off it will be. See attached images for picture of what I mean.

The Nunchuk attachment holder was poorly constructed as well. The Nunchuk holder is detachable but when its on the base, its not held securely or clipped in place. So you can easily slide it off. This is bad if you're in an intense gun battle and moving your hands around. When the Nunchuk holder is on the base, you are allowed to adjust the position of it by pushing it up. This only works when you hold the gun below your waist but even this feels uncomfortable. If it adjusted down than it would of been better. If you have your right hand on the trigger and your left hand on the Nunchuk, your left hand will be touching your right wrist.

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii 5-in-1 Laser Pointer Gun is one light gun shell you do not want to bother with. The only good things about the accessory is the laser pointer. It actually works and it feels comfortable, if you hold the gun on the left hand and Nunchuk on your right. You can also detach the Nunchuk holder and just hold the Nunchuk controller in your hands. Everything about the 5-in-1 Laser Pointer Gun is poorly constructed.

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WiiKey Modchip (DMS/D2A/D2B)
Manufacturer: WiiKey
Site: Buy from Mod-Chip
Price: $30.00-$40.00

Overview : The amazing WiiKey Mod Chip for the Nintendo Wii has arrived! The WiiKey is possibly the easiest modchip to install on any system. A quicksolder pattern on the PCB board removes the need for wires. All you need to do us solder onto the designated parts and the installation is complete.

Not only is the WiiKey easy to install, but this ModChip also has amazing features including Stealth Mode, the ability to play both WII and Gamecube backups, GameCube homebrew and imports. The WiiKey also has an optional LED to let you know when the Mod Chip is ON or OFF.

Features :

• Direct boot of wii backups
• Direct boot of GC backups
• Direct boot of homebrew in GC mode
• Supports all currently available console/drive versions
• Supports D2B chipsets
• Sophisticated (true) update mechanism via DVD (future proof, expect cool features to come)
• Direct boot of different NTSC region Wii games/backups on US and JAP consoles
• Partial support for NTSC region Wii games/backups on PAL consoles
• Boots different region GC games/backups (partially without swapping)
• Supports multi-disc games for BOTH Wii and Gamecube
• Supports DVD-R / true DVD+R and +RW support (no bitsetting required!)
• Improved readsettings for recordable media
• Built-in audio fix
• Supports fullsize 4GB discs for gamecube homebrew
• Stealth mode
• 512 byte EEPROM to store configuration
• Quicksolder interface - no wires required
• Unique disc backup application via sdcard
• Compact design, best quality components, rock solid high speed controller
• Professional ESD packing
• Recovery mode - Can recover from a bad flash

Quality/Usability : WiiKey is probably one of the most well known modchips for the Wii. Its so popular that there is even a clone of it. To prevent confusion, WiiKey tried to think of ways to inform buyers that what they are buying is legit and the real deal. Their solution was a hologram sticker. But this didnt stop some buyers as the clones also worked the same as the real WiiKey.

This review is based on a North American (NTSC-US) Wii. All games tested during this review, we own the original games. This modchip is only compatible with Wii's that have a DMS, D2A or D2B chipset. This will NOT work on a D2C chipset.

Installation : You can find installation manual at WiiKey's Resource page. The Resource page also includes setup discs, recovery disc and the much anticipated firmware update disc which I will get to later.

In order to install the CycloWiz onto your Wii, you must take it apart. Here is a tutorial on how to dismantle your Wii. You can also find other tutorials or even videos on the web.

Like all other modchips that requiring soldering, you must dismantle the Wii. The WiiKey also allows you to either install via quick solder or wire method (the latter method is preferred as you can remove the chip easily). Once you have dismantled the Wii, you must locate the points outlined in their installation manual. These points are where you will connect the soldering between the Wii and the WiiKey. When soldering, you must remember to stay within the points and not to use too much solder or you may risk shorting out the chip as well as the Wii.

After installing the WiiKey, you must run the WiiKey configuration disc which can be download from WiiKey.

Wii Compatibility : After running the configuration disc, its time to test out games. With some modchips that we reviewed, there were some games that gave the DRE (Disc Read Error), but taking that same disc and trying it on the WiiKey worked and booted up perfectly. But there were some that didnt work.

Homebrew Compatibility : Unfortunately, I wasnt able to try the homebrew out.

Conclusion : Overall, WiiKey modchip came through and worked. The ability to load games had a higher success rate than majority of the Wii modchips on the market. Not to mention, its one of, if not the smallest Wii modchip on the market!

1.9b Firmware Upgrade Disc
Now, remember when I talked about the WiiKey update disc? Well, WiiKey was suppose to release this upgrade a long long long time ago but kept delaying it. They would give a release date and would delay it for whatever reason. This would annoy and piss of WiiKey users and even other gaming sites for the lack of actually following through on their word and releasing. Some speculated that WiiKey was a flake or lying. Some even thought they were trying to combat the clones and trying to figure out how to get the upgrade disc to only work on genuine chips and possibly brick Wii's that have clones installed..but of course, all this was a rumor.

There was a leak of the supposed upgrade disc but it was a beta. Eventually, after further testing, WiiKey decided to make it an official release as it was stable enough and worked as it should. The following is what was added to 1.9b

• audiofix fixed
• dual layer support (no bitsetting required)
• improved

...