Wii Remote Battery Charger & Stand
Manufacturer: PantherLord
Site: Buy from Goldenshop
Price: $15.00

Overview : The Wii Remote Battery Charger & Stand charges your Wii Remote when the battery pack is dead via USB. Not only does it charge but it also holds your Nunchuk.

Features :

• High quality 3rd party product.
• Comes with a rechargeable battery for the Wii remote control - no need to take out the battery when charging.
• No need to add extra power supply - get the power from the USB port of the Wii console.
• Extra space for storing the Nunchuk.
• Light indicators to show the charging status.

Quality/Usability : The Wii Remote Battery Charger & Stand comes with a 1800mAh battery and a USB stand/dock. All these 3rd party Asian rechargeable batteries are all starting to look alike. I wouldnt be surprised if all of them work with one another.

The battery is attached to the battery cover so you will need to put away your original battery cover as it will no longer be needed. Inside the battery pack, you can see that there are two rechargeable AA batteries. On the front of the battery pack are two metal plates. This is where the batteries are charged when connected to the dock.

On the stand, the right side houses the Wii Remote and on the left side is the Nunchuk. The Nunchuk only sits there and does nothing else. Its pretty much just a holder. The Wii Remote fits securely in place when docked. Unfortunately, like all other rechargeable battery docks, it will not fit a Wii Remote with a controller glove on it. You will either have to take it off or just lift it up enough so that the metal contacts on the dock can touch the contacts on the battery pack.

When the Wii Remote is placed on the stand to be charged, how do you know if its charging or when its done? Simple. In between the Nunchuk holder and the Wii Remote, there is a LED. Its not really visible as its underneath the white plastic housing. Though, it is visible when the LED is lit up. When the rechargeable battery is being charged, a red LED is lit up and when it is done, the LED will be green.

Charge time took about 2 hours to completely charge. When the rechargeable battery is in use, it only lasted about 3-4 hours. This is pretty much standard with all 3rd party batteries that come from Asia.

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii Remote Battery Charger & Stand is no different from any other rechargeable battery packs on the market. It performed the same as all others. It even looks so much a like as all the other 3rd party rechargeable battery packs. The Nunchuk stand is pretty useless as all it does is hold the Nunchuk in place. Since they incorporated it into the stand, they should of made something for the cord on the Nunchuk as well. The cord is just either left hanging on the table or just thrown on top of the stand. Would of also been nice if the LED turns off when the battery is fully charged rather than the LED be green.

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Wii Cooling Fan
Manufacturer: PEGA
Site: Buy from Brando
Price: $10.00

Overview : Lower your Wii temperature effectively. Make you can play games more smoothly.

Features :

• Lower the temperature of the console
• Use USB power, no extra power adapter is required

Quality/Usability : With todays nex-gen consoles, there are problems with overheating due to the enormous amount of power that is required to power the system. To combat this situation 3rd party companies are releasing cooling fans to cool off your consoles.

The Wii Cooling Fan uses both USB ports of on the back of the Wii. But dont worry, the cooling fan has a pass-through port that allows you to use a USB port if needed. There is no power switch as this is automatically powered on once the Wii is turned on. There is a green LED on the cooling fan to let you know that its on.

The cooling fan has a fan similar to that found on your computer tower but a smaller version. The cooling fan is approximately 3.5" (h) x 1" (d) x 2" (w).

Once plugged in and the Wii powered on, the fan automaticallyl starts. It would of been nice if there was some form of covering to prevent dust from entering such as the dust cover. The fan itself is pretty strong and a good amount of wind is entered and at the same time, a bit too loud. The loudness of the fan overpowers the sound from the TV unless you have your TV's volume put on "deaf".

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii Cooling Fan is a great product and blends in perfectly with the Wii. After playing with the Wii for 3 hours straight, the Wii was still rather cool compared to not having the fan at all. As mentioned above, my only two complaints is how loud it is and the lack of a dust cover. But for the price, its a great buy.

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Wii Sensor Bar Cobra Stand
Manufacturer: Dragon
Site: Buy from Goldenshop
Price: $8.00

Overview : Holds your sensor bar and allows you to turn any angle, bend in a different shape.

Features :

• High quality 3rd party product.
• Can be bended to different shape.
• Vacuum hook - easy to fix on to or remove from any smooth surface like windows, glass, etc...

Quality/Usability : Although the Nintendo Wii's sensor bar allows you to attach it to a flat surface, it may damage your TV/stand as you try to remove the sensor bar. By removing the sensor bar off the surface, this may cause the sticky mount on the sensor bar unusable for future use. Even if you mount it or not to your TV or stand, the sensor bar may have problems reading the Wiimote.

The Sensor Bar Cobra Stand not only holds the sensor bar in place but at the same time, lets you adjust the angle of the sensor bar. You can adjust the angle and direction of the sensor bar by bending the "arms" of the stand. The Cobra Stand allows you to twist as well.

The Cobra Stand only works for the official Nintendo Wii sensor bar that came with your stand. There is no way to adjust it. There are 3rd party sensor bar whether it be wired or wireless, it will not fit unless its the same exact size as the original one.

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii Sensor Bar Cobra Stand is only good for those who does not have a flat surface near or on their television to hold their sensor bar, do not want to damage their TV/stand or needs the extra height. It would have been nice if it allowed the user to adjust the width of the holder to accommodate different sizes of sensor bars, both wired and wireless. It would have been nice if they were able to incorporate a way to tie up the excess cord on the sensor bar.

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Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag
Manufacturer: Dragon
Site: Buy from Goldenshop
Price: $13.00

Overview : Carry your Nintendo Wii, controllers, cables, etc. in a multi-functional carry bag. You can also play your Wii without having to remove it from the bag.

Features :

• Prevent any shock and scratch
• Compact size design with shoulder strap for carrying
• Super strong protect function with console and accessories
• Fully compatible with different version and model of Wii console
• No need take-out console can direct connect with home set TV system
• Storage function with Wii console, game card, AV cable, AC adapter/adaptor, remote controller, nunchuk pad, sensor bar, stand and other accessories

Quality/Usability : The Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag lets you carry your Nintendo Wii, controllers, cables, sensor bar and whatever else is needed for the Nintendo Wii. The bag comes only in gray with white zippers and a black trip. It also comes with a black shoulder strap.

Lets start with the front compartment. The front flap of the compartment has a hard plastic to prevent any accidental bumps to the case. This protects whatever accessories you have in the small front compartment. Upon opening the compartment, you have three dividers. This allows you to separate your accessories. Each section seems equally spaced. You can hold your AC adapter, AV cables, Wiimote and Nunchuk. Adding an extra Wiimote and/or Nunchuk can be a tight fit.

The main compartment houses the Wii console stand and of course, the Wii console. Before we get to that, on the underside of the flap are a couple of small compartments. First are three mesh compartments. This allows you to hold 3 SD cards or memory cards. Above the mesh compartment is a flap. When pulled off its velcro, it reveals 6 game pouches to store your Wii or GameCube games. Like the front compartment, the main compartment also has a divider for the stand and the console. A white velcro strap runs across the compartment to hold the Wii, sensor bar and stand in place during transportation as well as when system is in use while it is inside the bag. I noticed that when the sensor bar is placed inside with the Wii, its a little hard to zipper up the carry bag. There are two white straps on both sides of the case. These straps prevent the flap from falling over. But if you have something in the front compartment, the flap will fall due to the weight. To prevent the flap from falling when it is opened, there are clips on both straps. This allows you to completely open the flap.

As mentioned above, you can play your Wii while it is in the bag. No need to remove the Wii and having to set it up. On the bottom of the bag (when stood up), there is a cover. This cover has rubber "spiked teeths" for when you place the Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag on the floor but at the same time, allows easy access to the ports on the back of the Wii console as well as USB ports. This cover is held in place with velcro.

To the left of the carry bag is a mesh grill. This is the ventilation for the bottom of the Nintendo Wii console when the Wii is placed inside the bag. Unfortunately, the vent does not lineup exactly with the mesh grill.

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag is definitely multi-functional. Its great that you are able to play with the Wii while it is in the bag rather than having to remove it to set it up. It would have been nice if the mesh grill was aligned better with the Wii's bottom vent. I also noticed that the main compartment is a little cramped when zippering it up. Not to mention, the quality feels a little cheap. Sometimes, I'm scared of zippering the main compartment because the zipper feels a bit flimsy. The excess zipper is hidden under the gray material which looks tacky.

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Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar
Manufacturer: Nyko
Site: Buy from Divineo China
Price: $21.95

Overview : Simplify and enhance your Wii set up with Nyko’s Wireless Sensor Bar for Nintendo Wii. The Wireless Sensor Bar allows full Wii Remote functionality without the hassle or mess of any wired connection to the console. The infrared field created by the Wireless Sensor Bar allows for play up to 25 feet away, perfect for larger or wall-mounted TVs. Compatible with Nintendo's official Sensor Bar stand, the Wireless Sensor Bar is easy to set up, requiring no software or hardware installation on the Wii. Featuring 30 hours of battery life off 4 AA batteries (included) and a unique power saver mode with audible alarm, the Wireless Sensor Bar is designed for ultimate convenience.

Features :

• Design: Sleek design blends in with TV and is compatible with standard sensor bar stand
• Power Saver Mode: Audible alarm warns when powered for too long and will even automatically shut off the device
• Superior IR Field: The IR field created by the Wireless Sensor Bar allows for play up to 25 feet away
• Battery Powered: 4 AA batteries (included) provide up 30 hours of use; No cords needed
• Compatible with the Nintendo Wii sensor bar stand
• Ideal for wall-mounted flat screens

Quality/Usability : When the Nintendo Wii was released, gamers started to tinker with ways of making their own sensor whether it be from PVS tubing with LEDs, candles, remotes or even Christmas lights. Nyko has entered the market with their own that is better looking on the eyes and isnt so cheesy.

The Wireless Sensor Bar doesnt come in your ordinary plastic blister pack or box. It actually comes in a plastic tubing. Inside the tube is the wireless sensor bar, 4 AA batteries and instruction booklet.

On the front is a black shiny face and the housing is gray similar to that of the original Nintendo Wii sensor bar that came with the system. The difference is that it is slightly bigger in height, width and depth as well it being wireless. Although slightly bigger, the wireless sensor bar can still fit on the sensor bar stand that came with the Wii. There are blue LEDs on both sides of the sensor bar. The top of the sensor bar has a power button as well as a small speaker. When turned on, a blue LED is lit up on the front of the sensor bar. To turn off the bar, simply hold the power button for 3 seconds. On the back is a timer switch. You can set it to OFF, 1 HR or 2 HRS. What this does is alert the gamer how long the wireless sensor bar has been on for. Hence the little speaker near the power button. The batteries are hidden underneath. What is also a great feature is that if no interaction with the wireless sensor bar after the audible sound has gone off, the sensor bar will automatically turn off which will help save the battery from draining.

Nyko claims that on a full set of AA batteries (included), the wireless sensor bar can last 30 hours. I was able to get a little more than 30 hours when used on and off. But if played for longer periods of time and consecutively, it lasted about 25-26 hours. It is best to invest in some rechargeable batteries rather than alkaline.

Nyko also claims the wireless sensor bar has a range of 25 feet. During testing of the product, we did get to about 25 feet. But at the same distance, the response wasnt as strong as if you were standing 15 feet-20 feet.

Conclusion : Overall, the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar is a must get for those who do not want to deal with the long cord on the original sensor bar from Nintendo. Its a lot safer than using a candle as your sensor bar and looks a lot better than homemade sensor bars. It was a great idea for Nyko to include a timer to let you know how long the sensor bar has been on. I know there have been times when I have left other wireless sensor bars on, only to come back to a dead set of batteries. Its also great that we are still able to use the original sensor bar stand. When powered on, the blue LED can get a bit distracting if its near the monitor.

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XCM I-Case Black Knight
Manufacturer: XCM
Site: Buy from TotalConsole
Price: $37.99

Overview : Now the Wii can look fun as well as play fun! XCM are back and bring their years of replacement case development to the mighty popular Wii. I-Case is a complete, high quality and colourful replacement shell for the Wii console. It's perfect for those gamers who want to inject their Wii with further healthy does of fun and make their console stand out from the rest. Boasting a simple installation procedure, virtually anyone from young gamers to your Gran could install the I-Case! Includes tool kit to open Wii console. Initial colours available include Chrome, Crystal Blue and Black.


Quality/Usability : Like with any video game console on the market, there is always the need for some crazy gamers to modify their console. When I mean modify, I dont mean modchips. I meant aesthetically...looks wise. Gamers dont want the same boring color like any other person. They want to stand out...be cool and unique. Nintendo is known for releasing multiple colors for the video game systems. So far, only white is available for the Wii. There has been rumors of different colors being released but no official announcements and who knows how long before new colors are available.

The first to offer gamers and modders a chance to stand out from the crowd is XCM. They have been known for slick and unique faceplates, casings, controller mods, cables and other accessories. XCM announced the release of multiple colored casings for the Nintendo Wii ranging from chrome, red, yellow, blue, green, pink and even clear casings with LEDs built in!

The XCM I-Case Black Knight includes the console shell, doors, faceplate, buttons and even the rubber feets at the bottom of the Wii which makes up the whole exterior of the Wii. To match the black case, they also included a black stand and tools to help you dismantle the Wii! Not a single piece was left out.

The quality of the case is excellent and solid. Feels like it came out from Nintendo's factory. The case has a nice glossy feel to it, similar to that of the OEM case. Unfortunately the case isnt completely solid black like the black on the DS Lite, PSP or PS3. It has some type of sparkle to it (noticeable in the images below). Not in a feminine way though but it looks great.

I wont go much into detail regarding installation as you can find tutorials on how to dismantle or disassemble your Wii, here (.PDF) or here. The whole installation process took approximately 45 mins. This is not to say that is how long it will take you to assemble everything. I am a perfectionist and anal when it comes to things like this. For some who are pros or better at things like this can be a lot quicker while noobs, novices or perfectionists like me, may take longer. The whole process is just time consuming and tedious. It will require some patience.

Conclusion : Overall, the XCM I-Case Black Knight is an awesome product. Those looking to have their systems match with their home entertainment system or other consoles should definitely look into the Black Knight case. Each piece fit perfectly and even the screw holes aligned perfectly with one another which made installation a breeze. With the new mods for the Nintendo Wii such as the PulseVU, LED mods for both console and controllers, the Black Knight case would be a sweet looking console. Be sure to check out the other colors that XCM has to offer if you want to be even more wild and crazy with colors!

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WiiD Modchip (DMS/D2A/D2B)
Manufacturer: WiiD
Site: Buy from Mod-Chip
Price: $34.95

Overview : The WiiD is a fully featured Nintendo Wii mod, easy to install, easy to upgrade, compatible with every single Wii console system.

Ideal for Wii advanced users. More features to be added in future with software upgrades.

Features

• Non Swap/Direct Boot for Wii backups.
• Non Swap/Direct Boot for GC backups
• Non Swap/Direct Boot for Homebrew in GC mode
• Non Swap/Direct Boot for NTSC region Wii games/backups on US and JAP consoles
• Boots PAL Backups/Originals on NTSC WII consoles (partially without swapping)
• Boots NTSC Backups/Originals on PAL WII consoles (partially without swapping)
• Boots different region GC Games Original/Backups Imports (partially without swapping)
• EUROPE/USA/JAPAN Wii Console Supported
• Double soldering option, 6 wires or Quicksolder (No wires Required)!
• Compatible with all the WII Console Versions/Drive currently available
• Full D2B Drive Support
• Built-in audio fix
• Full support for DVD-R/DVD+R and DVD+RW/DVD-RW without Booktype
• Supports Multi-Disc/Multigames games for BOTH Wii and Gamecube
• Recovery Mode for incomplete/Bad Upgrades
• Stealth mode
• Firmware fully Upgradable by DVD!

Quality/Usability : I was able to get my hands on another North American Wii (NTSC-US). This new Wii has the newer board (D2B). All games tested during this review, we own the original games. WiiD comes in a plain unbranded ESD bag.

When I first heard that a WiiD modchip would be released for the Nintendo Wii, first thing that popped into my head was that it was a joke, a gimmick. Sure enough, its real and legit. The WiiD Modchip comes in a plain ESD bag but does not provide any protection during shipping (unless retailer protects it). Like all of other modchips, no wires were provided but thanks to Mod-Chip, they included wires (other resellers may not include wires). The WiiD is basically a chip on a small PCB board. The solder pads allows you to either quick soldering or wire installation. Wire installation is the best way to go because if for whatever reason you need to remove it, it is a lot easier and cleaner.

The features offered on the WiiD is what you would find on other modchips such as CycloWiz, WiiKey, Wiinja and open source modchips. The PCB board on the WiiD contains a PIC #12F683. The build of the WiiD modchip itself isnt the highest of quality due to the roughness of the cut of the PCB board but the board itself is thick and the solder points are big enough as well.

Unlike the other Wii modchips that allows quicksolder, the quicksolder pads are located on the front of the PCB board rather than on the inside. But as I said above, its best to use wires because its easier to install, safer, reliable and easier to remove when needed. Plus if you want to switch to a different modchip, all you would have to do is desolder the wires from the old modchip and resolder the wires onto the new modchip.

Installation : Before installing the WiiD, you must have at least some experience with soldering. As for me, I dont have any experience with soldering, so I had a friend install this for me. In order to install the CycloWiz onto your Wii, you must take it apart. Here is a tutorial on how to dismantle/disassemble your Wii. You can also find other tutorials or even videos on the web.

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 WiID. 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.

Wii Compatibility : Having tested only a handful of games I own such as Rayman, Wii Play, WarioWare and Legend of Zelda, I did not experience any problems. All games have been tested on DVD-R and DVD+R and worked perfectly without lag, slowdowns or any problems for that matter.

Upgrade Firmware : The WiiD modchip allows you to upgrade its firmware via DVD. In order to upgrade the firmware, you must first download the latest firmware and burn it on to a DVD. Pop in the DVD and the upgrade will begin. Unfortunately, once the upgrade is completed, there will be no screen saying that the upgrade is successful. Instead, you'll get a message saying "Unable to Read the Disc". Dont be alarmed, this is normal.

Conclusion : Overall, the WiiD Modchip worked as advertised. The main drawback is the quicksolder pads only being on the front of the PCB board and not on the inside. All games tested on the Wii with the WiiD installed worked perfectly without any problems. Hopefully, in future releases, the WiiD Team will improve the upgrade feature and the way the firmware is upgraded. WiiD also allowed you to solder a 6th wire that allows you to disable the modchip. This was not done as it wasnt really required.

Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site ...

Wii WeDock Controller Storage Case
Manufacturer: WeDock
Site: Buy from Brando
Price: $19.00


Overview : No right place to store your Wiimote and Nunchuck Controller? You just lying them somewhere?

This WeDock is the best solution for you. It can let you to store 2 sets of Wiimotes and Nunchucks. The one touch "Springbroad" design, let you can get the Wiimote easily.

Features

• 2 set of Wiimotes and Nunchuks storage space
• Innovative, compact and stylich design
• One touch "Springboard" design let you can get the Wiimote easily

Quality/Usability : We were the first to announced the release of WeDock and gamers had mixed feelings about it. Some thought it was cool, some thought it was OK and some thought it was useless. Now, we're the first yet again to bring you a full review!

The WeDock measures approximately 7" tall x 5" wide x 5½" deep. The look and feel matches the Nintendo Wii perfectly. The front of the case has a #1 and #2. Of course, this is to help you identify which one is controller 1 and controller 2. On the bottom left corner is "Wedock®" logo. The top of the WeDock is a cover that resembles the four gray lines on the Wiimote directional pad.

Opening the cover reveals four storage spaces. Two for Nunchuk (back) and two for Wiimote (front). The Nunchuk storage allows you to place either the cables first or it can be on top of the Nunchuk once placed in. The Nunchuk storage is even big enough to hold a Nunchuk with a silicon glove on it.

As mentioned above, the Wiimote storage features a "springboard" design. When you place your Wiimote into the storage space, the top of the Wiimote sticks out about ¾" (UP button on directional pad). Simply push the Wiimote down and it hide. If you need to take your Wiimote out, just push down and the Wiimote will pop up. The clicking can is a little loud. Just like the Nunchuk storage, the Wiimote storage also allows you to place your controller even with a controller glove on. No need to remove the glove. But you will need to take the wrist strap off the Wiimote inorder for the controller to fit. You can place the wrist strap either on top of the Wiimote controller or where the Nunchuk is. With 2 Nunchuks and 2 Wiimotes in place, the cover closes perfectly.

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii WeDock Controller Storage Case is a great storage to hold your controllers but its just a novelty. The size of the storage case is huge that you would not be able to carry it around comfortably. So its perfect to have in the house to protect the controllers from dust, liquid, pets or even your little siblings. Those who use controller gloves like me, do not have to worry about removing them but having to remove the wrist strap can get annoying. It would been even better if they had incorporated a recharging dock and battery. For the price of approximately $19.00, its a little expensive for case.

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Wii Crystal Blue LED Cooler Stand
Manufacturer: N/A
Site: Buy from Brando / Buy from DealExtreme
Price: $19.00


Overview : Look!!! It is not only a ordinary stand, but also a Wii cooler. It has a built-in high velocity fan to reduce your console temperature, prolonging it's life. The cool blue LED light design added style to your Wii console.

Features

• Built in High Velocity Fan. Reduce your console temperature, prolonging the life of your Wii Console
• Cool Blue LED Light adds style to your gaming setup
• You can turn off the LED and the fan by the ON/OFF switch
• USB Power
• Clear, Soft color stylize your Wii
• Provides Safety, support, and added stability

Quality/Usability : The Wii Crystal Cooler Stand adds a whole new look to your Nintendo Wii. The stand has a built-in fan to cool down your Wii as well as blue LEDs to light up the stand.

The Wii fits into the stand perfectly just as if it was the original gray stand. On both sides of the stand hear the back are two blue LEDs that illuminate the whole stand. Inside the stand near the back is a small 5v fan that helps cool down your Nintendo Wii. On the backend of the stand, is a switch to either turn on the lights only, turn on both the lights and fan or to just turn it off completely as well as the port to plug the supplied USB cable. The stand is powered via USB and is connected to one of the USB ports on your Nintendo Wii.

The fan is quite but doesnt push much air. Bad thing about the fan is that it pushes cool air into the Nintendo Wii rather than pushing out the hot air. Pushing the air into the Wii can also push in dust particles. On the bottom of the stand is another opening for the air to pass through the fan. The opening between the bottom of the stand to the surface it is sitting on is not much (thickness of a USD Quarter).

Conclusion : Overall, the Wii Crystal Blue LED Cooler Stand is a nice substitute for a stand. The blue LEDs on the stand can get very bright in a dark room and may become an annoyance after awhile but at the same time, gives it that cool factor. Honestly, the point of the fan is pointless. So as long you keep your Nintendo Wii in a well ventilated environment, there is no need for a fan. Not to mention, it blows air into the system rather than out. The price tag of $19.00 is a bit pricey as well.

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