Mike_AA

Anyone acutally used one of these?

I've read about them, but from the picture I've seen it looks bulky and terrible to control.

Some E3 promo ones are hittin some high money on eBay.

IIG

All I know is, I can't wait until these things make their way to store shelves. I hadn't planned on getting one, but because of the more than positive reviews, and a glimpse at a N64 gray colored controller, I don't have a choice. It does look bulky, but I really don't think it is. I remember that the N64 and Gamecube controllers looked enormous in magazines, but were much smaller (and comfortable) than expected...

Kellehair

From what I've heard they're pretty much the same size and weight of a regular controller.

Josh H

$34.95 is too much for my blood as I really don't have a need for a wireless controller as I already have exetension cables for both of my controllers. Plus no rumble, and no low-battery indicator are two more flaws that are hard to overlook for the price IMO.

Kellehair

The lack of rumble is understandable. The controller can only send a signal to the Cube, not receive a signal back from it for force feedback. That seems to make sense to me.

Josh H

I understand that, but for $34.95 (when you can get the plain controllers for $19.99) they could have put a receiver and transmitter on both the controller and the receiver that plugs into the GCN IMO. Having no cord isn't worth $15 to me, especially since I already have 2 extension cables.

huh?

the wavebird is only 24.99

IIG

Show me a store that has it for that price, and they will get my money, NOW...

Aghama

There was a misprint in and article a couple weeks back that said the wavebird was reduced from $39.99 to $24.99, instead of $34.99. Is this where you got your information?

squidget

i got to use it at e3 and it wasn't has bulky and uncomfortble as i thought it was going to be. i dont think i need one though, i use the madcatz( i think its madcatz) 3rd party controller and the cord is longer and works great for my living room setup.

Mike_AA

No rumble? That's a crock.

I may just stick to the normal ones then. Also, $34 plus tax is reaching game levels.

Homer Simpson

I would assume the rumble would eat the batteries quite a bit faster, that's another likely reason to leave it out.

jeffdsmith

I'm quite grateful that there is no rumble, that would require a change of batteries nearly every 3-5 hours depending on the game, and drive the cost up by at least 5 bucks.

I'll stick with the 100 hours of play Alex.

ScottMan

I managed to snag a 'Bird @ E3. Owning & playing Mario Party 1,2, & 3 has finally payed off. Huzzah! I've logged roughly 12 hours since E3. The great thing is that its main function is flawless. Its wireless capabilities surpass any other controllers, garage door openers, and keyless car remotes I've used in the past. Whenever a button is pressed or an analog stick moved, a light turns on located towards the top of the receiver which indicating the unit is working properly. Sometimes I feel the WaveBird is anticipating when I'll be tilting the analog stick next because the receiver light shines green simultaneously with the slightest movement of the analog stick. I'm very impressed with this bluetooth technology.

As for the rumble, it's a fair sacrafice for cordless Monkey Target right before bedtime. Generally, I could care less about the rumble feature in controllers as they're not integral parts of games nowadays, but I think I may miss it for upcoming games such as Eternal Darkness, Super Mario Sunshine, and The Legend of Zelda GCN. I may have to sideline the WaveBird temporarily for my first run-throughs with each of those games.

After 2 minutes of play time, you won't realize you're not holding a regular controller. It is slightly bulkier with longer handles and the center of gravity higher up on the controller; however, this makes me feel it is sturdier than the standard "joypad", as my British friends have dubbed it.

How practical is the WaveBird? Well, with regular controllers being priced circa $20 now on store shelves, it's hard to justify the purchase of one 'Bird, not to mention two, three, or four. If you have a big screen TV and a couch (or your favorite comfy chair) 13+ feet apart, WaveBirds are definitely a sensible investment. If you're in the mid- to small-range boat as I (27"), there's little point in going wireless to sit 15 feet back. If you've got dogs, children, or spouses (I'll dedicate that one to all the citizens of Utah in the house) running back and forth, the WaveBird will definitely come in handy. Need I mention clean-up consists of just a flip of the on/off switch?

I don't have a single complaint with Nintendo's WaveBird provided the price & functionality. People online have recently been sobbing that the light does not change colors when its batteries (2 AA, btw) are low, but you'll know when that time comes as the controls become less responsive. It's not as if the light changing colors on the controller would provide you with anymore forewarning.

Do rememeber that first-party software is slowly phasing into the $40 range. If you're strapped for cash, don't miss out on the experience of Super Mario Sunshine just to boast that no black wire is running between you and your Gamecube.

IIG

Except for games that rumble is essential to gameplay (think Metal Gear Solid or fishing in Zelda), it is all in your head. One site pointed out that they let one of their friends (who happened to be a Wave Race fanatic) play a game of WR with the Wave Bird, and after enjoying the game for some length of time without a complaint, he mentioned to the friend that there was no rumble. He realized that he hadn't noticed or cared throughout the course of his favorite game... This has happened to me several times on games where you have to turn Rumble on and off and I forget, or when my faulty Dreamcast rumble packs stopped working mid game, and I didn't realize it until much later. It's a gimmick plain and simple, though I guess I still prefer it. Won't stop me from picking up a Wave Bird though...

enthused

i turn off the rumble in every game. i think it's an annoying gimmick, especially in madden 2002 (every time you touch another player it rumbles)

Mike_AA

I've read through similar articles, and I too can assume that I won't miss the rumble feature one bit.

I look forward to picking one up....if anyone sees these for a good deal online or B&M, post it here. At $34.95 or whatever, it's pretty expensive. Thank God I snagged one of those $5 off coupons (off any game/accessory $19 and up) for Best Buy.

darkside

I'm tempted, but with Game Cube Controllers only $19.99 now it will be a tough sell. I will have to try one out first.