Reviewed by Brandy Shaul
When reviewing a peripheral that appears to be a straight copy and paste job of an already established template, it would by nigh impossible to achieve said review without comparing the two options: the original, and the (supposedly) improved.
After having a chance to spend some time with Nyko’s Core Pak ($49.99), containing one Wii Remote and a Kama (Nyko’s nunchuck), and one of the company’s candy-colored Wands (solo Wii Remote – $29.99), I feel it only appropriate to tackle this in a sort of pro and con format, hopefully detailing all you need to make an informed purchase.
First and foremost, the Wii-mote included in the Core Pak, and that sold in Nyko’s candy-colored lineup are the exact same product, aside from the Wand’s blue, pink, purple and black color options.
The Wands are the same size as a standard Wii Remote, but are equipped with some aesthetic differences, most of which are inconsequential, like the change of the 1, 2, A, and Menu buttons to a square shape on the Wand (as opposed to circles on the Wii Remote).
However, two other changes do hold some weight. The first is the speaker, which is a large set of circular dashes that allow for sound effects to be presented much more loudly and clearly than through Nintendo’s set of tiny holes – this became especially noticeable and appreciated when playing a game like Dead Space: Extraction, that contains hidden audio logs that are only played through the Wii Remote speaker, and are otherwise hard to understand while simultaneously using the Wii Remote as a weapon, firing at Necromorphs on screen.
The second change is a striking negative, in that the directional pad is much blockier on the Nyko Wand than on Nintendo’s Wii Remote. To put it into perspective, where the official Wii-Mote has buttons that, while connected, as easily distinguishable when reaching towards them with your thumb, on the Wand each of the four buttons only extend slightly out from the central hub, making it much easier to press down when you meant left; up when you meant right, and so on.
In terms of the nunchuck, Nyko’s Kama is significantly larger than a standard nunchuck, with the back portion being coated in a non-slip surface that feels quite stable in your hand. The Z and C buttons have also seen an increase in size, with the Z button in particular now coming in a more ergonomic form that actually cradles your left index finger, keeping it in place.
Overall, I have to admit I was surprised by just how nicely the Kama fits into the hand. I had never seen the standard nunchuck as being poorly designed, but once I spent some time with Nyko’s take on the template, the improvements are striking. The only thing that’s been left out of the transition is the octagonal pattern surrounding the analog stick. Where on the official nunchuck, the octagon allows for a subtle clicking of the stick into eight standard directions, allowing for more precise control, the Kama lacks this functionality.
Connecting the Kama to the Wand also requires more force than it should, as does unplugging it, due to the “slide and pull” action required to do so. Conversely, a nice touch comes in the form of an attached Velcro strap that allows you to easily store the chord without fear of it becoming tangled.
In terms of the package’s battery life, each comes with Nyko branded AA’s that performed just as well as a single charge of my Energizer NiMHs – somewhere in the neighborhood of a week for more active players (in theory then, around two or three weeks if you barely touch the console).
It seems that for every flaw the Nyko Wand and Kama have (no matter how minor), there is an improvement that lessens the negatives. For the awkward D-pad button design, there are the larger and improved Z/C buttons – for the difficult connectivity, there is a Velcro strap keeping the chord in line. It’s fortunate, then, that the pros far outweigh the cons in terms of effect on your gameplay experience, as, depending on your patience level, they can be ignored entirely.
While it’s no secret that many gamers are a bit anxious about buying third party peripherals, the quality of the Nyko Core Pak and individual Wands should help to put your mind at ease. I had no truly deal-breaking issues with either; in fact, the Kama’s non-slip surface and redesigned Z button are so appreciated that I doubt I’ll ever reach for the original again.
All in all then, if you need an extra Wii Remote to take advantage of the console’s many party games, these are a solid and cheaper alternative that, for the most part, perform just as well as the Nintendo original.
Special thanks to Kate Hancock and Nyko for providing review product.