Customer Reviews:
 Good Alternative to the Classic Controller July 25, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent alternative to the Nintendo Classic Controller. Takes awhile to get used to the buttons and positioning. Instantly recognized by the Wii. Get two!
 Good product at a good price, in theory but not in practice as much... March 10, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The product is seemingly great. There's no lag, it runs for a long time on 3 AAA batteries, and it includes the options of remapping buttons and even a rumble feature, besting the original Nintendo Wavebird itself!
However, I have had problems with this controller. On the one hand, with a less skilled gamer who doesn't know what they're doing, I've seen buttons accidentally remapped. She could move left, up, or down, but when she pressed right, she wound up doing nothing, which took me a minute to figure out. (it was remapped to another button on the controller which is not normally used for the game we were playing)
Another very minimal problem is the dongle that attaches to the Wii. It's designed well in that it isn't a big block like the Wavebird receivers are, but they're also flimsy. They are glued together cheaply and the end cap has fallen off of both of my receivers. (I own 2 of these controllers) It doesn't affect the functionality, but it gave me a peek inside, and I can tell you right now these receivers are physically larger than they need to be, given the chip inside them. Again, it's nothing major, but it's something that irked me.
Beyond that my only other gripe with this controller is the analog sticks. I had a hard time adjusting to the analog sticks here, because they are definitely stiffer than the Wavebird ones. I never owned a Gamecube so I can't compare to the original wired contorllers, but I definitely have a problem playing Smash Bros at a fast pace with such stiff analog sticks. The rest of the controller is fantastic, but I just wish these analog sticks mimicked the Wavebird analogs a bit more, and the PS2/PS3 analogs a bit less...
I'd really give it a 3.5 if I could rather than a 3, but a 3 seems more fair than a 4 in my opinion. If you need a gamecube controller, it's a great alternative since the Wavebird can be hard to find brand new. The Wavebird still reigns on top in my opinion, but if you REALLY need rumble, or can't find one new, it's definitely worth checking out, especially for smaller hands (I have somewhat large hands and still liked the feel of the controller, so don't let that deter you) or slower paced games.
 This little controller is fantastic! January 2, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Even though Thrustmaster missed their release date by a mile (due out in Nov 07), it ended up being well worth the wait. This is one excellent little controller! It is smaller than you'd expect, but quite comfortable to use (my wife adores it). The wireless range is great, the control is smooth and solid, and it's got a list of features you'd never expect for a measly $20, including a strong rumble.
I have only two very minor complaints about it. One is if and when you opt to use the very easy button remapping feature, the controller will remember your settings only for as long as it is communicating with the receiver; once switched off (manually or automatically when left idle), it will reset back to it's original state, making complicated button remapping difficult to maintain. My second complaint is that if you switch the controller off manually to save battery power, the receiver will blink its blue led relentlessly searching for the device and NEVER stop until you power the controller up again. The simple workaround for this is to instead use the auto-off feature; after a few minutes of non-use, the controller powers off automatically, and no lights are blinking anywhere. Power it back on with a simple button press.
These complaints are very nitpicky, however, as there is simply nothing else on the market that offers this number of features at a high level of quality at any price. For this reason, I am awarding the full 5 stars to the Thrustmaster T-Wireless NW. My old Wavebird is now permanently retired.
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