Wii Warm Up: Zapper, board, or wheel?

by Alisha Karabinus { Sep 21st 2007 at 9:00AM }

We don't much discuss the Zapper, balance board, and steering wheel accessories coming down the pipe by themselves -- usually, we discuss them in relation to various games. However, considering them on their own, how do you feel about these accessories? Is there one you find yourself more interested in than the others? Personally, we like the balance board, despite the hefty price tag (in comparison), and think it seems to have interesting potential. But we're only one voice. How do you feel?

Tags: accessories, balance-board, balanceboard, steering-wheel, steeringwheel, wii-zapper, wiizapper

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neal Eaton @ Sep 21st 2007 9:19AM

I think the Balance Board has te most potential...the Zapper and Wheel are OK, but as far as I can tell they don't really add anything to the actual control of the game.

NOW...if there are some way to use them all together in some sort of weird 'mash-up' of driving (with a lean for the power slide) and shooting, that would be interesting.

Reric @ Sep 21st 2007 9:22AM

It could be interesting to have a small attachment for the balance board to make it slanted so as to use it as a gas and break peddle to use with the wheel.

mark richardson @ Sep 21st 2007 9:24AM

i have rather mixed feelings about all of them.

the wheel has been about since the console appeard just not in official nintendo form. Ive never used one yet but i think it will be good for people who dont play alot of games or for my older sister who is 35 and still cant get to grips with game console controllers ever since the nes.

the zapper albet a piece of white plastic is quite a cool idea. It will help new games to play games and help older gamers to feel like they are playing an arcade game (i so want to see operation wolf/operation thunderbolt making its way to the wii any one remember that old game?). I have read that on games esp resident evil umbrella chronicals that it dosnt work to well and people prefer playing it just with the normal controller than the zapper, so im not 100% on it yet.

Now the ballance board yeh it may be a gimic, it may be just for the casual gamer but still i love it and i want one and i know so many other people who do too (even ones without a wii). This has the posibility to be really good of used wisely and if people adopt it for other games too not just fitness things.

All in all nintendo have done well with these but it remains to be seen if they will be a great hit with lasting appeal or just a gimic flash in the pan. I really hope that they arent a flash in the pan as they will help the wii to be a little more diverse and give some people new styles of playing games.

pr0vidence @ Sep 21st 2007 9:26AM

I'm getting the Zapper. I was on the fence about it until the Zelda pack in included sealed the deal for me. For $20, I see no reason not to. My girlfriend is all about WiiFit, so I'll end up with a board as well.

Croove55 @ Sep 21st 2007 9:28AM

I'm hoping that the wheel has some extra grab other than "It makes the controller circular". The balance board seems kinda odd and, at points, gimmicky to me, but I have yet to use it, of course, so that's just a gut feeling. I want to like the zapper, but that thing is pretty ugly.

All in all, I don't think Nintendo would release a wheel attachment that just acted as a prop, so I am most excited to see what the wheel does. Hopefully I'm right.

mian @ Sep 21st 2007 9:37AM

I want to get my board hooked up to my pc and GlovePIE (Karl is back and is updating it). I don't know if I believe developers will make games for it, but I'm sure I can figure some things out on my own.

I can do without the two plastic wrappers you mentioned.

Croove55 @ Sep 21st 2007 9:57AM

On second thought, I'm gonna go with the balance board, as it turns out the wheel really is just a piece of plastic.

http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/?v=news&p=15131

A creative piece of plastic, but it's only purpose is to readjust your hands. That's useful for this type of game, it just isn't that creative or amazing.

Peter Tangney @ Sep 21st 2007 10:06AM

Out of the three, I'm most interested in the balance board. It will be interesting to see what games will be made specifically for it. Put the balance board together with either the Zapper or the wheel- now that could be interesting.

I can picture using the Zapper while standing on the balance board, trying to be stealthy, (James Bond like), by trying to stay as still as possible.

Jonathan Tran @ Sep 21st 2007 10:37AM

balance board has the most potential. The zapper is a stupid shell gimmick, as is the wheel.

JC Fletcher @ Sep 21st 2007 11:13AM

Board by default, because it does something.

shinneri @ Sep 21st 2007 11:16AM

I suspect the Balance Board will not live up to the hype people are giving it as a GAMING peripheral. It'll work great for WiiFit (and the hundred knockoffs that are sure to appear) and undoubtedly make Nintendo ZILLIONS of dollars, but I don't expect much game-wise.

Zapper will be awesome, and the purchase is totally justified thanks to the Link game it comes with.

The Wheel is a silly little money maker. I don't think it will add anything to games. The reason steering wheel controllers are cool is because they make it more like a real driving experience with full-size wheel and pedals... This will not be like that.

Zack W. @ Sep 21st 2007 12:10PM

I am going for the zapper. I want some good Ghost Squad action when it comes out!

Ruben @ Sep 21st 2007 12:47PM

If they make a racing game where if you put your left foot down to hit the gas, im gettin the balance board!

Ruben @ Sep 21st 2007 12:50PM

Wait I got it!! A multiplayer co-op game where one player uses the wheel and the balance board to drive and the other three use the zapper to shoot from inside the car. Awesome!

01 @ Sep 21st 2007 1:42PM

Al three sound like not-so-great ideas, but if I had to pick the one with the most potential, I'd say the board. If there is good integration with games (like being able to crouch and shift your weight to peek around corners a la Syphon Filter) or even jumping to jump in a platformer(that would actually be kind of cool!) But for the intended "Wii Fit" audience, it doesn't really appeal to me.

Jackson Pritt @ Sep 21st 2007 1:43PM

If I was transported to an alternate reality where I was, for whatever reason, only allowed to purchase *one* of these three accessories, my choice would most likely be the Balance Board.

Even if the only good games that come out for the Balance Board are Wii Fit, Wii Fit 2, and Wii Sweating To The Oldies, the Balance Board is still a great idea, and a wonderful way to make working out at home more interesting and more interactive.

The Zapper and Wheel are nice and all, but they both really just amount to plastic shells that help change the feel of the game but don't really add anything. The Balance Board has the potential to radically change what people expect out of a home workout regimen, and will further expand the already broad Wii market.

Drew @ Sep 21st 2007 2:02PM

I'm all about the balance board.

Note: It's the only thing that actually does anything.

The wheel and the zapper are just cases for the wiimote, like every other 3rd party item out there.

Croove55 @ Sep 21st 2007 3:01PM

@14 (Ruben)

I think you might be on to something, sir.
http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/zombie-massacre-would-be-rad-if-it-was-made/

Larz @ Sep 21st 2007 4:34PM

Well, considering that the Zapper and Wheel are just pieces of plastic that don't really add anything to the existing controls (some may say they take away even)... I'm voting for the board.

Alex @ Sep 21st 2007 6:50PM

I was just thinking about these accessories and it hit me... we need a multiplayer game which two users can use both the steering wheel and zapper controllers. Sort of like Twisted Metal, but with 360 degree, roof mounted guns that 1-player controls, while another drives. It can be split screen like Wii sports tennis, or full screen for online play. That would be awesome.

Gerwurztraminer @ Sep 22nd 2007 7:35AM

I groaned at all three of them. Then again, the DS & stylus and Wii name & remote were ALSO things I groaned about, yet here I am, playing Nintendo.

Personally I'm holding out for the Wii Holodeck. Make it so.