Blazepro ships Wii Classic Controller, Nintendo hints at first-party classic attachment

Nintendo has been tight with Wii accessories, allowing few -- if any -- third-party impostors while not being very forthcoming about plans for future first-party input devices. That's all changed today (at least a little) with the Blazepro Wii Classic Controller, an alternative to Nintendo's own dual-stick pad for your Nintendo 64 gaming goodness. Meanwhile, some snoops at Spong found an honest-to-goodness Nintendo patent for what looks to be an official classic controller attachment that combines motion control with the Wii's iconic infrared motion control. As far as availability, the Blazepro can be had now for just $14, but the official Nintendo attachment is still in fantasy patent land. Hit the continue link to check out the patent image.

[Thanks, xfiles.fan and nate]

Read - Blazepro Release Wii Classic Controller
Read - Latest Official Nintendo Wii Controller Patent Revealed

[waiownsyou @ Jul 10th 2008 2:53AM]

Ugh. Here wii go again.

[andres @ Jul 10th 2008 3:11AM]

wiin

[Jordan Biffle @ Jul 10th 2008 2:57AM]

You know, I think the PSP stole some ideas from this contraption, to bad it doesn't look as good.

[T-7 @ Jul 10th 2008 2:58AM]

looks like a psp lol

[Rathum @ Jul 10th 2008 3:40AM]

If you look at the button layout, that's obviously a Gamecube controller. Maybe they decided to add GCN games to the Virtual Console.

[Chris @ Jul 10th 2008 3:48AM]

GameCube games are 1.5 GB, the Wii only has 512 MB of storage. Plus it can already play GameCube discs.

[Kevlar @ Jul 10th 2008 3:58AM]

Uh.. or maybe you could just throw your GCN disks into the wii, and play them normally... which is why GCN titles would never come to VC...

*Hints at letting you use these controllers for Gamecube mode then?

[iofthestorm @ Jul 10th 2008 4:22AM]

Yeah, I don't see how it looks like a PSP at all besides being rectangular. It's obviously a gamecube controller replacement, maybe they're going to have a firmware update that lets you use this in Gamecube games instead of the Gamecube controller, which would be nice since then it's like a wavebird except they don't make those anymore.

[Alexander @ Jul 10th 2008 8:35AM]

Couple of things there... The Wii hardware (bluetooth, wireless, and SD Card) is physically turned off when the console is in GC mode. So, you would have to be playing the games in Wii mode when you used this controller.

Otherwise, the hackers would be all over the console (more so than they already are now) because GC mode has been hacked for Homebrew for quite a while.

[Yevon @ Jul 10th 2008 12:11PM]

Ok, I hate to call stuff clones of other stuff, but this is really clearly a PSP. Notice the dimpled area on the top and bottom edges, the exact same curvature of the sides, and the shoulder buttons look clear but it's hard to tell. Oh, and the PSP has an X button, too. Sony invented the letter X, so they should sue.

(Warning: last two sentences contain sarcasm. May not be suitable for fanboys.)

[Agent42 @ Jul 10th 2008 2:11PM]

Yes, it looks very like a PSP.

(reply to sarcasm) but sony only uses shapes! so the X is really just two lines crossing each other... not letters silly...

[Pradster @ Jul 10th 2008 4:29AM]

a Wii controller which looks like a shrunken white PSP! classic!

[coolblue @ Jul 10th 2008 4:58AM]

People on here seem to have some very strange versions of the PSP! This thing looks nothing like the PSP! The psp is sexy looking but rubbish ergonimics, this looks pretty dull but probably is a joy to hold.


Has anyone got a clue what the attachment clips are for on the back of the classic controller? Ther is a release mechanism too, but no mention in the instructions about what it is for.....

[Phoenix @ Jul 10th 2008 7:46AM]

Ejecting the Wii Remote maybe?

[coolblue @ Jul 10th 2008 8:26AM]

But the wiimote only attaches via a cable. The attachments and release mechanism are on the back of the classic controller. As far as I can see there is no way to clip the wiimote onto it.

[Andy Anonymous @ Jul 10th 2008 12:48PM]

Nothing like the PSP? Go look up a picture of the original (non-slim) PSP and look at it side by side with this controller. Note the squarish, exposed shoulder buttons, the rows of divots along the top, and the raised area along the bottom, along with the overall shape. Now marvel at how wrong you were.

I own a non-slim PSP, and the case is EXACTLY the same shape.

[Phoenix @ Jul 10th 2008 1:06PM]

Ah, you mean the ORIGINAL classic controller. I thought you meant this new patent

doh!

[wud_e @ Jul 10th 2008 9:59AM]

Get out of my head. That's the first thing that came to my mind.

[greatslack @ Jul 10th 2008 2:05PM]

Motion control AND motion control?!?!

[DoomGaZer @ Jul 10th 2008 3:05PM]

I believe they meant to say, "wireless" and motion control. Those would be the only two reasons to get one, since they already have the Wii Classic Controller that attaches to the Wiimote like a nunchuk (not to mention original GameCube controllers can be plugged in directly).

[John @ Jul 24th 2008 9:46AM]

So wait, the wiimote goes in that slot? lol.. the phallic wiimote contraption!