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Nyko's $20 'Metal Pedal' helps RB2 and GHWT get the ped out
click to enlarge If that incurable case of lead foot has led to more speeding tickets and broken Rock Band (and now, Guitar Hero World Tour) pedals than you care to admit, it may be time to consider a change. Not anything surgical – you're perfect just the way you are – but rather a quick $20 band-aid over the larger issue. Introducing the Metal Pedal, a metal pedal that's compatible "with all standard drum controllers for Rock Band 1 and 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour on all platforms." Unfortunately, if you're in need of just such a fix, you're ess oh ell until January. Or, you could opt for the DIY eBay alternative, the Pedal Metal. Where do they come up with these names? %Gallery-38538%
Infrared-to-Bluetooth converter roundup: get universal control of your PS3
So, here's a conundrum for ya. Sony's PlayStation 3 has been all but universally hailed as a stellar Blu-ray player and a respectable part of any home theater. But Sony forgot to include an IR receptor on the thing, making it incompatible with the vast majority of universal remotes on the market. Solution? An Infrared-to-Bluetooth converter. For the longest while, the original IR2BT was the de facto choice for handling the conversion, but now that it has been replaced with the more expensive (and versatile, in fairness) IR2BTci, CNET decided to roundup three other viable options so you, the almighty consumer, could make the choice that serves you best. Hit the read link for a gathering of the reviews, and don't forget to curse Sony for making you go through this exercise in the first place. Update: RemoteShoppe has a similar, and equally helpful, roundup of its own.
Nyko ups the ante, introduces the Quad charger
Click image for a closer look at the Quad Charger Nyko is doubling the effectiveness of their previous charging dock, adding two more slots and two more NiMH rechargeable battery packs to the mix. Dubbed the Nyko Quad Charger, the new charging station will be available in North America next month, just in time for the holidays, and will cost you $49.99.Hit up our gallery below for a closer look at the docking station.%Gallery-37510% We've spent some time with other Nyko gadgetry before. Just recently, we put the Wing wireless controller through its paces, as well as the Kama Wireless Nunchuck and the Perfect Shot. Don't forget about their Frontman guitar, either. And, please, take a minute to remember the dearly de-partied Party Station.
Nyko Charge Station Quad leaves no Wiimote uncharged
It's certainly not for everybody, but if Wii-playing parties are a regular occurance at your place, or if you happen to have a bunch of Wiimotes lying around for some other purposes, you may want to consider Nyko's new Charge Station Quad, which promises to keep four of 'em topped off at all times. You'll also, of course, get four of Nyko's own NiMH rechargeable battery packs with the package, and four rubber battery covers to prevent any unfortunate accidents. Look for this one to hit all the usual locations sometime next month, when it'll set you back $50.
Wii Fanboy hands-on with the Nyko Wing controller
Nyko's been manufacturing peripherals for awhile now. We've spent time with the Kama wireless Nunchuk, their wireless Nunchuk adapter and even the Perfect Shot. Now their latest peripheral, the Wing, attempts to best Nintendo's Classic Controller through wireless technology. Does it succeed? Read on and find out!
Perfect Shot at the perfect price
Nyko's Perfect Shot caused a minor sensation when it came out, by being much more gun-like than, and basically superior to, Nintendo's own Zapper. It was even hard to find for a while. The situation seems to have gotten a lot better in terms of availability, though they might sell out again after this. GameStop has reduced the price of Nyko's handgun-shaped Wii Remote shell to just ten dollars.Other price reductions that may interest you: Koei's ambitious RPG Opoona for $30, the first Rock Band bundle for $140, and Dewy's Adventure used for $13. We'll also point out Target Terror for $20 here if only because you could actually use the Perfect Shot with it.
Revolutionary: Gun Sights
Zombies. It seems like you can't stroll through a secluded eastern European village, tour a bioengineering facility, or attend a Kenny G concert without coming into contact with their kind. "Brains" this and "moan" that is all you ever hear from them, but chances are you've smelled them long before they come into earshot. I, for one, am sick of 'em and if you feel as strongly as I do, I urge you to take up arms.It's amusing to take them apart piece by piece, but as they shamble ever closer, you'll ultimately have to spread a little gray matter and put them to bed for a final dirt nap. At times like that, you'll need to know that you can rely on your sidearm to do the job. Zombie killin' is no turkey shoot, so a blunderbuss ain't gonna cut it. In this week's Revolutionary, we'll be testing out how straight a shooter the Wii Remote can be.
Nyko Media Hub works as expected
This is quite possibly the least surprising hardware review we've ever done. The Nyko Media Hub, available for about $20 at retailers, does exactly what it says it will do: provide additional USB ports on the PS3. This is perfect for those with recent PS3 configurations, which only feature 2 (as opposed to 4) USB ports. It may not be a big deal for many, but those that play games that require a lot of wireless peripherals, such as Rock Band or Guitar Hero may find themselves short on ports.It shouldn't be surprising that the device works instantly. There's no indicator light to show that it's working: you just plug it in and voila. The included memory card reader is a nice plus.The small design of the Media Hub makes it so that it doesn't stand out too much on your system. However, $20 for two additional USB ports does seem a bit pricey. This is certainly a limited appeal product, one you wouldn't be rushing out to buy. If you do decide to pick one up, at least you can be confident knowing it will work exactly as you think it will.
Price rollback on Frontman guitars
If, for some reason, you suddenly find yourself both in need of an extra Wii Guitar Hero controller and a little light on cash -- no idea what could put so many people in such a state at this particular time -- you may be interested in today's Amazon Deal of the Day.For $25.98 (just enough to qualify for free shipping!), the retailer is offering the Nyko Frontman guitar controller in either white or yellow. Both include interchangeable pickguards for a bit of customization. Of course, this guitar was originally designed for Guitar Hero III, and consequently does not feature the freaky touch pad business that the newer World Tour guitars do. But as a second guitar (or a bass) it should be fine.
Nyko's Media Hub+ now available for shameless PS3 owners
Let's be honest here -- you skimped by snagging the 40GB PlayStation 3 back in the day, and now you're in need of a few extra USB ports and a multicard reader. Thankfully, your fortunes have changed since the days of your original purchase, primarily due to your drunken decision to bet the farm on Seth Petruzelli over the weekend. Whatever the case, Nyko's unsightly Media Hub+ -- which adds a trio of USB sockets and a multicard reader to the 40GB PS3 -- is finally available, and it's just $19.99 for those with no shame in adding it to the face of their console. So, who's tossing a brown grocery bag over their head and picking one of these up?[Via IGN]
Nyko Wing hands-on: we still suck at Mega Man
We just never got the hang of that little blue robotic man, with his arm-blaster and his wall jumping and his awesome friends, and the Nyko Wing helped none at all: we managed to kill they guy about five seconds after picking up the controller. Still, it's a nice little chunk of plastic. It's much more natural in the hand than that funky Classic Controller, and seems rather high-quality for a Nyko product, but the d-pad is too mushy for our taste, and the whole assembly seems a tad too light. Either way, we're sticking with Mario.%Gallery-32232%
Revolutionary: The Perfect Controller, part 1
How many times in your history as a gamer have you felt that your console's controller couldn't be any better? Every time I've gotten my hands on a new game controller, there's been something I wished could be different. The NES controller could have been rounder. The SNES controller could have used some more face buttons for Street Fighter. The N64 controller needed speedier room service. The Wii controller is built with expansion, flexibility, and upgrades in mind, and with the addition of a third party accessory, I've been able to mate the Wiimote with the Classic Controller to form a Voltronic gestalt of a controller that should be capable of great things. But is it perfect?
Wii Warm Up: Wing of Freedom
The Nyko Wing solves the one seeming design flaw of the normal Classic Controller -- that short length of cord. Of course, the tradeoff is that you now have AAA batteries to contend with. And also that the controller looks kind of janky (that would be more of a concern if it looked uncomfortable-janky instead of just regular janky). Is the wirelessness worth the battery thing and the slightly less elegant presentation? Have you been waiting for a wireless Classic Controller solution? Have you ever wanted to be, like, three feet away from your Wiimote?
Nyko unveils a strange concept: a wireless Classic Controller
Nyko's Wing is the first truly wireless Classic Controller alternative (that isn't actually a GameCube controller): instead of a short cord, it communicates with the Wiimote via a wireless adapter. Unfortunately, it also looks about as comfortable to use as the Turbo Touch 360. The patriotic-looking Wing runs on two AAA batteries, and can even recharge them while playing via a USB cable. Nyko has yet to release any price or release date for this controller.What's so weird about a wireless Classic? It may not connect to the Wiimote with a wire, but it's still connected. You still have to have the Wiimote sitting next to you (which isn't really a problem). The controller communicates wirelessly with the Wiimote, and then the Wiimote communicates with the Wii. It's like a relay for your button presses. We want one like GameCyte's preview copy.
Nyko's Wing Wii controller floats into your waiting hands
Love your Wii but tiring of your standard control options? Looking for something that involves less arm swinging, feels a little bit more like an Xbox or PS3 experience, and loses that Classic Controller cable? Well the folks from Nyko are here for you, and they want to hold you all night long... and they brought the Wing. What's the Wing you ask? It's essentially a standard gamepad on highly concentrated crack-cocaine. The wireless controller features two analog sticks and a plethora of buttons (both up front and around the back), and can run for around 30 hours on a pair of AAA batteries. No word on price or release date, but if you notice a sudden crime wave and rash of unexplained fires, the Wing is probably out.
Cord-free Wireless Adapter is almost cost-free
How much do you hate the cord tethering your Wiimote to your Nunchuk? Do you have about ten dollars' worth of hate within you? If so, you're in luck: Amazon and GameStop (that we've found so far) have cut the price of Nyko's Cord-Free Wireless Adapter in half, to a mere $9.99. That's not a lot to pay for something that makes your Nunchuk both cord-free and wireless.When we tested this device, we found it to be exactly what is advertised: a way to make your Nunchuk wireless. The only issues at the time were with the price and the battery consumption. Now half of one problem has been taken care of! We've spent some time with other Nyko gadgetry before. For a more holistic approach to unwiring the Nunchuk, check out the Kama Wireless Nunchuck, and for more things to stick to your Wiimote, have a look at the Perfect Shot and the Frontman guitar. And take a minute to remember the dearly de-partied Party Station.
Nyko FrontMan guitar compatibility chart
Click to embiggen During E3 we spoke with third-party peripheral manufacturer Nyko about its line of FrontMan guitars and which games the different versions were compatible with. We did a quick and dirty post on what we were told during the E3 madness, but Nyko just sent over the chart above, which, admittedly, is much easier to understand.For first-party guitar compatibility, check out our Guitar Hero / Rock Band guitar compatibility matrix v2. We're sure to have v3 available as soon as we confirm Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Revolution guitar compatibility.
Thank you, Harmonix, Nyko, Naughty Dog, and you!
When Harmonix throws a party they get The Who to headline that jam; when Joystiq throws a party, we get Harmonix to headline. The generous devs from Boston brought Rock Band 2 to our E3 afterparty in Santa Monica for the 300 plus attendees to prove their mettle. Take Joystiq superband The Blueberry Muffintops who closed off the night with this rendition of Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" – take note: by this point in the night, we'd already blown out the setup's speaker. Rawk!So really, our heartfelt thanks to Harmonix for making everyone's night. But we'd also like to thank Nyko for the peripherals, Naughty Dog for the great signed stuff, and of course Mahalo.com for the super generous use of their space. Most of all, thanks to everyone that showed up. We put Joystiq together every day for you guys and it was flattering, and humbling, to see everyone turn out today. This one's for you (hit play now!). Love, JoystiqPS: If you've got any pics, please add them to our Flickr group page.
Nyko guitar compatibility information
After talking with Nyko this morning, we wanted to know about the compatibility of the company's wireless FrontMan guitars for Rock Band and Guitar Hero games. There is currently no Xbox 360 wireless guitar because the company hasn't resolved licensing issues with Microsoft. Check out the compatibility after the break; in the future we may make one of our official Joystiq compatibility guitar matrices for third-party guitars.
First look: Nyko Intercooler TS
Nyko is unveiling a new product at E3 this year, the Intercooler TS. Most X3F readers will remember the Intercooler as a large brick with fans in it that sucks hot air out of Xbox 360s, ostensibly protecting them from the dreaded Red Ring of Death. Whether or not the product actually works, Nyko assured us that it remains the top selling third party accessory for the Xbox 360, so there must be plenty of gamers eager to protect their investment. Enter the Intercooler TS, which boasts two main improvements. First, the unit is powered by its own AC adapter, rather than interfacing with the 360's power port like the original Intercooler. Second, the unit contains a temperature sensor that turns on the fans when a rapid increase in temperature is detected. Nyko informed us that the unit will even cool a 360 after it has been shut down. Once the Xbox 360 is sufficiently cooled, the fans automatically shut off. The Intercooler TS will be available in September for $24.99. The old school Intercooler will remain on the market for $19.99.We also got to take a look at the ChargeBase 360, a new charging station that can charge two Xbox 360 controllers simultaneously in approximately 4 hours (2 hours for a single controller. The ChargeBase 360 includes two special battery packs with contacts on that interface with the charging station. Each battery is supposed to offer up to 25 hours of play. The ChargeBase is available now for $39.99.%Gallery-27693%
