Nintendo Wii Classic Controller (Wii)

At first I didn't purchase one of these thinking that I'd just use a gamecube controller for the virtual console games. However, after attempting to play the SNES game Donkey Kong Country I found using the game cube controller quite difficult due to the layout of the buttons.

This controller is excellent, Nintendeo obviously realised that an ideal gaming controller was required for the virtual console games. I'm very pleased that they didn't compromise the virtual console by making us put up with a controller that isn't a perfect match for the games.

If you're playing the virtual console games I highly recommend this controller.

Plus, for those people saying this isn't a wireless controller, you're wrong. This controller connects to the wii mote in place of the nunchuck and therefore there are no wires leading back to the console.

Additionally, this controller has start and select buttons.

One thing a lot of people don't seem to think about when singing the praises of the Gamecube controllers is the button layout.

If you're only planning on downloading NES/Turbografx16 games from the Virtual Console (that only require the use of 2 buttons and the D-Pad), and you also want something that you can use with Gamecube games, then by all means avoid this and get a wired Gamecube pad or Wavebird instead, especially as the Wii Classic Controller isn't compatible with Gamecube games.

However, if you're planning on downloading some decent SNES games (and there are a lot appearing now), then you MUST get this. The games for Virtual Console have been designed with the Classic Controller in mind, that means that the controls have been mapped to where they are expected to be on the Classic Controller. You might think that this doesn't mean much......but you can't optimise the controls yourself on most games, so that means if you're using a Gamecube controller (where the `X' and `Y' buttons are in strange places), then you're in trouble. This is particularly apparent when trying to play games like Super Mario World with the Gamecube controller.....it's a near impossibility. But playing it with the Wii Classic Controller is simplicity itself. When using a Gamecube controller, there are also noticeable difficulties with the button layouts (in my experience) when playing Zelda: Link To The Past and Mystical Ninja as well, whereas I can manage them just fine with the Classic Controller. And don't even get me started about trying to play Streetfighter 2 with a Gamecube controller!!! It makes getting used to Streetfighter 3 on the Dreamcast seem easy!

Also, hopefully in the coming months as decent multiformat games come out, the Wii won't get crippled with silly unnecessary tacked on motion controls that just make conventional games harder to play (as has happened with a lot of the 'shovelware' launch titles). The Classic Controller should come into it's own then. I can see it being very good for Super Smash Bros. Dojo.

All in all, you just need to think about what you need it for before you buy it.

The classic controller has been made for playing select Wii games(none of these have been released yet) and virtual console games.

Incase you dont know what the virtual console is by clicking on the Wii shop button on the Wii menue you can purchase games from the NES,MegaDrive,TurboGX16,SNES and the N64.

The controller is more or less perfect for playing these games, it fits in to your hand perfectly and uses the SNES button layout with 2 analogue sticks for playing N64 games the controller feels well made and has a very good d-pad (very important for fighting games like street fighter 2). The controller plugs in to your Wiimote making it wireless.

If you are planning on playing virtual console games the classic controller is a must and you will beable to use it in the upcomming super smash brothers brawl.