Know what that the Wii Wheel is missing? Something to ground it. The wheel's not attached to anything, so using it to play Mario Kart Wii hardly feels realistic (not that Mario Kart Wii is the apex of realism, but still). Japanese peripheral company JTT has a solution: The Wii Handle Controller Stand. Simply attach the Wii-mote to this peripheral steering wheel, which can then be mounted on the stand. The stand offers 120 degrees of movement, and the stand has suction cups to keep it in place. In theory sounds pretty nice -- wonder how it plays.

「Wii用 ハンドルコントローラースタンド」 [Game Watch Impress]

Apparently, using anything other than disposable "crap-arsed gas station batteries" turns a Wii Wheel driving experience into that of a 1978 Datsun heading down to the shore. And no, that's not a desirable mod. Not for Don at videolamer, anyway. He swears that using the battery packs from the React Recharge Dock for the Wiimote reduces the 'Mote's weight and makes it drive off centre when placed in the Wii Wheel.

Quoth Don:

Was the weight difference, a very noticeable one, messing with the 'mote's center-point?

Yes, in fact. Replacing the rechargeable pack with a standard set of crap-assed gas station batteries made our karts dead centre again.

Now I've got to figure out how to add weight to my charger packs. That or play Kart at an odd angle.

So, fair warning, considering that the React dock runs about $AU 53.22, if you Kart like hell and are considering eco-friendly ways to keep your 'Mote juiced. Does anyone else have the same kind of issue, or just this guy?

Peripheral Disdain [Videolamer, thanks taidan]

This is by no means the most scientific of measurements, but GTA IV for both Xbox 360 and PS3 is currently being outsold on Amazon by Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii and the Wii Wheel. Things to keep in mind: the Nintendo games are each single platform (effectively doubling their sales) and Wii Fit pre-orders may be more common than GTA IV pre-orders this close to GTA IV's launch (at this point, gamers may be more likely to just go to the store to get their Liberty City fix). Still, we didn't expect Wii Fit's pre-sale numbers to come out on top today on Amazon. At all.

Bestsellers in Video Games [Amazon]

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Works? Check.
Combines two otherwise cluttering peripherals? Check.
Takes like 5 seconds and requires no adhesives? Check.
Seriously? We're really lazy. Check.
Sends at least one fanboy into "angry coma?" Check.

SOLD!

The Wii60 wheel [GoNintendo]

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You've seen it before, but not like this. Not in such agonising detail. With the standalone version's Japanese box. And shots from various angles, with the wheel and Wii Remote in various states of undress. And probing. And penetrating. And the soft, longing caress of...an old man with lady's fingers but a man's hairy knuckles. Hit the gallery for more. It's safer for work than it has any right to be.

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I don't think anyone will argue with me when I say that Tristan is Kotaku's best and most trustworthy reviewer. His reviews were spot on for the 360 Wireless Wheel , SIXAXIS, and the Wiimote. However, because YouTube is densely populated with Nazi whores, you can't see Tristan's older reviews any more. Personally, I think he is one of the coolest kids around. Well, let me elaborate - Tristan's dad has one of the coolest jobs around and Tristan gets to reap all of the benefits. For example, Crecente took Tristan to the Mario Kart Driving School in Denver on Saturday where he got to try out the new Wii Wheel. Since I am the video intern, I had the distinct honour of capturing Tristan's review of the very thing we have all feared. The Wii Wheel, Nintendo's new gamble, could ruin Mario Kart forever. Luckily, Tristan lays it all down for us and puts our fears to rest.

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Another guest has just moved into the Booker household, and while the controller it brought isn't as exciting as the one I got earlier, the game is very much welcome.

I'm going to get warm and cosy tonight and drive myself mad. Hopefully my flatmates won't be so tired from fighting intergalactic bad guys that they'll join in.

P.S. Anyone want the Wii Wheel?

OK, at risk of starting a deluge of copycat messages into tips, here's another kit-bashed Wii wheel. The reason this is worthy is a) the engineers are remarkably honest about how bad it performs, and b) they sound like three middle school-age at-risk kids and I want to encourage them to stay off the mean streets by building Wii wheels.

"If anyone ever needs another wheel, doesn't mind it handling a little bad and looking ... hideous, just remember that if you look through all that leftover rubbish and you might just be able to save yourself a bit of money," writes Lee Brady, whose friend Colin engineered the wheel. Lee and Shane were, I dunno, QA leads.

These kids prove that half the fun of mods is spending all day making something that an extra $US 15 will buy (though I think these blokes are UK, by the use of "rubbish"). They're working on another, with breakthrough technology that allows use of the B button.

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$US 15 for a Wii Wheel? No, thanks. Hollowed-out plastic shells aren't quite at the MUST-BUY stage where that becomes a sensible purchase. But what about $US 10? Contrary to GameStop's (now yanked) advertisement, that's what Nintendo Power reckon the wheel costs, stating in the terms and conditions for a Mario Kart comp that the wheel's MSRP is $US 9.99. Which is certainly more palatable, if not entirely delicious.
Wii Wheel for $US 10 says Nintendo [Nintendo Power, via Go Nintendo]

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Nintendo's official "Iwata Asks" segment is up in which Nintendo President Satoru Iwata interview Kenichiro Ashida, Hideki Konno and Shigeru Miyamoto about Mario Kart Wii. Fans of the series will enjoy the interview that's chock full of "(laughs)" from the Nintendo insiders. But what's particularly interesting is their discussion about Wii Wheel development. They spill some interesting factoid, like that they tested roughly 30 different prototypes. Some were not white, some were not perfectly round.

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