Nintendo unveils new Wii controller

By Robert Purchese Published 26 February, 2009

But "no plans" for European release.

Nintendo has revealed a brand new controller for the Wii but has "no plans" for a European release, a spokesperson told Eurogamer.

It looks like the old Classic Controller with added legs (hand-grips) and shoulder buttons. Essentially, the Pro looks more like a PlayStation pad.

Specifically, the Pro gains 32.5mm vertically, 10.3mm horizontally and 29mm in depth. Fatty.

There's no word on whether this will head West nor how much the Pro will cost. We'll check with Nintendo.

But we won't hold our breath, as the GameCube Wii Controller never made the move outside of Japan.

'Nintendo unveils new Wii controller' Screenshot 1

Old and new: amateur and pro.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JeroenZM #1 3 years ago

    I agree. Is it bad that I still want it though?

  • paul_haine #2 3 years ago

    They haven't added any buttons, have they? The original Classic already had four buttons on the top, they've just moved two of them and enlarged them.

  • Zomoniac #3 3 years ago

    Meh. The original Classic is the most uncomfy bag of arse I've ever used. Odd, given the Cube controller is such a sublimely ergonomic piece of wonder.

  • DFawkes #4 3 years ago

    Isn't that just an expansion for the existing controler? It has a clip thing on the back for precisely this kind of thing. I'd imagine even if it's a new thing, it will lierally just be a classic with a clip-on bt.

  • paul_haine #5 3 years ago

    It's not an expansion.

  • themerlin13 #6 3 years ago

    LOL what!! thas not designed it's Blue Peter!! old washing up bottle and some sticky back plastic.

    Where is the NEW motion plus wii need a decent wiimote!!!!

  • MORZTAN #7 3 years ago

    It doesn't look like a PS-pad. It looks like a GameCube pad. The best pad in the excistence of videogames.

  • Krelle #8 3 years ago

    This looks great. Id buy one, but I already have 2 Classic controllers, and I dont use the Wii that often.

  • Krelle #9 3 years ago

    "It doesn't look like a PS-pad. It looks like a GameCube pad. The best pad in the excistence of videogames."

    The +button is way too small, sadly.

    Id say the GC and 360 controller are the 2 best, most ergonomic pads ever made. Both with the +button being their one and only weakness.

    My personal favorit is the ps2/3 controller thou. For everything but (fp)shooters.

  • videogangs #10 3 years ago

    I really wish they'd bring out a white bluetooth wavebird. I'd go out and buy four of them today if they did.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #11 3 years ago

    "I really wish they'd bring out a white bluetooth wavebird. I'd go out and buy four of them today if they did."

    Yeah, me too. Well, I wouldn't buy four, but I'd buy one or two.
    Edited by 1 at 26/02/09 @ 10:14

  • Sean.Aaron #12 3 years ago

    The white gamecube controller is awesome. I'm not sure what the point of this is. There's no Nintendo system that uses four shoulder buttons I'm aware of, so what is the point of this when you can get add-ons or alternatives to the Classic Controller from 3rd parties that give the same look/feel?

  • videogangs #13 3 years ago

    The extra shoulder buttons tend to get used as the z trigger on 64 titles.

  • Malek86 #14 3 years ago

    Oh my, did they finally notice the Classic was one of the ergonomically worst controllers ever made? And aside from the obvious grip issues, looks like they adjusted another thing: it seems that this time, the analogue sticks are a bit more distant from each other.

    Maybe I would actually be able to play Geometry Wars Galaxies with that one.

  • videogangs #15 3 years ago

    I don't mind the classic controller, I think it works better for SNES games than anything else, but it's not the best thing ever made for sure. Part of the problem is it subscribes to the Sony "both analogue sticks at the bottom so you get cramp" school of ergonomics.

  • Burkey123 #16 3 years ago

    To be honest I thought the classic controller was ok. Alright, its no wavebird but I thought it was a good little controller for virtual console, etc. I use it for Mario Kart as well.
    So there you go, I'm the only one who likes the classic controller.

    /hides

  • Sean.Aaron #17 3 years ago

    Ah, the only N64 game I ever bought was Mario 64 which I hated, so that explains why I forgot the Classic has four buttons!

    Well, if they want to replace the Classic with a design that's more like the Playstation dual analogue controller they're welcome to do so; I have no need for it.

  • Moz #18 3 years ago

    why is every one so negative!! This is very welcomed wont have to mess about with wavebirds. though looks like it another plug into the wiimote jobby which is a shame a standalone wireless pad would be better even if it did put the price up by £10

  • neonemesis #19 3 years ago

    Would have been better if they'd made some bigger changes such as having a six-button layout similar to the Saturn pad. Better for fighters.

  • jambii267 #20 3 years ago

    Nyko's Wing looks superior to me, It's Wireless too!

  • Hunam #21 3 years ago

    ooooh, want.

  • robg #22 3 years ago

    Have they made the thumbsticks a bit less...crap?

  • canIdoyabombsforya #23 3 years ago

    Sony were the first to put arms on the SNES pad in 1993. Come on Nintendo just release a Wii edition of the Wavebird.

  • skillian #24 3 years ago

    Ah, the only N64 game I ever bought was Mario 64 which I hated

    BURN HIM!

  • Ryze #25 3 years ago

    That is an ugly twat of a controller. I hope it's bloody comfortable.

    It's crazy that they can release 2 classic controllers, but not put the SNES pad on general release, or offer connectors for old console controllers like the MD or Saturn.

    Combined with the storage and games situation, the Wii is far from the enthusiasts platform of choice.

  • drumbaby #26 3 years ago

    If they can release some good games and give it current gen' graphics/ sound then I might actually be interested in the Wii....

  • electrolite #27 3 years ago

    That looks crap, and far worse than the not-really-all-that-great Classic

  • carrotcake #28 3 years ago

    ah, still has a cable connected to wii remote. I don't like that.

  • dnimkrad #29 3 years ago

    if you're going to release a very slight variation on the classic controller why not at the least make it wireless and able to run independently of the wiimote, rather than just adding legs, all part of nintendo having stopped trying i guess

  • kangarootoo #30 3 years ago

    @MORZTAN

    I looks no more like a Gamecube pad than it does any other control pad. Its certainly got more corners than a GC pad.

    [link url=http: //reviews.cnet.com/sc/30607421-2-200-0.gif
    ]http://re views.cnet.com/sc/30607421-2-20...[/link]

  • Sean.Aaron #31 3 years ago

    It's been suggested elsewhere that this is a direct response to the recent patent troll lawsuit victory in the USA; rather than doing like Sony and forking out the dough they're just changing the design slightly and removing analogue buttons. Sounds like a fair play to me.

  • photoboy #32 3 years ago

    Still useless for N64 games then. Why couldn't they have added an extra two face buttons to allow N64 games to be played properly? I hate using the right analogue stick for them, it just doesn't work well at all.

  • JeffGerstmann #33 3 years ago

    so nintendo finally gave up on the motion controls?

  • Sean.Aaron #34 3 years ago

    "so nintendo finally gave up on the motion controls?"

    Yes, and the rest of their 2009 catalog will consist of various 1st and 3rd person run-and-gun games.

  • smelly #35 3 years ago

    @Sean.Aaron:

    LOL


    I was going to say something like "yeah, nintendo gives up with motion controls and moves onto different better things - just as msoft catches up and starts to copy them"

    But yours is better.

  • Sean.Aaron #36 3 years ago

    Cheers. You really should post in the forum more often...

  • Canyarion #37 3 years ago

    When they start giving free Wii Points with the classic controller(s), I'll consider getting one.

  • firefly #38 3 years ago

    @photoboy

    If they're labeling it the "pro" why not go all the way? Six buttons for N64 games, vibration and built in wireless so you don't have to hook it up to the remote. Maybe even some sort of adaptor that you can plug into a GameCube controller port and use it as a Wavebird.