Like the seasons, we've got another gaming accessory on our hands.  Not that we're complaining, but as you readers may have guessed from our previous product reviews we've gone through a great variety (or clutter) of Wii peripherals that have either provided us more convenience with our entertainment or thrown to the wayside. After a somewhat lengthy absence Nyko has finally blessed us with another sound alternative to your motion-sensing enjoyment, appropriately named the Wand, which includes 2 AA batteries and one of those loveable (and blue) rubber remote jackets.

For those who've caught on to the name, Nyko's Wand remote serves as their version of the stock Wii Remote, generally speaking it functions just like the original controller, just with a slightly different design and additional technical features. Speaking of design, the general look is subjective in style if only to serve the purpose of better responsiveness and feel thanks to its bigger buttons and rubberized rear and B-Trigger.  The Wand may turn some off but its looks do serve a purpose.

What really separates the Wand from the competition (apart from its price) is Nyko's inclusion of their own Trans-Port Technology, which actually gives other specifically-designed Nyko accessories the ability to transfer button mapping responses through its connection port. Of course the advantages comes with better immersion depending on the connected peripheral, but this feature doesn't necessarily extend to other 1st or 3rd party products.

To be fair, our delay in this review was Nyko's diligent tweaking in order to make the Wand fully compatible with Nintendo's own WiiMotion Plus attachment, but that's ancient history as the company has solved the issue for both current and past Wand users.  If you did happen to pick up the controller upon its initial release and are worried that its firmware may be incompatible with Nintendo's MotionPlus adapter, simply contact Nyko and they'll be more than happy to swap out your current controller for one that gets the job done - free of charge.

Small issues of comfort and preference aside, Nyko's Wand remote controller for the Nintendo Wii is a more than competent choice for those looking to add another controller, or simply an inexpensive replacement that promises to enhance the peripheral experience. Like fellow Nyko replacement Kama, the design and color scheme may not win the hearts of many, but it certainly has the increased functionality to forgive the questionable stylistics, and its technically a step ahead of the rest with its notable Trans-Port feature that put some ease into using Nyko's upcoming line of gaming additions. Overall, a satisfactory Wii remote that promises to hold up during the most aggressive Wii Parties.

Update: Nyko has updated the available colors for their Wand, which should help give potential buyers all the more reason to consider an alternative to the standard Wii Remote.