It's that time of year again when blockbuster games are starting to rain down on the Xbox 360, and I've got to brace myself for some long hours of gaming bliss. Of course that means fewer distractions and interruptions, but when it comes to wireless controllers I know that a good solution isn't just necessary, it's paramount! I'm not that fond of getting myself stuck in a situation where I'll need to stop playing just so I can swap out a few batteries, and that goes double for any online time I might be engaged in. Thankfully there's plenty of inexpensive, quality solutions and despite a few kinks here and there, the Nyko Power Combo Kit for the Xbox 360 fits in quite nicely.

If you're familiar with the like-minded Wii Charge Station (also from Nyko), then the Power Combo Kit shouldn't seem all that different, although there's a few notable differences. The familiar parts include a docking bay and rechargeable batteries in one nice, convenient package and a very acceptable charging wait time (3 - 5 hours, varying). Just like it's Wii cousin, there's the same type of blinding lights that'll let you know it's time to play and get back into the game. A fundamental difference comes in, though, as unlike the Wii charger you won't need to dedicate your entire controller to the docking bay just to refuel the juice - just the included rechargeable battery packs themselves. Although this set-up may lack the pleasing thought of simply cradling the controller when not in use, there's one big difference that might put all you battery pack fence-sitters over the edge. Also included in the combo kit is a single USB controller adapter that allows you to keep playing (although via a cable) while the batteries are charging, which could be just the thing for those a bit too impatient to wait for the batteries themselves. I found this an incredibly good thing, and only adds value to a package bursting with it already.

Although some may miss the convenience of simply docking/undocking the controller and having it at the ready, I found the solutions that Nyko met with this Xbox 360 version both elegant and practical. It's great forward-thinking for more companies to make use of the 360 console's available USB resources, and despite some confusion that might come along with having two rechargeable battery backs and just a single USB adapter for play, I'm sure the masses can live with that. The only other thing I can see players taking issue with would be the power dock itself, which might throw some entertainment set-ups a bit askew, given it needs its own power source (and we all know that the 360 doesn't always like to share).

Said issues aside the Nyko Power Combo 360 Kit is a sound and cheap solution for those not looking to break the bank on buying batteries. With its minimal charge times and even longer playing hours, I was unsurprisingly happy with this product, and it also didn't hurt that I also got a USB adapter in case I "forgot" to refuel the battery packs. For these reasons and more, it's an easy recommendation to all you Xbox 360 owners getting ready to spend some massive time with your console.