Testing

The same layout you know and love

The WaveBird controller looks almost exactly like a regular GameCube controller. The buttons, joysticks, and D-pad are all exactly the same as a standard ‘Cube controller. There are only a couple of differences. The WaveBird has no rumble functionality – the compromises on battery life would be too much, and weight was also a factor, since the WaveBird needs to carry two AA batteries, which slip into a compartment underneath the controller. An on/off switch is present on top of the controller, unobstrusively placed between the D-pad and the C-stick. An orange power LED appears below the on/off switch. Finally, the frequency selector dial on the controller is on the “back” of the controller, facing the user when you hold it. Since this is RF, not IR wireless, there is no window in the front that can break or get scratched.

Same layout, same buttons

Batteries in the bottom

No need for IR window in front

With the batteries in, the WaveBird is slightly heavier than a regular controller, but even the frailest, palest, and weakest video game addicts should have no problems “hefting” the WaveBird for extended play times. In my hands, the WaveBird feels exactly the same as a regular controller.

Testing

Nintendo claims the range on the WaveBird to be 20 feet. Surprisingly, this turns out to be a gross underestimation. Maybe you’ve seen the review on IGN where they take the controller and run 90 feet behind the television and the controller is still working. I tried a similar test at our house. I had my roommate stand in front of the TV in my bedroom to confirm operation of the controller, while I walked around the house. I walked out the door of my bedroom (10 feet to the side of the console, obscured by the TV and partially by the bedroom door) and mashed some buttons. Check. Down the stairs halfway. Check. All the way to the bottom of the stairs. Check. To the front door. Check. Out the front door. Check. Past the porch. Check. To the edge of the street – finally it failed. Put simply, the WaveBird’s wireless capability is comparable to that of a good cordless phone. You can use the WaveBird sitting anywhere in any sized room, and not have to worry about the signal cutting out or having line of sight to the console.

Works out the door...

...down the stairs...

...and out on the porch!

As far as any possible lag or latency goes, there is none to speak of. I did hours of testing with Smash Brothers Melee, Resident Evil, Pikmin, Rogue Leader, and Luigi’s Mansion – at no point did I feel that my controller inputs were not being read in a timely fashion. The WaveBird worked flawlessly, just as well as any corded controller. Oddly enough, that’s probably the best thing I can say about the WaveBird’s performance, that it’s wholly unremarkable. You don’t really notice it at all. It just feels like a regular controller without the leash, and that’s exactly what you’d want and expect from a wireless. Again, the only negative is that the rumble functionality in the regular controller is absent. To me, this is actually a plus, since I find the rumbling annoying. I’ve yet to play a game where the force feedback was truly helpful to me. But if you are one of those people who absolutely needs their rumble effects in the controller, then the WaveBird is not your cup of tea.

Battery life is one thing we didn’t have enough time to test. I’ve read on various sites that Nintendo claims around 100 hours of effective battery life. Even if the WaveBird only lasted two thirds or three quarters as long, it would be a more than adequate amount of time for two AA batteries. If their previous estimates on battery life on the Gameboy Advance are any indication, Nintendo will meet or exceed the 100 hours for the WaveBird.