Currently Nyko has got a number of accessories out for the Wii and DS. It seems though that is enough for now on Nintendo systems anyway since there really wasn’t much in the way of new developments at the meeting. However if you’ve got a 360 or a PS3, you’re in luck as there were quite a few great items for inspection available.

Energy Pak

This little charger had quite a bit of thought put into it. There’s a battery pack that fits into the bottom of the Wii Balance Board, but it has an opening for a cord to go. This cord runs to another box that is a charger for the batteries. It is shorter than the feet so doe not interfere with the height at all. From this box is a 10ft cord that allows you to play while it is charging, but can also be disconnected if you wish to play cordless as well. Overall a very awesome product for those planning on giving the games that use the Wii Balance Board a spin constantly.
 

Kama

I asked Nyko whether or not they’d be able to sell the Kama Wireless controller during the legal battle they’re going through with Nintendo and unfortunately they were unable to comment. It would seem to be though from the simple fact I was able to purchase one from GameStop a day prior to E3 the answer is yes for the time being. You may recall the review I did of a few Nyko products including the Cord-Free for the Nunchuk. I can safely say that the Kama is lighter and feels much better in the hand. Everything about the Kama felt great, however the blue light just below the analog stick is a bit bright. Nyko even included a wrist strap so you don’t accidentally fling it across the room. I’m loving it, although I can see why they’re getting sued, it looks just like an official Nunchuk from Nintendo. I certainly hope they’re able to keep selling these since I love my wireless and know I can’t be alone in that.
 

FrontMan Wireless Guitar

Currently, Nyko is the only manufacturer of a 3rd party guitar that’s widely available at retailers for the Wii. They’ve taken the best of both worlds, from the strum bar that clicks properly, to the fret buttons that feel a bit more solid, it’s a great guitar and possibly a replacement for some. TSD gave it a spin and said the buttons need to be a bit more easier to press down, but otherwise agreed it is an improvement over what’s currently available. The whammy bar in this is very solid, stays where you put it firmly, and is responsive. In addition to the feel is that of colored interchangeable face plates. Instead of a simple slide and click mechanism, Nyko opted to go for something that would really feel like the user was doing something to their guitar and went with a hex nut. To take off the faceplate, included in the battery flap is a hex key in the shape of a pick. A bit more than they needed to do but a fun add-on. The color variety seemed limited and no plans have been announced for separate faceplates to be sold. It’s certainly an awesome guitar and feels great in the hands, but isn’t without slight flaws as noted by TSD.
 

PS3 Accessories


FrontMan Wireless Guitar

This had a very similar feel to the Wii version except it obviously doesn’t need to house the Wii Remote so it’s lighter, but everything else remains the same as was said earlier. One thing of note is the addition of the same plug that the Guitar Hero version has but is currently not in use. The USB connector that enables the guitar to be wireless is styled like a Cry Baby, but doesn’t change anything about the sound, instead it has LEDs on the front that correspond to what note a player is holding down at the time.
 

Media Hub

Not much to say about this little guy. It fits flush with the PS3 and provides those with limited USB slots a bit of an upgrade while maintaining style. Would be great for those who got the 40GB model and need more ports.
 

Charge Base 2

This device looks a bit like the ghost trap from Ghostbusters, but instead of nabbing ghouls, charges your Dual Shock 3 or Six-Axis controller. For those that don’t like dealing with USB cables, Nyko has completely eliminated the need to even plug them into your controller anymore. Two USB dongles that attach where the cable plugs in on the controller takes over the need to put more wear and tear on the port. On the dongle there are three contacts that allow for it to charge when docked. The base that holds the charging controllers lights up according to whether or not they need to be charged. All in all a great package and smaller than the last version. Keep in mind however that the dongles are not yet for sale separately so if you have more than two controllers to charge you’ll have to purchase another Charge Base 2 to do them at the same time.
 

Intercooler TS

With four fans and the device no longer being powered by USB, the Intercooler TS is a much stronger solution for those looking to keep their PS3 consoles cool. Along with the fans, this new version now has TempSmart that will detect the temperature and adjust the speed fan accordingly. If you don’t want to wait for the automation, there is a knob on top that will allow you to adjust the speed of the fans manually. The Intercooler TS also has been redesigned so that it can accommodate the new SKUs of PS3 so you’ll have easier access to the plugs in the back. If you’re having problems with keeping your system cool, this might be something to look into.
 

360 Accessories


Charge Base

This is similar to the PS3 version, with the exception being that the 360 wireless controllers use double AAs. A battery pack with contact points is included and when combined allows you to simply put the controller in the Base for quick charging.
 

Intercooler TS

Similar to the PS3 versions except smaller in profile and has one less fan. It also lacks the manual control knob for fan speed.

Overall

Pretty solid showing by Nyko this year, although I was really hoping to see another snack tray or something closely related to it.  I was surprised to see that they had no new DS accessories on the horizon either.  Both may be a missed opportunity down the road, but I’m sure they’ll be fine with the products they’re currently looking to offer.