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I mentioned last night that Nintendo sent me a snazzy Classic Controller the other day along with some more Wii games.
I really like the way the thing feels. I suppose that, except for a few games, the controller isn't really necessary, but it makes playing classic games so much more comfortable than using a wired GameCube controller or the Wii Remote turned on its side.
The thing is the perfect size for comfort, nostalgia gaming. It fits neatly in my hand and despite the minor annoyance of it having to be tethered to the remote, is well designed.
Each game you play tells you how the buttons are mapped out on the controller and although the thing is modeled after any retro controller, at least I don't believe it is, playing games built for certain controllers was still quite easy.
For instance, I had no trouble playing the relatively controller-heavy Super Mario 64, currently my favorite game on the virtual console.
I also loved playing Golden Axe, though the game doesn't quite live up to my memories of it anymore. Having spent a day or two playing through the button masher using the Wii Remote controller set-up, I can tell you the Classic Controller is worth the price of admission.
The same was true with Altered Beasts, which I found very awkward to play on the Wii Remote but quite easy with the Classic.
My final test was Donkey Kong. This was the only game where the controller fell short, not because of some issue with the controller really, but simply because old arcade games just need to be played with a big joystick to really capture the essence of the game.
Maybe Nintendo or some third-party will come out with an arcade joystick like the one coming to the Xbox 360 next month.
Despite this one shortcoming, the Classic Controller is a must buy. If you have a Wii and plan to play even one Virtual Console game you'd be crazy not to spend $20 for this controller, it really makes the experience.
