And if you're going for a charging kit that charges a Wii remote without the need to remove the batteries from the controller there are plenty of options. And I've tried quite a few of them. My latest trial was of an Energizer branded charger that uses induction and a panel to power up your controllers. Fancy, yes. Worthwhile? Let's see.

Loved
Design: This charging station uses induction to do its job. That means that the charger is a flat panel that rests on a counter or desk and takes up almost no room. I love that I could put this thing almost anywhere and not have to worry about how it looks when not in use.

Snap To: While the panel is decorated with remote silhouette to show you where to place a controller for charging, it is the magnets in the panel that ensure the remotes snap into place.

Induction: Because this system uses induction for charging, you don't have to worry about whether you have a silicon sleeve on your remote or whether it has the MotionPlus accessory snapped on. Just plop the controller down on the panel and it instantly starts charging. A light changes from red to green to show when you're ready to roll.

With consoles and controllers of all kinds filling up the cabinetry around my television, space is at a premium when it comes to chargers. This new flat panel induction design makes the best use of that space, ensuring that it also works quickly and easily.

Fifty dollars for four rechargeable battery packs and the panel seems like a good investment to me.

Wii Energizer 4X Charging Station was developed by PDP for the Wii. Retails for $49.99 USD. A copy of the Wii Energizer 4X Charging Station was given to us by PDP for reviewing purposes. Used the charger over the course of a month.

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Why simply buy rechargeable AAs when you can enjoy the luxury of dedicated charging stations? Plugging your mini-USB cable into the top of your DualShock 3 is so late 2006! Energizer implores you to buy one of its "Power & Play" charging systems, for your Wii Remote, Xbox 360 controller and PlayStation 3 controller recharging needs.

It even touts a dedicated Wii Fit charging station, but doesn't provide photos. Perhaps the company just wants to get the keywords "Wii Fit" into its press release. Regardless, we'll be hunting down Energizer public relations reps while in Las Vegas to find out just why one would need such a thing.

Naughty pics of controllers being recharged after this.