The Nintendo Wii is known for having peripheral developers come out with various additions to work alongside the Wiimote controller. We’ve seen some very good ones such as Nyko’s Perfect Shot pistol, and even Nintendo has done their own shells in the form of the Wii Zapper and the Wii Wheel that was packed in with Mario Kart Wii.
Dreamgear is one of the more prominent controller accessory developers for the Wii, and in this case have also come out with a similar product for the PS3.
Most of the accessories they have released include shells for the Wiimote to emulate sporting goods for Wii Sports, including a tennis racket, baseball bat and golf club. They also have released many racing wheels for the Wiimote, including the NASCAR Racing Wheel.
Designed for NASCAR, the racing wheel is created with ergonomics in mind. The first thing I noticed was the rubberized grip of the wheel, which compared to the Nintendo Wii Wheel, is very comfortable in my hands. It is soft, but easy to maintain a tight grip without it slipping. The B button on the back of the wheel and the 1 and 2 buttons are easy to use without having to locate them.
Most wheels, including the Mario Kart Wii wheel, are designed to work just with the Wiimote itself, but the NASCAR Racing Wheel is designed to work with either just the Wiimote and with the WiiMotionPlus add on, a huge plus.
I was concerned that the Wiimote would move around when not including the WiiMotionPlus, but thankfully that was not the case. The Wiimote fit in the wheel’s casing nice and tight. For a racing wheel shell, its construction is of very high quality.
Also, just like the Wii Wheel, using the infrared on the Wiimote is simple without having to remove the Wiimote from the casing. The Wiimote’s speaker is unobstructed in the Racing Wheel’s cover, allowing full access to it.
Usually I’m not one who recommends purchases of Wiimote shells of this kind, as I think they are more of a placebo, and an attempt for developers to make a quick buck. However, if I had to purchase a second wheel shell for a friend to play Mario Kart Wii or any other similar racing title, the NASCAR Racing Wheel would be the way to go.
The NASCAR Racing Wheel retails for $19.99 and is available at www.dreamgear.net, as well as retail outlet’s everywhere, including the Amazon links at the top of the page where we recently found them selling for as little as $14. That’s a great deal for a high-quality wheel.
PROS: Excellent build for a racing wheel shell. Rubberized grip provides comfort without fear of slip. Buttons easy to access. Works with both types of Wiimotes, with or without WiiMotionPlus. $20 Retail Price
CONS: Some people still think that shells like these are placebos, and even with a high quality build like this, it’s doubtful that this product will change their mind.