Nintendo Wii Zapper Review

I got a Nintendo Wii a while back, mainly for the Wii Sports game that came with it.  Of course, you can't have a game system and not purchase at lease a few games and accessories.  While browsing the selection of games and accessories at the store, I came across the Wii Zapper.  The design looked strange but it was only $20 and it came with a game, so I figured it would be worth a try.

The Wii Zapper is not a controller in itself, it's just a housing for the Wii Remote and Nunchuck.  The remote and nunchuck install easily into the housing but you have to remove the rubber "remote jacket" if you got one of the newer Wii consoles, which is quite a nusiance.  Aside from that assembly is pretty easy.  There is even a compartment where you can wind up the excess Nunchuck cord to keep it out of the way.

The design takes a moment to get used to, since it's more like a tommy gun than the common pistol shape.  The design was partially to allow the trigger to press the B button on the Wii Remote, but it has other advantages.  The design they used actually makes it easier to hold the gun steady than with the standard pistol shape.  By the hand holding the trigger handle in the front a little forward pressure and the hand holding the Nunchuck handle in the back a little backward pressure, you create some extra tension that keeps the gun more stable, which leads to better targeting.

The main problems I found were minor ones.  Like all gun controllers, your hand and arm will tend get tired after aiming the gun for a while.  In the Zapper's case, if you don't hold the gun properly, it can also cause sone strain on the wrist. Along with this, the area behind the trigger handle could use some padding.  The back handle tends to rub against the side of your hand or push into the lower knuckle of your thumb.   These problems are minor but worth noting.

The Zapper comes with the "Link's Crossbow Training" game, which is worth the $20 itself.  It consists of a wide variety of target practice and shooting games, most of which you have unlock by meeting goals in the previous stages.  The games also show off a lot of the advantages to the Zapper's design, such as having the nunchuck close at hand.  At the price of most budget titles on the Wii, you can also consider that you're getting a fun game and the Zapper comes with it as a bonus.

Getting used to the odd design aside, the Zapper is a nice accessory and a good value, especially since it comes with a fun game.