The 9 Best Nintendo Wii Controllers

The Nintendo Wii Remote Plus (about $44) is the controller to get if you can find one at a fair price. It has the MotionPlus gyroscope built in, so it tracks the twist and angle of your swing in Wii Sports Resort, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and the other games that need it, with no clip-on adapter. It's the genuine article, with Nintendo's own pointer, speaker and rumble, and it works on both the Wii and the Wii U. Nintendo no longer makes it, so it's sold by other sellers at more than its original price, and like every Wii Remote it runs on two AA batteries.

A Nintendo Wii Remote (Renewed) (about $23) costs about half as much as a new Remote Plus and is still the real thing, with Nintendo's accurate pointer, speaker and rumble. It's the original model, so it lacks the gyroscope: fine for Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Galaxy and most of the library, but you'd need a separate MotionPlus adapter for the handful of games that require it. Renewed units are tested and come with a 90-day guarantee, though they ship in plain packaging without batteries, and a few buyers got a dead or grubby one.

If you need controllers for a family game night, the TechKen Motion 2-in-1 Remote and Nunchuk Set (about $35) gives you two remotes and two nunchuks for less than one genuine Remote Plus. Unlike most third-party remotes, these claim a built-in motion sensor for MotionPlus games, and they come with silicone jackets and wrist straps in eight color combinations, which helps everyone tell theirs apart. They aren't licensed by Nintendo, no one has tested them independently, and owners report more duds than with genuine remotes, so test both right away while you can still return them.

Many Wii games, from Super Smash Bros. Brawl to Skyward Sword and Wii Sports Resort's archery, need a Nintendo Nunchuk plugged into the bottom of the remote. It adds an analog stick, two buttons and its own motion sensor for the other hand. A renewed genuine one costs about $14, often less than a new third-party copy, and owners say they work like new, though a few arrive less than clean. It has no rumble or battery of its own, and it works on the Wii and the Wii U.

The Nintendo Classic Controller Pro (Renewed) (about $33) turns a Wii Remote into a traditional gamepad for games that play better with buttons than with waving, such as GoldenEye 007, Monster Hunter Tri and the Virtual Console classics. It plugs into the bottom of the remote, which handles the wireless connection, and has two analog sticks, a D-pad, four face buttons, two pairs of shoulder buttons and proper grips. It works with nearly every game that supports a classic controller, but its rear triggers are simple buttons, unlike the original Classic Controller's analog triggers. You'll need a remote for each one.

Original Wii consoles have four GameCube controller ports under a flip-up lid, and the FIOTOK GameCube Controller 2-Pack plugs straight into them. That's how many players prefer to play Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and it also runs GameCube games on the Wii. These wired pads copy the GameCube layout, come in pairs in several colors, and cost about $13 each. They only work on the original Wii with those ports, not the Wii mini, the later Wii Family Edition or the Wii U, and a few third-party GameCube pads aren't recognized by every game.

On a Wii U, the Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller (Renewed) (about $55) is the most comfortable way to play games like Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Bayonetta 2. It's a wireless gamepad with two analog sticks and a built-in battery that lasts about 80 hours per charge. Note that it only works with Wii U games: in the Wii U's Wii mode, and on a Wii, it does nothing, so use a Classic Controller Pro there. Genuine units are now sold renewed and in limited stock, and they cost more than you might expect.

The NEXiLUX Wireless Pro Controller (about $39) is a cheaper new alternative to the Wii U Pro Controller, styled in gray with colored buttons like a Super Nintendo pad. It connects over Bluetooth, recharges over USB, and adds turbo buttons. Most owners say it works well with Wii U games, but several report buttons or sticks failing within weeks, and its warranty is only 30 days. Like the official Pro Controller, it doesn't work with Wii games.

The TIANHOO Remote 2-Pack (about $26) is a cheap way to add two remotes for party games like Wii Sports, Mario Party and Just Dance. Each comes with a silicone jacket and wrist strap, in white, black, pink or blue, and the seller lists a pointer, speaker and rumble. The listing is clear that there's no MotionPlus, so they won't play Wii Sports Resort or Skyward Sword properly. Many owners say they work just like the originals, but others had trouble pairing or sticky buttons, so they're a budget option, not a replacement for a genuine remote.