Nintendo: Wavebird no longer shipping to stores

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 2nd 2008 at 11:45AM }

If it were any other time the death of the sublime wireless Wavebird controller designed for Nintendo's Gamecube would have gone by with a tear and some good memories, but with Smash Bros. Brawl just around the corner it feels more like bad timing. A Nintendo customer service representative told GoNintendo that there aren't plans to restock Wavebird controllers in stores again; however, regular wired Gamecube controllers will continue to be available.

We've been advocating the use of the Wavebird for anyone that plans to use a Gamecube controller when Smash Bros. Brawl releases next month. Might be time to visit the local pawn shop and see if Wavebirds are available there, or just accept the use of the Wiimote, Classic Controller or the wired Gamecube controller – ewwww, wires!

Tags: controller, nintendo, smash-bros-brawl, wavebird

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Marty @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:50AM

...they were ugly as hell anyway.

CJC @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:02PM

Indeed, they were. But they did their job well and will be missed for that.

Obie @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:59PM

They might not be pretty but they were the first wireless controllers that performed great.
Heck, I am sure it was what "motivated" all current gen systems to go wireless.

mattclarkie @ Jan 2nd 2008 3:55PM

If I remember didn't they increase battery to something like 30 hours, although at the expense of rumble.

They were the first really reliable modern controller. But if you think about it, Nintendo could have made it the standard controller. I wonder why they didn't?

Saneless @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:52AM

It's still a shame that Nintendo never did their wireless right by having rumble, especially when games like Zelda actually use it for clues and such.

And before someone says "Dur but Nintendo cared about us, that's why they left out rumble so we could use arrr batteries longer!" I'll tell you right now that that's 100% BS. Nintendo was lazy and/or cheap and that's the fact. Enabling rumble means you need to have 2-way transmissions - One from the user to the system (what the wavebird has) and one from the system to the controller (to tell it when to rumble). Nintendo cheaped out and just had 1 way communication, hence the rumble-less Wavebird.

SKI @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:19PM

I had actually heard that the frequency they were using was causing a delay in the rumble so they decided to cut it to save costs.

Big Ed @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:53AM

Dang. I was planning on buying one with Brawl next month. It would be nice if Nintendo released a Gamecube-like controller but with bluetooth for the Wii. That would be perfect.

DBuck_Eye @ Jan 2nd 2008 5:55PM

You could get the classic controller that Thrustmaster made last year. It's a little bit on the small side, but it will get the job done.

Fernando Rocker @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:54AM

My favorite controller last gen... very confortable, long life batteries, cheap...

There's a local store here in Laredo, Tx, like a warehouse, they have plenty of Wavebirds (platinum, not ugly gray)... If anyone wants a Wavebirds, I can buy it for you.

They have brand new N64's, PSX, Rumble Paks, Memory Cards, N64 and PS1 games, brand new and sealed NES accesories, Dreamcast hardware and accesories.

KingOfGods @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:42PM

I sent you a message over LIVE

Zorink @ Jan 2nd 2008 3:37PM

Fernando has LIVE?!!

XanthouS @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:58AM

Thankfully I've got two silver 'birds for use with my Wii. They've been worth every penny.

Zertoss @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:00PM

Hell, I might buy a couple more wired controllers so I can have my rumble. The lack of force feedback was the one thing I hated about the Wavebird.

xFenixKnightx @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:08PM

I liked the Wavebird for its wireless convenience but the design and button layout of the whole Gamecube contorller was horrible to me.

When it comes to controllers...

360controller>Dualshock3>.....SuperNES??? Bout it.

Dwhiffing @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:36PM

Are you kidding me? If you're actually comparing the controllers directly, thats ridiculous. The Xbox controller owes everything its got to the snes controller, same with every controller on the market. At its time, the snes controller will beat any controller at their time

xFenixKnightx @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:46PM

Dwhiffing

Calm down there buddy I also love the SNES controller. I guess I should've just put that my fav controllers of all time in order of preferance are 360's, dualshock3, and SNES =)

Jhongerkong @ Jan 2nd 2008 4:54PM

Pfft. Controllers go like this:

NES pad >>>>>>> everything else

is @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:13PM

Too many controllers. Why wasnt there ONLY the classic controller, or ONLY the gamecume controller? They're so much alike surely nintendo could have cobbled something together so we only had to use one 'traditional'input device?

Its a shame with the elegance of the wii itself it has to have all this junk hanging out and strune around it. Like a beautiful woman obscured by a multiplicity of vacuum cleaner extention nozzles

Geoffrey Sperl @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:39PM

Well, I can say that the Wii does not take any input from the Wii controllers when it is in GameCube mode (I've only had my Wii for a week or so, so I might be wrong... please correct me if I am), so the remote and classic controller won't work in that mode.

I solved the excess issue by putting the Wii on its side in a small shelf on my TV stand. You can barely see the Wavebird receivers and the GC memory card.

Personally, I wanted to see Nintendo come up with built-in Wavebird receivers on the Wii so I could put the GC ones away and not worry about the excess hanging off of it. That would have made sense and Nintendo would have made a killing on receiver-less Wavebirds (especially if they had rumble by that point) with Wii branding.

Dale @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:46PM

You know, you don't have to buy either of them... that being said, I was a fan of the shell IGN Cube mocked up to show how the classic controller could work. It was essentially a Wavebird with a Dreamcast pad-esque slot for the Wiimote to click into.

nerrrrrrd @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:16PM

I'll sell mine for a hundy!

LiK @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:26PM

i can't even find them in stores right now so i'm not sure what "stores" Nintendo is talking about...

capamerica @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:23PM

maybe they are getting ready to release a redesigned WaveBird,
A Wii edition Wavebird or the Wavebird 2.

PhrawzT @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:39PM

Good 'ol wavebird. I got a ton of use out of my two controllers. I still use them for VC games.

Grumpyzrp @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:39PM

that sux... the battery life on the Wavebird was so freakin long! to bad... :(

Durandel @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:42PM

NOOOO!

Are they insane!? What else am I supposed to play Brawl with? Not a classic controller, that's for sure!

Seriously though, wouldn't it be worth it to continue to produce them, at least until Brawl has been released? Unless they want to boost sales of the classic controller, which is more likely.

Oh well, I've got one Wavebird and two wired controllers, with 6-foot extensions, so I'm set either way :P

CanadianZero @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:49PM

my, right when my Wavebird is starting to act weird, they stop making them...

i hate my karma...

baby sea tuna @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:50PM

Terrible news! Before the 360 controller existed, this was hands-down the best pad on the market.

Unless this is just a plan for them to retool it with rumble. Then, I'm all for it.

baby sea tuna @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:54PM

Oh, and that picture? Awesome. The bindle was a nice touch.

WiNG @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:58PM

I'd like to know what you guys think of the Wii Thrustmaster GCN/CC alt pad.

Lemmiwinks @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:31PM

"Joseph Smith wrote the book of Mormon..."

Raikage (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:59PM

Dum Dum Dum Dum Duuuuuummmmm :D

James @ Jan 2nd 2008 2:07PM

I never liked it for the lack of rumble, it's why I never saw the PS3 as a viable gaming platform till the DS3 (which isn't out in the UK yet). Rumble is just used too well in the games I play.

James @ Jan 2nd 2008 2:11PM

Oh, but I rate the Cube controller as the best I've used. A controller properly formed to fit ones hands? About time.

Sony controllers are just as uncomfy as sin. It's as if they don't want you to hold them for too long (especially with the wrong shaped triggers) so games take long to complete and you forget about the small library.

Mr Khan @ Jan 2nd 2008 4:29PM

Aye, the Classic Controller is definitely a step back, considering how ovular it is. It's excellent for its purpose in 2D gaming (and menu-based games like Radiant Dawn), best d-pad on the market, but for analogue control, i refuse to use that awkward thing

Jay @ Jan 2nd 2008 2:34PM

Sad to see the old bird (ouch...that was bad by my standards) go.

However, I did have a thought some time ago, and while not exactly likely, not unrealistic.

I was thinking that they might start releasing redesigned cube controllers with dual Gamecube/Wii branding and the glossy white Wii styling. They'd be wireless standard with rumble and use bluetooth instead of RF. They come with a dongle to use (obviously) with the Gamecube, while the bluetooth (and probably a necessary system update) would allow it to conect to the Wii without the adapter.

Like I said, nothing to back it up....just an idea.

DP @ Jan 2nd 2008 3:24PM

Now how does this make sense?

mattclarkie @ Jan 2nd 2008 3:58PM

They could have just added another battery (3/4 instead of 2) if battery was the problem, much like the N64 rumble add-on. Penny pinching was definately the reason, as the technology that allows controllers now to be wireless and have rumble was around long before the wavebird.

Bebofire @ Jan 2nd 2008 4:05PM

eww, excruciating delay. i can't stand playing smash bros with a wavebird. for other games that don't require the same degree of timing they're fine.

Gangsta Smurf @ Jan 2nd 2008 4:48PM

That picture made me LOL.

kingalekz @ Jan 2nd 2008 5:21PM

Needs more 80's-style, sad, "Bruce-Banner-from-the-Hulk-television-series-walks-along-a-lonely-road-ending-theme" music.

kingalekz @ Jan 2nd 2008 5:23PM

Damn, I flail.

"Bruce-Banner-from-the-Hulk-television-series-walks-
along-a-lonely-road-ending-theme"

shivr @ Jan 2nd 2008 5:08PM

for some reason I've always prefered the wired controller... the wavebird was too heavy and got sluggish in response when the batteries were low... I'm also the type t0 take a wire over having to buy/replace batteries all the time anyday :)

Ryura @ Jan 2nd 2008 6:01PM

I'm glad they're killing the wavebird. It was a wonderful controller, but it means less noobs coming to Smash tourneys trying to use them.

ThornedVenom @ Jan 2nd 2008 6:45PM

Someone out there has a batcave loaded with wavebirds, and who has been waiting for this day to make ebay fortune with super smash bros announced.

dewmandew7 @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:35PM

They should just release Gamecube-esque controllers than either plug straight into the Wiimote or sync directly into the Wii's bluetooth receiver, or whatever it uses. That way Gamecube games will be playable for years to come and people won't have to worry about finding Gamecube controllers. Plus, it will be wireless without that giant-*** pack on the back.

Mo the Hawk @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:44AM

Great, so not only do I need to worry about finding a Wii when Brawl comes out, I need to worry about finding 4 controllers to play it with. Or 3 - I could always designate one guy as the "Wiimote Bitch." :p

Can you still just walk into stores like Best Buy and get wired Gamecube pads, or am I stuck buying used controllers from EB/Gamestop?

Oreo @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:33AM

I haven't seen a wavebird in months.

Rob @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:30AM

I'm currently playing a game cube game on my game cube rather than the Wii, simply because the Wavebird seems to destroy network on the Wii whenever it's plugged in to it. I remove the receiver, network's back. Rather than changing controllers whenever I change games, I just play on the game cube instead.