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Review : Generation NEX Wireless Arcade Stick for Generation NEX and NES
Last weekend I made a pilgrimage to Pink Godzilla Games in Seattle with intention of buying Messiah's Generation NEX Wireless Arcade Stick.
I had heard this thing was big but DAMN! I had no idea it would be this massive and sturdy. Think Atari 5200 big. I am not complaining at all but I had no idea how massive and mighty it was going to be. Could this part of the review get any more phallic? I don't think so. What I am trying to say is that I was surprised how big heavy and powerful this joystick was. Man.. It is not possible to write a positive review about a joystick with out sounding vaguely homoerotic. I went over to my pal BBQ's place to show him my new powerful big ass joystick and my arms got tired carrying it across Seattle.
First off I need to confess my love for the Nintendo Advantage joystick for NES. The Gen Nex stick is clearly heavily influenced by it's layout and visual design. There is a pretty need optical illusion in that the Advantage like grooves and bevels are printed on and the surface is flat. It is a neat-o visual trick. However since I got my Nintendo Advantage back in second grade in the 1980s it sort of shrunk as my hands got bigger year after year. What struck me is how this larger arcade stick feels like how the Nintendo Advantage did back in the 80s when I was a little kid. It is amusing to hold it next to the Generation NEX console and have the controller about ten times bigger than the console. But my Hori Tekken 5 Arcade Stick also dwarfs my slim PSTwo. The corners are nice and rounded so you won't poke yourself by having it sit on your lap and there is rubber feet so it won't slide on a table top. Plus should your home ever be attacked by ninjas or pirates you can defend yourself by swinging it's massive sturdy bulk and bludgeon them to death. It is an noteworthy feature.
This bad boy is made with actual arcade components. The joystick and buttons are real time tested arcade grade. It took me a couple moments to get used to having to make bigger hand motions to move the stick but playing River City Ransom, Kid Dracula and Megaman with this is awesome. It has slow motion, dial adjustable turbo that lights up and blinks and the player channel switch goes up to four.
One thing you will not find is a cord. This has Messiah's Wireless 2.4 Ghz networking and it runs on 4 AAA batteries that were included. The wireless is perfect. There is no lag and it is unblockable within thirty feet. There is a small on/off switch on the underside of the controller and the "M" logo lights up to show you that it is on and it goes into a battery saving sleep mode if you forget to turn it off. Before the Generation NEX console their first product was 2.4 Ghz wireless gamepads for the NES and if you have a set of those you can use the wireless controller port adapter with a NES. You don't need the adapter with the Generation NEX since it has it built in but the wireless adapter is not included with the joystick. It is a bit weird since they included batteries. However if you fax or email them your receipt of they will mail you an adapter for free.
Simply put this made me want to play my old NES and Famicom games again. It is some 2007 technology love for a system that has been kicking it since the 80s. Man I wish they would make this for the Wii. This is the big ass Cadillac of NES joysticks and it is probably overkill and I know it is wrong but it feels just right. This bad boy clocks in at 60 bucks but I think it is totally worth it. Of course I am a freak about my NES and I have a website called "8bitJoystick.com" so how could I not love it.
Jake at March 5, 2007 
Reviews
Comments
you have kid dracula and azumik-kun land! very nice!
But you CAN use this on your wii!
http://www.retrousb.com/wii.html
You simply buy the NES to Wii adaptor, get the wireless receiver for the NES and BOOM! Virtual Console Perfection!
Posted by: ShotgunSteve ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 5, 2007 2:46 PM
That would take me getting two different adaptors and using them both together.
Kid Dracula is one of my favorite games ever.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at March 5, 2007 3:35 PM
yeah it would take 2 adaptors, but it'd be worth it. It's not arcade grade parts though, doesn't use true microswitches and push buttons. i build my own arcade sticks an i made one xbox/gc/ps2 compatable so i use that on the virtual console when i want to. ^_^
Posted by: ShotgunSteve at March 5, 2007 4:45 PM
I take back what i said about them not using microswitches. I thought they didn't. ^_^;;
Posted by: ShotgunSteve at March 5, 2007 8:14 PM
While the NES Advantage did not use arcade microswitches this one does. It is not just arcade like but real freaking 100% arcade parts.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at March 5, 2007 9:48 PM
does the joystick use microswitches also? The site doesn't say if it does. Most microswitches will click when they're pressed, so if you move the stick does it click?
Posted by: ShotgunSteve at March 6, 2007 10:05 AM
Yes it does have a little click I think.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at March 6, 2007 10:27 AM
