We take a look at an alternative to the Wii Nunchuk. The Bubble Chuk is a new product from Speedlink – 4 funky colours, innovative shape, long cable.. and more!

Product on Review: Speedlink Wii Bubble Chuk
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Speedlink
MSRP: £15.99
Street Price: £12.99



The Nintendo Wii has been out for a few years now, and with prices dropping, various packages available and lots of marketing on TV channels – many have embraced the Wii. It unites all types of people, even grandma is now a gamer!

Naturally, as with most consoles and especially with the Wii, controllers are an absolute neccessity. The more you have the more people can join in the fun. Various companies have brought replicas to the shelves in order for consumers to save money. Today we have a brilliant little innovation from Speedlink that is likened to the Wii Nunchuk. In essence it functions very similar, but with it comes additional features.



Speedlink comment on the Bubble Chuk on their website and mention:

‘Accentuate your Wii™ world. The Bubble Chuk is available in numerous assorted funky colours and has all the functions of the original Nunchuk™ – it’s also compatible with all games as well as with the Wiimote™ and Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. Thanks to its bubble design, it sits comfortably and securely in the hand – ensuring tireless gaming. What’s more, you’ll always have a secure hold on your Bubble Chuk thanks to the extra non-slip side grips. In addition, the 1.2m cable gives you loads of freedom to move your arms around.’

Features
• Nunchuks™ in numerous assorted colours
• All the functions of a Nunchuk™
• Compatible with all Wii™ games
• Bubble design for tireless gaming
• Fully compatible with the Wiimote™ and Wii MotionPlus™
• Colour-coordinated adhesive film for the Wiimote™

Speedlink Bubble Chuk

The Bubble Chuk comes in a tightly sealed plastic enclosure which is transparent allowing you to have a full view of the product inside. It informs you of all the features of the Bubble Chuk and also reveals the wide range of colours available. The only downside to this packaging is that you have to take the scissors to it, destroy the packaging and run the risk of damaging the product inside.

Inside the package we have two items, the Bubble Chuk itself and a gratis skin which is to be used on your Wiimote. Some may find this skin beneficial as it allows the Bubble Chuk and the Wiimote to be a similar colour, that is, if you have a white WiiMote. However, some may choose not to use this skin as in actual fact it looks rather silly on a white Wiimote. It all depends on the preference of the user.


The Bubble Chuk in its packet


The contents of the Bubble Chuk



Larger buttons than the original Nunchuk


The new bubble chuk is a new innovation by Speedlink to accompany the Wii Nunchuk family. In essence, it follows the similar style to the Nunchuk but is smaller with a larger joystick head and is more circular in shape. The small bubble allows easier handling enabling it to be more secure in your hand. The original Wii Nunchuk is better suited to those with smaller hands, but the shape and size of the Bubble Chuk facilitates all hands especially those with larger hands and therefore suits the needs of all gamers! The buttons ‘C’ and ‘Z’ are in the usual place with the ‘C’ button being bigger and the ‘Z’ button being the same size as the original Wii Nunchuk. Fitted on the back of the bubble chuk is a soft grip which provides a secure hold during gaming. The Bubble Chuk has 1.2 metres of cable which allows each gamer to move around with more ease and freedom! The connector is fully compatible with the Wiimote and the WiiMotionPlus. The bubble chuk comes in an assorted range of colours; red, black, blue and green with the skin gratis being the same colour as the Bubble Chuk.


The thumbpad is also bigger


Fully compatible with Wii Motion Plus

Performance and Conclusion

There isn’t a lot of testing that can be done with the Bubble Chuk rather than trying it out and comparing it with the Original Wii Nunchuk. In comparison with the weight of the original Wii Nunchuk, the Bubble Chuk is noticeably lighter. In regards to usability the Bubble Chuk fits easier in your hand and with the larger joystick the user has more control.

Personally, I would prefer to use the Bubble Chuk as it is smaller in length, easier to hold and the joystick is much more user friendly due to the bigger surface area. We used the Bubble Chuk and the original Wii Nunchuk at a party over New Year and the feedback towards the Bubble Chuk was pleasing. People generally found it easier to use. Due to the fact there were different shaped and sized hands using the Bubble Chuk at this time, it meant this was a good gage as to whether or not it was a success. The general consensus was that it was a decent product.

The Speedlink Bubble Chuk alongside the Wii Nunchuk. The buttons are larger on the Bubble Chuk.


A larger thumb pad on the Bubble Chuk makes it easier to use

Conclusion
Speedlink have done well in their efforts to come up with a product that caters for a wider range of gamers. Sure enough the design of the Bubble Chuk only differs slightly but these changes will invite those that find the Nunchuk too small to enjoy the game a bit more. Available in an assortment of colours, it brings a bit of spice to the mediocre black or white controllers typically found with your Nintendo Wii.

The Speedlink Bubble Chuk has an RRP of £15.99 which is a little more than the standard Nunchuk. But you can pickup the Bubble Chuk for around £12 if you look hard enough. I think the larger buttons and choice of colours will perhaps win most over. It\’s been fun testing the Bubble Chuk and I can definitely say that it deserves our Gold award.

Pros
+ Lightweight
+ Lots of funky colours
+ Small shape
+ Big joystick for the big thumb users
+ Compatible with all Wii controllers

Cons
– Some may find it too small to hold

We would like to thank Speedlink for this sample. Discuss this review on our forums