Nintendo unveils Wii wheel, Zapper, Balance Board

Nintendo today unveiled three accessories for the Wii that will help with specialized game types. The Wii racing wheel grafts on to the existing Wii controller and provides a more natural feel; the device is built for the upcoming Mario Kart for Wii in mind but will work with other racing games such as Excite Truck. The Wii Zapper, in turn, is meant for games such as Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles and creates a rifle-like shape for more precise aiming in first-person shooters and other action games. Both devices will be available either packaged with Mario Kart (for the wheel) and Resident Evil (for the Zapper); the Zapper will also be priced at $20 as separate device, though no pricing or stand-alone release has been revealed for the race add-on.

A third but wholly separate controller, the Wii Balance Board, is geared primarily to its game of the same name, Nibntendo says. Effectively a floor exercise pad, the controller allows for balance exercise, dances, or even push-ups thanks to motion detection and pressure sensitivity. Like Wii Sports and similar launch titles, the pad will come bundled with its own title named Wii Fit that includes several mini-games as well as a general health tracker that judges weight and posture over time.

Pricing and availability for the Balance Board will be announced soon.