Nintendo of America Selling Wii Remote Rapid Charging Cradle and Rechargeable Battery Set

If only it came with the multiple Wii U game bundles they're selling this season.
Regardless, this is really great news.

Not saying it is a bad thing whatsoever, but I will stick to getting 20 AA batteries a time from Poundland here in the UK lol. They do the job just fine for me

I hope it makes it to Europe as well.
This is gonna help a lot, what with me not playing with my Wii that often anymore.

Good idea but a bit late... there's already a plethora of third-party chargers and battery packs available. And 40 bucks / 40 euro is quite pricey

Looks good, but I'll stick with using rechargeable batteries. I have plenty of extra batteries, so there's always a few charged sets of batteries available if my remote runs low.

About time! I can't stand the third-party charging solution.

I have been using a 3rd party charger + battery packs for 6 years now so I don't see what all the hoopla is about

Thirteen hours of play on a ninety minute charge sounds great, but it's hard to justify spending forty dollars on rechargeable batteries when much cheaper options exist (my first set of two costed $20, plugged in via USB, and lasted two or three years. I'd buy it again if I could find it).

@AlexSora89

It's already out in Europe for 39,99€

http://www.amazon.de/Ladestation-Nintendo-WiiU-Remote-Controller/dp/B00EZPU03I/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381062259&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=wii+remote+rapid+charging+set

I already use rechargeable batteries in all my wireless controllers. This would be pretty well pointless, for me.

Finally!! Now I don't need to buy batteries every week!

$40 for a single Wii Remote charger. I'll stick to my batteries.

This one does sound better, but you're too late Nintendo, because I already bought Nyko's 4-Wiimote station.

I already use rechargeable Energizer batteries in my two Wii Remotes.

Holy crap, $40 for just ONE? That's gonna be $160 for all of my Wii Remotes...

I'll stick to regular batteries thanks... maybe I'll invest in rechargeable batteries too.

I bought the Duracell induction charger and 2 battery packs for about $14 - fourteen, not forty - so this seems very badly priced to me.

And how many people have only 1 Wiimote? At least if it was double wide 2 batteries for $40 it would be useful.

@rjejr yeah i got the duracell one too and it does just fine still it's nice that Nintendo finally realised that it was always needed and made one

the Wiimote should have had a built in rechargeable battery from the beginning same as the 360 controller to me by not including them it just seems they are trying to squeeze more money out of us

WHERE IS MY NEW BATTERY FOR THE GAMEPAD NINTENDO AND MY SECOND GAMEPAD NINTENDO

I also use the Duracell charger and have for years. I have extra charged batteries on hand, so when a remote's batteries lose their charge, I just put them in the charger and pop in a fresh set. My batteries have gotten years of heavy use and are still doing well, though they don't hold as much of a charge.

@BATRA There are replacements with larger capacity from third parties available for months now. If one really needs one is debatable (I never managed to discharge my Gamepad during one session, for example), but they are available. And what even would you use the second Gamepad for? There are no games built for that and there won't be for long time since now, maybe never even.

For me this cradle makes little to no sense. First - I wouldn't be able to keep my Wii Motion Plus attached (I have two such remotes), and second - there is a power supply requiring a socket, which means that for all remotes to be always charged I'd need three spare sockets. Thanks, but no thanks - I'll stick to my Energizer Ni-MH rechargeables...

Well, Nintendo wasn't wrong. I think there was a moderate demand for a 1st party charging cradle.

But $40 per Wiimote, and each one needs its own plug? Not very appealing to the average consumer. Considering the average Wii/Wii U owner has multiple remotes and 3rd party alternatives are half the price, they could have done a little better here.

I really want a few for the benefits of charging a wii remote in a silicone cover (something the Energizer brand takes around 6 hours to do), and the 90 minute quickcharge. Sadly I can only afford one so I will stick with that. I was really hoping for a Gamepad extended battery from Nintendo. Still this will save my son the frustration of taking off the wiimote silicone cover to replace batteries with the safety strap attached. Hopefully individual battery packs come available for say $15 - $20 so that I can use one base and have it charge several. But one is enough for now.

@SanderEvers Mee too, my old charging setup died a few months ago and I get through batteries playing BLOPSII

Nah, just use my Duracell charger. Had it a few months after I got my Wii at launch and just a few months ago had to buy four new batteries. So that's 4 other batteries that lasted about 7 years.

Sorry, but I bought a big handful of rechargeable batteries for the Wii near the start of this/last gen and they work fine, with the added bonus of working with 360 controllers, TV remotes and whatever else uses AA's. Kind of missed the boat for an official solution here, perhaps?

This would have been 'news' had this been launched with the console back in 2006!

I can't understand why anyone would want to spend that amount, when a charger and pack of 4 Duracell rechargeable batteries can be picked up for much less These give me more than 13 hours play time per charge (and I've always the other two ready-charged).

I'm very happy to hear that there will be an official Nintendo version! I have tried three different Energizer packs for Wii remotes and all were garbage — with the batteries bricking in days, or the charger quitting a week later. So yeah, $40 is steep but I'll get one for now and maybe a 2nd later on.

I'll buy it whenever they start selling white packs as well. Until then these rechargables will do.

Eneloop is all I gotta say.

Already had 3rd party rechargeable battery packs for my four WiiMotes for years. This probs won't come to Australia for a while anyway, if at all.

For those saying these are overpriced, this is a quickcharger from Nintendo. Nintendo does a lot of quality testing on their products unlike some other third party or rechargeable battery brands. Also if you forget to charge the batteries this is a 90 minute charger from empty to full for 13 hrs of gaming. I understand pricing is a little steep, but there really is no directly comparable third party alternative.

13hrs per charge is pretty terrible was hoping for a lot longer.

I definitely want it (my 3rd party charger has never been very good, and it hasn't been able to fully charge for years), but that price is just way too high for what you get. $40 (plus shipping) for a kit for one remote? Maybe if it came out 6 years ago. This thing should be $25-30 max.

Will NL be doing a review of this?

I'm in. Because I'm sick of buying batteries. And the current offerings out there have too many negative reviews, to pull the trigger on. It will pay for itself within 6 months for me.

EDIT: woah, hold up. Only one battery pack? Ok, I'll stick to buying crappy lithium batteries from dollar tree.

Am I the only one screaming: WHERE WAS THIS IN 2006?

I'll probably end up buying this.

Yeah the only issue with this is that I'd have to get a kit for each Wiimote, when all I really need is one charger and 4 of the battery packs. They should really consider selling those separately.

I got the Duracell Wii U charging cradle that charges the gamepad and two Wii Remotes for the same price. Nintendo was very late to the game with this one.

Nintendo if you're going to do this late at least do it better than everyone else.

Digimon 4 the West guys !
http://www.change.org/petitions/namco-bandai-games-europe-america-localize-digimon-world-re-digitize-decode-for-3ds#share

I picked up the Apple battery charger which is compact and per each charge, offers plenty of time for LoZ dungeon crawling etc.

For an Apple product, it's a steal with the charger and six 'AA' rechargeable batteries for only $29.99 retail. The deal was so good, I bought another for all my other goodies that use 'AA' batteries.

I only wish finding a solution for 'AAA' batteries which my TV remote and a few other remotes use.

Great idea, but I'm not buying at that price.

I have the 15 minute Energizer charger and some Energizer and Rayovac rechargeable batteries.
It costs about $35 for the charger, and $8 for 4 more rechargeable AAs(if they're Rayovac). It's actually more expensive than this by a little bit, but it will get 3 or your remotes recharged and it's an hour faster at the latest.

I can see people possibly still wanting this, maybe. It probably doesn't die as fast as AA rechargeables, but it will die eventually, too.

Already got the Nyko for much less.

As many others here, I will keep using rechargeable AAs. Been doing that since 2008. And my battery charger also takes 90 minutes to charge up to 4 batteries at once.

Too expensive, too late. Many of us already have 3rd party solutions or rechargeable batteriee. Had they released this back in the Wii's prime years, I'm sure sales of the product would have been decent. But I doubt this would gain them much profit today.

I already have 12 rechargeable batteries and a 15-30 minute Energizer charger, so I'm good.

They really should update the Wii Remote Plus packages and add these in.

Well I tried to appreciate this offer / product, but I'm just not seeing it.

A third-party solution was adequate for my needs, until eventually it stopped working. Really I'm fine with using batteries; rechargeable or otherwise.
The only-black part hurts the appeal too, from an aesthetic standpoint.

Perfect!!! It is about time!

Bah, I only have white controllers (and a white Wii U). Oh well, I guess the jacket will cover it most of the time.

@AlexSora89
The Wiimote lives on through the Wii U. Many games (Pikmin 3, Call of Duty BO2 and Ghosts, NSMBU, NSLU) still use the Wiimote, or at the very least have it as an alternative controller option.

@JaxonH
Too bad I can't afford a WiiU at the moment. And I don't think I will anytime soon, considering I'm unemployed.

@Shaoran
That's one hefty price tag, I might get that once games aren't on my radar.
(Which is unlikely considering this is Pokémon X/Y's and Sonic Lost World's month.)

While I already have the Energizer charging cradle that charges the Gamepad PLUS two Wiimotes behind it, I'm thinking this official charging base might be worth looking into. Over 13 hours from just 90 minutes charging? That sounds REALLY high. I'm not sure, but I'd be amazed if I got that many hours from my Energizer battery packs I'm using in my Wiimotes.

@Jazzer94
Really? I thought that sounded really high.

Rechargable batteries for the Wiimote? Thats nice but did Nintendo forget about the extended battery they announced for the Wii U gamepad. I'm tempted to import one from playasia and be done with it.

Having batteries is one of the great features of the Wiimote. So easy to swap batteries and recharge without having to buy extra accessories.

Yeah these are indeed out in Europe and so is a new high capacity battery for the Gamepad! Have a look at my thread in the Wii U section of the Forums for the details

I have a Maha Powerex charger. There is no way I have a need for this. Too little too late Nintendo, about 7 years too late.

@JaxonH It is high. If your playing more than 13 hours simultaneously you need to turn off the Wii and go to bed.

@spaniard0069 Same here lol

... was anyone actually still using batteries in their wiimotes? ew
I've been using this for years http://www.amazon.com/Wii-Energizer-Panel-Induction-Charger-Nintendo/dp/B0027IS82K bext thing I've ever bought EVER

Im gonna buy one of these, since I have two rechargeable AAs (but lost the other 2) and only 2 remotes ever get used at once. I've tried 3rd party solutions and they all sucked. BTW Nintendo Australia is selling both these and the gamepad battery directly, just ring up customer service to order them. These are $45 and $30 for extra battery packs. The gamepad battery is $35. Shipping is free.

Again us and canada only why nintendo do you always leave australia behind! No wonder wii u fails here!

Better late than never, but... Forty dollars? Gonna have to pass, unfortunately.

I rather continue using Sanyo enelopes than a charging dock, especially as most of them tend to charge them in a series circuit where they basicly shorten there lifespans.

I want them to come out w/ an external hard drive already! I need to get one, but I don't want to get a 3rd party, and then the next year Nintendo releases a wonderful looking OEM version.........

Pretty Cool, but no thanks. I'd rather them release a battery like the Wii U Pro Controller to replace the turd of a battery we have in the Gamepad!!!

This should've existed back when the Wavebird was out, Nintendo. The only thing that's good is a) I'd rather have a Nintendo brand charging solution anyway, b) my Nyko rechargeable batteries are losing their chargeability anyway, and c) I've been using rechargeable AA's to bridge the gap, so this news is coming at a decent time.

Why couldn't they come out with this like 5 years ago!? Well, I bought mine, and look forward to trying it out!

Who offers you less accessories for more money, with years of delay?
Right, it's Nintendo!!!
Nyko offers a double charging dock for $ 25 and a quad one for $ 50...

Please tell me this supports at least two wiimotes. Otherwise, I'll just stick to my Nyko Charging cradle.

@andreoni79 Doesn't mean its good quality or works well. I used to use that until it started lying about being fully charged and what not. Now I just use rechargeable AA's