When Mario Kart Wii introduced motion-controlled steering, an accessory in which to slap one's Wii Remote was a natural addition. Now that Mario Kart 8 allows the same type of control with the much bulkier, rectangular GamePad, at least one company has taken it upon themselves to reinvent the wheel.
The Handle Stand for Wii U, available for order on Play-Asia and spotted by the good folks at Tiny Cartridge, attaches the entire GamePad onto a pivoting base. The setup looks like it would provide some greater stability than just holding the GamePad on its own, and it even comes with a detachable Wii Remote steering wheel option for those who prefer a more classic grip.
The Handle Stand is priced around $50 and set to become available 28th May, just in time for the kart frenzy. Is this a piece of equipment you'd like to see in your garage?
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[source tinycartridge.com, via play-asia.com]
Comments (27)
now it needs peddles
and a big red "FIRE" button
There is no way I would trust anybody other than Nintendo themselves of Hori to make something like that. (The risk of it flying across the room is just not worth it). Wouldn't even trust someone like Madcatz to do it.
Well, I'd never use it, anyway. Rather just buy another Pro Controller for that price.
wii remote and num for me!
I'll be using the wiimote tilt-controls and, everyone in a while, the gamepad.
@shaneoh : totally!
$50 bucks?!?
What a rip off! I was thinking I could use a nice little stand like that for my gamepad so I could play in Wii off-TV mode more comfortably with Wii motes...but $50 for a piece of plastic that doesn't appear to have any actual electronic or motorized components?
$15 sounds more reasonable!
Clearly inferior to this:

Pro controller every time
@unrandomsam From the instruction manual snapshot they posted, it seems the mount is making use of the threaded bolt hole on the back of the gamepad (inserted in step 1, tightened in step 2). I seriously doubt the gamepad is going to detach from that mount while that is screwed in fully.
$50 is a little steep, but if the build quality is good enough it might be worth it. I will wait until it comes out and there are actual reviews of it before considering a purchase.
This would make sense if you actually had to feed the thing through your hands like a steering wheel. To mount the gamepad (or wiimote) on a steering wheel-like stand serves only to highlight how unlike a steering wheel the motion control options are.
@the_truth or you could just look at it like a formula 1 steering wheel
Force feedback?
I'd definitely buy that...if it was cheaper though
There are some tripod mounts for the Gamepad and I've been thinking something like that could be good for off-TV play with Wii games - using the Gamepad like a little TV or if it held the Gamepad flat for playing tabletop games like those in Wii Party U.
I'll just use my Wii Wheel, thanks.
Have been using the Wii Wheel since MK Wii without mount and I'll stick to the motion controls of the gamepad. No need to mount it, holding it freely suits me better anyway. Also, $50??
Well I think the one I built is just a bit more comprehensive of a steering adapter than theirs, as it incorporates spring re-centering!
Though I'd probably ask for a "tad" bit more than $50!
...and here's me actually USING it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr_B4bS18PY
I'm not sure I'd like this for driving games, if your not leaning all over the place like a kid your doing it wrong. If it was a swivel display for pikmin 3 so I could adjust hight and angle, I'd buy it!
@DarthPraxis I honestly thought you were making it up....watched the video......fair enough, good work, looks well built if a little ott!
I don't really need a wheel, but pedals! I don't want to use the digital click ZL and ZR buttons to drive in project C.A.R.S., I need analog!
@DarthPraxis That's a cracking bit of kit as Jason Plato (English racing driver) would say! Maybe you could sell your design to Sega or Namco for their arcade machines haha, I also love the carbon fibre effect on the steering column, nice touch!
@Blue-Thunder Legend has it that the clip on the Classic Controller is for a Rumble Pak that was going to be released for it, which sadly never came to be...
Getting it!
Thanks guys! If I actually had the time and resources to I'd have tapped into the Wii U Gamepad accessory port at the bottom of the Gamepad and re-mapped the right analog stick's X & Y axis to two rear-mounted paddles allowing for acceleration and braking to finally be fully analog as they should be. Unfortunately I haven't been successful in my efforts to gain the attention of either Nintendo or an accessory manufacturer yet! But I'll keep trying!
@unrandomsam I wouldn't trust MadCatz to do, well, anything. I've used their controllers on consoles ranging from the original Playstation to the Gamecube and the best I can say about them is that their controllers look neat sometimes. In terms of functionality and endurance I've had more problems with analog sticks breaking, wires bending, buttons sticking, and accessories not functioning than actually playing games with them. And I take pretty good care of my video games.
They actually teach you to place your hands at 9 and 3 as it allows for a larger turning radius without having to take your hands off the wheel, and it also gets your hands and arms out of the way of the airbag so that it doesn't fling your limbs in your face when it goes off.
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