Product Review: Nerf Sports Plus Sports Pack, Nerf Resort Swords, & Nerf Wii Wheel

The Wii got us all off the couch, playing games in pantomime with WiiMote in hand. Nerf took it one step further and with the Nerf Sports Plus Sports Pack you can attach a bat, a golf club, or a tennis racket for a more robust Wii experience.

The pack comes with a Sports Handle, which is where the peripherals will attach to. You simply slip the Wiimote into the Sports Handle and then slip the WiiMote Silicone Jacket around that. If you have the Wii Motion Plus attachment, not to worry, the Sports Pack was designed to accommodate both with and without Motion Plus. Putting on the silicone jacket needs a little muscle, but it assures a snug fit. The attachment part of the Sports Handle comes out of the top of the jacket and from there you can attach any of the Nerf attachments – the baseball bat, the golf club, and the tennis racket, as well as the Nerf Swords. The attachments slip on very easily and lock into place so that you never have to worry about one of the parts flying off into your TV or into another player. The attachment will block the WiiMotes ability to communicate with the sensor bar so you will have to use the D-Pad to navigate the menus which takes a little getting used to since we are so used to pointing and clicking essentially.

First of all, if you expect the attachments to improve your game, put it down and walk away. The Nerf Sports Plus Sports Pack is designed to enhance your Wii gaming experience by giving you the look and feel of the real thing – the rest is up to you. I first popped in Wii Sports Resort and tried a round of golf using the golf club attachment. The added weight of the club gives you a much more tactile feeling. I always seem to have issues with any golf game that I play probably because I’ve never actually played a real game of golf only mini-golf. I think I’m better at putting than anything else, especially while taking on a golf stance. The added weight of the golf club is nice, although it’s probably my least favorite of all the attachments

Next, I tried my hand at some Ping Pong. Serving was a little difficult, for some reason I was having a lot of trouble with the Tennis Racket attachment on. So I removed it and tried serving without it and it worked fine. Then I had to slip on the attachment really quick and continue playing. I had to do this several times and occasionally, I would be able to serve without removing the handle. I also wanted to try Wii Tennis off of the Wii Sports disc for two reasons – to try the attachment without the Motion Plus attachment and to try out Wii Tennis because I have eternally sucked at it. While I didn’t win the matches, the game felt a lot better and I didn’t have any problems serving which leads me to believe that my problem serving in Ping Pong was user error. This is probably where I can say that the Tennis Racket is a must. The added weight gives you the feel that you are missing from the tennis game. I know I said earlier that these will not improve your game, but this came really close. (Update: You do not need to remove the tennis racket attachment in order to navigate the menus. You can use the D-Pad to move the cursor, the A button to confirm selections, and the B button to go back. In cases where you have to point the Wii Remote at the screen and press A, you will have to remove the attachment to press the A button but if hit the Pause button right after, you will be able to put the attachment back on, unpause, and play! Still a pain, but a workaround nonetheless!)

Then I popped in Mario Super Sluggers to play a few rounds of baseball. I enjoyed having the Baseball Bat attachment. Again, this is one of the games where it really doesn’t matter, since it’s easy to pantomime swinging a bat with precision. The added weight with the attachment gives you a bit of realism and really puts you into the game.

The overall quality of the attachments is pretty sturdy. There are no small parts which makes it suitable to be around small children. The attachments are made of the trademark “Nerf” material, so if some one gets hit with one, it won’t hurt too much although we don’t suggest using it as a weapon. The attachments lock in place so there is no worry about it flying off during your game, so you can swing with confidence, just make sure that you read the directions first and ensure that you have it locked in correctly. Also, always make sure that you use the Wii Wrist Strap regardless whether or not you are using the attachments. The extra weight will also tire out your arms until you get used to is, but it’s always nice to get in a hidden workout or two. The attachments will be fun for kids and adults alike and will make a great addition to your gaming peripherals. The pack only comes with one of each attachment and come in black, blue, and red. The set is priced at $19.99 at most retailers. They also have a Wii Sports Resort pack that comes with a Sword, Ping Pong Paddle, and a Golf Club and also retails for $19.99.

Nerf Resort Swords

Nerf also makes a Nerf Resort Sword 2-Pack that comes with a red and a blue sword – perfect for Swordplay in Wii Sports Resort and maybe even your favorite Light Saber wielding Star Wars game! The swords pop the same way as the Nerf Sports Plus Sports Pack – using the Sports Handle and locks on tightly. They aren’t made for real sports play but are probably somewhat durable enough if a swordfight were to break out in your living room. We suggest keeping it for the Wii games and away from other people so that no one gets hurt.

Each time you start a swordfight in Wii Sports Resort, you have to point the WiiMote at the screen and press the A button. Since the sword attachment blocks the IR, you will need to remove the attachment and reattach it so if you are playing with someone who is less than honorable, expect them to get a blow or two in! Norm and I tried playing both with and without the sword attachments. The swords do add some extra weight so your arm will tire out a lot faster than without the attachment. The Sword makes a lovely swishing sound as you are playing and for a moment we can all channel our inner Errol Flynn. Again, the swords are an enhancement to the experience and not a game improvement accessory. Kids will love them albeit maybe in the wrong way as I’m sure kids will break out into swordfights but the Nerf swords are soft and probably won’t hurt too much if you get hit by one. The tip is dull so no worries about getting poked in the eye.

The Nerf Resort Swords will work with or without Wii Motion Plus and retail for $19.99.

Nerf Wheel

Nerf also makes a Nerf Wii Wheel, perfect for Mario Kart or any other Wii driving game. The wheel comes in a variety of colors – blue, red, green, and gray. We got a black one however, black is not listed on the company’s site as an option. The wheel is soft as it’s covered in the trademark “Nerf” material. It’s a colorful alternative to Nintendo’s Wii Wheel. The Wii Mote snaps into the wheel just like it does in the Nintendo Wii Wheel. The fit of the WiiMote is not as snug as the Nintendo Wheel – it wobbles around a little bit. It’s not enough to destroy your game but it’s a little distracting at first. The feel is almost identical although I felt that Nintendo’s Wheel was a little more comfortable. Overall, the difference is minute and is just a matter of preference. I think that most kids will not have any issues and will like the multiple color options so that they can claim a color as their own. It’s pretty durable and soft.