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Gamecube controller fans that won't use the Wavebird. Why?

I would get a pair again soloely for its name Wavebird, but alas...

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Maybe my wavebird was broken but it did have noticeable lag when playing Melee back in the day.
Lots of people imagined lag on controllers based of rumour, but really, you either get crazy interference (which kills it entirely) or it works great.
 
Noticeable lag. Played countless hours of Melee back in the dorms in college. My friend typically used wavebird, I used corded controller. We always sat within 4 feet of tv (in dorm room).

Sometimes I tried the Wavebird. Back to back, same day, minutes apart--the Wavebird lagged just a tiny bit. Don't tell me it was my perception. Don't tell me it was my imagination. The thing lagged.
 
I honestly can't remember the last time I've used a non-Wavebird GC controller. I don't use them much, but when I do, it's my Wavebird. I actually completely forgot the original GC controller did have rumble lol (probably because it's the dumbest feature ever, and the fact that it's become a standard in controllers is hilarious).
 
I do have one, but I got occasional interference which pretty much killed me for F-Zero GX.

But it's really a tough controller to get a hold of, and Nintendo apparently lost all their notes on this amazing controller so if you broke it they wouldn't be able to help you. For wireless solutions the Wii U Pro Controller is great so I'm using that.
 
I bought one like a year ago for $20 from a local retro game store. Are the current prices reflective of the increased demand because of the Smash adapter?
 
I love the Wavebird and spent as good as all of the Gamecube/PS2/Xbox gen playing with it.

Nowadays though I am a huge sucker for rumble, which is why I play with my wired GameCube controller instead.
 
I own a Wavebird but don't use it. The analogue stick has weakened on it. I took it apart to see if what the problem was and the metal shroud has 'eaten into' the plastic of the axle/ shaft, so when in use the analogue stick needs to travel further before it reacts - it's broken essentially. This isn't a problem on my wired controllers since they are made of either all metal or all plastic I forget which so the problem wouldn't occur.

not my pic but an image of the part I'm talking about:
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I could fix it, it would require de-soldering and replacing, just don't have the time. Otherwise I would be using it.
 
Because I lost the receiver years ago :(

At first I lost the reciever, couple of years later I found it but by then I lost the controller.

I bought one like a year ago for $20 from a local retro game store. Are the current prices reflective of the increased demand because of the Smash adapter?

It was always like that. It was perfectly fine for any game other than Smash.
 
They're awesome and never game me any problems in Smash, with the caveat I was a kid and not a competitive player. They are easy to mess with though by switching dials to the same channels and I remember some very minor interference once in a blue moon. I'd be interested in seeing a real input lag test, because it never felt like there was much if any.
 
We're spoilt by all controllers being wireless today, but the Wavebird was truly mind blowing when it came out. I loved it so much. The freedom! And the batteries lasted for ages too.
 
The B button would often get stuck on the wired GC controller and they never fixed it, but the wave bird never had that problem.

I probably went through 10 wired controllers over the issue before going all wavebird. Think I still have 4 of them.
 
1) Input is definitely more iffy. Not all the time, but you'll get unexpected input misses or delays sometimes, which is less than the 100% accuracy you'll get on a wired one. Sorry can't be arsed to whip out my Wavebird, setup a recording and play extensively until something like that happens just to prove this, internet credit is not worth that much tbh. I still present this as one reason. Had to change radio channels ever so often.

2) No rumble. Rumble in the GCN pad is fantastic. Back in the days when I was enamoured with the Wavebird I DREAMED about getting rumble in it. But in the end, that wasn't its worst flaw.

3) Battery. I'm not made of batteries! Well that was more of a reason back in the GCN days, but after the Wii Remotes I've had plenty of recheargeable AAs as well as chargers.

4) The Wavebird connector doesn't attach somehow to the controller. That means I prefer to have them taped together and keep an interesting piece of Nintendo's history safe, especially as functionality wise doesn't bring much anymore.

I have 4-5 GC controllers and I dig them and I'll get the adapter definitely generally speaking I moved on and just use the Pro Controller even for Smash (but back in the Brawl days, I'd use the GC over the CC Pro).
 
I haven't pulled my Wavebird out since it's currently buried in a box with a ton of other stuff (like another Gamecube controller). I have to agree with a lot of others in the thread though that it's not worth buying a Wavebird now as they are stupidly expensive.
 
I have 2 wavebirds but i still opt for the wired controllers usually due to rumble and not needing batteries.

I used my wavebird for casual Smash for a very long time, but replacing batteries got annoying. The potential interference stops me from using it at a tournament too.
 
I still have a brand new unopened wired controller from the Gamecube days. I believe it's the yellowish orangish colored one.
 
1) Input is definitely more iffy. Not all the time, but you'll get unexpected input misses or delays sometimes, which is less than the 100% accuracy you'll get on a wired one. Sorry can't be arsed to whip out my Wavebird, setup a recording and play extensively until something like that happens just to prove this, internet credit is not worth that much tbh. I still present this as one reason. Had to change radio channels ever so often.

Noticeable lag. Played countless hours of Melee back in the dorms in college. My friend typically used wavebird, I used corded controller. We always sat within 4 feet of tv (in dorm room).

Sometimes I tried the Wavebird. Back to back, same day, minutes apart--the Wavebird lagged just a tiny bit. Don't tell me it was my perception. Don't tell me it was my imagination. The thing lagged.
I wonder what this is. Could it be that the wavebird had interference problems with certain wireless devices?

I just read that later Wavebirds (2003 onwards?) were 2.4ghz instead of 900mhz, but I can't personally speak for any differences that makes. I have the platinum wavebird which was released later, but I can't vouch for its frequency.
 
I just read that later Wavebirds (2003 onwards?) were 2.4ghz instead of 900mhz, but I can't personally speak for any differences that makes. I have the platinum wavebird which was released later, but I can't vouch for its frequency.

Mind blown, I thought they were all 2.4 gHz.
 
I wonder what this is. Could it be that the wavebird had interference problems with certain wireless devices?

I just read that later Wavebirds (2003 onwards?) were 2.4ghz instead of 900mhz, but I can't personally speak for any differences that makes. I have the platinum wavebird which was released later, but I can't vouch for its frequency.

My platinum wavebird has (had?) input stability issues so I stopped using it. I noticed it really bad when playing Luigi's Mansion trying to hold the trigger to suck in ghosts.

I tried using my wavebird last night and I didn't see the problems that I used to. Might be because I moved from an apartment building to a house, so less 2.4GHz interference due to less wifi signals nearby.
 
I wonder what this is. Could it be that the wavebird had interference problems with certain wireless devices?

I just read that later Wavebirds (2003 onwards?) were 2.4ghz instead of 900mhz, but I can't personally speak for any differences that makes. I have the platinum wavebird which was released later, but I can't vouch for its frequency.
Mine is the OG grey.

It was one of those things that it was there, at least once in a while, but I'd give it a pass due to the sheer awesomeness of playing with a damn wireless controller.

I actually couldn't try right now if I wanted lol, my WB is with me but no GCN or Wii, only Wii U, and no GCN adapter.
 
The Wavebird was amazing when it came out. Good wireless? Yes, please! It's still my main controller when I use my GameCube, which is never.

It really sucked that it didn't have rumble, though. It was so close to perfection but that held it back.
 
I have white wired controllers with huge cables.

Given I only use them once every couple of months, they easily trump having to worry about whether the batteries are going to leak into the controller, whether the batteries will be charged for the next time I need them, etc.

The weight and comfort is also superior.

Then there is the rumble, which is just fine actually.
 
Man, the wavebird blew my mind as a teenager. Such a great controller. I couldn't imagine note using it.

I think there are two just sitting in a drawer at my moms house...
 
I just preferred wired, never saw any reason to spend another $30+ on a wireless GCN controller that was bulkier in form compared to what I was used to + the battery stuff. I never really needed it anyway because my consoles aren't very far from where I sit to play them.
 
There's just absolutely zero reason for me to own one. No benefits.

Battery
The Wavebird's AA batteries last a million billion hours.
Having to use batteries at all = sucks

Rumble
Admittedly there is no rumble on the wavebird, but the GameCube's rumble is so awful.
False. GCN controller rumble is awesome and I don't wanna not have it.

Additionally, do those of you without wavebirds spend money on gamecube controller extension cables?

Yes. They're super cheap. Buy them once, use forever. Unlike batteries.
 
Picking up my Wavebird to play Smash this week reminded me of all the phantom cable issues my brain had to unwire after a lifetime of bondage.
 
I'd rather not worry about batteries and the wavebird wasn't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing thing around.

Plus rumble is important for some games.
 
Because I already have 4 gamecube controllers and there's no point wasting money buying more for no good reason?

I've never had a big enough TV to need wireless controllers anyway.
 
It's so weird to me that Nintendo was the only console maker to make an official 1st party wireless controller during the PS2/Xbox/GC gen. The Logitech ones for PS2 & Xbox were servicable, but nothing's a substitute for the feel of an official first party controller.
 
I use the wavebird every time. Just got my smash adapter (and spare controller) the other day and been wireless since.
 
One could argue that if Nintendo is capable of manufacturing and selling brand new gamecube controllers, they are capable of selling brand new Wavebirds, which would essentially be gamecube controllers with rechargeable batteries, with less bulk.
 
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