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| Founded | 1996 |
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| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Key people |
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| Products | Video game accessories |
| Website | http://www.nyko.com |
Nyko is an American manufacturer of third-party accessories for various gaming consoles.
In 2002, Nyko introduced its Air Flo line of anti-sweat gaming controllers, which feature built-in fans to prevent sweaty palms. The Air Flo line was initially produced for GameCube, PlayStation 2 (PS2), and Xbox. [2] [3] A console-style controller for PCs was released in 2003. [4] [5] The Air Flo EX, a redesigned PS2 controller with better air flow, was also introduced that year. [6] [7]
A wireless PS2 Air Flo controller, using AA batteries, was released in 2004. [8] [9] [10] That year, Nyko also released wireless Air Flo controllers for the GameCube and Xbox, [11] [12] [13] and produced an Air Flo computer mouse as well. [14] [15] A new EX controller was released for PC and Macintosh in 2005. [16] [17]
The Nyko Wand is a third-party replacement for the Wii Remote. It was announced at CES 2009. The Wand features Trans-Port technology, which allows specially designed attachments to pass through key buttons to the attachment, allowing for more responsive attachments. It was chosen for CNET's Best of CES award in the gaming category. [18] Older models are not compatible with Wii MotionPlus but can be sent to Nyko for a firmware update free of charge. At CES 2010, Nyko unveiled the Nyko Wand+ as a new member of the Wand family that added full Wii MotionPlus support with a built in sensor.
The Nyko Kama is a wireless controller accessory created for the Wii created by Nyko. Like the original Nunchuk, the Kama features an analog control stick, and "Z" and "C" buttons. The Kama is available in two versions, wired and wireless. The wired version connects to the Wii Remote by its cord, while the wireless version uses two AAA batteries and an adapter dongle that plugs into the back of the Wii Remote. [19]
The Nyko Charge Station for Wii is a rechargeable battery set and charging stand that allows Wii players to replace the Alkaline AA batteries with a rechargeable NiMH battery pack. The product has spawned numerous knockoffs and copies since its release. Nyko also offers Charge Station rechargeable batteries for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
The Nyko WormCam is a digital camera attachment for the Game Boy Advance.
This is an attachment to Xbox 360's Kinect device. This device zooms in the Kinect camera reducing the space requirement by 40%. It does not require any power or complex installation. The device was unveiled at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011. [20] [21] [22] It was released on September 13, 2011. [23]
In 2006, Nyko introduced the Intercooler 360. [24] It is designed to reduce the internal operating temperature of the Xbox 360 and as a result, to prolong lifespan of the console. It connects to the exterior of the console, with no internal modification required. A pass through power connection utilizes the existing Xbox 360 power supply, negating the need for an extra AC adapter. The unit also powers on and off automatically with the system and the Intercooler's small size fit in tight spaces like entertainment centers with the 360 placed in either horizontal or vertical orientation.
Many consumers, as well as the press, claim it scorches their consoles, "steals" power from the system, and even causes the red ring of death, [25] which the device may have been used to avoid. However, Nyko later released the Intercooler EX which has a new AC adaptor made of metal and therefore solves the problem with power "stealing", scorching of the console, and the plug falling off. This was unveiled at E3 2008. [26] [27]
Other Intercooler products have since been released for PlayStation 3, [28] [29] PlayStation 4, [30] [31] [32] and Xbox One. [33] [34] [35]
The WaveBird Wireless Controller is a radio frequency-based wireless controller manufactured by Nintendo for use with the GameCube home video game console. Its name is a reference to Dolphin, the GameCube's codename during development. The WaveBird was available for purchase separately as well as in bundles with either Metroid Prime or Mario Party 4, which were exclusive to Kmart in the US.
A video game accessory is a distinct piece of hardware that is required to use a video game console, or one that enriches the video game's play experience. Essentially, video game accessories are everything except the console itself, such as controllers, memory, power adapters (AC), and audio/visual cables. Most video game consoles come with the accessories required to play games out of the box : one A/V cable, one AC cable, and a controller. Memory is usually the most required accessory outside of these, as game data cannot be saved to compact discs. The companies that manufacture video game consoles also make these accessories for replacement purposes as well as improving the overall experience. There is an entire industry of companies that create accessories for consoles as well, called third-party companies. The prices are often lower than those made by the maker of the console (first-party). This is usually achieved by avoiding licensing or using cheaper materials. For the mobile systems like the PlayStation Portable and Game Boy iterations, there are many accessories to make them more usable in mobile environments, such as mobile chargers, lighting to improve visibility, and cases to both protect and help organize the collection of system peripherals to. Newer accessories include many home-made things like mod chips to bypass manufacturing protection or homemade software.
The seventh generation of home video game consoles began on November 22, 2005, with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 home console. This was followed by the release of Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation 3 on November 17, 2006, and Nintendo's Wii on November 19, 2006, the following year. Each new console introduced new technologies. The Xbox 360 offered games rendered natively at high-definition video (HD) resolutions, the PlayStation 3 offered HD movie playback via a built-in 3D Blu-ray Disc player, and the Wii focused on integrating controllers with movement sensors as well as joysticks. Some Wii controllers could be moved about to control in-game actions, which enabled players to simulate real-world actions through movement during gameplay. By this generation, video game consoles had become an important part of the global IT infrastructure; it is estimated that video game consoles represented 25% of the world's general-purpose computational power in 2007.
The Xbox 360 controller is the primary game controller for Microsoft's Xbox 360 home video game console that was introduced at E3 2005. The Xbox 360 controller comes in both wired and wireless versions. The Xbox controller is not compatible with the Xbox 360. The wired and wireless versions are also compatible with Microsoft PC operating systems, such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
The Nyko Frontman is a guitar controller produced by Nyko for several game systems to be used with the video games Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Depending on the version, its appearance is very similar to the Fender Telecaster (Wii) or the Gibson Explorer (PS2/PS3).
Hasbro Family Game Night is a series of video games that adapt board games manufactured by Hasbro.
The Nyko Kama is a third-party Nunchuk accessory created for the Wii video game console by Nyko, available in wireless or wired versions. In contrast to Nintendo's device, the controller takes its name from the traditional Japanese kama; a stealthy, curved weapon. Like the original Nunchuk, the Kama features an analog control stick, and "Z" and "C" buttons. With the use of 2 AAA batteries and an adapter dongle that plugs into the Wii Remote's expansion port, the wireless Kama is able to connect wirelessly. The wired version instead features a rumble motor, which allows it to offer force feedback when used with Nyko's Wand Wii Remote alternative.
Since the release of Nintendo's Wii, many aesthetic, ergonomic and functional accessories have been developed for the Wii Remote by third parties.
Just Dance 3 is a 2011 dance rhythm game released on the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 with Kinect and Move support respectively for the latter two. It is part of the Just Dance video game series published by Ubisoft originally on the Wii and the third main installment of the series. Just Dance 3 was announced shortly after the release of Just Dance 2 and was released for the Wii and Xbox 360 on October 7, 2011 in North America and October 11, 2011 in Australia and Europe and for the PlayStation 3 on December 6, 2011 in North America, December 8, 2011 in Australia and December 9, 2011 in Europe.
Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension is a video game based on the TV movie of the same name and the first multi-platform game in the Phineas and Ferb video game series. It was released in August 2011 on most seventh generation platforms to coincide with the premiere of the film, followed a year later by a PlayStation Portable version. An Xbox 360 version was planned for release, but was cancelled due to Disney wanting the game to capitalize on the motion control capabilities of the Wii Remote, which the Xbox 360 Kinect was unable to perform because of its full body tracking functionality.
The eighth generation of video game consoles began in 2012, and consists of four home video game consoles: the Wii U released in 2012, the PlayStation 4 family in 2013, the Xbox One family in 2013, and the Nintendo Switch family in 2017.
The Wand is a line of game controllers released by Nyko as third-party alternatives to the official Nintendo Wii Remote. The original Wand duplicated the functionality of the Wii Remote, while the updated Wand+ added internal replication of the Wii MotionPlus for more advanced motion sensing, similar to Nintendo's later Wii Remote Plus. The Wand series also adds additional functionality through the use of a proprietary extension of the standard Wii Remote expansion port.
Rhythm game accessories are often required to play rhythm games available for various consoles, such as the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. These include dance pads, guitar controllers, drum controllers, microphones and turntable controllers. With the exception of microphones, these controllers can generally be used to control any game, but have limited inputs, making them impractical for most games.
Angry Birds Trilogy is a video game co-developed by Rovio Entertainment, Exient Entertainment, Housemarque, and Fun Labs and published by Activision.
Just Dance is a rhythm game series developed and published by Ubisoft. The original Just Dance game was released on the Wii in 2009 in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the name of Xbox Game Studios. The brand was first introduced in the United States in November 2001, with the launch of the original Xbox console.
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Australia, and South America in November 2013 and in Japan, China, and other European countries in September 2014. It is the first Xbox game console to be released in China, specifically in the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone. Microsoft marketed the device as an "all-in-one entertainment system", hence the name "Xbox One". An eighth-generation console, it mainly competed against Sony's PlayStation 4 and Nintendo's Wii U and later the Switch.