- Joined
- Jul 20, 2006
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0311265
First of all most of them were DIRTY... which doesn't make much since considering they were refurbs and they were dirty in the EXACT SAME WAY (on the d-pad... and on the d-pad *only*.)
I guess the idea was to make it look like they had actually been used at some point.
The printing on a stanard Wii Remote controller is light gray. The printing on the one I bought at first was BLACK. And the home and power buttons were a different color than the one that came with my system. AND it made a loud buzzing sound whenever the controller vibrated.
So I took it back.
All but one of the other controllers (I actually went through every single refurb controller they had... there were fort) had the light gray print on the side.
Two of the three best looking ones were broken (they rattled when you shook them.) So inspected the last one carefully... it made no sound when it shook, the printing was light gray, there was an insignificant cosmetic defect. But it SEEMED legit... it even weighed a little more than the fake controller did.
So I took it home: Same thing: BUZZZZZZZZZZ whenever it vibrated instead of the silent low rumble.
I took the sleeve off of the controller that came with my system and inspected the two carefully side-by side.
Very close to being indenticle... til you got to the BOTTOM of the controller: The characters (letters really) were cut much finer on my official controller than they were on the refurb. And the size of the "Home" button on the refurb was all wrong.
I studied Fake Controller number 2 MINUTELY while I was at the store: It was identical to all the others except for the rattling the broken ones made.
There's only one conclusion: ALL the Wii Remotes they're selling as refurbs are actually fakes.
Checked out a few guides online for spotting fake Wii Remote controllers. It all checks out.
First thing I did was contact Nintendo... so far they've been less than helpful.
I'll get in touch with a manager at Microcenter when I get this chance. This could be quite a scandal...
First of all most of them were DIRTY... which doesn't make much since considering they were refurbs and they were dirty in the EXACT SAME WAY (on the d-pad... and on the d-pad *only*.)
I guess the idea was to make it look like they had actually been used at some point.
The printing on a stanard Wii Remote controller is light gray. The printing on the one I bought at first was BLACK. And the home and power buttons were a different color than the one that came with my system. AND it made a loud buzzing sound whenever the controller vibrated.
So I took it back.
All but one of the other controllers (I actually went through every single refurb controller they had... there were fort) had the light gray print on the side.
Two of the three best looking ones were broken (they rattled when you shook them.) So inspected the last one carefully... it made no sound when it shook, the printing was light gray, there was an insignificant cosmetic defect. But it SEEMED legit... it even weighed a little more than the fake controller did.
So I took it home: Same thing: BUZZZZZZZZZZ whenever it vibrated instead of the silent low rumble.
I took the sleeve off of the controller that came with my system and inspected the two carefully side-by side.
Very close to being indenticle... til you got to the BOTTOM of the controller: The characters (letters really) were cut much finer on my official controller than they were on the refurb. And the size of the "Home" button on the refurb was all wrong.
I studied Fake Controller number 2 MINUTELY while I was at the store: It was identical to all the others except for the rattling the broken ones made.
There's only one conclusion: ALL the Wii Remotes they're selling as refurbs are actually fakes.
Checked out a few guides online for spotting fake Wii Remote controllers. It all checks out.
First thing I did was contact Nintendo... so far they've been less than helpful.
I'll get in touch with a manager at Microcenter when I get this chance. This could be quite a scandal...