The best accessories for your Wii

The market for Wii accessories is astounding. Rackets, golf clubs, light sabers, maracas, dance pads, guitars, drums, cables, stands—you name it. Don't get lost in all of the hoopla—I've got the most important Wii accessories you need right here.

Logitech Wireless Keyboard: With Animal Crossing: City Folk on the shelves, typing is a major priority for those hanging out over by Tom Nook's shop with a bag of bells. (Remember typing on the DS, or even worse, the Gamecube controller?) The Logitech Wireless Keyboard is compact and dons a white color to match your existing Wii system. Additionally, the keyboard can be used with the Wii's Internet channel, making Web browsing infinitely easier. Available for $49. Extra hint: You can use any USB-compatible keyboard with the Wii if you have one lying around.

Nintendo Wii Wheel: If you're big into Mario Kart, this is a must have. At first, I thought that the wheel was a total gimmick and karting around could be done easily with just the Wiimote. I was dead wrong, and I'm guessing a lot of you out there probably agree. The wheel is available for $10-15, and it makes a great stocking stuffer for this holiday season. If you're not picky, third-party wheels are can be had for cheaper.

Wii Fit: First and foremost, I'll be honest: I have never, ever used the Wii Fit balance board ever. The thing is, every (and I mean every) single Wii user always tells me it's one of the best accessories for any console out there. It features four different training courses—strength, aerobics, yoga, and ballance—and it keeps track of your progress, similar to Brain Age. Also, more games that make use of the balance board are expected to hit soon (snowboarding!). Looking at my BMI, I could probably use some time on the Wii Fit board, especially after this holiday season. Available (if you can find it) for $129.

Component Cables:  The Wii isn't known for its graphics prowess, but component cables still make a pretty big difference depending on your TV set. If you're using an HDTV, getting component cables and setting the screen to 480p (progressive) in the Wii settings will smooth out edges and make the picture overall less blurry. Some may say it isn't a complete necessity, but to my discriminating eye, I say it's worth the cash. Official Nintendo component cables are a hefty $25, but third-party cables are as cheap as $9.

Nintendo Wavebird: Ok, so this one technically isn't for the Wii, but it's still hands-down the best controller for the Super Smash Bros. series (great for Virtual Console as well). Also, many Wii games support both the Wii-mote and Gamecube controllers—look on the back of the game software to verify (I actually prefer to use the Wavebird for Mario Kart Wii, but it isn't nearly as fun.) The hard part? Getting your hands on one of these. You'll probably have to hit some used game shops or get one second-hand off of eBay/Amazon (around $30), but if you can score one brand new (going for over $100 on Amazon, cheaper on eBay), your gamer will definitely appreciate the controller as well as the rarity of the device. Go with Platinum if you can.

Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries: In this age of gaming, rechargeable batteries are a must. The Sanyo Eneloop kit is a great charging system for all gamers. The batteries come pre-charged and ready to go out of the box, and you can get four batteries along with a Sanyo charger for under $20 at Amazon. If you're feeling really saucy, you can go for the LaCrosse BC-900 charger to go with your batteries. The BC-900 offers different charge speeds, actual mAh readout, and also comes with C/D-size adapters so you can use your batteries for other applications.

These are my picks for the Wii. Feel like I missed something? Shoot me a comment.

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