4 Surprising Ways to repurpose Your Old Nintendo Wii Remotes

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The Nintendo Wii is celebrated as a top-selling console and remains a beloved home gaming system nearly two decades post-launch. Many adults reflect nostalgically on evenings spent playing it, featuring unique games and unusual peripherals. However, the reality is that most likely, many of these devices, including the Wii itself, will be gathering dust. As for the Wii Remotes, while they were once at the forefront of gaming innovation, they haven’t maintained their relevance through the years. Nevertheless, some inventive ways to breathe new life into these beloved controllers do exist.

If you’re intrigued by the ideas outlined here, be aware that some entail significant DIY efforts and won’t be as straightforward as plug-and-play solutions. It’s essential to recognize that for many enthusiasts, the journey of repurposing an old gaming controller to accomplish tasks, such as controlling your air conditioning, can be more rewarding than simply seeking ready-made solutions.

While you can’t operate Netflix on your TV using a Wii Remote, especially after the discontinuation of the Netflix app for Wii in 2019, there’s a workaround. You can configure the Wii Remote to function as an air mouse for a computer connected to your TV. If you lack a PC in your living room, consider using a compact PC stick, delivering comparable performance to older budget laptops.

Setting it up is straightforward. A Bluetooth connection—whether through a dongle or integrated into your computer—combined with a wireless sensor bar and the Touchmote software will suffice. Although Touchmote is widely recommended, it may present compatibility challenges due to its lack of updates. An alternative, WiinUPro, is more expansive but might prove more complex to navigate.

Although the initial setup might demand some time investment, once operational, the Wii Remote can serve as a mouse pointer to your PC, akin to control mechanisms found in streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV Stick. Moreover, with button configuration to specific keystrokes, functions such as opening Windows’ virtual keyboard become feasible.

While larger than typical presentation remotes, a Wii Remote can suffice in a crunch. Although lacking a laser pointer, it might leave an impression, depending on your audience. To utilize the Wii Remote for presentations requires only a Bluetooth connection and suitable software. Do come prepared with patience, as this task isn’t quite as user-friendly as you might think.

The advantage here is that this endeavor relies solely on the Wii’s buttons, eliminating the need for motion controls, thus avoiding any inconsistent pointers. You’ll need to install Touchmote or WiinUPro to map the Wii Remote’s button presses to keyboard functions. Once you’ve established a Bluetooth connection, specific models may necessitate a special Bluetooth dongle as outlined on the Touchmote website.

Finally, configure your presentation application to recognize the Wii Remote’s key outputs for trigger actions. For instance, mapping the A button to advance slides can create a functional presentation device. Alternatively, adventurous users might try using wrist flicks for navigation, which, while not advisable, could add a bit of amusement.

A quick heads up: this is by far the most intricate project on this list, likely requiring considerable effort to set up. Initially, establish a local Home Assistant server within your home, along with compatible smart devices. While we won’t delve into specific instructions here, ample online resources can guide you through that process. To enable Wii Remote controls for Home Assistant, Ferry Djaja has provided a detailed guide worthy of your attention.

In essence, you’ll need an intermediary device to interpret Wii Remote inputs and translate them into commands that Home Assistant can recognize. This may involve utilizing a Raspberry Pi and creating a custom Python script or simpler methods through AutoHotkey on a Windows machine. As observed in previous examples, facilitating keystroke outputs from the Wii Remote is straightforward; the primary challenge lies in connecting the intermediary device to your specific Home Assistant configuration.

Once set up, the remote can activate features like air conditioning using its face buttons or allow thermostat adjustments with the plus and minus keys. With a bit more ingenuity, turning on or off the lights could become as simple as a wrist movement.

Before diving into this section, a crucial note: the Wii Remote won’t replicate the NES Zapper or similar light guns effectively due to technological disparities. Transitioning between these technologies is not straightforward.

To start using your Wii Remote as a light gun, connect it to your PC through the Touchmote software. Along with the remote and computer, a sensor bar and a connection method are essential. The Touchmote website recommends using a Mayflash W010 DolphinBar, serving as both a sensor and Bluetooth dongle. Configure Touchmote to track the Windows cursor based on the Wii Remote’s position, and set up your light gun games to follow the mouse rather than conventional controllers.

Recognize that what worked in 2006 may require adjustments. Users have reported that using larger TVs exacerbates performance issues, possibly due to the smaller screens that were prevalent at the Wii’s release. As such, movements with the remote may not correlate perfectly to screen actions, and this discrepancy might be more noticeable in contemporary settings.