HORI Nintendo 3DS Mario Kart 7 Racing Wheel

I'm not into writing reviews but I had to say something about this awesome product. I've owned a NDS since the big chubby one way back and loved it. But as the system got smaller I found my love not for the system but for its size waning. I got cramps on a regular bases and just couldn't take it anymore so I put it down for a while. But here comes the Mario Kart Racing wheel and I'm back with a vengeance! Contrary to its name it is not just for racing Mario Kart but for making any game an enjoyable experience... until a glitch in the game causes a cheap death haha. But seriously you will love this accessory. Bulky...yes. But I've tried others and they made the front half of my 3ds feel heavy and the grips didn't feel good. Buy this! You won't regret it.

As another reviewer pointed out, think of this product as a grip rather than a wheel. It makes the 3DS much more comfortable to hold, and I can't say enough good things about the L/R buttons. The grip comes with its own L/R buttons and they cover the ones on the 3DS. They are larger and are much easier to press.The 3DS can be mounted and unmounted very easily. Obviously it makes the system less travel-friendly, but it's a great accessory to have at home especially when playing for an extended amount of time.

Don't know it this item was packaged wrong or what happened, but the wheel is too big for the #DS XL and the packaging disappeared before we realized it so we are simply out the cost of this item. I think this might be the second time we submitted this review so if you are reading duplicated, it would be the fault of Amazon & not us.

If you're buying it for SUPER SMASH BROTHERS it's a pretty decent controller grip, for the regular-sized 3DS. It makes smashing a lot easier, but I'm gonna warn you, if you go hard on those shoulder buttons, they'll get stuck, and never get un-stuck. Dis-assembly is a major pain too, it's likely you'll break the thing trying to fix it, since there's a plastic tab in the exact middle that holds the unit together so tightly, it's likely you'll break it trying to separate the two halves.Since this'll be my second controller, we'll see how that goes. My fingers are crossed, but honestly, if you're feeling challenged playing Smash Brothers because of the size of your 3DS like I am, you might be up the creek without a paddle.

I was looking for a grip accessory for 3DS that would make playing Kid Icarus: Uprising (hereafter Uprising) more comfortable. (Again, I didn't buy this for Mario Kart 7, although I think this would work great with that game, too.)As I haven't tried other popular grips, this review doesn't include any comparisons.So, here's what I felt about Hori 3DS Wheel for the said game (and others).The peculiar control scheme of Uprising simply doesn't allow a comfortable and extensive gameplay.While the Wheel does alleviate the pain in your left hand to some extent, it's not perfect.1. As many other reviewers have noted, the shoulder buttons are much better than the ones on 3DS itself,mostly because they are much bigger.2. I also like the way the product is designed to hold 3DS.It's similar to the Circle Pad Pro. There's no 'clicking' but the hold is firm,and therefore no danger of breaking the often fragile connecting part of the peripheral or of scratching 3DS.3. The lower part of the Wheel's curve was useful when playing DS games that are better suited for D-pad.4. In cases of certain games that have to be played with the stylus for the most partand require some tough and nimble controls (just like Uprising),the Wheel's grip (i.e., the handle part) is a little bit small to be comfortable.Yes, it's certainly better than the not-at-all-ergonomic design of the stock 3DS.Nevertheless, your left hand that has to solely support the weight of 3DS (and at the same timecontinuously press L trigger in the case of Uprising)and the hand still feels a bit 'cramped' after a whilebecause the diameter of the handle part is simply not big enough.Imagine you're holding the steering wheel of a real car.When grabbing it, four of your fingers can go all the way around the wheel and meet your thumb.This is impossible with the Hori Wheel.Of course it should be impossible, because there's always be 3DS itself between the thumb and the other fingers.Yet, the other four fingers meet the bottom of the Wheel BEFORE you grab on it completely(in other words, there still remains some space between the center part of your palm and the Wheel,which causes the unnecessary tension in your hands, the exact tension that people try to avoidby buying this kind of grip accessories).FYI, I'm a guy and about 5'7" tall, and my hands are not too big nor too small for that height,and I'm pretty sure many of the adult, male customers willing to buy this kind of gripswould have even bigger hands.So, the verdict:The Wheel is well constructed, just like other products from Hori.Overall, it's smoothly designed, and seems quite durable as there aren't any thin parts that might break.(This durability will, I think, appeal to parents who want to buy this for their little kids.)Yet, considering that hand grip accessories for 3DS are most of all made to makeprolonged gameplays comfortable, I wonder why there's not a single manufacturerwho just makes it bigger. I mean, no matter how big or small the peripheral may be,it won't fit any containers designed for the original size anyways.For Kid Icarus: Uprising, the Wheel is better than the stock 3DS,but don't expect that your pain will go away completely.The Wheel is not expensive, so although it's not perfect, I don't regret the purchase.I guess I should rather blame the control scheme of Uprising, not this product.

Gave as a Christmas present and thought my grandson would love it. He's 6. Yes, he used it once, but that was all. Don't waste your money. Was a great idea but useless in real life.

I bought this accessory after my friends recommended it to me while we were playing Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS. With just the 3DS, my hands would start to cramp up. After purchasing this though, I noticed my hands didn't cramp up at all. Now I use it for every game I play. It is a must have for those who play their games a lot.Pros: Allows you to play games longer without your hands cramping up.Cons: It will not fit in your pocket for gaming on the go--a minor gripe since I only use it either at home or pack it when I go on longer trips.One thing to note: I purchased mine just before Christmas and they didn't ship it until after New Year's. It could have been because of the holidays, but I'm letting anyone who reas this review know just in case it happens to you, too.

I get frequent hand cramps using the 3ds with certain games. This fixed all ergonomic issues. The L and R button placement is also a welcome change, and may be one of the best reasons to purchase this. If you take any issue with the design of the 3ds, I highly recommend it.