Before dropping enough money for a new game on these essential items, consider this alternative

So you just bought a shiny new Nintendo Wii U and are all prepared to play some Mario Kart 8.

There’s only one problem. You don’t have any Wii Remotes or Nunchuks because you got rid of them all when you sold your original Wii and now you have no way to play local multiplayer.

Or maybe you just want to pick up a couple extra controllers for your Wii or Wii U.

Instead of rushing out to Target or Wal-Mart and spending $60+ on a new Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk combo (seeing as the Wii Remotes are $39.99 and the Nunchuks are $19.99), Shortcut Gamer has stumbled across a well-kept secret deal on Nintendo’s website.

So what’s the deal?

Nintendo offers a refurbished set that includes a Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk for the low price of $20, plus $5.00 for standard shipping (which for us ended up being UPS Ground and it shipped from Oregon so it only took a couple of days to get it, but your mileage may vary) and any applicable tax.

Yes, that’s a Wii Remote Plus AND a Nunchuk – a $60+ value – for about $27.00 shipped.

Now, we know what you’re saying: “But it’s refurbished, doesn’t that mean it has something wrong with it?” Actually refurbished electronics are great because not only are they cheaper, but because they likely did have something wrong with them at one point, they’ve been carefully inspected and repaired.

When buying refurbished, in most cases, you’re actually getting a product that was closely checked, cleaned and tested. This is unlike new items that are sent through a factory and aren’t usually handled by a real person, and unlike a used product that may or may not be defective.

Not only do these refurbished controllers come in like new condition (the one we bought looked brand new), but they come with a new Wii Remote jacket and a new wrist strap.

There are a couple caveats though. They can be hard to find (don’t worry, we’ve got you covered below) on the Nintendo website and (as of this writing) they only come in white, black or blue. If none of that bothers you, then this is an amazing deal that will help you go from single-player loneliness to party game central in no time.

Take a look at our handy guide to find out how to purchase these controllers and other great items directly from Nintendo.

 Step One:

Visit Nintendo’s official website at http://www.nintendo.com. You may have to select your region first, but once you see this screen, you can click “Support” in the top-right corner next to the search field.

Step Two:

Now, you’ll be on this screen. Click “Online Store” on the left-hand side of the screen.

Step Three:

Next, even though you are looking for controllers, you will NOT click accessories, instead click “Refurbished Systems”.

Step Four:

Now that you are on the Refurbished Systems page, you’ll click on the picture of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Step Five:

Now, just choose which color you want (white, black or blue) and click “Continue” to be taken to the checkout process. You can pay by MasterCard or Visa and there are several shipping options.

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