If a console has motion controls, you better believe some third party is going to take advantage of that and release accessories and peripherals that are designed to enhance the playing experience. Those who thought the 3DS was immune since it’s a handheld are wrong. Hori’s come through with what could end up being the first motion controller for the system, a steering wheel designed to work with Mario Kart 7.

Here’s how this ¥1,280 ($17) accessory works…

Title: Mario Kart WiiPrice: $49.99 (includes Wheel attachment also sold separately)System(s): WiiRelease Date: April 27, 2008Publisher (Developer): Nintendo (Nintendo)ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for comic mischief.Pros: Simple controls, cute WiiMote Wheel accessory and plenty of mutiplayer action. Additions (courses, bikes, tricks and powerups) are all very worthwhile.Cons: Internet play requires long waits and kart/driver inequalities are more obvious than ever.Overall Score: Two thumbs up; 90/100; A-; * * * * out of 5.

Mario Kart Wii has wisely neither reinvented the franchise nor strayed from its core fun and frivolous insanity. Instead, a layer of new features help update this just enough to make it enjoyable without feeling like an old rehash for a new console.

Click through for the full review…

Microsoft announced it will be issuing replacement parts for 230,000 steering wheel-style controllers after reports of the device smoking and overheating. The controller was intended to mimic the steering wheel of a racing car for several popular Xbox 360 racing games. Although, there are not any reports of the accessory starting a fire, the cause of the malfunction is the AC power supply which has the potential to leas to more serious injuries. Microsoft warns owners of the device to stop using the power supply and until further notice use batteries to power the controller.

This is not the first time Xbox has experienced issues with the console this year. Earlier, in July 2007, Microsoft had to…