Probably for good reason, since I obviously get over-worked when playing video games. But anyone who has completed every single thing in Soul Caliber 2 (including all extra missions in Weapon Master Mode) knows, fighting games can get pretty frustrating when the AI is giving you the beat down of your life and you have no way to defend yourself let alone fight back.

So that's where controllers get broken

I didn't think I was very rough with my poor wavebird. I did slam the controller, but it was on my couch, and the thing was still in my hands. That's nothing compared to the havoc wreaked on my favorite SNES controller (during Street Fighter 2 Turbo), which underwent the fate of being flung by the chord against my basement wall, which in turn caused it to be reduced to 100 little pieces.

My Wavebird, however, has not been reduced to a pile of assorted plastic. The power light even lights when the switch is flicked. There just seems to be no signal getting to the receiver (and yes, I made sure the two were set t the same channel). This made me attempt to open it to see if there was something fixable (not sure what I expected to do). However, Nintendo seems to want to keep you out of their controllers. The screws holding it together are not phillips head, not flat head, but some sort of three-pronged screw. The folks at the hardware store had no idea what tool could open it.

So that leaves me with two options:
1) someone here knows how to open this thing up
2) someone might know if I can send it to get repaired.

Frankly, the $35 controller is probably just on the edge of repair costs. It's expensive enough to want to repair, but I may spend just as much on it as buying a new controller.

If nothing else, let this be a lesson to all easily frustrated gamers out there: have a non-breakable item you can throw with you at all times

If it's what I'm thinking of, it's called a tri-wing screw:



You can find drivers for them at various places. I don't know where you might find one locally, but do an internet search for tri-wing screw and you should find something.

If it's the same tri blade screw that they've used on previous stuff then it's easy to find. Just get a set of "security" bits for your screwdriver.

when i was installing afterburners in gba's i took one into sears and tried all of their blade screwdrivers until i found one that worked. i cant recall the size, but im sure the gc has larger screws. a blade will work fine though, just make sure of fit.

I was able to open and successfully repair a regular Nintendo GameCube controller (not a wavebird, a wired unit).

Yes, the triangular screws were interesting. I was able to use (if I recall correctly) a flathead jeweler's screwdriver to unscrew the little bastards. It was just a question of being really careful with it and using the right size.

In my case, the problem was just a dirty potentiometer on one of the analog axes. Your problem might be more complicated, don't know.

How fast do you need it? I'm looking at three different sizes right now, and I have at least 4 more complete sets, so I could mail you one.

Hmmm, that doesn't look exactly like the screw heads I have. These are more centered than that picture.

I might try Tony's suggestion. I was just worried about stripping them.

And Lectric, that's very nice of you. If it is the kind that will fit my screws, I'd love to work something out. I'll PM you if that's the case. Thanks.

Does it look like any of these?

Just PM your address and I'll drop them in the post this afternoon. If you need them, great. If not, toss them. I think the less than a dollar shipping is not worth even thinking about re-imbursing.

I might try Tony's suggestion

Actually, customsex made the suggestion before I did.

I was just worried about stripping them.

In my case, the screwdriver would get damaged before the screw would. The jeweler's screwdrivers that I was using were pretty small and fragile.

I dunno what the screws are like on the WaveBird, but on the regular controller, they were easy enough to get in and out with the jeweler's blade that I didn't bother with finding different screws when the job was done. I just put the triangular screws right back in and made sure that they weren't super-tight.

In my case, the screwdriver would get damaged before the screw would.

here is what i bought (although, i just bought one. the size i needed)
strength is awesome. ive done so much with this and it has not damaged the tip yet. ive had it for about 2 years and use it all the time.
i highly reccomend these.

tman, it would be the security tri wing. at least, thats what it was on the gba's

Yeah. I knew it would be. Just trying to see if it was the type Bitt posted to which was a kind of 3 blade posidrive or the one I posted which was a 3 bladed phillips type screw head. They're both called Tri-Wing tho

ahh. yeah, your type, not bitts.

Yeah, Bitts bit bites.

Sorry, stuck in a training class and it is BORING and SLOW. Internet access on the training machines, though.

I don't see why they even bother with security/tamperproof screwheads. It's not even difficult to find the screwdriver bits that fit. It's just a annoying

Yeah, the "Security Tri-Wing" is the one on my controller. Lectric, is that the type of bit you have?

Yup, thats kinda what it looks like

It's basically the one in the picture that tman linked. At least, the bit would fit and most likely work with no problems.

Any good electronics supply place should have tri-wing bits. Digikey should have them as well if you want to mailorder it.

Yes, and I have three different sizes for you. Just let me know. In fact, I have multiples of all of them in that set.

Well, thanks to the kindness of Lectric, I was able to get my controller open. What I hadn't thought about was the fact that several of the screws are even located in un-tamperable locations (like the two that are set about 3/4" into the handles). I had to slowly work away the plastic with some regular screwdrivers to the point where I could fit the tri-wing bit inside.

So I opened it up and was disappointed. There are no parts that I can mess with that effect the transmitions (that I can tell).

So I put the controller back together and it magically fixed its self