It appears that Nintendo isn't the only one banking on New Super Mario Bros. Wii being a big hit this holiday season.

GoNintendo received a press release from third-party peripheral manufacturer PDP earlier today, showing off the above New Super Mario Bros. Wii-branded controller shells, along with some NERF sports shells and a Wii Energizer All-in-One Charger.

The product description reads as follows:

Super Mario Bros. Wii Classic Grip

What it is: The new Super Mario Bros. Classic Grip is a plastic, ergonomic grip that clips securely on top of a Wii remote. It features enlarged action buttons and an enlarged D-pad that are activated by pass-through mechanisms.

Consumer Benefit: The Wii Classic Grip provides a better ergonomic shape when the Wii remote is being used as a classic controller, and retains that "classic feel" that ties into the nostalgia of Super Mario Bros.

Cost: $9.99 MSRP

Of course, not unlike what they've done with Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box and other items, GameStop is charging more than the above-listed MSRP of $9.99.

As you can see in the image above, the shells are designed to come in colors representing Mario, Luigi, the blue Toad, the yellow Toad, and even Yoshi, in case there's a renegade in the group.

There has been a fair bit of discussion about the items on the NeoGAF forums, and one user created the following image to display how the Wii Remote fits inside the shell:



Personally speaking, I'm just a little uneasy with how the 1 and 2 buttons on the shell overlap with the corresponding buttons on the Wii Remote. It reminds me a lot of the early complaints about the PlayStation Portable's square button not functioning properly, as it didn't quite overlay flush with the sensor beneath.

On the other hand, I've never really had a problem with my PSP's square button, either, so that's probably a moot point. The only other thing is the diagonal orientation itself; I've always preferred the more natural setup used by the Super NES and the Nintendo 64, in which the buttons slant the opposite way.

Why they chose to abandon that, I may never know. But even so, that doesn't seem like a deal breaker; I've had plenty of time to adjust with the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Wii Classic Controller, and some DS titles.

After all that, though, the question remains: do I really need this? Probably not; I'm quite comfortable just using the Wii Remote a la carté. Nonetheless, I know there are plenty of people who aren't as comfortable with a bare Wii Remote-as-an-NES-controller style, and this will probably be a good item for them. Heck, it might even make some people give Wario Land: Shake It!! a second glance.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't like one, however.

What's your verdict, folks? Will anyone be getting one of these?