As anyone who’s been watching coverage of the show can tell you, CES is a great time for companies to show off some of their upcoming products, no matter how extravagant (read: 150 inch Plasma TVs) or ludicrous (read: an arsenal of Nintendo Wii gun shells) they may seem. However, amid all the excess and bright, flashing lights, a few diamonds in the rough still emerge, and Nyko’s upcoming Wireless Nunchuk for Wii may just be one of them.

While we’re not sure CNET is the best judge available for this kind of thing (that’d be us, of course), Nyko today announced that its Wireless Nunchuk has won the Best of CES award in the gaming category. Of course, even if you do trust CNET, it should be noted that Nyko’s record in this area isn’t exactly spotless either (reports about their rechargeable Wii Remote batteries and docking station continue to pour in). However, since – if it works – a wireless Nunchuk would be a boon to gamers looking to really stretch out, we look forward to being proven wrong. In the meantime, for more information on Nyko’s Wireless Nunchuk for Wii, and its CNET award, be sure to check out the official press release below:

Las Vegas - January 10, 2008 - Nyko Technologies® announced today that its Wireless Nunchuck for Wii received a "Best of CES" award from the editors at CNET (www.cnet.com). The winners of the "Best of CES" awards were announced Wednesday, January 9 at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

"The nomination for CNET's 'Best of CES' award was an honor in itself, but taking home the award for the gaming category is an even greater privilege," said Chris Arbogast, Director of Marketing at Nyko Technologies. "Winning this prestigious award showcases how highly consumers and the tech community think of Nyko's commitment to advancing gameplay technologies."

"Chosen from hundreds of products at CES, Nyko's Wireless Nunchuck for Wii demonstrates the creativity, excellence and vision that sets the standard in gaming," said Jai Singh, editor-in-chief of CNET and senior vice president for Content Development. "The 'Best of CES' awards brings together the top consumer electronics that will impact the coming year for consumer electronics."

Selected by CNET's unbiased and expert editors, winners are recognized as the hottest products in their respective technology categories for unmatched innovation, creativity and ability to excite consumers while helping them explore the digital world. CNET's editors not only received and reviewed hundreds of entries, but also scoured the CES show floor for products to consider for the prestigious award.

The ten categories included digital photo and video, car tech and GPS, cell phones and smart phones, computers and hardware, emerging technologies, gaming, home audio, home video, MP3 and portable video players, and televisions. A video of the winners and finalists showcasing their technologies can be found at http://www.cnet.com/ces.

Using a dongle that attaches to the bottom of the Wii Remote, the Wireless Nunchuck features full accelerometer support for motion-based gameplay and is compatible with all games that require the Nunchuck controller attachment. The Nunchuck's ergonomic design is perfect for both left and right-handed players. Two AAA Batteries (included) provide up to 30 hours of gameplay. The Wireless Nunchuck for Wii will be available in the first quarter of 2008.