Now we’re not ones to examine the dentistry of gift-horses or anything, but does Nintendo’s latest freebie say more about the fear of litigation than it does corporate generosity?

We’re talking about the little silicon ‘jacket’ for the Wii Remote that Nintendo is effectively giving away (pictured). According to Nintendo’s own blurb this handy but rather ugly item:“...provides a cushioning effect if the Wii Remote accidentally strikes a person or object or is accidentally dropped or thrown.” Blimey, are people still having those kind of Remote-related mishaps?

The new jacket will be bundled with all new hardware systems and anywhere the official Remote is sold or packaged separately, such as Wii Play. Hardware boxes featuring the new jacket will hit retail in mid-October. Meantime existing Remote-wielders of the cack-handed variety can pick one up free of charge by visiting http://wiiportal.nintendo-europe.com/22690.html. Assuming they can get to the computer without tripping over their shoelaces, that is...