Behold, the just announced Classic Controller Pro for the Nintendo Wii entertainment console, which will be bundled with upcoming Capcom release, Monster Hunter Tri. Complete with eight buttons, contoured grips, and dual analog sticks, this spiffy new upgrade of the plain ol' Classic Controller can be yours this spring. Whether or not you choose to buy it in a bundle with Monster Hunter Tri, or you just want the controller, you'd better act fast. If there's one thing I've learned about the Wii, it's that anything remotely worthwhile sells out almost instantly.

I don't know about you, but with all these black peripherals coming out, you would think Nintendo would be thinking about releasing that black Wii console the Eastern markets have gotten in America. It sure would look a lot nicer on my entertainment unit. Though I will say that just by itself, this new Classic Pro looks pretty damn smexy. It's just a shame that you still have to plug it into the regular Wii controller to make it wireless. Like, how hard could it have been for this Pro model to get wireless support? WIth the old, skinny model, I understood. This one though? There's no excuse Nintendo could give me that would be acceptable.

Those of you enamored with the Monster Hunter franchise, or the prospects of a new Classic controller, can check out the full press release below.

Capcom® Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, and Nintendo of America today announced an exciting new bundle featuring one of the most highly anticipated titles for 2010, Monster Hunter® Tri, and combining it with the new Classic Controller Pro™ for the Wii™ system. The Classic Controller Pro’s more traditional control configuration will give gamers the ultimate Monster Hunting experience when the bundle becomes available in North America this April at a suggested retail price of $59.99.

“Monster Hunter Tri has made a huge splash in the Japanese market, and we’re confident the bundle with the Classic Controller Pro will give fans in North America plenty to get excited about,” said Steve Singer, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Licensing. “Gamers of all kinds enjoy playing games on Wii. Monster Hunter Tri delivers an incredible new experience on Wii, while the Classic Controller Pro gives players even more control options for their favorite Wii games.”

The new Classic Controller Pro includes a second row of shoulder buttons and ergonomically friendly grips. The Classic Controller Pro plugs directly into the Wii Remote™ controller, and until now, has been available only in the Japanese market.

The Classic Controller Pro will be compatible with more than 450 Wii, WiiWare™ and Virtual Console™ games. The Classic Controller Pro bundled with Monster Hunter Tri will be black, while both black and white versions of the controller will also be available separately at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The game will also be available without a controller at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Making its North American debut on Wii this spring, Monster Hunter Tri is one of the most strikingly beautiful titles developed for Nintendo’s Wii system. Pushing the hardware to the limit, Monster Hunter Tri depicts a living, breathing ecosystem where humans co-exist with majestic monsters that roam both dry land and brand new sub-aqua environments – a first for the series. Offering the player varied control configurations to suit their style of play, players can choose between the Classic Controller Pro, Wii Remote™ and Nunchuck™, or Classic Controller™ to slay the monsters that inhabit the world.

The Monster Hunter series has sold over 11 million units worldwide and has become a social phenomenon in Japan giving rise to training camps, dedicated festivals and numerous licensed products. According to Media Create, Monster Hunter Tri sold 520,000 units in its first week of release in Japan and became the leading title sold across all platforms for the week of its release.