Technobabble

I want a Nintendo Wii!

Posted by on Dec 11, 2006 | One Comment

I want a Nintendo Wii!

I never thought I’d say this. I thought I was done with video game consoles. I thought I’d just grown up.

It wasn’t always this way, of course. We started out with the Atari 2600, many many moons ago. My wife and I spent more on Atari game cartridges than we did on furniture, back in the day.

When the family came along, we progressed through the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Xbox. (I think there was another console in there, but I can’t remember which one.) My wife, who once upon a time was addicted to Ms. Pac-Man burned out on video games long ago. And as the consoles became more and more powerful, I became less and less interested. Sure I love the cool graphics and great game play, but I just can’t sit and play for hours on end anymore.

Needless to say, we skipped the Xbox 360.

So when all the brouhaha started about the new PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii this fall, I sat back and yawned.

Big deal, I thought … new game consoles. We need to buy into the new technology and for what? Better graphics?

Where are the great games? What’s the compelling application?

After spending just an hour or two with the Nintendo Wii, I get it.

It’s all about getting up off the couch and interacting with the technology in a physical manner. I only had the chance to bowl a few games and box a single round, but I’m in love.

The premise behind the Nintendo Wii is genius, pure and simple.

The combination of physical movement and gaming technology needs to be hyper-charged. Dance Dance Revolution was just a start. Sure, it was fun stuff for folks who like dancing, but it’s a bit tiresome for more sedentary folks whose idea of fun is to get out and bowl or play golf or tennis.

The Wii gets people up and moving about, playing some of their favorite sports without leaving the house.

It’s just wicked cool.

The first thing that the aftermarket needs to fix is the flying controller problem.

I can’t wait for the controllers that will enable the greatest interactive soccer game of all time. I’m imagining two ankle bands and a head band … or basketball with two wrist bands … the possibilities are endless …
[tags]Nintendo Wii, Wii, soccer game[/tags]

  • Dude

    I can relate to what Dan Gray writes.

    I started with a Commodore 64, then Super Nintendo and a few other systems. But the last years I haven’t been into gaming or as interested in gaming as I used to be. I haven’t even been able to get my hands on a Nintendo Wii yet. But reading about Wii, hearing podcasts and watching video clips has got me more excited about gaming then I was a couple of years ago.

    So far the only Wii related I have is a silicon Wiimote shell and a couple of pending Wii orders.
    But this stronger interest in gaming has led me to the last 6-12 months or so, while waiting for a Revolution to become a Wii and then one that I don’t have to pay overprice or stand a week outside a store for. To look at eBay and other places for older good games that I have missed out on or that I tried and liked but never had myself.

    The 80′s and 90′s was good times for people who was really interested in computers, before computers became something even most people who don’t care about computers have. But I have a good feeling about 2007, I think it will be a good year, maybe even a great year, for old and new gamers alike.

    That is one of the things Nintendo has been trying to do as well. To bring everyone back to the starting line where everyone can enjoy it and have fun.
    Gaming no longer is only something for the ones who devoted much of their childhood to it. Gaming is becoming something for everyone.

    I’m ending this post with saying as Game Jew might,
    “Wii means everybody, a totality, a world of Wii”.

    The Dude