On joining the Wii-volution
So it had to happen...
On Sunday my recently-moved friends Steve and Christina had a housewarming-cum-birthday BBQ. Once sufficient food and drink had been consumed all attention was diverted to the Wii and the Wii-virgins amongst us had a chance to see what all the fuss is about.
Regular readers will probably note that I'm not the world's biggest gaming fan. My gaming life, which started with a ZX81, ended with the demise of the Amiga 500 and the rise of the internet. I've flirted with Civ II/IV and Championship Manager on the PC at times and I also joined the PSP-volution which is fun at times but basically my head seems a) incapable of storing the arcane combinations of button-presses and stick-waggles required for modern console operation and b) incapable of transferring anything I do remember to my fingers in the way necessary to make the things work. Thus, with lack of time to be bothered to learn being a factor, I have effectively been a non-gamer for most of the past 15 years.
Now, alas, that might have to change.
For those of you not in the Nintendo-know, the Wii is a console which is controlled with a wireless motion-sensing 'Wii Remote' which, rather than requiring the hand-eye coordination of a fighter pilot just to get past the welcome screen, allows you to operate the thing much more easily. For example, to play tennis you wave the thing around like a tennis racquet; for golf you point it to the floor like a golf club and swing - much more intuitive for a cack-handed fool like me. So THAT'S why it's outselling the X-BOX 360 2-to-1.
So yeah...one evening spent flailing around Steve's living room like a drowning badger and I felt compelled to go out on Monday and buy one. And it's brilliant. OK, so my back is SERIOUSLY pissed off with me for playing games which involve standing and my right arm feels like I've been doing a 24-hour charity wank-a-thon from all the aces I've been serving up in tennis but hey - it beats 'gamers thumb' any day. I've yet to try a conventional game - I have Mortal Combat: Armageddon standing by - so I don't know how far I can immerse myself in the secret society of gamers but for now the signs look promising...although my wallet may end taking a bit of a beating.
So right now I'm happy. Sore but happy. I finally have something to do in those boring hours between dinner and bed which doesn't feel like work.
Oh...and I went to Wrexham last night to see Villa win 5-0. Two wins in four days? What's the world coming to?
On Sunday my recently-moved friends Steve and Christina had a housewarming-cum-birthday BBQ. Once sufficient food and drink had been consumed all attention was diverted to the Wii and the Wii-virgins amongst us had a chance to see what all the fuss is about.
Regular readers will probably note that I'm not the world's biggest gaming fan. My gaming life, which started with a ZX81, ended with the demise of the Amiga 500 and the rise of the internet. I've flirted with Civ II/IV and Championship Manager on the PC at times and I also joined the PSP-volution which is fun at times but basically my head seems a) incapable of storing the arcane combinations of button-presses and stick-waggles required for modern console operation and b) incapable of transferring anything I do remember to my fingers in the way necessary to make the things work. Thus, with lack of time to be bothered to learn being a factor, I have effectively been a non-gamer for most of the past 15 years.
Now, alas, that might have to change.
For those of you not in the Nintendo-know, the Wii is a console which is controlled with a wireless motion-sensing 'Wii Remote' which, rather than requiring the hand-eye coordination of a fighter pilot just to get past the welcome screen, allows you to operate the thing much more easily. For example, to play tennis you wave the thing around like a tennis racquet; for golf you point it to the floor like a golf club and swing - much more intuitive for a cack-handed fool like me. So THAT'S why it's outselling the X-BOX 360 2-to-1.
So yeah...one evening spent flailing around Steve's living room like a drowning badger and I felt compelled to go out on Monday and buy one. And it's brilliant. OK, so my back is SERIOUSLY pissed off with me for playing games which involve standing and my right arm feels like I've been doing a 24-hour charity wank-a-thon from all the aces I've been serving up in tennis but hey - it beats 'gamers thumb' any day. I've yet to try a conventional game - I have Mortal Combat: Armageddon standing by - so I don't know how far I can immerse myself in the secret society of gamers but for now the signs look promising...although my wallet may end taking a bit of a beating.
So right now I'm happy. Sore but happy. I finally have something to do in those boring hours between dinner and bed which doesn't feel like work.
Oh...and I went to Wrexham last night to see Villa win 5-0. Two wins in four days? What's the world coming to?