I got a Wii console for my 40th birthday – because though I may be 40, inside I am 12. Â I generally use it to work out (EA Sports Fitness – though occasionally glitchy – is surprisingly intense), though I did get sucked into “World of Goo” on a friend’s recommendation. Â Other than that, we only have the sports game that came with the console. Â We had a party recently for my school colleagues, and the Wii was the hit of the party. Â There is something about the game that seems to bring out the positive, encouraging side of people. Â Miss a hit in baseball? Â Nobody jeers. Â Instead, cries of “You wuz ROBBED!” ring out, even from the opposing side.
As someone who really hates what my mother calls the “nyah nyahs,” I have been surprised to witness this sort of behavior. Â Life has taught me more often that games where there are winners and losers are just… well, nasty.
Even John, who doesn’t really like video games, likes to play Wii. Â Well, he likes to play Wii Bowling. Â Since we are both New England kids, I usually respond to his, “Wanna bowl?” with, “Yeah – ya gonna take me bowlin’ an’ buy me a beah?” Â We’re pretty well matched and the usual score is close. Â But I found out today that John, well… he’s a magical Wii bowler. Â He ran upstairs to do something when I was playing my turn, and his turn came before he had returned. Â Suddenly, his figure went live, and I watched his Mii bowl a perfect strike. Â Moments later, he ran downstairs and said, “How’d I do?” Â He had brought his controller upstairs with him and heard it “ding.” Â So he played his turn blind. Â From upstairs.
Magic, I tell you.
(He smoked me that game by over 30 points.)