A Wrinkle in the War on Video Games

I wonder what Joe Lieberman thinks about this?

Flora Dierbach, 72, chairs the entertainment committee at a sister facility owned by Erickson Retirement Communities in Chicago and helped arrange a Wii bowling tournament -- the latest Wii craze.

"It's a very social thing and it's good exercise … and you don't have to throw a 16-pound (7.25-kg) bowling ball to get results," said Dierbach, who added the competition had people who hardly knew each other cheering and hugging in the span of a few hours.

"We just had a ball with it. You think it's your grandkids' game and it's not," she said, noting that Erickson paid for the Wiis in its facilities.

Click through for people who were in their 40s when Pong debuted getting their kicks with the new Nintendo console. Perhaps this doesn't do much for the case of RockStar Games, as Nintendo's always been the most family friendly of the game companies (remember when they edited out the red in Mortal Kombat to make blood look like, at best, sweat and, at worst, something else?), but it's nicely cliche-busting.

Dig into Reason's video game reporting here.

(Via Goat World.)

Comments

[Guy Montag]

Perhaps this doesn't do much for the case of RockStar Games

Won't it be nice if more publications come to the defense of my favorite game company like Reason has?

[Mr. Nice Guy]

It's dangerous enough with these geezers on the road. Now we're going to have them throwing around Wii controllers. Somebody's going to lose an eye.

And anybody heard of that stupid "Wee for a Wii" fiasco? With the geriatics involved, I guess this would become more commonplace. Depends.

[Guy Montag]

I wonder if a Segway can be rigged for remote Wii control? As a surprise would be even better.

[Grotius]

Click through for people who were in their 40s when Pong debuted getting their kicks with the new Nintendo console.

Did you see the documentary on the history of video games? Apparently some of the patrons at the bar where Pong first debuted assumed that the game was being broadcast from a remote location. Not a bad assumption given the general experience of the population at the time.

[highnumber]

remember when they edited out the red in Mortal Kombat to make blood look like, at best, sweat and, at worst, something else?

No, not all. Does anyone have a screen shot?

[Les]

Though I've loved video games (just the good ones, of course), I only ever played them on the PC, until we got a Wii. My wife never liked video games, and now she can't get enough of The Legend of Zelda, screaming as she slashes with the remote at giant spiders and other creatures. Our seven year old son helps us with the harder puzzles in that game. It's absolutely wonderful.

[Sam McManus]

There are a couple of bad things about the console (sometimes the controls are a little wonky), but on the whole I'm ridiculously pleased with it. I'm absolutely convinced 1:1 movement is the next step in gaming, both because it's the next step in immersing you in a game environment and opens up possibilities. Casting in a fishing game suddenly isn't as simple as aiming with an analog stick and pressing B, you would actually have to cast it. Same principle with throwing a football, bowling, swinging a lightsaber, or boxing. Interesting times we live in.

[Rommel]

I think it's an absolute outrage! First, the video games industry targets the most vulnerable members of our society -- the children. Now that they've devastated that demographic and can find no new money to suck away from the children, they go after the elderly.

These people are old and feeble, now Nintendo is making them engage in dangerous physical activity for no gain! Additionally, this experience has the very real risk of damaging the self esteem of America's grandmas and grandpas by vividly reminding them of the joys of an active life. An active life that they can no longer live!

Please for America's children and their grandparents, pass a law now to stop this madness.

That's one way Lieberman could respond.

[Chance Dale]

Ask and ye shall receive:

Grey MK blood

Not the best quality, but the best I could get on such short notice.

Oh, and Guy--is that you listed on GTA: San Andreas as a pedestrian voice? (Scroll down to the bottom) Man, that is one of my favorite games of all time!

[Chance Dale]

Err, I mean radio call in voice--whatever...

[BladeDoc]

I think the story was a plant by Bill Gates to make the Wii the least cool game console EVER and gain market share.

[Dave]

BladeDoc,

You beat me to it. This kind of publicity is a Faustian Bargain for Nintendo. Do you really want to build a reputation as "your grandma's game console"?

[Dave]

"Nintendo" is the Japanese word for Buick.

[LarryA]

Do you really want to build a reputation as "your grandma's game console"?

AARP is a hell of a niche market.

[Guy Montag]

Oh, and Guy--is that you listed on GTA: San Andreas as a [radio caller] voice? (Scroll down to the bottom) Man, that is one of my favorite games of all time!

Yes, it certainly is 🙂

Heard from someone the other day that my name and handle are mentioned in the game instructions now too.

BTW, I have never played it (not into games) and my complimentry copy is still in the shrinkwrap.

[R C Dean]

I'm absolutely convinced 1:1 movement is the next step in gaming

I'm going to need a lot bigger living room, then.

[Rhywun]

I like the Wii but it needs more (and better) games, stat. Something other than movie tie-ins, please.

And by the way, Nintendo has a few violent, bloody games. Like Resident Evil 4. They're not just for kids anymore.

[armleg]

Nintendo will have the most violent game of all when Manhunt 2 is released for the Wii. The fallout from GTA: San Andreas will look like the new Super mario game after the pols get wind of this.
The only thing I can think of that would raise more of a fuss is if they make the next Hitman game for the Wii, and that is only because of the title.