Odds and Ends (Catarina Edition)

Allergy season is in full swing and I could not be any more miserable than I am. I have gone through several boxes of Kleenex in the last month alone. The Claritin, it does nothing! Fortunately, I have at least one thing to look forward to in the coming weeks. After being alerted by Joystiq's post on the subject, I got tickets for myself and my husband to see Video Games Live at the Kennedy Center. Unfortunately, Killa won't be able to join us due to a work obligation.

Because there wasn't enough fussin' and a-feudin' in the world already, Square Enix definitively confirmed Final Fantasy XIII as a PS3 exclusive (via IGN). Read through the comments at your own risk, if you feel you are prepared to witness the depth and breadth of fan's inhumanity to fan. I'm less interested in the news itself than in the reaction from soldiers on both sides of the console war.

In other news, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was the one-hundredth game offered on the Wii Virtual Console, debuting this week. I never beat Zelda II when I was playing it twenty years ago, because it was too difficult. However, in the age of the Internet (the GameFAQs age), anything is possible. Also new this week is one of my all-time favorite NES games, Milon's Secret Castle. If, like me, you have forgotten how to get the spring shoes, you should check out the awesome Milon's Secret Website.

Finally---I saved this for the end since it has embedded video, although it's probably the most interesting tidbit in this post---Bethesda Softworks has released a teaser trailer for Fallout 3. I'm looking forward to this game more, perhaps, than is appropriate considering I never played Fallout 1 or Fallout 2. And not simply because Liam Neeson is going to be providing some of the voice work. Enjoy!

Strife of the Party

No, not Cloud Strife. >.>

Before I begin, let me just say that I know not everyone likes Mario Party. A lot of people think it is a horrid, simple game for stupid little kids.

I recommend these people not Jump the Gun. It is a great game for kids. It is also a varied collection of fun minigames combined with a unique social board game. I like minigames, and I like board games. What's not to like? Oh yeah - the cutesy, family friendly presentation. Meh. Boo riding atop a ravenous Chain Chomp in order to mug Luigi is the epitome of G-rated cool.

The first Wii incarnation of the series, Mario Party 8, is Kart Wheeling its way to retail at the end of the month. Needless to say, Poptart, Keif, and I are Book Squirming with anticipation and have been gearing up for the new installment by playing the daylights out of the Gamecube iterations (4,5,6, and 7) to Rumble Ready ourselves.

Also during a recent move, the memory cards containing saves for the aforementioned installments were somewhat misplaced, so we've made it our mission to go through the various enumerations re-unlocking characters, minigames, and boards. It is an enjoyable, though sometimes tedious exercise, but we assuredly have had the Will Flower to persist.

I was psyced to finally get around to Mario Party 7, which was a game we initially dismissed soon after acquisition. As exuberant Button Mashers, we prefer the two-on-two party mode. Unfortunately, unlike the previous games, 7 forces your Dungeon Duo to move together around the board, which greatly limits the strategies inherent in occupying two spaces. This nerfing originally put us off 7, although I was quite enamored with it due to the addition of Birdo and Dry Bones as playable characters.

In every other game Mario was my avatar, as it was his party and there is an ongoing superstition that the bullshit randomness of Mario Party seems to favor the red plumber, seeing as it is his party after all. As bizarre as it may be, I vastly prefer the gender-bending, egg-spitting, bow-wearing Birdo in all his/her pinkness to the titular protagonist. In no small way is this due to Birdo's incredibly annoying taunt. Its likeness to someone beatboxing through a kazoo tends to put opponents on Full Tilt.

Much of 7's hidden content has to be unlocked through the Solo Cruise mode, a sort of one-on-one Smashdance against a CPU opponent wherein each board has a unique win condition. I found this to be a revelation and easily the most enjoyable aspect of the game, allowing for more intense and faster paced matches. Bowser's Enchanted Inferno and Pyramid Park are about a kerjillion¹³³⁷ times more fun in this mode than in Party Mode. (And I get to play as the Pink Wonder.)

In case you've been Fishing Upon a Star that your spirit guide to the Mushroom Kingdom will be an avatar in the upcoming Mario Party 8, a gander at Wikipedia's entry reveals some news; All twelve characters from 7 return plus (...Weight for it...) Hammer Bro. and Blooper (!!). The Capsule/Orb/Item system of the past seems to have evolved into a candy shop selling assorted confections that can transform your character, allowing them to navigate the board in new ways. And, in case you were wondering, apparently the board play is controlled with the Wiimote in the sideways NES orientation.

Additionally, Treasure Trawling the Wiki article reveals that the new boards include: DK's Treetop Temple (most likely having a stationary Star space), Goomba's Booty Boardwalk (Akin to Koopa's Seaside Soiree from MP4 supposedly), Koopa's Tycoon Town (Allegedly an interpretation of classic Monopoly), Shy Guy's Perplex Express (Revolving around a train motif, I guess), King Boo's Haunted Hideaway (With a haunted house theme), and the unlockable Bowser's Warped Orbit (Possibly a Star-stealing board a la Snowflake Lake, the Snow Whirled from MP6). 65 new minigames in all and some not-so-mini games like Table Menace, a ping-pong diversion. Apparently, as seen in a one Freeze Frame, Miis may show up in the background of some of the minigames, too.

As long as Birdo's there, I'm in.

Later Skaters. Piece Out.

Region of Gloom

Yes, the PS3 is a tempting piece of hardware, I'll give it that. I very much would like to go buy one, and pick up F.E.A.R., and then Heavenly Sword (whenever the hell that drops). Then come this Winter, I foresee marathon sessions of MGS4 Online isolating me from my typical human interaction. It could also play all the PS2 games that Keif's renegade unit won't play. I could even pick up Planet Earth on Blu Ray.

But I still won't be able to play the new Guilty Gear XX Accent Core on it.

The PS3 may not be subject to the last-gen drudgery of region encoding for its current media, but archaic PS2 DVD-Roms are still enslaved by the outmoded regulations of those technocrats who can't face the terrifying future of imminent glocalization. It seems the true complement to the Playstaion 3 may be the modded Playstation 2. With a little overseas transaction, a dash of Swap Magic, and the equitable procurement of Catarina's dusty PS2, I could make Force Breaking with Order Sol a reality.

But wait, the plot thickens. When a posting for Accent Core for Wii (!) first surfaced, speculation flared, but nothing reassuring could be trawled up from the depths of the inter-Zeinest. That is to say until this late-breaking blurb from a usually reliable source. Is this for real for real? Will it use the Classic Controller? How could it possibly not? Accent Core, really? So many questions, but why dizzy myself with this swarm of guesses? What are the odds of the Wii version even being localized, when the last two PS2 entries were not? Who am I kidding?

Likewise, I don't even have a Wii, only the generous use of Legoman's. In all likelihood, I may go ahead with my [Import + Modding = Crazy Propitious] plan at the end of May, and hope that a timely North American release of Accent Core doesn't come down the retail warp tube any time soon, much as Catarina fears a PSP redesign hot on the heels of her sprint shoes impending purchase.

On the plus side, having the Japanese version would be hardcore 1337 to the limit extreme. The next logical step I suppose would then be to summon all my translation bravery for an attempt at Namco x Capcom, the JPN-onry SRPG crossover I've coveted for the longest time. It just seems a shame that the upcoming game in which I am most vested, once again, is for the cheapest, oldest, and weakest console on the market.

Fallen by the Wii-Side

It's been a long time since I made a pun on the name of the Wii. Too long.

My poor Wii has been sitting unplayed and unloved in my entertainment center for the last few weeks. Ever since finishing up Twilight Princess in February I've been focused on Dragon Quest VIII and FFXII (both on PS2). There's still a bit of a PS2 backlog to work through, including Rogue Galaxy, Okami, and ICO, among others; and my GCN backlog is growing by leaps and bounds.

I've been snapping up "classic" used GameCube titles from Gamespot.com to catch up on some of the franchises I missed out on while my GameCube was broken (for a good bit of the last generation). I remember I was playing Animal Crossing, and after that everything is a blur. . . . It is entirely possible that I failed to pull up a weed in my flowerbed, or neglected to say hello to the mailman, or missed a performance by K. K. Slider, or something, and the cute animal denizens of my town may have revolted, sabotaging my 'Cube from the inside.

That seems like the most likely explanation.

Anyway, my point is that I've been neglecting my Wii ever since finishing Twilight Princess. We played some WarioWare here and there, but that isn't the type of game I would sit down and play by myself for any extended period of time. There haven't been any great new titles lately that have really caught my interest, but there are some interesting titles coming down the pipe in the next few months that I'm looking forward to; chief among them is Super Paper Mario.

Due out on April 9, Super Paper Mario is both a member of the Mario RPG series and a classic platformer with a twist. While maneuvering through the gameworld from left to right per the old-school Super Mario Brothers games, Mario will sometimes encounter impassible obstacles such as gaping chasms, steep mountains, or high pipes. Not to worry---with a special move (in this case, a spacial move?) Mario can turn the whole game world on its axis, revealing a three-dimensional environment. Take, for example, a pipe that is too high to jump over. By turning the world sideways for a three-dimensional perspective, Mario can easily run around the front or back of the pipe; when the world returns to its flat perspective, he will be on the other side. See the composite to the right (which I made from two screenshots borrowed from IGN.com), which shows two different views of the same screen---one in standard, side-scrolling mode (top) and one in 3D view (bottom).

I'm looking forward to this title in a big way. It's not Super Mario Galaxy, but it will tide us over for awhile.

A Narrow Fellow in the Grass

As long as we're on the topic of Solid Snake. I have to say, I couldn't be happier that there's a new Smash Brothers game coming out. Nothing makes me happier than playing Super Smash Brothers, for hours, with three other players, no teams, every man for himself. I don't think there's ever been a single game that has provided me with as many hours of enjoyment (and that includes Disgaea and FFVII). Seriously, I could not be happier about the new addition to the Super Smash Brothers family.

Actually, there's one way I could be happier.

Let's look at it logically. All of the loveable characters in Super Smash Brothers franchise have been first party Nintendo properties. Each made their first appearance on a Nintendo console with the exception of the Ice Climbers---who first appeared in one of NintendWo's VS. series arcade games---and Mr. Game and Watch---who first appeared in Nintendo's early hand-held. Next, all of the characters hail from games with a sci/fi or fantasy bent. None of them comes from games that involve blood, murder, or realistic violence against humans.

I think you can see what I'm getting at.

There were so many better choices for a third-party inclusion in this, the best of all possible game series. Solid Snake is a bad fit on all accounts. He is not owned by Nintendo. He did not originate on a Nintendo console (his first game was a MSX2 title, later ported to the NES). The game he comes from is full of realistic violence. And, moreover, the aerobatic tricks and feats that are the hallmark of the SSB series---jumping and flying around the screen, sending opponents soaring through the air with attacks, etc.---are completely antithetical to the hyperrealistic environment of the Metal Gear series.

To wit: Will he come equipped with the dirty magazine item for distracting the other fighters? Will Princess Peach and Princess Zelda be immune to its paralyzing effects? What about Ness? He's just a kid---that sort of thing is completely inappropriate for someone his age. Maybe the dirty magazine item could be unusable while Ness is in play. And would its distracting effect work on the Pokémon characters? If an Ekans or an Arbok pops out of a Pokéball, will Snake be able to eat it on screen for sustensance?

If Konami really felt strongly about including one of their franchise characters in a Super Smash Brothers game, I think that Simon Belmont from the Castlevania series would have been a better choice. The whip mechanic is already there (Zero-Suit Samus); Simon's classic throwing daggers could easily be adapted from existing projectile mechanics (Zelda/Sheik); and moreover, the fantasy-style violence of the Castlevania series is on a par with that of the Legend of Zelda series.

Konami aside, there is a myriad of more appropriate characters that could have been included. What about Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, or Ryu Hayabusa (from the Ninja Gaiden series)? Mega Man would be one of the easiest to include---a passable Mega Man could be created as a clone of Samus Aran. The mechanics are already in place to include a robot, a ninja, and a roly-poly, cartoony animal.

Maybe that's why someone like Snake---someone entirely new and different---was desired. Or maybe it's because Solid Snake appeals to a different crowd---a crowd that might be persuaded to give SSBB a try if they see that it has a more grown-up selection of characters. In any case, I think it's a bad choice for the game, although it's probably a good choice for the bottom line. I'm thinking of declaring a preemptive house moritorium on playing as Snake; I just keep imagining my choice character jumping around the screen, looking for someone to smash, finding nothing but cardboard boxes arrayed on the ground. The future seems bleak indeed.

Dying for a Wii

Just read an interesting report out of Sacramento on MSNBC. Unfortunately a wife and mother of three competed in radio station KNDN's contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" which entailed massive water consumption followed by competitive bladder control, all for the hottest console around, the Nintendo Wii.

Tragically, the contestant, Jennifer Strange, 28, died after the event from what a coroner described as "water intoxication." Man, the things people will do for a Wii... I told everybody to preorder. But as usual, no one listened to me. As a sidenote, the contest's winner, pictured at right, had no comment.

Hard Wired

My husband and I had been awaiting this day eagerly for quite some time. After weeks of joyous anticipation, the blessed event finally arrived. Our MadCatz Wii component cable was successfully delivered to our doorstep.

I've been trying to get this cable since even before I got the Wii---since 11:56 P.M. on November 18th, to be exact. As I waited patiently at the front of the EB Games line with my Wii, my Twilight Princess, and my extra Wiimote and nunchuck for the clock to tick over to the 19th so that I could finally take the long-awaited items home with me, the clerk asked me if I'd like to add anything to my purchase. In addition to a copy of Marvel Ultimate Alliance, I asked for the component cables, but I was informed they wouldn't arrive until December. No problem. I decided to pick them up at Best Buy the following day after work. Best Buy turned out to be sold out, as were the Nintendo World store and all the other online outlets for such items. For several weeks, I searched high and low for an extra Wiimote for Killa and the component cables. Eventually Killa got his controller, but the cables remained elusive. I finally got a tip that the MadCatz online store had stocked the cable, and I was finally able to order the coveted connector.

Unfortunately, the joyful event immediately unfolded into a complete reworking of our entire entertainment setup. When we purchased our television, we did so with conviction after determining that the set had not one but two HDMI inputs, in a primitive time when most televisions had only one. We were looking ahead toward that beautiful day in which we would have both an HD cable box and a PS3, each in need of, each indeed deserving, its own HDMI input.

Surely, this was the television of the future.

In fact, it is so futuristic that it has no need of primitive component inputs. Surely, one component input would be enough in this great future---in this, the best of all possible worlds. And it was, when the only component connection was from the DVD player to the television. But now the Wii, too, was demanding its turn to bask in the warm glow of the component connection.

In the end, we relegated our DVD player to composite with a whispered promise to upgrade to S-Video in the near future. Unfortunately, our surround sound is also driven through the DVD player, and the MadCatz cable doesn't have enough slack to connect the two audio connectors more than 2 to 3 inches away from the three video connectors. This was eventually circumvented by some arcane process---one involving a completely separate cable that Hubby produced from the ether of our storage closet---that I don't fully understand. All in a day's work for an engineering whiz like my husband.

Gaming Resolutions 2007: Killa Edition

There is, of course, some overlap betwixt our lists, but please enjoy my current agenda of games. This sort of hindsight/foresight foray makes me feel somewhat like the Roman god of doorways, the two-faced Janus. Although, people today may be more familiar with his more recent incarnation, Phanto the two-tone mask from Super Mario Brothers 2. Regardless, you get the point.

Sidenote: This kind of makes me nostalgic for the reoccuring On the Horizon segment from the old blog.

Currently playing, need to finish

• Prince of Persia: Revelations (PSP)
• Final Fantasy XII (PS2) (With Catarina)
• Metal Gear Ghost Babel (GBC*)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance (Wii) (With the J-Team)
• Ico (PS2)

Purchased, but not yet played

• Metal Gear Solid Porable Ops (PSP)
• Namco Museum Battle Collection (PSP) (A gift)
• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (PS2) (Street Fighter Anniversary Collection)

Say Arr! to Piracy

• Snatcher (SegaCD*)
• Samurai Showdown Zero Special (NeoGeo*)

Want to play through again this year

• Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
• Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 (PS2)

Still need to buy

• Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus (PS2)
• Playstation 3 console
• Ridge Racer 7 (PS3)
• Mega Man ZX (DS)
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)

Forthcoming titles of interest for 2007

• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patiots (PS3)
• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
• Heavenly Sword (PS3)
• Tekken 6 (PS3)
• White Knight Story (PS3)
• Assassin's Creed (PS3)
• Devil May Cry 4 (PS3)
• flOw (PS3)
• Prince of Persia: Rival Swords (PSP)
• Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
• Smash Brothers Brawl (Wii)

*Arr!

Gaming Resolutions 2007: Catarina Edition

The year 2006 had some amazing highlights with the releases of the Wii, the PS3, and the DS Lite on the hardware horizon; some awesome new installments from beloved franchises like Final Fantasy XII and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess; and some surprise hit titles like Okami and Bully.

The upcoming 2007 promises to be equally amazing with new titles dropping all the time for the infant PS3 and Wii, and more major titles coming to the DS. Catarina's household proudly added a Wii and a DS Lite (hubby's) in Q4/2006, and we plan to usher in a PS3 in the coming months (and a second DS Lite---pink---for my own personal use). To keep organized and make sure nothing important gets overlooked, herewith my gaming resolutions for 2007:

Currently playing, need to finish

• Disgaea II: Cursed Memories (PS2)
• Final Fantasy XII (PS2) (With Killa)
• Legend of Zelda: Twlight Princess (Wii)
• Okami (PS2)

Purchased, but not yet played

• Dragon Quest VIII (PS2) (An X-Mas gift from Killa!)
• ICO (PS2)
• Katamari Damacy (PS2)
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Wii)

Want to play through again this year

• Final Fantasy VI (Originally SNES; rereleased for PS1)
• Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
• Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)
• Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) (Time Attack Mode)
  

Still need to buy

• Final Fantasy IV Advance (GBA)
• Playstation 3 console
• Vagrant Story (PS1) (We consider this part of the "Ivalice Alliance")

Forthcoming titles of interest for 2007

• Assassin's Creed (PS3)
• Dragon Quest IX (DS)
• Dragon Quest Swords (Wii)
• Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS)
• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
• Heavenly Sword (PS3)
• Lair (PS3)
• Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma (PS3)
• Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
• Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Wii)
• Tekken 6 (PS3)
• Virtua Fighter 5 (PS3)
• White Knight Story (PS3) (Working title)

Scarcitii

As it was alluded to in the last mobile posting, I have not yet secured myself a Wiimote nor a nunchuk attachment. Poptart was kind enough to give me a black and gray texturized cover, but for now it merely is something for me to wave as proof of my alleged commitment to the console. Hopefully soon I can join the eliit club of owners, but for now I will bide my time and try to wait patiently for the next shipment.

Bad for me, but hella good sign for Nintendo. I don't have any official numbers, but their hardware attach rate, which for typical launches isn't the hot topic, must be through the roof. In the case of my cadre and I, we're chomping at the bit to tear into Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Retail price of the game aside, the Wii goes for the reasonable $250. Add to the that the cost of three more 'motes and three 'chuks. [sounds of numbers crunching] $420. And that's before a classic controller, and some Wii points... Well what do you know? Looks like Mario is starting to pull in plumber money.

Twilight Princess: First Impressions

(Or, Here There Be Spoilers)

I think when people complain about the graphics of Twilight Princess, their disappointment stems from the fact that it looks like a Gamecube title, when people were expecting something a little more "next gen." However, the fact remains that TP is a GCN title---so it should come as no surprise that it looks like one. The lighting engine may have been upgraded a little bit (the water graphics, as Killa mentioned, are very nicely done), but this is essentially a GCN title that has been modified slightly for the Wii. Moreover, the modifications are primarily to do with the control scheme, not so much with the graphics (although 16 x 9 aspect ratio has been implemented for the Wii, and the maps have all been mirrored so that Link could use his right hand).

I have to disagree with Killa about the gameplay. Complicated button-pushing methodology is not second nature to me. E.g., when I played Vice City, my Tommy Vercetti walked to get where he was going---because it was just easier and less cause for anxiety than stealing a car ("Mmm, two stars; better turn myself in!"). I'm terrible at remembering sequences of buttons, especially when I perceive my character to be in danger. For me, being able to wildly shake both my Wiimote and nunchuck to attack makes perfect sense---it's the gesture I naturally make when I'm alarmed by something on the screen. I've discovered that if you target with Z and just shake your Wiimote in the general direction of the baddies, Link will handle the rest.

I mentioned above that the maps have been mirrored for the Wii version of LoZ:TP. As a Zelda purist, this is my biggest gripe so far with the game (admittedly, not a very significant gripe). Link has traditionally been a left-handed character, and so he was designed for the GCN TP as well. Early test groups, however, thought it was perplexing to swing the Wiimote with their right hand and cause Link to swing with his left hand, so, for the Wii version of TP, everything got mirrored so that Link would be right handed. I found this a little silly and unfair for those of us who are left handed---if it was so upsetting for right-handed people to play as a left-handed character, shouldn't there be an option to play either a left- or a right-handed Link so that lefties won't have to suffer?

One thing I can say with a certainty is that I like Midna. Killa had to leave before we encountered her so he has yet to experience the pure, unadultered joy that comes from this impish little creature. When she has something to tell you, she emits one little snicker from the speaker in your Wiimote and then she shuts up and waits for you to ask for her help. I think we will all agree that when you're trying to do something, that's much more agreeable than the alternative.

"HEY! LISTEN! HEY! LISTEN! HEY! LISTEN! HEY! LISTEN! HEY! HEY! HEY! There's a puddle here. LISTEN!!!"

Here Wii Go

Until Nintendo's Wii was born, I had never lost a fist fight to a girl. And now, my perfect record... is ruined.

It seems that Poptart's female intuition (+1 to INT, if I recall Sex Ed correctly) instilled within her the instinct to rise from a second knockdown in Wii Sports Boxing. In the several preceding rounds, such a "third wind" was unheard of. Needless to say, I was still engaged in my full body rotation dance of celebration when she finished me off with a quick one-two to my Mii's melon. It goes without saying that this has shifted the balance of power in our relationship. I see a great many backrubs in my near future.

I should say, that as close as my Mii is in appearance, it will take a few more generations of LCD technology before the true paleness of my complexion can be honestly conveyed. It may require radium to be embedded in the liquid crystals, I'm not sure. (Because, you know, nice TVs don't cost enough yet.)

With my prodding (read: fake crying), I was allowed to pop Twilight Princess's cherry. As one might expect, this requires a thrusting motion with the Wiimote. But since I was hanging out over at Cat's anyways, we delved into the beginning of LotZ:TP btw fyi ymmv. I will mention a few of my first impressions, as I didn't really sink my teeth into any labyrinthine sustenance to really guage TP's rank in the Zelda hierarchy.

First, graphically speaking, the game looks damn good. Just like I would expect a Cube version of Ocarina of Time to look like. Don't get me wrong, I liked the appearance of Wind Waker (yeah, swirling black smoke), but it was not in the same semi-realistic vein as Ocarina. A nice looking Cube game unfortunately draws some pretty steep competition, notably Resident Evil 4. I think Capcom 'broke the mold' on that one, but unsurmountable competition aside, TP looks very nice. Gorgeous water effects, for the wow.

Secondly, the controls are not that intuitive. They will take some getting used to. This isn't Wii Sports Baseball, okay? This is, after all, the Legend of Zelda. It was helpful that I recalled the traditional Deku Baba slaying method (Dodge its strike, jump attack, horizontal slash), but when I was swarmed with a number of enemies, it became a little disorienting to maneuver and attack. Often the safest bet was, when in doubt, to shake your nunchuk like a British nanny (i.e. use the spin attack). I'm sure by the time the Forest Temple boss is encountered, such rudimentary techniques will be second nature, but be forewarned, initially, you'll think that it would have been simpler on your old Wavebird.

I don't mean to be discouraging, of course. There is no way one can ignore that Twilight Princess will be legendary.

Interviewee: Nintendo Wii

(Or, Like Thor to a Flame)

At 12:01 A.M., husband and I became the proud owners of a spanking new Nintendo Wii. We got Wii Sports with the console and picked up Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess besides. Unfortunately, we weren't able to pick up a third Wiimote and nunchuck combo for Killa, who was working and couldn't join us for the midnight launch, as all the controller accessories were presold.

It is amazing how much fun we had with the Wii before we ever stuck a disc in it: Boot up and configure system; Make Mii; Make husband's Mii; Make an Angelina Jolie Mii, in case she wants to come over and play with our Wii; Download original Legend of Zelda from the Virtual Console; Six hours and four labyrinths later, finally try out Wii Sports.

Ultimate Alliance is good so far, but I've discovered that you can take Wii toolboxery to a whole new level by smashing the A button to attack instead of using the gesture controls that are the very birthright of the Wii. No amount of gesturing nor A-button-smashing, however, seems able to prevent Thor from stumbling into every apparent pile of burning rubbish we pass by. If there is a fire in Marvel Ultimate Alliance, it is a safe bet that Thor is going to walk into it and die. Swap him out for the Human Torch at your earliest convenience.

We have yet to deflower Twilight Princess, which is still in its cellophane wrapper, pristine, propped up on the dining room table so we can look at it while we eat. We aren't yet ready to end the admiration process and move to the next phase (i.e., actually playing the game).