Wii-iiiiiiiiiiiii!

So, what did you get for Christmas? Believe it or not, I shared a gift with Cassidy - the Wii! Soon after it's launch, it was the top item on both of our Christmas lists. However, unless you were crazy/smart enough to camp out and get one on launch day, it was almost impossible to find one. Some stores would get a couple in, but you'd have to be there when the truck dropped it off to have a chance. Since I have to work for a living, the chances of driving around to stores waiting for deliveries - well, let's just say there had to be a better way. Enter the www....

I found a site that monitored several online stores for changes in the availability of the Wii. I checked that site probably 30 times a day and I bid on several Ebay auctions. I missed a couple of opportunities and then happened to catch one just at the right time. It felt like winning the lottery. Once it came in the mail, it was so hard not to open the box and try things out before Christmas. It was fun, though, pretending that it was impossible to get one, and seeing Cassidy's shocked face on Christmas morning when she opened the box.

The hype is all true. It's good - it's crazy good. The motion controllers truly change the way you play games, making it much more realistic and compelling. Even better, long play periods don't result in painful hands and thumbs. Cassidy and I love to play Zelda together - the new Twilight Princess for the Wii has not disappointed. The new controls make it so much easier to control and move through the game. The sports game(s) which come with the Wii are simple and yet captivating; everybody, including Staci who is not a video game player, have had a blast playing the games. Even Grant picked up the controllers and started playing Zelda - he figured out right away and had a blast getting Link on and off Epona, the horse.

Now, it's not perfect. I think it's definitely a 1st generation change in the way we'll play games in the near future. The graphics and sound are way behind what you'll get on an Xbox or PS3; the controllers will become even less tethered as time goes on; etc. This list of negative Wii items is one of the better I've seen.

Now, back to Zelda!