ANNARCHY - Latest Comments in Wii Are Family

Re: Wii Are Family

NCAA 11 Rosters — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:25:58 -0000

Nice! Tennis is a also good game but I'm really into NCAA Football!! I really love it!

Re: Wii Are Family

jaredullrich — Tue, 11 May 2010 03:17:05 -0000

Ha ha!!

Re: Wii Are Family

Tee — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:28:40 -0000

Loved this post! It's kinda like that in our house. My 6 year old has a wicked serve that I've yet to master and though she hasn't reached pro, she's beat every adult she's played with.

My game is bowling...where I have a pro ball I'm barely holding on to.

Might need to go and play now!

-Tee

Re: Wii Are Family

jimstorer — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:37:07 -0000

Hi Ann - Catching up on my reading and just wanted to say I really enjoyed reading this. It might be late and I may be tired, but you have a gift for words and it was fun catching up with your Wii experience(s).

We've had the Wii for 20 months and have added some really fun games to the collection. Let your son know I'm always looking for another tennis pro to hit the ball around. ;-)

Jim | @jstorerj

Re: Wii Are Family

Ann Handley — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:58:02 -0000

@gavin: I like that word, "aspirational...." That's exactly it.

We did get WiiFit last week.. not yet Guitar Hero. My kid wrote on her own blog that Guitar Hero is "out" (at least for local sixth grade girls), so I guess for now, I won't really know how fabulous we are at that, too. ; )

Re: Wii Are Family

Gavin Heaton — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:52:56 -0000

Watching my nephews begin the slow climb to global Guitar Hero fame this Christmas, I saw how the Wii is really a toy for our times. Adults are too tired or time poor to truck kids around for a massive variety of activities. And the competitive landscape for even kids activities has changed dramatically - there is less opportunity to try and fail now than when I was growing up. And for kids, this means there is less opportunity to learn, dream and experience.

Games like the Wii return some of that important aspirational play that has been missing recently.

Oh, and I bet you rock out as a Guitar Hero ;)

Re: Wii Are Family

marnie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:14:45 -0000

Ahh…lovely…if nothing else technology is changing brain chemistry and how we think…synapses are “firing” faster…played Weii Bowling…just like the “real thing”…found myself centering and cradling the “device”; stepping back on my right foot, taking three large steps, raising my arm, swinging back, and jumping up and down with joy over my strike…in a past incarnation, I was a fairly decent bowler…now Weii Fit is the latest,…it will never replace my Yin Yoga class…Namaste

Re: Wii Are Family

Dana Ironside — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:09:47 -0000

Ann, I'm always amazed how your write about topics people from all ends of the spectrum can relate to.

Me, I was the three letter sports gal in high school. An athlete in every sense of the word. As many years have passed since then, I barely do exercise let alone sports. When we got Wii, our family bonded too and I myself felt like an athlete again for the first time in ages. If nothing else, the game makes people feel good and it makes families spend time together and isn't that what it's all about?

By the way, Wii Fit rocks. I'm the hula hoop champion in my house. :)

Thanks for such a fun post.

Re: Wii Are Family

Angela — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:56:12 -0000

Wii Tennis is cool, but I'm a Smooth Moves kinda girl.

Funny (if cruel) story: my sisters got a Wii fit, and in the process of making her avatar, the slightly overweight one stepped onto the Wii scale. In response, her avatar expanded like a marshmallow!

We all died laughing. Then slipped on a bit of loose rug and went to hell.

Re: Wii Are Family

Karen — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:10:33 -0000

We've had Wii since July, Santa brought Wii Fit this year. I guess all that real-world yoga is working because I'm a yoga star on Wii. Also got Wii Ski - now maybe I'll be able to hit some black diamond runs in Colorado this March!

Re: Wii Are Family

Tabitha Dunn — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:21:03 -0000

I love the Wii in our household. We have a PS3 as well but I am not addicted to that. The buttons are grand and all but I love the action and movement that comes with the Wii. In fact, it was my birthday gift in 2007 and it was every bit as fun and more than I had hoped. This year we got the wheels and have been immersed in Mario Kart and Cars. My daughter is so excited that she can't sit to drive - I can only imagine how that will translate in driving skills...

Re: Wii Are Family

Leah — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:07:20 -0000

Ann, great post as usual! I was also a perpetual right-fielder. It took me until high school to finally realize that I'm not an athlete. After playing soccer and softball with negative success (although my favorite memory is playing on an entirely defeated [zero wins!] softball team my dad coached in middle school with my other unathletic friends), I tried field hockey and lacrosse freshman year. I quit both, for colorguard in the marching band and the drama club, respectively.

I love the Wii! My BF's mom got one for all us kids to share, but we don't get to play it very often due to the fact that we don't live in the house. We plan to steal it shortly ;) Might I suggest Mario Party? That's my all-time favorite video game, and one of the only ones I can play with any success!

Re: Wii Are Family

Larry Lawfer — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:30:57 -0000

The part of the field behind the shortstop is Left Field. And it is the place where coaches send those who want to play, but don't have the defensive skills to be depended on. Nicely written story.

Re: Wii Are Family

Julie — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:12:38 -0000

Wii got one from Santa too! I actually waited for a UPS truck delivery to GameStop for the Wii Fit and I'm so glad I did. This is the only video gaming system that engages me. Our family played it non-stop over break and it was hilarious. My son created Wii persons for everyone (including teachers, Chuck Norris, Oprah, House, George Constanza). Then Grandma and Grandpa came to visit and played too. I think we spent more time together this vacation than any other. We'll even take it with us when we ski for real in February. Ann, come over and try the Wii Fit!

Re: Wii Are Family

Amy Flanagan — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:48:08 -0000

Great post! Santa brought us a Wii last year and I have to admit that I demonized it a bit. Always very vigilant about sticking to time limits, worrying about its influence, etc. This year Santa brought extra remotes and the Fit. One night the four of us were playing tennis together - laughing, screaming, having a blast - and I had to laugh at myself. Sure, time limits are cool, but how often do you find something that has the whole family up and active, screaming and rolling on the floor laughing?? Even when the Wii Fit announced to my whole family that I was "overweight" (which I quickly categorized as "slightly"!) I was horrified for a moment but then thought, hey, why not? I'll still go back to the time limits when school starts again tomorrow (and we still spend a lot of time around the board games), but I'm convinced this is one of the greatest games ever.

Re: Wii Are Family

Roshan — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:20:48 -0000

Thanks for that wonderful story. I so enjoyed it. I played tennis against my wall for about a year in my early teens and I lost a lot of weight and felt so fit during that time. Now I'm overweight and gasping for breath.

Re: Wii Are Family

Julie Roads — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:14:09 -0000

Okay...I'm trying to be okay with this form of exercise - and you've done the best job of convincing me yet...but...I'm not...quite...there...yet.

Still love your writing...

Re: Wii Are Family

Ann Handley — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:56:30 -0000

@david: A wiinjury! Did you try wiihab? ; )

Re: Wii Are Family

David Reich — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:40:47 -0000

I can relate, since I've never been particularly athletic.

My experience with Wii last spring left me with a bad back that prompted a visit to the chiropractor. She told me she's had several me to see her with Wii-induced problems.

I wouldn't have felt so embarrassed if the injury had been caused by "real" bowling or tennis rather than playing those games on Wii.

Here's what I had written...

http://reichcomm.typepad.co...

Re: Wii Are Family

Marsha Collier — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:36:05 -0000

I am a notoriously bad athlete, although I am very good with weightlifting (not a competitive sport). I find Wii Boxing to be incredibly fun and a great way to work up a good sweat. It makes me *feel* like a real athlete - and isn't that really what it's all about?

Re: Wii Are Family

Chris Lockwood — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:22:21 -0000

Ann, there is a rumor that Walmart is getting a big supply of Wii Fit to go on sale either Sunday or Monday. Our local Walmart just happened to have one a few days ago when I wandered through the video game section- I was rather shocked to see it in stock.

Also if you follow @amazondeals on Twitter, they announce when amazon has them in stock, but order right away since they go fast.

Re: Wii Are Family

rickjmiv — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:59:23 -0000

Great post. I like the fact that Wii spans the generations. I play golf, tennis, bowling, etc. with my grandkids. We also play Wii with our friends after a dinner party. And I love guitar hero - my chance to jam with lots of great groups.

Re: Wii Are Family

Mack Collier — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:34:25 -0000

I am also colossally unathletic, but love tennis; with the big caveat that I must be playing with someone as bad as I am. My idea of 'strategy' in tennis to get the ball back to the other side of the court, and I can only play with people that share this single-minded focus. I used to play regularly in the summer a few years ago with friends, and one day the 'local tennis pro' stopped by the courts and we decided we were ready to play with him. After all, we had been playing tennis every day for a week now, we were surely ready to move up!

I remember waiting for him to serve the ball to me, and I looked down at my feet for a second and looked back up and he was standing there with his hand on his hip as if he was impatiently waiting on me to do something. Confused, I said 'Ok, I'm ready!'. He pointed behind me, and I turned to see his ball freshly wedged in the fence. It quickly went downhill from there.

Maybe Wii Tennis is more my speed?

Re: Wii Are Family

Cheyanne — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:22:07 -0000

First of all this is a good article. You've pretty much nailed the virtual experience I had this past Christmas right on the head because my family also got a Wii from the virtual Santa Claus.

I never thought I'd say this but Wii Rocks. The whole family can play bowling together, tennis... name your sport . They've got it.

It brought us many enjoyable quality "family time" moments.

Nothing beats the real thing......however,

"The family that plays together stays together."

That's my motto!

Re: Wii Are Family

Pam Martin — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:12:43 -0000

It's amazing how the Wii has brought out the latent athlete in so many of us. I am helplessly addicted to Wii tennis- and it's brought back what was so much fun about the game for me.

From the ages of 8 to 18 I spent nearly every hour of every summer on the tennis court and loved it. When I was in college I lost that child-like ability to walk onto the tennis court and just pick up a match with anyone else who happened to be hanging around the court. When do we lose the openness to play with strangers?

I never thought I'd say a video game would change the way I look at myself- but in a way it has- and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one.

Happy New Year Ann!