From some of the oldest gamers to the youngest, the Wii just seems to keep on hooking in everyone who gives it a first glance. This 22-month old Wii fan — start them young, that’s what I say — is a very good example of the latter. His technique sure needs some work but I give him a few more months practise and I’ll bet that he could kick my ass in a game of tennis no problem. Source.

Related posts: Child-free Wii | Elderly Wii

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The Big N always said that they were going to target the audiences that no other games companies dared with the Wii; the untapped markets. Understandably, most laughed. It couldn’t be done. Non-gamers were non-gamers and that was that. Well, to those who didn’t believe, I give you the Sedgebrook Retirement Community in Chicago. They are the latest group of newbies (oldies?) to be converted over to the ways of Nintendo. He who laughs last, as they say, laughs longest.

The majority of the residents — average age: 77 years — had never played a games console until the Wii arrived in their clubhouse lounge, but now it’s a favourite pass time. Twenty residents have even organised and signed up for a Wii Sports Bowling tournament and, get this, they’ve even got one of those hand-drying fan thingys installed just like a real bowling alley! Got room for 1 more competitor, folks? Lets hope this catches on in retirement homes the world over. I won’t resent my kids for packing me up and shipping me off to a home quite as much providing they send me to one with a Nintendo to spend my final hours playing. In fact, I wouldn’t mind moving in now. Fifty-odd years is an awful long time to wait. Source.

Related posts: Child-free Wii | Wii Sports

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Nintendo consoles are for kids aren’t they? One step up from those LeapFrog toys you buy for toddlers. Forget adult themes or violent games: Nintendo won’t even let publishers release them, leaving the way clear for a sappy cartoon plumber and his sappy cartoon mates to appear in sappy games that appeal to kids and, well, saps.

Okay, so us Wii owners know this simply isn’t true any more. Wii already has one gritty first-person shooter in the form of Red Steel, the ultra-gory Manhunt 2 is on the way later this year, and rumour has it that Nintendo is even lobbying hard to persuade Rockstar to bring Grand Theft Auto to Wii. The bad old days of The Big N playing prim nanny to its gamers are long gone.

It has to be said though, you can understand why these old stereotypes are lingering on.
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I didn’t get a chance to mention this when it first launched but better late than never and all that, right? With all the success Nintendo have been having with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on Wii and Gamcube they felt the game was the lacking the online presence it so rightfully deserved. To ease the pain of this virtual emptiness, they launched this microsite. It’s very pretty and has got all the usual things you might expect from an official game site (with Midna as your guide): story, actions and controls, gallery and a neat little character page. But there’s more.

There’s a little game to play too. Those who have played Twilight Princess — or those who are reading our game diary here on WiiWii — will recognise the tears of light gameplay element where you must use your senses to find invisible bugs and drain them of these tears, collecting enough to restore light to the land. Well, some have made their way over onto the site and it’s your job to catch them all. I was amused to find that it actually requires far more effort to find them on here than in the Wii game, but the reward is worth it: a secret download page with themed wallpapers, mp3s and icons. Happy hunting.

Related posts: Zelda: Twilight Princess | Zelda Wii mod

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With news that SEGA have teamed up with Nintendo to produce Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games together, rumours are circling the intertubes, claiming that this partnership adds fuel to the fire of the possiblity that Sonic could appear in the Super Smash Bros. Brawl which is swinging our way late this year.

Looking at past history with previous partnership deals, considering SEGA are making the title and are featuring a Nintendo character, it seems only obvious that a SEGA character would appear in a Nintendo title - in this case, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which would be a perfect opportunity for Sonic to display some of his smooth fighting skillzorz. A deal to this degree, with both companies scratching each others’ backs would prove hugely profitable for one another, and even pave the way for future shared titles to be made.

Or could we see a mutant Sonic and Mario hybrid character be introduced, the inevitable conclusion to SEGA and Ninty having a few too many drinks and porking under the covers? What do you want to see come from this partnership? Sadly I don’t think we’re going to see a Dreamcast and Wii mash-up just yet.

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