Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
We love our Wii
When I was younger, my parents bought a Sega CD system, and it became the center of my household. We played Sonic, Wheel of Fortune, Dashin' Desprados, Lunar: the Silver Star, ECCO, and Earthworm Jim. We got hours of fun and enjoyment from matching beans together in Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine - which was, incidentally, my mother's favorite game for Sega CD.
I was 12 when my parents decided to sell the system and all of our games at a yard sale. And I didn't ever think I would find a system I liked well enough to purchase. Especially since we got our Sega system for around 20 bucks, and during my teenage years you were lucky to find one they were still making games for under $100.
But a few weeks ago, my husband and I bought a Wii.
My parents had owned one since Christmas, and had also purchased the Wii Fit game and board, and were full of good stories about it. I had played a few hours on their system, and had no major issues with gameplay - I found myself wishing at a couple points that I could play Lunar on such an awesome system and with such functionality. So when the Dear Husband came down with Appendicitis, and was going to be off work, recuperating for a few weeks, we decided that having a Wii was something we were interested in - especially the Wii Fit, as it would provide a stimulating way for him to get back into physical activity without hurting himself - and he could do it from home!
When we went to Wal*Mart to purchase our Wii, we lucked out - they had just shipped a special package for the spring, at a pretty awesome discount. The box contained the Wii console, 1 controller, 1 nunchuck, 1 MotionPlus attachment, and 2 games: Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, and cost $199.
I'll give you a little perspective on why that is awesome. In the past, the startup box came with the Wii console, and 1 controller, and still cost $199. Nunchucks run at about $15US. A MotionPlus attachment runs at $20. Wii Sports comes with an extra controller normally, but it runs about $30, and Wii Sports Resort normally comes with a MotionPlus attachment, and costs about $50. So, all in all, minus the extra controller and motion plus, we spent $199 on $310 of merchandise.
BUT - This post is not about how much money we saved - believe it or not. It's about how much FUN we have had with this system.
I would not have believed it. Wii Sports - tennis, bowling, and boxing specifically, are awesome. And omgoodness, a workout, too! Not that I'm terribly good at any of them, but it's definitely an adventure playing against Nathan (whose hands are much steadier than mine). On Wii Sports Resort, I am pretty good at Archery (and wow do my arms hurt after wards!) We both really like the aerial games, and Frisbee Dog - wow, though, I'm not good at popping the balloons at all!
Wii Fit Plus is crazy. I am especially fond of the yoga. I usually start with the half moon position, and move from there down the line. Though I'm finding downward facing dog very hard on my wrists. I assume it will get easier as I work on it, but I felt like I was going to pass out last time. Nathan likes the balance games. Snowboarding and skiing and skateboarding. He's also a big fan of the Kung Fu game that uses the balance board. I like it too - but he keeps beating my high score. Stinker.
Though, I think one of my favorite games is Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast. It works like Mario Karts, only flying. You are a Donkey Kong character, strapped to some pyrotechnic barrels following a track and picking up bananas and using special attacks to hamper the other racers.
The catch? You do it all by shaking the WiiMote and Nunchuck. A lot. And that's only if you're going straight. To turn, you shake one or the other in the direction you want to turn, and then when you are done shake them both a little more to build your speed back up. It's amazing. And it hurts. And I suck at it.
I was awesome at our Sega CD games. And I usually suck at Wii games.
Goes to figure, huh?
I was 12 when my parents decided to sell the system and all of our games at a yard sale. And I didn't ever think I would find a system I liked well enough to purchase. Especially since we got our Sega system for around 20 bucks, and during my teenage years you were lucky to find one they were still making games for under $100.
But a few weeks ago, my husband and I bought a Wii.
My parents had owned one since Christmas, and had also purchased the Wii Fit game and board, and were full of good stories about it. I had played a few hours on their system, and had no major issues with gameplay - I found myself wishing at a couple points that I could play Lunar on such an awesome system and with such functionality. So when the Dear Husband came down with Appendicitis, and was going to be off work, recuperating for a few weeks, we decided that having a Wii was something we were interested in - especially the Wii Fit, as it would provide a stimulating way for him to get back into physical activity without hurting himself - and he could do it from home!
When we went to Wal*Mart to purchase our Wii, we lucked out - they had just shipped a special package for the spring, at a pretty awesome discount. The box contained the Wii console, 1 controller, 1 nunchuck, 1 MotionPlus attachment, and 2 games: Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, and cost $199.
I'll give you a little perspective on why that is awesome. In the past, the startup box came with the Wii console, and 1 controller, and still cost $199. Nunchucks run at about $15US. A MotionPlus attachment runs at $20. Wii Sports comes with an extra controller normally, but it runs about $30, and Wii Sports Resort normally comes with a MotionPlus attachment, and costs about $50. So, all in all, minus the extra controller and motion plus, we spent $199 on $310 of merchandise.
BUT - This post is not about how much money we saved - believe it or not. It's about how much FUN we have had with this system.
I would not have believed it. Wii Sports - tennis, bowling, and boxing specifically, are awesome. And omgoodness, a workout, too! Not that I'm terribly good at any of them, but it's definitely an adventure playing against Nathan (whose hands are much steadier than mine). On Wii Sports Resort, I am pretty good at Archery (and wow do my arms hurt after wards!) We both really like the aerial games, and Frisbee Dog - wow, though, I'm not good at popping the balloons at all!
Wii Fit Plus is crazy. I am especially fond of the yoga. I usually start with the half moon position, and move from there down the line. Though I'm finding downward facing dog very hard on my wrists. I assume it will get easier as I work on it, but I felt like I was going to pass out last time. Nathan likes the balance games. Snowboarding and skiing and skateboarding. He's also a big fan of the Kung Fu game that uses the balance board. I like it too - but he keeps beating my high score. Stinker.
Though, I think one of my favorite games is Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast. It works like Mario Karts, only flying. You are a Donkey Kong character, strapped to some pyrotechnic barrels following a track and picking up bananas and using special attacks to hamper the other racers.
The catch? You do it all by shaking the WiiMote and Nunchuck. A lot. And that's only if you're going straight. To turn, you shake one or the other in the direction you want to turn, and then when you are done shake them both a little more to build your speed back up. It's amazing. And it hurts. And I suck at it.
I was awesome at our Sega CD games. And I usually suck at Wii games.
Goes to figure, huh?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Kentucky's State Religion
I am far and away the worst blogger in the universe.
Well, that's not true. High-School-Nathan-with-a-Xanga-account is the worst blogger in the world. But at least he had the excuse of youth on his side, and also not knowing what the word "blog" meant.
I digress. I haven't written here since before the wedding, and that's not because there's been nothing to write about. Mostly I forget that I have this thing, and that I can use it to update people about things. Or to express how eloquent I can be, as that last sentence illustrated. Also, how I don't care about starting a sentence with an article.
I just watched the tail-end of a losing Kentucky basketball game. They played well in the bit that I saw, but it was just too much to overcome.
In Central/Eastern Kentucky, basketball is like a religion. I don't know how it is elsewhere, but that's how it is here. Not everyone here roots for the Wildcats, but those that don't fall into one of two camps: those who don't mention it and maybe fake it a little when they have to, and those that actively show how much they dislike the Cats and how much they LOVE any other team or no team at all. It's a very strange phenomenon. Also, just like religion, there are certain days that people will come out and show their support. For Christians it is Christmas and Easter; for Wildcat fans it's March Madness.
I don't know. Nothing of real worth here. Just blathering on.
Good night, and good luck.
Well, that's not true. High-School-Nathan-with-a-Xanga-account is the worst blogger in the world. But at least he had the excuse of youth on his side, and also not knowing what the word "blog" meant.
I digress. I haven't written here since before the wedding, and that's not because there's been nothing to write about. Mostly I forget that I have this thing, and that I can use it to update people about things. Or to express how eloquent I can be, as that last sentence illustrated. Also, how I don't care about starting a sentence with an article.
I just watched the tail-end of a losing Kentucky basketball game. They played well in the bit that I saw, but it was just too much to overcome.
In Central/Eastern Kentucky, basketball is like a religion. I don't know how it is elsewhere, but that's how it is here. Not everyone here roots for the Wildcats, but those that don't fall into one of two camps: those who don't mention it and maybe fake it a little when they have to, and those that actively show how much they dislike the Cats and how much they LOVE any other team or no team at all. It's a very strange phenomenon. Also, just like religion, there are certain days that people will come out and show their support. For Christians it is Christmas and Easter; for Wildcat fans it's March Madness.
I don't know. Nothing of real worth here. Just blathering on.
Good night, and good luck.
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