My parents love playing with my Wii! (do yours?)

[Ted Wolff]

Christmas Day. I thought, "what the heck?" in the downtime after dinner and presents. Why not ask my parents if they'd like to play some bowling on Wii Sports? I hadn't really had the chance to engage them in the Wii since I got it earlier this year.

Turns out they love it! In fact, after dinner tonight, my mom declared, "I want to go bowling," and had me start it up for her. She totally gets into it; stands up, acts like she's actually bowling. And my dad fools around as if he's actually in an alley, switching the Wiimote to his left hand to see what happens.

At one point Mom stated, "I could get into this for a while, but I couldn't see myself getting into video games," at which point I prompted, "this isn't a video game?" My father clarified the difference: Playing something that requires "four buttons or so of input" is too much, too dedicated. The Wii, in this case, is simple, easy; it's intuitive design, ready to be played immediately; it is immediate feedback, more immediate than ever before; most of all, it's immediate fun.

And here I thought my generation was the one labeled as being ADD, but we can commit and dedicate ourselves to hours of pushing more than four buttons, and our parents cannot!

Now, I'm interested: how have your parents reacted to the Wii? Or, to be more general, how do your parents respond to playing video games overall?

 

[SkaRobot]

i remember a day a few years back when i was still playing redfaction2 on my xbox and my mom asked if she could play. i looked at her with suspicion like no other, and she told me that at work they were talking about how playing an fps for several hours a day could improve your motor skills. she played for 20 minutes and said "fuck this, i dont need motor skills that badly".

good luck with your situation.

 

[maca2kx]

Actually over Christmas dinner the conversation fell to the Wii but as an exercise tool. My parents seemed surprised that I wasn't hugely enthusiastic about getting one (when it reaches a cheaper price I will, but right now I don't feel it's worth the money for me). They seemed to be interested in the idea but then my mum said she probably wouldn't play it much. When I get back from uni permanently though I may invest in one and leave it downstairs in the living room.

Sam

 

[downwitdaclown69]

Whch is why its selling so well, anyone and everyone can get into it.

To have eye hand coordination, to play more games, isnt hard. But the wii and its hack sports game. Gets all the slow older people enjoying it.

The wii is so fuckin over rated!

 

[Ted Wolff]

It's impossible for a subjectively-valued item to be "overrated."

But why is it quote-unquote, "receiving praise it doesn't deserve"?

 

[Longo_2_guns]

If old people can play it well, it is not a Video Game. End of story.

 

[Hawk_one]

If old people can play it well, it is not a Video Game. End of story.

If that was said in all seriousness, then you're in trouble. Some time ago, I saw a roughly 60-year old grandmother play the original Super Mario Bros rather well. Got to level 5-2 when I was there, I believe.

 

[JCD]

My mum played it for about an hour the day I got it. That's about it. Hell, even I haven't played it in three or four months.

 

[jc00l]

Yeah they do. they make a point of concocting WII nights. they got my grandpa playing once, and now apparently at my grandmas retirement home they got a wii. infact i walked by it and the old ladies had like 200pts in bowling. its like a magnet for old people.

 

[Lord_Fornelius]

no, I don't want mant my parents to play wii games. It's because I don't want to have "non-gamers" play video games and try to ruin are sub-culture. Besides, what's the point of buying casual-based games, if you can play them over the internet for free(flash games)?

 

[paddyuk]

With a wii people can play fun simple games together and have fun, its not the same as sitting round a pc with some friends on a flash games website. thats what attracts a lot of older/non gamers to it, the fact it looks fun, simple and something to do with family etc.

"non-gamers" as you put them, will never/rarely get into RPG's or "proper" games, so i wouldnt say they could ruin the gaming culture.