Wii Sports: Has Nintendo Gone Pro?
'The lapsed, the ladies and the elderly' report back
It’s been a wonderful Christmas for gaming, as the sales figures we told you about recently from the past month bear out.
For many, SPOnG included, the highlight of Christmas 2006 was Wii Sports. We played it excessively over the Christmas break, with girlfriends/wives and wherever possible at friends and family get-togethers.
The verdict from Nintendo’s target market – the lapsed, the ladies and the elderly – was almost unanimous.
Nicky Sharpe, a mother of four boys in her forties, perhaps summed up the general response best, telling us, “I’ve never played videogames with the boys and now I’m the one turning the console on and asking them for another game of tennis! It’s certainly the best game we’ve ever bought in terms of bringing the whole family together.”
Brian Keeler, a primary school teacher in his mid-thirties who hasn't played videogames since being a teen, told us, "This is amazing! I can imagine using this in class even with a lot of the younger children. I want one now!"
Meanwhile, Adam-SPOnG’s gran, Eileen, in her late seventies even gave Wii Sports Bowling a go, telling us, “I used to love going bowling, but I don’t really get the chance to get out to do stuff like that, so I really enjoyed playing that bowling game. Mind you, it was a bit tiring after a while!”
Of course, when we introduced most of the non-gamers in the family to the joys of Zelda their eyes glazed over, their minds began to wander and they began to want to watch yet more Christmas misery and tragedy in Eastenders.
The unfortunate upshot being that we didn't get to spend half as much time with the glorious Twilight Princess as we had wanted. Still, we've got something left to keep us happy through the cold, winter darkness until the games industry wakes up again in March just in time for the Easter sales peak… and the PS3.
Let us know your own Christmas gaming experiences – with Wii and/or with any other console or game – in the Forum.
For many, SPOnG included, the highlight of Christmas 2006 was Wii Sports. We played it excessively over the Christmas break, with girlfriends/wives and wherever possible at friends and family get-togethers.
The verdict from Nintendo’s target market – the lapsed, the ladies and the elderly – was almost unanimous.
Nicky Sharpe, a mother of four boys in her forties, perhaps summed up the general response best, telling us, “I’ve never played videogames with the boys and now I’m the one turning the console on and asking them for another game of tennis! It’s certainly the best game we’ve ever bought in terms of bringing the whole family together.”
Brian Keeler, a primary school teacher in his mid-thirties who hasn't played videogames since being a teen, told us, "This is amazing! I can imagine using this in class even with a lot of the younger children. I want one now!"
Meanwhile, Adam-SPOnG’s gran, Eileen, in her late seventies even gave Wii Sports Bowling a go, telling us, “I used to love going bowling, but I don’t really get the chance to get out to do stuff like that, so I really enjoyed playing that bowling game. Mind you, it was a bit tiring after a while!”
Of course, when we introduced most of the non-gamers in the family to the joys of Zelda their eyes glazed over, their minds began to wander and they began to want to watch yet more Christmas misery and tragedy in Eastenders.
The unfortunate upshot being that we didn't get to spend half as much time with the glorious Twilight Princess as we had wanted. Still, we've got something left to keep us happy through the cold, winter darkness until the games industry wakes up again in March just in time for the Easter sales peak… and the PS3.
Let us know your own Christmas gaming experiences – with Wii and/or with any other console or game – in the Forum.
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Comments
majin dboy 2 Jan 2007 13:04
1/11
i brought my wii to my aunts house on xmas,it was on all day.wen he first saw it said i have been using computers for 20years and i have never and will never use them to play games,10minutes later he sunk his first boggie.
i can certainly relate to spong's experince of Zelda/glaze over time,but who cares,some were impressed with it,and zelda is a kind of game which u need to spend hours with to truely appreciate.
i can certainly relate to spong's experince of Zelda/glaze over time,but who cares,some were impressed with it,and zelda is a kind of game which u need to spend hours with to truely appreciate.
miacid 2 Jan 2007 14:04
2/11
I had the usual groans when I asked if I could put the Wii on and show everyone, no-one was really that interested.
People in the room were my parents, wife and aunty who is in a wheel chair. Their gaming experience is limited, my Aunty has never played a computer game in her life, my mother used to play on our Acorn Electron and the last thing my Dad played was Mario Kart on the SNES.
I started off with Wii Play and got them playing the shooting game and laser hockey after I played through each just to wet their appetites and they soon got into it very well. Although the one that went down the best was Charge, the Cow racing games, all of them couldn't get enough of it. So much so that when my wife and I left, the rest asked if I could leave it behind.
I also showed them Call of Duty 3 as I thought it would be more recognisable than Zelda. It kept their interested for a bit but they soon got bored and it was off.
A few days later I got my parents to play Wii Tennis with my wife and I. This went down very well as well, although it did take my Dad a while to get involved as he was very happily rooted in a chair and a bit reluctant to get up. Although once my mother had beaten me a couple of times he wanted to give it a go.
I also took it round to my brother-in-law's house, who is a PS2 gamer. however his wife to be isn't. They both picked up Wii Sports really quickly and she now wants them to get a Wii over him wanting a 360.
My parents are also seriously considering getting a Wii.
I have also bought my Wii into work today and they usual gamers where up for it straight away, although my boss who plays the odd bit of C&C once in a blue moon, wanted a bit of the Wii tennis action when he walked in on four of us all in mid swing. However we did get a few strange looks from passers by, although they did seeme to know what we were playing.
So all in all, it looks like Nintendo have got their foot well and truly planted in the no-gamer camp. Let's just hope they keep a stream of party and more involved games coming to please all 8~)
People in the room were my parents, wife and aunty who is in a wheel chair. Their gaming experience is limited, my Aunty has never played a computer game in her life, my mother used to play on our Acorn Electron and the last thing my Dad played was Mario Kart on the SNES.
I started off with Wii Play and got them playing the shooting game and laser hockey after I played through each just to wet their appetites and they soon got into it very well. Although the one that went down the best was Charge, the Cow racing games, all of them couldn't get enough of it. So much so that when my wife and I left, the rest asked if I could leave it behind.
I also showed them Call of Duty 3 as I thought it would be more recognisable than Zelda. It kept their interested for a bit but they soon got bored and it was off.
A few days later I got my parents to play Wii Tennis with my wife and I. This went down very well as well, although it did take my Dad a while to get involved as he was very happily rooted in a chair and a bit reluctant to get up. Although once my mother had beaten me a couple of times he wanted to give it a go.
I also took it round to my brother-in-law's house, who is a PS2 gamer. however his wife to be isn't. They both picked up Wii Sports really quickly and she now wants them to get a Wii over him wanting a 360.
My parents are also seriously considering getting a Wii.
I have also bought my Wii into work today and they usual gamers where up for it straight away, although my boss who plays the odd bit of C&C once in a blue moon, wanted a bit of the Wii tennis action when he walked in on four of us all in mid swing. However we did get a few strange looks from passers by, although they did seeme to know what we were playing.
So all in all, it looks like Nintendo have got their foot well and truly planted in the no-gamer camp. Let's just hope they keep a stream of party and more involved games coming to please all 8~)
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LUPOS 2 Jan 2007 15:51
3/11
Took it over to my GF's Fathers place about 2 weeks ago, he loved bowling. She was on the phone with him yesterday and he said that he needs a Wii now and if we see it in store to pick it up for him. "It's not faire to let me play that and then take it away".
He really loves bowling.
__________
He really loves bowling.
__________
InsaneJonny 2 Jan 2007 16:36
4/11
I seen my 5 year old cous play my over 70 year old gran, who has never touched a video game in her life ever, in multiple games of tennis. I agree nintendo's new plan worked. I had my aunt of over 60 ask me where she could get a wii and how much, and another uncle plans to get one now to.
billson 2 Jan 2007 17:04
5/11
errr, you said- "I brought it to my aunts house and HE loved it" ahem.... anyways, I can see where hes coming from, everyone I tell about the wii either mentions the faulty straps or how much they want to play it, my dad wont shut up about the "faulty straps, how people are phoning in to steven nolans radio show to complain" i say b******s to that, ANY of these fogies play it for 5 minutes and their hooked automatically, they dont wanna leave, only problem with that is you can never get it to yourself!
Rustman 2 Jan 2007 17:49
6/11
Well, I had almost the same experience over the Christmas period. I only managed to fire up Zelda again today, the last time was 22 December, when my mother-in-law came to stay for the holiday.
As soon as Wii Sports was shown to her, she was immediately intrigued, and proceeded to completely own everybody who came up to the line with her. Her bowling skills earned her a Gold medal and I'm still to get better than a bronze.
On Xmas day the whole family were round and instead of playing bastard Monopoly we played Bowling and Tennis, with a bit of Duck Shooting.
Nobody was excluded and everybody got over the learning curve of using the controller in no more than 2 minutes. My mum was a little slow on the uptake. :)
Considering I am really the only gamer out of those that play and how keen everyone was (as well as better than me) Nintendo will have a winner on their hands providing they can keep the first party software coming.
Next time, I just hope the accessible games have a little more depth.
Right... back to Zelda.
As soon as Wii Sports was shown to her, she was immediately intrigued, and proceeded to completely own everybody who came up to the line with her. Her bowling skills earned her a Gold medal and I'm still to get better than a bronze.
On Xmas day the whole family were round and instead of playing bastard Monopoly we played Bowling and Tennis, with a bit of Duck Shooting.
Nobody was excluded and everybody got over the learning curve of using the controller in no more than 2 minutes. My mum was a little slow on the uptake. :)
Considering I am really the only gamer out of those that play and how keen everyone was (as well as better than me) Nintendo will have a winner on their hands providing they can keep the first party software coming.
Next time, I just hope the accessible games have a little more depth.
Right... back to Zelda.
Jay 2 Jan 2007 18:10
7/11
I had pretty much the same experience, with almost every family-type get-together featuring a full evening of WiiSports, regardless of whether I actually wanted to or not.
It does put a bit of a downer on things though, when you've spent the last 20 years honing your gaming skills, only to get thrashed on your new console by your girlfriend's half blind and very drunk grandad! :)
It does put a bit of a downer on things though, when you've spent the last 20 years honing your gaming skills, only to get thrashed on your new console by your girlfriend's half blind and very drunk grandad! :)
Rustman 2 Jan 2007 20:29
8/11
Jay wrote:
...
It does put a bit of a downer on things though, when you've spent the last 20 years honing your gaming skills, only to get thrashed on your new console by your girlfriend's half blind and very drunk grandad! :)
That's one of the reasons I think this title is fantastic. If you could consistently win then they wouldn't get the satisfaction of feeling like a top gamer.
I'm still not as good as my mother-in-law at bowling, but that's ok. Trying to beat her score is a challenge. :)
headcasephil 3 Jan 2007 01:58
9/11
the main game that has been played this xmas in my wii is golf because i was asked if i could bring it to my village pub so i did and as most of the people play real golf they loved it so much so that i have been asked to bring it once a week till my pub can get one of there own
billson 3 Jan 2007 13:25
10/11
is it just me or does anyone else feel slightly awkward in letting family members play the wii? sitting there on the couch while they have the time of their lives on a hobby theyve all said i spend too much time at!
TimSpong 3 Jan 2007 13:31
11/11
billson wrote:
is it just me or does anyone else feel slightly awkward in letting family members play the wii? sitting there on the couch while they have the time of their lives on a hobby theyve all said i spend too much time at!
Nope, because while they're doing that a nefarious individual COULD be re-writing everybody's wills and life insurance policies in their evil favour... thusly enabling them to afford a PS3 to play on my... erm... their new yacht.