New Jersey’s The Star-Ledger’s Parental Guidance blog carried out a poll this week to find out what parents thought of Nintendo’s new Wii Zapper (pictured) asking them in a hilariously skewed manner, “What do you think about making a wand in the shape of a weapon so play is more realistic? …Is it harmful? …Will you buy one for your kids?”
And, fairly predictably, there was OUTRAGE! Here is a choice selection of some of the responses from parents on the paper’s blog:
Great, this is what we need. Children with guns learning how to aim and shoot. Then we can sit back and wonder what is happening to our country with kids killing kids……what’s next? Could we make it squirt blood, too?
Nintendo ought to be fined for introducing to 4-9 years old kids a “toy” that promotes guns. The next thing you know they will include an application to the NRA in the game. Who ever thought up this stupid game ought to be fired. I would NEVER purchase a Nintento product for my grandkids from here on…
I think it’s irresponsible for Wii to come out with a controller that looks like a gun so kids can play games simulating shooting. What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?
However, the responses were not all uniformly knee-jerk and reactionary, with voice of reason adding:
source: Gamepolitics
And, fairly predictably, there was OUTRAGE! Here is a choice selection of some of the responses from parents on the paper’s blog:
Great, this is what we need. Children with guns learning how to aim and shoot. Then we can sit back and wonder what is happening to our country with kids killing kids……what’s next? Could we make it squirt blood, too?
Nintendo ought to be fined for introducing to 4-9 years old kids a “toy” that promotes guns. The next thing you know they will include an application to the NRA in the game. Who ever thought up this stupid game ought to be fired. I would NEVER purchase a Nintento product for my grandkids from here on…
I think it’s irresponsible for Wii to come out with a controller that looks like a gun so kids can play games simulating shooting. What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?
However, the responses were not all uniformly knee-jerk and reactionary, with voice of reason adding:
I know this may be hard for the liberal blowhards of this nanny state to believe, but using this will not turn your child into a blood-thirsty mass murderer. Do you know why this product is called the "Wii Zapper"? Because it's named after its 1984 predecessor "The Zapper" for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. I think about 98% of the people I grew up with owned one and played "Duck Hunt" and "Hogan's Alley" with it and amazingly enough, none of them have killed anybody!!!
If you're messed up enough that this will be the sole cuase for your child to become a criminal, then fine believe that and don't let your kids have one, but DO NOT think you have the right to force other people to believe the same as you and mess it up for the rest of the responsible gaming public that has a grip on reality and games for fun, not to simulate the sick fantasies that all you bozos believe gamers have.
If you're messed up enough that this will be the sole cuase for your child to become a criminal, then fine believe that and don't let your kids have one, but DO NOT think you have the right to force other people to believe the same as you and mess it up for the rest of the responsible gaming public that has a grip on reality and games for fun, not to simulate the sick fantasies that all you bozos believe gamers have.
source: Gamepolitics
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Comments
midgetiser 14 Sep 2007 12:23
1/15
Am I the only one who played with cap guns and the like when i was a kid?? what about time crisis, die hard etc. Strangely enough I am good at those games. No idea if i would be good at shooting people though as who in their right mind would!!!
Gotta love the hysterics over something so trivial!!
Gotta love the hysterics over something so trivial!!
TimSpong 14 Sep 2007 12:46
2/15
midgetiser wrote:
Am I the only one who played with cap guns and the like when i was a kid?? what about time crisis, die hard etc. Strangely enough I am good at those games. No idea if i would be good at shooting people though as who in their right mind would!!!
My pals and I used to use twigs and sticks (you can tell I'm old because I use the word 'pals') to stand in for pistols and guns. When captured, a member of the enemy would also be hand-grenaded with pine cones and thrown into the nettle patch. This was Twyford in Hampshire by the way, and I've yet to hear of any of my school chums (see, 'chums') being banged up for going postal in Shawford of Compton (both of which scummy hamlets deserved a right proper going over).
As for the idea that the Imperial weight of the U.S. of A doesnt' actively indulge on an orgy of gun-love-making with real bloody weapons... well.... flipping heck! That's all I've got to say.
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Joji 14 Sep 2007 13:14
3/15
This is quite funny coming from the U.S, a nation that hold real guns so highly, that they object to a plastic zapper. What is the world coming too? Always someone to stir the freaking pot for overeactive reasons.
What's really odd is that PS1, PS2 and even Xbox all had light guns of some sort, yet I heard not a whisper of discord. Perhaps this is again the kiddy gamer perception demons of Nintendo at play again.
What's really odd is that PS1, PS2 and even Xbox all had light guns of some sort, yet I heard not a whisper of discord. Perhaps this is again the kiddy gamer perception demons of Nintendo at play again.
Thomas 14 Sep 2007 13:28
4/15
They are right of course because Nintendo should be raising their children. Parents should be spending all this time and energy fighting all the evils in the world, not spending time with thier children. They should not try to raise thier children to be responsible global citizens. Also it is rididculous to think that a child should ever know anything about guns until they are old enough to legally purchase one. It's not as if anybody on this planet uses a gun for any positive act. Seriously, nobody hunts animals to provide sustainance any more. Everyone can just go to the store to buy food because everyone has a good paying job. You just just keep on fighting the good fight. Oh by the way, your underage daughter's pregnant and your son is stealing to get money for drugs. Hey, at least they don't have a plastic shell that doesn't resemble any firearm known to man to subvert your awesome perenting skills.
daz 14 Sep 2007 14:23
5/15
well said tom
dan 14 Sep 2007 15:46
6/15
is it me or if parents are so worried why dont ya ban guns like in the UK, we hardly ever have kids killing kids here like the school masacres over there. why dont you put the real guns away and let kids actually have fun. its rediculous you have more chance of crossing the road and dieing than being shot
jordanlund 14 Sep 2007 15:50
7/15
dgt03 14 Sep 2007 16:52
8/15
I already bought one from dealextreme.com. Very fun
deleted 14 Sep 2007 19:05
9/15
Americas gun death toll is still lower than the UKs, where guns are banned pretty much outright. Maybe it's not the guns causing the problem?
jodo4 15 Sep 2007 01:37
10/15
actually the US has the highest gun deaths, watch bowling for columbine by michael moore. scary stuff for us americans
Hypnotoad 15 Sep 2007 01:41
11/15
Bah - I think Nintendo should cop some heat for this. You want to target casuals and earn stinking piles of cash? Welcome to mainstream mentality. Some people just have a zero policy to guns (good for them), and other people should respect their wishes to try and keep their kids away from that - I didn't hear anyone forcing their opinions onto others in those comments? Personally I can't wait for the s**tstorm when Manhunt 2 hits the system - I'm STUNNED Nintendo is letting it happen. Keep an eye on what happens when mum comes home to find little Johnnie acting out a horrific kill with his Wiimote...oh yeah, don't think for one second it's not going to happen. Prepare for a WORLD of hurt game industry - I just hope it stays squarely directed at Nintendo. Why must Nintendo always have their cake and eat it too?
deleted 15 Sep 2007 08:53
12/15
Hypnotoad wrote:
Keep an eye on what happens when mum comes home to find little Johnnie acting out a horrific kill with his Wiimote...oh yeah, don't think for one second it's not going to happen.
The problem there is how did little Johnnie get a copy?, and why did mum not put the parental controls on his Wii?
Who is responsible for little Johnie playing Manhunt,
Rockstar, Nintendo, Society or could it just be Mum?
Tyler 17 Sep 2007 22:49
13/15
HAHAHA, this is funny. Remember Duck Hunt, with the Zapper for the NES. I didnt see me or my 2 sisters going out and being blood-thirsty killers. What a joke, those parents need to be reminded, thats its not the kids buying these game for themselves, its the resonsibility of the parents to see which games they will buy for their kids.
Phoenix Hardy 30 Oct 2007 14:25
14/15
I assume that all the parents who says that the gun is an outrage and say that they would not buy it for their kids are the same parents who buys an 18 game for their 10 years old.
I went into our local game store in the UK and the kid came upto to his mom with GTA. She looked at it and walked up and brought the game. The cashier saw the whole thing take place and said to her that the game is rated 18 and not suitable for kids. She looked at him and started telling him off saying who does the cashier think he is. Then you find out later that he beat his brother up after playing the game. When she was being interviewed, she said she didn't know how he got the game.
I went into our local game store in the UK and the kid came upto to his mom with GTA. She looked at it and walked up and brought the game. The cashier saw the whole thing take place and said to her that the game is rated 18 and not suitable for kids. She looked at him and started telling him off saying who does the cashier think he is. Then you find out later that he beat his brother up after playing the game. When she was being interviewed, she said she didn't know how he got the game.
joe perrone 11 Jan 2010 10:53
15/15
that father is a f**ken idiot and needs to go die who said wii was only for kids theres our f**ken grown gamers and kids arent gonna learn s**t from a piece of plastic connecting the wii remotes to help play a game goddamn he really needs to die