Saturday, September 08, 2012

My, er, Wii U Experience experience

As some of you (i.e. those of you who follow me on Twitter) already know, I attended the "Wii U Experience" event Nintendo of America held in downtown Seattle last night.

In case you've never heard of them before now, these invite-only events have been held in cities across the country over the last month or so and provide attendees with a bit of hands-on time with Nintendo's next console and a number of its games (both first- and third-party).

As far as I can remember, the following games were demoed during the "Wii U Experience" I attended: Batman: Arkham City--Armored EditionGame & WarioJust Dance 4Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's EdgeNintendo LandNew Super Mario Bros. UProject P-100Pikmin 3Rayman LegendsSingWii Fit UWii U Panorama View and ZombiU.

I think Scribblenauts Unlimited, and possibly another game or two, may have been at the event as well, but I'm not sure about that. (The venue where the "Wii U Experience" was held had a number of rooms, and I didn't go into all of them, shockingly enough.)

Anyway, of all of the aforementioned games, I personally got to, well, experience just four of them: Game & WarioNintendo LandNew Super Mario Bros. U and the still-tentatively-titled (I hope) Project P-100.

Below are my impressions of each of those titles, as well as a few thoughts on some of the games I simply watched other people play.

* Game & Wario--If there was a Wii U game at this event that disappointed me, or at least confused me, it was this one. For starters, I find the art style used here to be kind of off-putting, especially when compared to the style that's been used in the most recent WarioWare titles.

The oddly childish (in a bad way) art style employed here isn't Game & Wario's main problem, though; no, that would be its rather unappealing gameplay. You see, rather than rapidly throwing a series of hilarious (or at least mildly humorous), single-player-focused mini-games at players like WarioWare does, this Wii U title tosses a bunch of slower-paced (as in, some of them have time limits that last for a number of minutes), multi-player-focused games at them.

That would be all well and good, but the two Game & Watch mini-games I experienced at the event weren't multi-player experiences in the traditional sense. Instead, both of them involved one player holding and using the Wii U GamePad to interact with the TV and the rest simply watching the action and providing input (such as, "the guy you're looking for is in the lower-right corner!") when needed.

There's nothing wrong with that kind of gameplay, and it's certainly unique in the world of console gaming, but I can't say it appealed to me all that much. As such, I hope either a bunch of Game & Wario's mini-games can be enjoyed alone or one of Nintendo's teams is hard at work on another WarioWare title.

* Nintendo Land--I have to say, Game & Watch looks especially bad when experienced just after Nintendo's other multi-player-centric Wii U "launch window" title, Nintendo Land. Whereas the former game seems oddly unappealing, the latter features the kind of "anyone can enjoy it" magic that's injected into all of the company's best releases.

Although five of Nintendo Land's mini-games were demoed at the Seattle "Wii U Experience," I only played two--Animal Crossing: Sweet Day and Luigi's Haunted Mansion. Both of them were loads of fun and caused me and the people I was playing with to smile, laugh, cheer and more. Well, except for the time my husband begrudgingly agreed to sit in on a round of Animal Crossing: Sweet Day. (Him: "Which one am I?" Me: "I don't know, move around a bit and figure out which one moves in the same way." Him: "None of them are moving in the same way." Me: "Of course one of them is moving in the same way! I'm the one in the lower-left corner, so you're one of the other three." Him: "What am I supposed to do again?" Me: Collect the candy!" Him: "Which ones are the candy?" Me: "Arrrrrrggggggh!!!")

Sadly, my experiences with both mini-games were rather short, as me and my competitors/colleagues completely sucked. Still, we had a blast. I'd like it to be noted, by the way, that all of the mini-games on display looked great. I was especially impressed with Animal Crossing: Sweet Day, which gives me hope that the inevitable Wii U-based Animal Crossing sequel not only will look gorgeous but will look significantly different from its predecessors.

New Super Mario Bros. U--Would you be surprised to hear the biggest crowds were parked behind the two Wii Us that were playing this game? Yeah, I wouldn't be either. Was it worth waiting in line for? Oh, yeah. Although I've never been the biggest fan of the New Super Mario Bros. series (only the Wii iteration has really wetted my whistle), I've been interested in New Super Mario Bros. U since it was re-unveiled during the most recent E3--mainly due to its high-definition visuals.

Speaking of which, this game's graphics are even more impressive in person than they were in the screenshots and YouTube videos I'd seen before the "Wii U Experience" event. Everything is so clean and crisp that you can't believe you ever thought this would be little more than an up-rezzed port of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Anyway, enough about that. I was lucky enough to be able to play the "starry night" level that can be seen at the 50-second mark of this trailer. As was the case with my time with Nintendo Land, I completely sucked while playing this game for the first time (as in, I used up all of my lives before our time was up). In my defense, I was distracted from the task at hand due to my once-again-distressed husband, who had no idea what he was supposed to do. (Me: "It's a Mario game. You move to the right and hit the jump button once in a while." Him: "Which character am I?" Me: "I don't know! Move around a bit and see which one moves the same way." Him: "Which one is the jump button?" Me: "Aaaaahhhhh!!")

Amazingly, I still left the New Super Mario Bros. U station with a grin on my face. Yes, it feels pretty much like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but it looks so much better that I'll surely be buying it alongside the Wii U.

* Project P-100--This is the first game that I sought out upon entering the "Wii U Experience," but it was the last one I played. That's because I was more than a bit intimidated by it. Why? Well, everything moves really fast, for starters. Also, it uses pretty much all of the Wii U GamePad's buttons as well as its touch screen. Trying to come to terms with all of that in front of a pack of slobbering witnesses (OK, so most of them weren't actually slobbering) wasn't all that appealing to me early on.

I returned to the Project P-100 station (which was startlingly empty for most of the event) just before my husband and I left, though, due to a little voice in my head that kept telling me, "You readers are going to give you hell if you don't at least try it." So, I did. And you know what? I loved it. Yes, it was a bit confusing at first thanks to the plethora of control options, but after a minute or so (and a bit of help from the nice Nintendo employee who was manning that particular station) I figured things out and no longer felt like a floundering fish.

It must be said, by the way, that in the end the bevy of control options made Project P-100 (or, rather, what little I played of it) feel like a much deeper experience than I expected it to be. It's not just a mindless run-and-punch or run-and-slash game. The question is: Will I be picking up this title alongside the Wii U (or whenever it's released), too? You bet your buttons.

As for the rest of the on-hand games that I failed to play but still attracted my attention: Pikmin 3 was absolutely beautiful and deserved the rather sizable crowd that always seemed to be hovering around its tucked-away-in-the-corner station. Rayman Legends and ZombiU also looked fabulous, with the latter especially surprising me. Although I'm not entirely fond of its character models (something about them seems a bit "off" to me), the rest of ZombiU is as gorgeous as a game about killing zombies can be.

Speaking of the Wii U's graphics in general, I wouldn't hesitate to say that all of the games I saw in motion (and I saw pretty much all of them in motion at one point or another) looked a lot better than I thought they would prior to the event. The overall visual fidelity of each and every game that was shown off last night easily put to shame similar games that were made for the regular ol' Wii.

Did they look better or worse than PS3 or Xbox 360 offerings? I don't know--and, honestly, I don't care. All I care about is that they looked great (as opposed to, you know, looking "just like Wii games," as some haters would have you believe).

Finally, a few thoughts on the Wii U GamePad, which I've been dying to get my hands on ever since it was unveiled during last year's E3. The first thing you have to know about it: It's amazingly light. As in, not much heavier than, say, a Wii Remote or an Xbox 360 controller. Even better: Somehow, it doesn't feel cheap. Also, the analog sticks as well as face and shoulder buttons feel great. Oh, and the GamePad's touch screen is really nice. I was pretty frazzled when I had to use it while playing Project P-100 (you have to draw a circle to attract citizens to your ever-growing swarm of super heroes), so I can't say  how responsive or unresponsive it is, unfortunately, but everything else about it appears to be top-notch.

So, there you have it. If I were forced to edit this post to just one line, I would go with something like: I'm sold. As in, I'm sold on buying a Wii U and a number of its games--assuming, of course, the system is sold at a reasonable cost (which is something we North Americans should hear more about this coming Thursday, Sept. 13).

Note: If you have any questions about the "Wii U Experience" in general, the Wii U console, the Wii U GamePad or any of the games that were featured at this event, feel free to ask them in the comments section below.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow thank you for the reportage, I really enjoyed reading it. Really funny your dialogue with your husband... did he even know who Super Mario was before the Seattle event!?! ;P
I have some question about the GamePad: Nintendo made clickable the analog sticks for "mutiplatform compatibility"... but no one mentions if the shoulder/trigger buttons are digital or analog. I suppose the upper ones are classic digital buttons (as the N64 or 3DS ones), while the lower ones (under the GamePad) are analog (like in the GC pad). Can you confirm that?
Oh last thing, the buttons aren't "clicky" as the ones on the 3DS right? I really like that kind of tactile feedback but I suppose they're more mmhhh "soft" as on the Wii.
Last (and I stop bother you!) I saw game footage where, while aiming at the screen with the GamePad, I noticed a little "trembling" of the on-screen cursor; what was your sensation? Did you feel it accurate as aiming with the MotionPlus (as in Skyward Sword)?

Thanks
___
Giuda

warp said...

I played both Project P-100 and Pikmin 3, and for games that are supposed to be very similar, I thought Project P-100 was SO much better. It had a very unique feel to it, a great style, and it used the new controller really well. Pikmin 3 wasn't trying to do anything new -- it even used the Wiimote instead of the new controller. The graphics were nothing special, and it had the exact same style of the old games. I suspect it was originally supposed to be a Wii game, and it switched systems at some point.

Just my two cents; your mileage may vary.

warp said...

Also I was a bit worried the new controller would be awkward or too big, but I kinda liked it.

Adam said...

I agree NSMB Wii was really good much better than the original DS one

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hello Guida! Is this the first time you've commented here? I think it may be. Anyway, welcome :)

Oh, yes, my husband knew of Super Mario before the event. I don't think he'd ever played a Mario game before last night, though, which kind of amazes me. It was hard for me to explain things to him at the event because it was so loud and kind of frenzied, which of course just made things worse. Hopefully things will be better when I have a Wii U and can explain things to him in the quiet comfort of our basement, but I'm not going to bet on it :P

As for your questions: I'll do my best to answer them!

1. Although I have read that the shoulder buttons are analog, I wasn't able to confirm that while using the GamePad myself. I wish I would have thought to ask one of the NOA reps that question! I barely had to use the shoulder buttons during my time w/ Project P-100, for instance, and in all the craziness all I thought to do was press them :)

2. I'm not sure I can confirm anything about the face buttons on the GamePad either, sadly. All I remember is that they felt good. If I had to guess, I would compare them more to the Wii Remote's buttons than the 3DS', but don't quote me on that. They were bigger in size, though, than the 1/2 buttons on the Wii Remote.

3. I never had to use the pointer function on the GamePad strangely enough, so I can't be of much help to you here either, I'm afraid. Also, I don't remember seeing this trembling you were talking about, so maybe it was just due to the people who made the videos you've seen (as in, their hands were trembling a bit when they made the videos)?

So, I guess I haven't been very helpful. Sorry about that. Honestly, as fun as it was to being able to play these games, this kind of event isn't a good way to figure out some of the things you're wondering about, as it was hot, loud, crowded ... and you often felt pressure to move the controller to the next person in line.

Still, I'm glad I went -- although I'm not sure my husband or bank account are quite as glad :P

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, warp! Yes, I too think Project P-100 is unique enough to stand on its own. Heck, like you suggested, in many ways P-100 is *more* unique than Pikmin 3 which, while gorgeous, is quite similar to past entries in the series. I agree that it clearly began life as a Wii game, BTW, and was gussied up, if you will, once Miyamoto et al found out about the Wii U. That's OK, of course, but it likely means that Pikmin 3 isn't or won't be entirely 'optimized' for the Wii U. Does this mean we'll see a Pikmin 4 on the Wii U? I hope so, but I have my doubts :|

Anyway, like I suggested in this post, I absolutely loved P-100. I was a bit worried about it before the event, actually, as I kind of thought, 'What if it isn't as fun as it looks?' or 'What if it doesn't control well?' Well, I really shouldn't have worried, as it looked great, controlled like a dream (even w/ all of the options) and was fun as all get out. I especially love how much character everything has -- it really is like playing a cartoon/comic in many ways. So, hopefully this one is out near launch and has a nice name and box art to go with it :)

Bryan Ochalla said...

warp: Yes, I was worried about the controller too. In photos it looks so unwieldy, but in person you really don't notice it's size, or at least not in a negative way. Also, I can't get over how damn light it is. Good old Nintendo, always creating things that are marvels of design/construction (the OG 3DS nonwithstanding).

Bryan Ochalla said...

Adam: YES! I can understand peoples' complaints about the original NSMB (hell, I complain about the game myself), but NSMBWii was a really great game, IMO. And NSMBU looks to be even greater. Really, when the game is in front of you, you can't help but think, "Now, that is one great looking game!"--and that's not even the game's main selling point, IMO. (That would be its gameplay, of course.)

diaglyph said...

Great to read this :)
I was curious to read how the gamepad would feel like. I was hoping it would be nice and light and easy to handle. Good to hear that it is :)

I'm unsure about NSMB - both 3D Mario Land and the recent NSMB2 have irritated me in different ways. I'm considering not bothering with the Wii U release when it comes.

With regards Project P-100 - I think its kinda starting to grow on me LOL though I hope with the Wii U eShop they put demos for a lot of retail games!! I just hope there are plenty of demos in the eShop (3DS and Wii U)

Unknown said...

I don't know which commenter I am. I am moving around a bit, and everyone else is moving, too. :(

Kaze said...

Glad you had a blast!! Project P-100 was my fav game that I got to try too ^^ I love I Platinum games! (I hope Sega eventually let's them make Bayonetta 3! lol)

Anonymous said...

Thanks Bryan, yes first time commenting here (actually I'm pretty sure it's the first time EVER commenting in a gaming-related site, I just lurk everywhere and then spit my thoughts on twitter lol).
Anyway... trust me your WiiU overview went more in-deep than the 95% of other reportage. I think it depends by the fact you actually described what you saw and how you felt it, instead of going nonsense with "ah an anon developer told us the console is not powerful as ps360, or if it is it's about 1.5X, but then it's just a an X+Y-Wii×π...".
lol Anyway, thank for your answers, much appreciated!

___
Giuda

p.s.: @SuperPhilip LOL

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Igor! Oh, yes, the GamePad/controller felt very nice in the hands. I really liked that it wasn't completely flat on back like an iPad, etc. The ridges/grips make it easier to hold and make it more comfortable, too.

As for being a bit unsure about NSMBU: I can understand that, especially after NSMB2. What did you think of NSMBWii, though? I'd say that if you liked that game, you'll probably like this one. Of course, I played just one level, so take my words with the grain of salt they deserve.

That said, I came into the event a bit skeptical about the game, too, but walked away 100% sure I would be adding it to my collection.

Can I ask you why you aren't/weren't all that interested in Project P-100? I'm curious because it definitely seemed at the event like not many people are interested in it, which shocks me, as it's a really pretty, really fun game. I guess maybe in screenshots it doesn't look all that impressive, though?

Bryan Ochalla said...

What's up, SuperPhillip? Are the comments confusing you or something?

Bryan Ochalla said...

Kaze: Oh, yes, Project P-100 was a blast. This is the first Platinum game I've played, surprisingly enough. I've heard wonderful things about Bayonetta, though, so I may have to give it a try sometime soon.

What did you think of NSMBU, Nintendo Land and Game & Wario, if you got to play them? Or any other games you got to play?

I now wish I'd had the balls to play ZombiU, as I really liked how it looked. Maybe I'll do something atypical for a change and pick it up whenever I buy a WiiU, despite the fact that I usually can't stand playing games that are played from a third-person perspective.

Bryan Ochalla said...

Guida: Well, I'm honored that this post prompted you to comment on a gaming blog/site for the first time :) I understand that mindset, BTW. I typically lurk too, and really only comment on friends' blogs regularly. Tiny Cartridge is pretty much the only exception.

Anyway, I'm glad you liked my reportage, as you put it. I certainly tried my best to share what I saw and felt while playing these games. I do wish I had tried to play more games, but in the end I'm also glad I didn't, as this post was long enough! :)

BTW, I am soooooooooo tired of reading about whether or not the Wii U is more or less powerful than the PS3 or 360, etc. I know a lot of people care about this kind of thing, but I absolutely don't. I want games that look good enough, of course, but what I really want is games that are fun to play and that control well. As long as NIntendo and its third parties provide that with the Wii U, I'll be a happy Wii U owner, I'm sure.

Marcus said...

So now that you've experienced the system, what price do you think you would buy it for? I'm hoping to see it be $250 like the Wii but the tablet controller is probably more expensive than the Wiimote's tech... Regardless, I don't see Nintendo straying THAT far from that price range. Although, I did see a rumor recently of it coming in a few price tiers, which would be the first time Nintendo has tried that out, I believe.

I'm thinking that NintendoLand MUST be a pack-in game. It just works perfectly to demo much of the new features of the system and tablet. If it ends up being a standalone game I'll be fairly displeased, especially when it feels "done".

Thanks for sharing your impressions of it all :). It's too bad you didn't get to try out more of the NintendoLand stuff but I think that Animal Crossing Sweet Day was my favorite anyway! That, and the Donkey Kong one (for single player fun).

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Marcus! Long time, no see :)

Personally, I think that if Nintendo wants to put themselves in a great position with the Wii U, some version of it *has* to be released with a $249 price tag -- even if that means selling just the system and the Wii U GamePad for that price. Any more than that, and I feel like they're going to struggle a bit outside of Japan, just like they have with the 3DS.

So, even though I really liked the system and plan to get one at some point, I'm not planning to buy it for more than $249 right now. Who knows, though -- if it's released at $299 w/ Nintendo Land packed-in or something like that, I could see myself biting fairly quickly. Release it at $299 or higher without a pack-in title, though, and I'm unlikely to buy it until it drops in price.

I've heard the rumor about pricing tiers, too. I'm not sure what to think of them, honestly. I mean, I want to believe them, as I personally like the sound of those tiers, but I'm not sure Nintendo would go that route. Some have suggested that the lowest-priced 'bundle' would be an 'upgrade bundle' and would be just the Wii U and GamePad, while the higher-priced ones would include games and/or Wii Remotes, etc. I guess we'll see soon enough!

You and I are of the same mind when it comes to Nintendo Land, BTW. I really don't know how Nintendo will treat it, though. To me, it's an obvious pack-in. Also, most of the commentary about the game suggests it's mainly for multi-player experiences. Given that, I think many people like myself may/would pass on it if it were sold separately from the Wii U, esp. at a price of like $49. Should they pack it in, though, I'd surely try it -- and probably very much like it, if my experience with the game at this event is any indication.

I wish I would have tried more of Nintendo Land, too. Unfortunately, I was just a bit flustered at the event, and all I ever saw people playing were the Luigi's Mansion and Animal Crossing mini-games. So, I eventually gave up and moved on. I am looking forward to trying Donkey Kong at some point, though, as I really like the looks of it.

SpeLinnea said...

"Everything is so clean and crisp that you can't believe you ever thought this would be little more than an up-rezzed port of New Super Mario Bros. Wii."

I am so glad to hear that! I was so confused after the E3-presentation, the game looked so surprisingly (even for Nintendo) familiar to the Wii one. Although I had a blast with NSMB Wii, I hoped for more when I first saw the trailer. But you just turned the hope up again. :D

I am glad you tried out Project P-100 and enjoyed it that much! What name would you give that game? ('caus that's just the prototype name right now, isn't it?)

Take care, lots of love
Linnea

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Linnea! I was like you when I first saw NSMBU -- I thought it was just a slightly prettier version of NSMBW. From what I saw of it at this event, though, it's more than that. How much more? I guess we won't know for sure until it's out, but I'm hoping the answer is 'quite a bit more.'

As for P-100 and what I'd call it: I'm not sure! I keep seeing others suggest titles that include the word 'heroes' in it, and I really like that idea, as the game is all about collecting heroes and employing them en masse against the game's baddies. I can't think of a specific title at the moment, though :|

diaglyph said...

On NSMBU - I didn't play much of the Wii version. I vaguely remember being irritated by it LOL but I can't remember why exactly. I gave the game to my cousin for her kid to play (who thoroughly enjoyed it). This was way back when it came out.

P-100 - I don't know. It's hard to say what it is about this game I don't get. I guess I'd have to see the game myself? Pictures and videos just don't do much for me. In any case, I hope the Wii U eShop has a demo (I hope all retail games get demos!!!)

I'm starting to think I may wait a bit before getting Wii U, not because I'm not interested in it, I like the idea behind Wii U etc it's more affordability and lack of games. My guess for here in Australia it could be priced anywhere between $300 to $400 when it comes out (we've been ripped off for so long by most companies, Nintendo included, that I'm expecting a high price here in Aus). Though I'm hoping to see a Black Wii U with NintendoLand packaged into it - I think its a must!

Bryan Ochalla said...

You were irritated by NSMBWii? Huh! That surprises me for some reason. Do you normally/usually like Mario games and/or platformers?

As for Project P-100: I honestly think it's a game people will have to play for themselves in order to figure out why it's worth picking up. As such, I *really* hope a demo of it is placed on the Wii U eShop in advance of the game's release. Otherwise, it probably won't sell all that well (IMO, of course).

I understand waiting, of course. I tend to wait myself! In fact, the Wii is the only system I've bought at/around launch since ... the Dreamcast? Weird. Anyway, I especially can understand waiting due to price. Also, I don't think it's a bad idea to wait and make sure there are no hardware bugs/issues. So, I may wait a bit myself. Really, for me it all will come down to price and the launch line-up.

diaglyph said...

I think Mario went downhill for me around Sunshine. Prior to that I was fine. I had finished Mario 64 and before that I finished Super Mario World on SNES. Sunshine turned me off with its stupid time limited levels (clean the beach within 30 seconds or whatever or race against that idiot within 30 seconds). I actually wrote a post in my blog about why I don't think I'll play Mario again.

Interestingly, I did get Wii on release day (night I should say).
But perhaps not this time. I hear that there will be limited stock and next shipment won't be until January. Maybe I'll wait until then.

diaglyph said...

Forgot to ask, is yoshi in NSMBU?
I think I would've enjoyed NSMB2 3DS more if it had yoshi :(
I miss yoshi hehe

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hello again :) Hmmm, maybe it helped me that I didn't play Sunshine until loooooooong after release (as in, until a few years ago), and even then I barely played it.

Anyway, you're really missing out, IMO, if you skip Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Both are among the best games on the system -- again, IMO.

Don't let one subpar game ruin the entire series for you, Igor!

I'm not sure I completely believe this rumor you've heard about the Wii U. Sure, that could be the case, but I'm not sure I see this being another Wii situation.

Regardless, I may wait until January or later anyway, so it doesn't matter much to me!

Bryan Ochalla said...

I honestly can't remember if regular Yoshis are in NSMBU, Igor, but I know baby Yoshis are in the game. Does that help? :)

diaglyph said...

That looks like a yes :)
http://www.mariowiki.com/images/4/48/Berry_Meter_NSMBU.png

Now I'm torn! LOL
I like the look of the new Mario - *sigh* curse my bad playing haha

Bryan Ochalla said...

Awesome! I haven't been paying close enough attention to it as of late, so I missed that 'adult' Yoshi will be included.

Anyway, it'll be interesting to hear if you wind up getting the game or not!

Viewtiful_Justin said...

I'm late to the party. Honestly, I have butterflies just reading this. I can't wait to get my hands on the thing!

Thanks for reporting back to us! BTW, how did you snag an invite?

And...which one is the jump button again?!

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Justin!

Glad you liked this post -- or at least the focus of it -- so much that it gave you butterflies :)

As for how I snagged an invite: Strangely enough, via NeoGAF. I was reading a thread there about something (I can't remember exactly what it was, although I'm guessing it was about Nintendo or the WiiU) and noticed someone's comment about getting an invite to the Seattle Wii U Experience. He/she was given a few extra invites and so shared their codes in the discussion thread. I grabbed one of them and the rest is history.

Afterward, Nintendo of America started sharing, on a first-come-first-served basis, codes for the event via its Facebook page, so I'm guessing some folks got in that way. NOA also sent out invites via Club Nintendo.

BTW, I'm seriously going to sit the hubs down and teach him how to play NSMBU after I get it and a Wii U. I'll also make him learn Nintendo Land, should I buy it. He needs to know these things, don't you think? :)

diaglyph said...

Yes you need to teach your hubby ;)

I reckon I'll be playing with mine when I eventually get it :)
Should be a lot of fun! (Nintendoland that is)

Bryan Ochalla said...

I'll do my best, Igor! Really, I guess I could see him, his sister and I playing Nintendo Land together now and then, as I *know* his sister (who visits this blog once in a while and enjoys playing the Wii) would be up for it. So, maybe there's hope? :P

Viewtiful_Justin said...

I do think. I can't imagine being a grown up and not knowing how to jump in a game...or what the purpose of Super Mario Bros is. SHAMEFUL! :-P

Bryan Ochalla said...

Well, you've got to understand, Justin, gaming is just *not* my husband's thing. That's OK, though; I still love him anyway :)

Viewtiful_Justin said...

I know, I know. I'm sure he's great at other things! I guess it's just been a part of my life for so long that I can't imagine it not being even a little part of EVERYONE'S life!

Bryan Ochalla said...

I agree, Justin. The thing is, I've rarely had friends/acquaintances as an adult who play games. My sis-in-law is one, one of my best friends (lesbian) in Seattle is one, my old roomies (more lesbians) are two more ... but that's all I can think of! Kind of crazy when you think of it. Also, I love that they're all girls, and that three of them are lesbians :)

Viewtiful_Justin said...

I feel pretty lucky to have Robb to play with. I have a few close friends who play games, but a lot of them don't play seriously. Even Robb isn't going to play something like, say, Borderlands with me. Too intense for him.

But I'm thankful there are some things he will play!

Those dykes and their video games...smh.

Bryan Ochalla said...

Yes, you should be happy you have a man who'll play games with you and also ... do other things with you ;) Oh, well, at least David covers one of those bases!

As for the last line of your comment: Are lesbians known for liking video games? I've honestly never heard or thought that before now, if that's the case. Or were you just being silly?

Unknown said...

Glad to hear more people praising Nintendoland – my mom said she liked it but I can't always take her word for everything ;)

By the way, I can't believe you dragged your husband along! From the sound of this post, he probably was a little, shall we say, "overwhelmed"! What a trooper

Bryan Ochalla said...

Oh, I should have known your mom would have played Nintendo Land, Anne! And she liked it? Well, she has some good taste then :)

My only fear has been that every mini-game shown off seems to focus on local multi-player. Now that we know of at least two single-player focused games, though, I'm feeling a bit better about the game. In a perfect world, all of Nintendo Land's mini-games would be able to be played either solo or multi, but I'm not sure that's a realistic dream.

As for my husband coming along: Oh, I wasn't going to that thing all by myself! I'm actually pretty shy, Anne, at least in some contexts, and I'd never be able to get up enough nerve to do that. Anyway, yes, he was a trooper. And, yes, he was overwhelmed. I guess I own him one, eh? :)