The only way to describe it is Wiiiiiiiiii
For this Christmas I got our house the Wii console from Nintendo. When I say our house I mean to say me or myself, but our house sounds better therefore we'll stick with our house. How did I find one of these little white yuletide scarcities? I made a straight trade with a gentleman through an add I placed on Craig's list in Santa Barbara. What was I willing to trade that would cause the owner of a brand spanking new Wii to part ways with his little box of joy? A 6 month old Xbox 360 with games and extras.
It may seem to some that as we held our clandestine meet in the parking lot of a neighborhood IHop that I was cheated or taken in the deal. But I'll have you know that I wasn't (though in the parking lot I was having second thoughts myself). If you do the math, the deal seems problematic $400 Xbox + $150 for the games in trade for a new Wii $250. You must remember that at the time I made this trade Wii's were going for over $400 on ebay and some way over $400.
But let's not confuse this post - I wasn't looking at this from a fiscal perspective. I wasn't even looking for a Wii. I was already tired of the Xbox, and tired of the same old gaming experience. I've owned a Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, Playstation 2 and Xbox 360 - the game titles have changed the graphics have improved but the gaming experience hasn't. Gaming in our house is isolating - when you go to hand someone else a remote and ask them to join in - they are immediately confused by the array of buttons and sticks and how to make the guy do this or that. No one is ever willing to play along - they look at me as though I've figured out how to split an atom and surely they'll never be able to do it. The last time I was able to get my wife to play a video game with me was the Nintendo 64 and we shot ducks together. It was simple point and pull the trigger on the gun shaped remote. We had a lot of fun.
I brought the Wii home and set it up - immediately I started playing tennis and within a few minutes my wife popped into the room. Looking and laughing watching me as I performed the simple act of swinging the tennis racket. She quickly realized there were no buttons to push - just swing this way or that. Before I knew it she wanted the controller and was hitting the ball here, there and everywhere. I almost think I heard her say Wiiiiii as she swung.
Ahhh, this is what I was looking for - a game system that would become part of the family. If you're reading this and haven't read all the reviews that call the Wii a revolution in gaming - believe me, the Wii is what a console is suppose to be about and once availability improves - you'll be able to get them at the price consoles should cost $250.
For me, this was one of the best trades I ever made.
It may seem to some that as we held our clandestine meet in the parking lot of a neighborhood IHop that I was cheated or taken in the deal. But I'll have you know that I wasn't (though in the parking lot I was having second thoughts myself). If you do the math, the deal seems problematic $400 Xbox + $150 for the games in trade for a new Wii $250. You must remember that at the time I made this trade Wii's were going for over $400 on ebay and some way over $400.
But let's not confuse this post - I wasn't looking at this from a fiscal perspective. I wasn't even looking for a Wii. I was already tired of the Xbox, and tired of the same old gaming experience. I've owned a Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, Playstation 2 and Xbox 360 - the game titles have changed the graphics have improved but the gaming experience hasn't. Gaming in our house is isolating - when you go to hand someone else a remote and ask them to join in - they are immediately confused by the array of buttons and sticks and how to make the guy do this or that. No one is ever willing to play along - they look at me as though I've figured out how to split an atom and surely they'll never be able to do it. The last time I was able to get my wife to play a video game with me was the Nintendo 64 and we shot ducks together. It was simple point and pull the trigger on the gun shaped remote. We had a lot of fun.
I brought the Wii home and set it up - immediately I started playing tennis and within a few minutes my wife popped into the room. Looking and laughing watching me as I performed the simple act of swinging the tennis racket. She quickly realized there were no buttons to push - just swing this way or that. Before I knew it she wanted the controller and was hitting the ball here, there and everywhere. I almost think I heard her say Wiiiiii as she swung.
Ahhh, this is what I was looking for - a game system that would become part of the family. If you're reading this and haven't read all the reviews that call the Wii a revolution in gaming - believe me, the Wii is what a console is suppose to be about and once availability improves - you'll be able to get them at the price consoles should cost $250.
For me, this was one of the best trades I ever made.
posted by D.R. Eisenbarth at 7:28 AM
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