Wii - Less Fun Alone?

Been a while since I posted, and since I'm waiting for a DVD to finish burning, thought I'd throw out a few thoughts. 

I picked up a Wii on launch day, birthday present from my wife, along with Zelda, Rayman and Monkeyball.  I've had a BLAST playing it with my brother, his son (he's 6) and even got my wife to play a little Monkeyball and Wii Bowling.  I have noticed a disturbing "trend" though.  The Wii seems to be less enjoyable as a single player gaming system.  It seems custom built for "party" gaming, but aside from Zelda, I haven't really enjoyed single player games on it (rented several other titles).  This seems a little worrisome to me, as I'm a 32 year old married man with a 1 1/2 year old son and a job that keeps me either in the office 60-70 hours a week, or on the road visiting plants and manufacturing sites several times a month, all over the US and Canada.  I don't have a lot of time for "party" gaming. 

I'm not saying I'm not happy with the Wii, but I'm hoping that there are a few more great single player games down the road.  I love the innovative control idea, here's to hoping someone does something great with it.  Metroid looks like it'll rock, the Advance Wars version looks pretty cool too. 

I guess I'll stick with the 360 for the "traditional titles" and keep an eye out for the inventive stuff from Nintendo.  In the mean time, I've been using the Wii's backwards compatibility to catch up on some great Gamecube games that I never finished, namely Resident Evil 4, Eternal Darkness, Super Mario Sunshine and Zelda:  Ocarina of Time. 

Well, that about sums it up.  Anyone think I'm nuts?  Anyone agree?  Comment away!

Posted by SciDad23 @ 2:34 am EDT | Permalink | 5 Comments

DS = Travelling Gaming

As I previously stated in some random ramblings, I'm going to Europe for a few weeks for work.  While I usually bring a bunch of DVD's with me to watch on the laptop, I get tired of passive entertainment after a while.  I traded in a barely functioning PS2 (constand DRE's) and a bunch of old games and picked up a DS Lite and a few games (Mario Kart DS, True Swing Golf, Big Brain Academy, Animal Crossing, and Castlevania). 

I'm loving this little sucker.  I had a Gameboy Advance for a while, but after a business trip I found it had cracked right through the screen.  After using a few contacts at the local EB, I was able to swap it for a new one, but then traded it in elsewhere for some random XBox game or something.  I had forgotten how much fun the portable gaming end of the hobby really is.  I wasn't tempted to pick up a PSP, primarily due to the pricetag.  I probably wouldn't have picked this DS up if it wasn't for the trip, but I'm glad I did. 

It's great for passing a few minutes at work, grabbing a few minutes in Animal Crossing to try to pay off my house (Tom Nook is a bastard, 180,000 bells for a one room expansion and a new roof, he should be shot, that rat bastard racoon. )

If anyone's looking for some portable gaming, I highly recommend the DS Lite.

Posted by SciDad23 @ 9:51 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

NBA2K7

I'm really looking forward to the new NBA2k7 for the 360.  I've been playing basketball games in some form or another since the Atari 2600.  Here's my top 3 of all time

Sega Genesis:  Bulls Vs. Celtics ---- as quite possibly one of the biggest MJ fans on the planet, this game was a dream come true.  My brother always played the Celts and tried bombing 3's with Bird, but never could beat me and MJ.  heheh

Sega Genesis:  NBA LIVE 95 -- got me through college.  I was broke, couldn't afford much gamewise, but I paid for dinner many a weekend after cleaning the floor with the guys in my dorm and taking their money.  Pippen had this up and under move that could NOT be stopped. 

Dreamcast:  NBA 2k -- the first real alternative to the EA drivel that Live has become.  I was amazed by the camera angles, the realism, the "sim" feel. 

Can't wait for the new one.  My wife's gonna miss me, I'll be up late for a while with a new season of NBA gaming.  Now I just have to figure out who to pick for the online league in the GSN.  Maybe this time the league won't crap out after 4 weeks.

Sheesh

Posted by SciDad23 @ 11:14 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

Going Back to Europe

I just found out today that I have to go back to Europe for 2 weeks.  I spent a week or so last November in Zurich, Switzerland and Marbach, Germany.  This time I'm going to Marbach again, then to Paris, France......then Louviers, France......then to London, UK.....BACK to Louviers, France, ......back to Paris, France.....then back home to NJ. 

Gotta love my job.  I actually kinda like the travel, and I've been home for about 6 consecutive months now, so it's not all bad.  Rough thing about it is having to leave my wife and son for 2 weeks.  He's just turned 1 and I feel like if I miss 2 weeks I'll be missing so much more.  Well, that's why God invented digital cameras and International Cellular Phone service!

here's my favorite picture from my last trip to Europe....took it myself!  not too shabby for an amateur!

Basilica of the Sacré Cœur

Posted by SciDad23 @ 10:33 pm EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments

Starting him out early

Figured I'd "brag a little", and throw out a picture of my little buddy.  This is my son, just turned 1.  He's the reason I go to work every day and get my head kicked in by my boss.  I never knew what "pride and joy" really meant until we had this little bugger.



Posted by SciDad23 @ 11:40 pm EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments