Aren’t Wii a Little Old For This?
Chris is a video game junkie. He’s not the kind that ignores all other obligations in order to play them, but he’s almost that kind. Usually, he plays after I go to bed at night. And he loves it. Loves it. Its his time to shine. Its just him and his nunchucks, baby.
And he’s not loyal to one game or even one gaming system (see how down I am with the video game lingo?). We have a Nintendo 1 and 2, a Playstation 2 and 3, and most recently a Nintendo Wii. He’s an equal opportunity gamer.
Normally, I try to ignore his addiction. I find its usually better if the wife just turns her head sometimes, right? But lately its been getting hard. Because Chris has found a new game. An new nemesis.
The Wii Fit Age Test.
The Fit Age Test (and that might not be the actual name, but I think its close…) is played on the Wii and is a series of games you play that test your skill levels of balance, strength, and stamina. Don’t ask me. It doesn’t make any sense at all. But that’s what the game does. Once you’ve played the levels and different games, the Wii spits our your “Wii age” according to your fitness level.
The first time Chris played this two weeks ago, he came in at age 57. He went crazy. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. Or spontaneously grow a hemroid. Or apply for an AARP membership.
He immediately went to take the fit test again, but they only let you take it once a day. So that it seems more medically sound, I’m guessing. But more likely its so that people like Chris don’t get so mad that they throw their Wii out the window.
So, every day since then Chris has been standing in front of our living room television bowling, golfing, playing tennis and baseball. He is a man on a mission. So far he’s down to age 35, but that’s not enough. It will never be enough.
By the time the Wii says Chris is actually 25 years old, I’ll probably be 46 with 3 kids.
And probably a new husband.
12 Comments
maureenlynn
Hahaha. What is it with guys and video games? My boyfriend is into computer games. He likes them to be realistic so he’ll spend all day downloading the correct sounds to go with each of the planes on his flight simulator game. When I go over to his house after work, we will have dinner, hang out, etc. and then I’ll go to bed while he proceeds to play his game until 4am. Seriously. Boys.
sillionshine
Ladies, ladies…
Games. Are. Awesome. Think of them like hideously expensive high-heeled shoes that you can wear for hours and hours (and hours) without ever getting tired or suffering from crippling tendonitis.
Think of them like going into a shop that only stocks everything in your exact size, and being able to try everything on in all possible combinations, whenever you want.
The psychology of gaming is quite simple. Every man is king (or god, if the ego is big enough) in his own world. This is a ‘fact’ that is hard to marry with reality when you are stuck in traffic and it becomes painfully obvious that your actual abilities in ruling over all you survey are pretty much nil. Traffic lights are more highly feared emperors than you are.
But in games, you can vanquish a whole army, win the superbowl, drive Porsches at 200mph, shoot policemen in the face, find the antidote and save the whole entire planet and steal helicopters. (steal helicpoters, people!) and all before lunch. And if you can do all that before lunch, think of what you can accomplish if you stay up till 4 am!
We can go overboard sometimes. When buying furniture I have considered how comfortable it would be to game on for extended periods, though I haven’t yet reached the extent of my friend who has conducted trials as to which types of light bulbs glare the least off the screen while still providing visually strain-free amounts of lighting.
At the end of the day, we love machines. Binary doesn’t lie. It’s either 0 or 1. If you gals tell us we ‘look good’ we don’t know whether that means ‘despite your size and shape’ or ‘you don’t, but I love you anyway’ or the unsaid ‘….and how do I look?’
But if a machine tells you that you’re fitness age is 25, then you can rest assured. It’s science.
Ginny
I know nothing about gaming — thank goodness the SO isn’t really into them either. But I have to say sillionshine explanation was amazing. hahaha
HeJo
Usually, I would agree with you. However, the Wii Fit has changed my life as a female. My husband and I now can play video games. Together. I like the Wii. I feel like it was actually designed by females and not all men who just want to kill things and get points. Doing yoga and jogging in the park and playing doubles with the “we-mote” in my living room is quite thrilling. I agree, the age test is also evil.
Catherine
You are hilarious! You have to write a book.
archiveslives
I could copy and paste this post into my blog about Kyle and myself. It’s exactly the story of our lives. He plays Grand Theft auto and I’m like, “Seriously?” Seriously. Luckily he knows how silly I think it all is, and he’ll either play when I’m not around, or on Saturdays when I’m doing other stuff.
And that dadgum Wii Fit age test makes me feel bad about myself every time.
Emily
Games can be for girls too!!! :o)
I went from never playing to having my own xbox within a year. My husband and I play together, and we love it!!
Laurel
duh, just tell Chris to make a new mii. I speak from experience, my alter wii-ego (wiigo?) is a little slutty, and her name is 7. Now I can do the fitness test twice a day if I need to!
elizabeth
OK, now I don’t feel so bad… we have a Playstation 2 and 3 and 2 nintendo DSes. AND I just bought a Wii for Christmas.
I’m so debating taking the Wii back though!! I can’t get a Wii Fit for it or MarioKart for it. But some people are saying good things about that Wii Fit. Shoot. I can’t decide.
Despite having all these gaming systems, my husband isn’t using them all the time. He seriously likes to geek out when he does, though. Something to do with computers.
girlslashwoman
Oh god, that test makes me shiver. I’ve been placed at 86, 54, 67 and 40 respectively. It’s scary stuff.
Jackie
Oh no! I guess Chris will be in more trouble now that I added to his Wii habit with not one, but two Wii wheels. Not to mention the other two wheels that he got. Katie, maybe you better take up the Wii too. Love you guys!
David
Just happened across your blog. Funny thoughts. Here’s a word of advice, stay away from Wii Fit then…