The component cables that I ordered from Nintendo last night show up as "backordered" in my receipt on their website. What the hell? I thought that I read the fine print that said, "As of Wednesday, November 29, 2006, we will be resuming shipments of all back orders for the Wii Component Video Cable." Wait a second! They say they're "resuming shipments"... they don't say anything about how fast they're doing it!
I read somewhere in Kotaku (found it!) that Nintendo is shipping out about 3K+ cables. That doesn't sound like enough. Bring the fat guy with the drum back in and let's make some cables, people! Cake at the end - this time I promise!
++
Wii Sports Tennis gives me neither Justice nor Peace. NWA would have sung about this game if it had been around during the large clock boom of the 80's. I'm not saying this game will take IT to you, but it will. It is from Compton. I only mildly do not suck at it. I'm at 559 right now, which is slightly under the 1k pro benchmark that the game indicates. It doesn't help that the graph goes all the way up to 2k. Maybe higher.
Fitness Age
11/27/06: 36
11/30/06: 44
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Wii Component Cables Shipping
Cables are shipping from Nintendo now after a brief hiatus where the vile red type said something about not shipping until December 20th. Yeah, that wasn't a pretty picture. Seriously though, what did they do to pump out all those cables? Did they have every Nintendo employee call up their families and tell them to come in for a "Wii Picnic" or something? The families get there and there's nothing but shackles, a fat guy with a huge drum, and miles of cable. Oh, and I bet the fat guy ate the last piece of cake too. It's easy to blame the fat guy with the drum, he's kind of a bastard.
So, after running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I finally just put the money down to order the cables through Nintendo. If I get some of that fat guy's cake too, that would be awesome.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Wii Thanksgiving
I brought the Wii with me on Thanksgiving. Or maybe I should say that the Wii brought me. It was a hit.
How many rounds of boxing did my brother-in-law and cousin-in-law eventually insist on playing against one another? Best of 3? Try best of seven.
In the first two fights they managed to keep their shirts on. Some wild exertions, but no real sweat or lethargy. They were still fresh and eager for more. I don't know what kind of issues they were resolving through the conflict, but you could see it in each of their eyes: there was no going back, it was time to be an animal.
Who took off their shirt or sweater first is a question of history, all I can provide you though is a tale of two titans, pugilistic, ham-fisted warriors, who could not breathe until the other man lay lifeless at his feet. It was epic. Neither could lift his arms after, the weight of the sweat and the meat was too much.
Everyone was laughing at the spectacle of the fight, and the line grew too. I don't know if it actually held up Turkey Time, but the cook was watching the games for awhile. Everyone laid in to the Wii with their hands, fists or rackets. More than one person said that they'd buy one after they heard how low the price was. Everyone said they couldn't believe the controls until they actually used it; "amazing" was the most frequent word. It was a lot of fun, it was a good time with family.
Happy Holiday
How many rounds of boxing did my brother-in-law and cousin-in-law eventually insist on playing against one another? Best of 3? Try best of seven.
In the first two fights they managed to keep their shirts on. Some wild exertions, but no real sweat or lethargy. They were still fresh and eager for more. I don't know what kind of issues they were resolving through the conflict, but you could see it in each of their eyes: there was no going back, it was time to be an animal.
Who took off their shirt or sweater first is a question of history, all I can provide you though is a tale of two titans, pugilistic, ham-fisted warriors, who could not breathe until the other man lay lifeless at his feet. It was epic. Neither could lift his arms after, the weight of the sweat and the meat was too much.
Everyone was laughing at the spectacle of the fight, and the line grew too. I don't know if it actually held up Turkey Time, but the cook was watching the games for awhile. Everyone laid in to the Wii with their hands, fists or rackets. More than one person said that they'd buy one after they heard how low the price was. Everyone said they couldn't believe the controls until they actually used it; "amazing" was the most frequent word. It was a lot of fun, it was a good time with family.
Happy Holiday
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Twilight Princess - Fishing for a Cat
I got my Wii.
I was stuck on this one bit in ZTP (Zelda: Twilight Princess) where you have to fish for a cat, but then I saw this video. Everything became marvelously clear. Which is to say: the strategy guide that my brother got me sucks. It gave no indication of when/how to accurately pull up the fishing rod. I was going really slow, going way too fast, going at the wrong time... the strategy guide just plain sucked, but it looks good otherwise. *shrug*
More later when I exactly suck myself away for the Wii.
Quick Thoughts
-So far the Wii is brilliant in every regard. I have problems finding problems with it because I like to think that I went in with realistic expectations about the Wii, so I'm actually very happy because I expected less. I *hoped* for this, but I didn't expect it.
-The Wii's controllers are shakily ultra-precise and you can really immerse yourself in the experience of a game once you get to know the controls. For example, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz's party game called Monkey Target is my favorite mini-game right now, but it's controllers are hard to figure and hard to master. The video demonstrations that they give you are great, but, if you've never played another of the earlier Monkey Target mini-games, then you are screwed. It's hard to know when to do what, but you figure it out.
Speaking of, I gotta go figure out some more Zelda: Twilight Princess.
I was stuck on this one bit in ZTP (Zelda: Twilight Princess) where you have to fish for a cat, but then I saw this video. Everything became marvelously clear. Which is to say: the strategy guide that my brother got me sucks. It gave no indication of when/how to accurately pull up the fishing rod. I was going really slow, going way too fast, going at the wrong time... the strategy guide just plain sucked, but it looks good otherwise. *shrug*
More later when I exactly suck myself away for the Wii.
Quick Thoughts
-So far the Wii is brilliant in every regard. I have problems finding problems with it because I like to think that I went in with realistic expectations about the Wii, so I'm actually very happy because I expected less. I *hoped* for this, but I didn't expect it.
-The Wii's controllers are shakily ultra-precise and you can really immerse yourself in the experience of a game once you get to know the controls. For example, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz's party game called Monkey Target is my favorite mini-game right now, but it's controllers are hard to figure and hard to master. The video demonstrations that they give you are great, but, if you've never played another of the earlier Monkey Target mini-games, then you are screwed. It's hard to know when to do what, but you figure it out.
Speaking of, I gotta go figure out some more Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Robotic Hymn of Sony Doom
I looked over these links and article summaries that I'm about to let you all into, and then I realized something... I'm a Sony hater. I think it's mostly because they dashed my heart on a rock of salt when the pricing information came down and lit a match to the whole damn thing when they announced availability. Oh, wait, you don't know? Oh my god. You have to read this hate rant then, HILARIOUS to anyone. Anyone.
PS3 shipments are being cut IN HALF from what they stated in September. Anyone who wants a PS3 can just go get a hot dog from their local gas station and then put it on a string and play with that until next year. Of course the hot dog doesn’t have HDMI and it doesn't support 1080p either, but it *is* made out of questionable bits of things and it's available everywhere *gas* is sold. Hmmmm… hot dog or maybe a Wii + 360 combo? Hmmm…
It's a given that all of the launch day PS3's will sell-out everywhere. Not necessarily because everyone wants one, but because some people actually want one and everyone knows that they can make a quick dollar by selling one on eBay. That may seem cynical, but not after you find out about the sales numbers that rolled in from the Japanese release of the PS3. By the numbers:
- Total PS3 units sold: 81,639
- Total PS3 games sold: 66,684.
That means that 14,955, or almost 20%, of the PS3's sold did not go home with A GAME. How the hell are you going to feast on some 1080p glory without A GAME? You're not! Not at all! No chance! ZERO.
If you do want a PS3, you'll also want a HDTV to play it on and CompUSA is determined to thrust your squalling soul straight into The Future. If you want to buy a PS3 from CompUSA, you'll have to also purchase a Sony HDTV that is 40" or larger. This bizarro world scenario has landed on our terra firma and means that at CompUSA you are looking at a minimum PS3 purchase of $2300. That doesn't include games, but it probably does include partial burial services. I say partial because I imagine that with so many people dying of sticker shock, CompUSA will just have to toss the bodies out the back door and let them rot near the dumpsters until the rioting stops. How many lives must be lost, CompUSA? How manyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!
As Grr of Invader Zim fame would say, "doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom."
Find out if you local Toys'R'Us is doing a midnight sale for the Wii.
PS. Yes, the title of this post references the Robotic Hymn of Doom by Danger Doom. The Mouse and the Mask is a great CD - buy it.
PS3 shipments are being cut IN HALF from what they stated in September. Anyone who wants a PS3 can just go get a hot dog from their local gas station and then put it on a string and play with that until next year. Of course the hot dog doesn’t have HDMI and it doesn't support 1080p either, but it *is* made out of questionable bits of things and it's available everywhere *gas* is sold. Hmmmm… hot dog or maybe a Wii + 360 combo? Hmmm…
It's a given that all of the launch day PS3's will sell-out everywhere. Not necessarily because everyone wants one, but because some people actually want one and everyone knows that they can make a quick dollar by selling one on eBay. That may seem cynical, but not after you find out about the sales numbers that rolled in from the Japanese release of the PS3. By the numbers:
- Total PS3 units sold: 81,639
- Total PS3 games sold: 66,684.
That means that 14,955, or almost 20%, of the PS3's sold did not go home with A GAME. How the hell are you going to feast on some 1080p glory without A GAME? You're not! Not at all! No chance! ZERO.
If you do want a PS3, you'll also want a HDTV to play it on and CompUSA is determined to thrust your squalling soul straight into The Future. If you want to buy a PS3 from CompUSA, you'll have to also purchase a Sony HDTV that is 40" or larger. This bizarro world scenario has landed on our terra firma and means that at CompUSA you are looking at a minimum PS3 purchase of $2300. That doesn't include games, but it probably does include partial burial services. I say partial because I imagine that with so many people dying of sticker shock, CompUSA will just have to toss the bodies out the back door and let them rot near the dumpsters until the rioting stops. How many lives must be lost, CompUSA? How manyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!
As Grr of Invader Zim fame would say, "doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom."
Find out if you local Toys'R'Us is doing a midnight sale for the Wii.
PS. Yes, the title of this post references the Robotic Hymn of Doom by Danger Doom. The Mouse and the Mask is a great CD - buy it.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Pre-Order - Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz just sounds like a great bargin to me. You get 100 main puzzles and then 50 mini-games, which equals replay value. I pre-ordered it.
IGN has a great review of the game, which I'm not just linking to because they gave it a [decent] review @ 84% either. Sure, I'd like to see something in the 90+ range, but not every game is Zelda. Sometimes you have to play with other people too.
SMBBB's official website lists some interesting looking mini-games, namely Paper Sumo Fighter, but I know that there are more than the eight games they list on the site. IGN has a mini-preview of the Asteroid Crash mini-game, which looks better than most.
Having played previous Monkey Ball iterations though, I feel pretty smug about the whole decision.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Super Sunday - I Got a Wii Pre-Order
I got a Wii pre-order today at Toys"R"Us at about 10:30am. Kotaku announced the pre-order last night, but I don't know how many people were paying attention because I got the last pre-order after the store had been open for an hour and a half. Apparently there were a savy few who slavishly devote themselves to all things pre-order so there was a line this morning, but I got to skip the line entirely and go straight to the sweet center that is a Wii pre-order.
[Update 2, to clarify: I honestly had no idea there was any word of any more pre-orders anywhere, I just happen to be a fan of Kotaku so I tend to check it even on the weekends. At the bottom of the page was a post of the Wii pre-order for "tomorrow". Tomorrow, of course, was today. I called my local store ASAP, the guy told me that were was ONE pre-order left and he was required to give it to the next person who asked. I ran through the house grabbing all my necessary gear and then ran into the store as soon as I had my car most of the way parked. Two mothers with children were ahead of me at the Service Desk counter, but neither asked for a Wii pre-order. I slugged it out with the Customer Service working there:
Me: Wii pre-order!
Him: Uhmmm...
Me: Come on, you know you have one. *smiling generously*
Him: Yeah, I think I might... *looking underneath the counter for something to beat me with*
Me: Come on, you know you want to give it to me.
Him: Yeah, okay. Here ya go.
*** Neil has obtained Wii Pre-Order. Level up!***
end update 2.]
Have you ever been so happy that all you could do is swear? Yeah, I have a foul mouth when I'm happy, it was a surprise to me too. The cashier took it in good stride though primarily because he was a teenage boy - maybe I even taught him a few new words. Yep, that's me, teaching the community new methods of communication AND getting a pre-order for a Wii at the same time. Hells yes.
Woot!
[Update 1: I also pre-ordered Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz from TRS and I have a copy of Zelda reserved at Gamestop (thanks Chad!). I'll post more about everything later.]
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Friday's Loss and PS3 vs Wii Unboxing
Okay, so everyone here is upset about the UW hockey Badgers 2-0 loss to the Denver Pioneers last night at the Kohl Center. The game took place on the night of the first snowfall of the year, so traffic and everyone was crazy - I think only about 2/3 of the people with tickets showed up because of the weather alone. Hell, I offered a friend a free ticket and he turned it down because of the rain/sleet/hail/blizzard we had going down. Who can blame him though? Winter has set in and nothing is beyond it's reach.
PS3 vs Wii news
Everyone's fav, Gizmodo, has posted a sick amount of unboxing photos of both the PS3 and the Wii. The interesting thing? The Wii comes with a game, Wii Sports, but the PS3 comes with Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby... why? Why does Sony's new game console come with a movie instead of a game? That's because they don't care about the games, they just want to wriggle the Blu-Ray worm down your throat (no tequila included). If this act of corporate bundling doesn't kill your belief in Sony (aka hope for the PS3), then you are wrong in the head. I suggest using bricks to wall yourself in with your Sony BMG posters, PSP UMD format, and complimentary Sony Root Kit.
Based on this package alone, I would drop all of my Sony stock ASAP (notice how their ticker is trending down? Goodnight, Gracie). Sony is going down in FLAMES.
Nintendo, on the opposite end of the spectrum, has it right and their stock reflects that. Nice comparison chart of the two.
PS3 vs Wii news
Everyone's fav, Gizmodo, has posted a sick amount of unboxing photos of both the PS3 and the Wii. The interesting thing? The Wii comes with a game, Wii Sports, but the PS3 comes with Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby... why? Why does Sony's new game console come with a movie instead of a game? That's because they don't care about the games, they just want to wriggle the Blu-Ray worm down your throat (no tequila included). If this act of corporate bundling doesn't kill your belief in Sony (aka hope for the PS3), then you are wrong in the head. I suggest using bricks to wall yourself in with your Sony BMG posters, PSP UMD format, and complimentary Sony Root Kit.
Based on this package alone, I would drop all of my Sony stock ASAP (notice how their ticker is trending down? Goodnight, Gracie). Sony is going down in FLAMES.
Nintendo, on the opposite end of the spectrum, has it right and their stock reflects that. Nice comparison chart of the two.
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