Wii love Guitar Hero!!!

Our latest family quest has been to find a Nintendo Wii. If you've been on a similar quest, you know that finding one is as likely as locating a Tickle Me Elmo or Cabbage Patch Kid from days gone by. The kicker is, when they have them in stock, they last approximately nine seconds before they are sold out, and no one knows when they are coming in again.

We first got hooked on the Wii when one of my staff members brought his over to our house for an evening get together, and accidentally forgot it. (If you were trying to gain favor with your boss, that's a great way to do it!) Naturally, we hooked it up. It's truly a revolution in gaming. The wireless controls, the fun games, the all-ages appeal- it all adds up to a real enjoyable experience for the family and it's great for parties too.

Naturally, since they are about as scarce as can be, we've let people know we are looking for one and to buy it for us if they see one (yes, I did tell them we'd pay them back for it!) So of course, my father innocently walks into Best Buy last Sunday, sees six Wiis on display and promptly buys one for himself.

This, of course, after I told him to get one for us if he sees one. But he forgot. So my parents now have a Wii and we don't. Proof that there is no justice. (Of course, I got to go over to their house and show them how to hook it up. I am the good son, after all.)

But I digress. This weekend, the same staff member I mentioned earlier went out of town for the weekend. So we borrowed his Wii again and decided to try some Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, complete with rented fake plastic Gibson guitars. While I suspect most "real" guitar players (including my old man) don't think much of it, Carla and I enjoyed playing (sort of) some Foghat, Joan Jett, Heart, etc. I joked to my dad that if they would have had this when I was in school, I may have taken up guitar instead of piano.

It's amazing from thinking about when I was a 6-year old kid and getting my first Colecovision and we thought that was the coolest thing ever made. Remember those old Atari machines with the crappy graphics & lousy sound? Wow, how far we've come in 25 years. Heck, even Super Mario Bros. seems so out of date. And the old arcade is a thing of the past.

For my part, as a video gamer of the past, this is one of the reasons I love the fact Grant is getting a little older- now I've got an excuse to get Madden every year once we get our Wii!! (Don't tell Carla--it'll be our little secret.)

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go pretend to be Aerosmith.

(Note- we did get a Wii a few days later! YESSSSSSSS!!!!!)