New research commissioned by Liverpool John Moores University has shown that kids who regularly play Wii games burn up a significantly larger amount of calories than kids who play other consoles, or spend their time passively watching TV.

…

The study, headed-up by John Moore’s researcher Professor, Tim Cable, claims that regular use of Wii could help kids shift 27lb (12.25kg) a year.

It seems that button mashing is easier in the old style controllers, rather than using arm motions to achieve the same effect. Is this a lack of wii-muscles? Is it poor design?

We’ve suggested that our older son opt for the wiimote when playing his younger brother, who could use the old style controller. This effectively provides a handicap to even out the two boys, who are about 6 years apart in age.

The camera angles in Dragonball Z – Budokai Tenkaichi 2 – are well done and really do have the feel of being in the cartoon. The fighting effects are rather nice, and it’s captivating the fellas for a surprising amount of game time.

Lesson learned, don’t be ashamed to use the old school controllers on the new Wii!

We were checking our weather forecast tonite on our Wii, which always ends up in a spin around the globe. Epiphany exclaimed, “Easter Island Really Exists! I didn’t know that!” She’s thrilled and now we’re out on Wikipedia exploring the mysteries of Easter Island:
Easter Island – Wikipedia:the free encyclopedia

Today in Easter Island, it’s 75 degrees, mostly clear with intermittent schattered showers. Easter Island is part of Chilie, but lies 2237 miles to the west in the Pacific. That’s a about the same distance as if you were to drive the 2,283 miles from Jacksonville, Florida to Joshua Tree National Park in California.
George speculated that this is the home of the Easter Bunny, which is terrifically logical. And, clear proof that Jack and I are, in fact, grownups. We never thought of that.

If you haven’t downloaded your Wii update and explored our lovely planet – go do so, now!

This article in the Washington Post is a concise look at some folks experiencing the Wii and PS3 side by side. If you are trying to decide, it’s a good read.

“While the people in my group preferred looking at the PS3’s games, they preferred playing the Wii.”

• quiet
• a bit slow
• and fun when you are catching!

A few tips from our Master Angler, Harry:

• Bee Larva improves your fishing (you can eat bee larva, if you really wanted too)

1. 1. Can be purchased in town from Sera’s Sundries
   2. Can be scooped from knocked down bee hives (a nice task for you hawk) You’ll need an empty bottle, so get one from the Sera and drink the milk that is in it.

• Casting

1. 1. Casting is pretty easy – hold down B and toss it out into the water.
   2. You can aim by facing where you want to cast.
   3. Faster throws will cast a big further out.
   4. Always remember to wear your wrist strap.

• Hooking

1. 1. When the bobber balances, you’ll see a fish tug.
   2. Pull your arm straight up and if you have the fish hooked you’ll see:

“Fish On!”

• Fish Journal

1. 1. Use your “+” and find the journal in your inventor.
   2. Press “A” to open it
   3. You’ll see the largest of each fish breed and a count.

Zelda is a catch and release game, at least so far. On occassion Sera’s kitty will grab your fish and run off with it, but you don’t get to keep the fish yourself.

Right now, my sons are too far along in the game and not close to water, so they are fishing on my game file. I’m getting a little weary of catfish, and expect to go wandering soon.

The Wii is a guarantee that couch potatoes never take root in your living room!

• Each of the kids takes a different section of the living room with plenty of room, and volley the ball back and forth. You won’t want to stand too close – even though you aren’t hitting the ball at the same time, the opportunities for collisions are pretty high. Space out and let your kids really move around.
• It seems to be harder to cross the court, and we haven’t mastered that.
• The Wii remote makes a very nice sound as the rack swings and hits the ball. Watching a game is much like watching Wimbledon games in the late 1970s and early 1980s. So far, I don’t seem to have a John McEnroe in the family. Thank goodness.

Harry (age 13)-

• “It’s really light and like a small DVD remote – it’s great!”
• “It’s small, and fits in your hand.”
• “It’s really simple to use the buttons.”

Epiphany (age 10) -

• “At first it’s a little hard to control, but in less than 5 minutes you can really get good with it.”
• “This is probably the coolest Nintendo thing ever.”
• “Straps are required. If you don’t wear the wrist strap, it could fly off and hit the TV or the wall”
• “It’s cool how it makes noises when you do stuff.”
• “I really like having the B button on the botton, instead of on the top.”

George (age 7) -

• “It’s really cool. It’s really easy. You barely notice that it’s wrapped around your wrist. You can move it really fast”

Mom (age 36) -

• The sleeves will be a good idea – no fighting over who’s remote is who and if one is lost we’ll know who lost it.
• Definitely – wear your wrist strap.
• Make sure you have room to move around in the living room. It’s hard not to really move and get into the sports games.

Dad (age 36) -

• It’s really good in the right or left hand.
• It’s good for any size of hand.
• I was expecting more weight out of it, but it’s really light. The batteries add weight on the bottom and I myself would like a little more balance in the weight.
• In the Bowling game, you can get alot of precision with the spin and speed of the ball of the remote.

Grandma (age 66) -

• With one hand, it was fairly easy to use. (Grandma had a stroke a while back and can only use her left hand.)
• “I really liked how easy it was to use and type, especially when you personalize your Mii.”

These impressions do not include the nunchuck, since we have been Bowling and playing Tennis all day. [And for those that are keeping track, the kitten is sleeping in the other room and is quite content.]

or maybe Red Steel……I’ll let you know….

Turns out that before we could do any Wii Sports, we needed to spend a few hours doing the Cable Dance. Jack seems to think that I have held up the show – I apparently have pretty serious ‘cable issues.’ “All this would have been done a while ago, except she has this issue with seeing wires….”

Hmmm….I’m still seeing wires, so I’m not sure about just how dire my ‘cable issues’ are. I certainly don’t want to be tripping over wires, or unable to close the cabinet doors because of them. Apparently a trip to Fry’s will make all this much easier. Fry’s is the purveyor of a very particular magic box (High-def component switchbox). Jack’s TV is somehow lacking – it has a mere 2 imputs. This is the same TV that we waited for patiently and is the only TV worth watching certain football games.

…

We finally have Wii!

We nicknamed our Wii, Zakalwe, a mercenary for hire from the Ian Bank’s Culture books. We don’t know how’s we’ll end up using the nickname, but once we do I’ll let you know so you can name yours approrpriately.

Now, we pick up Grandma, and make up our Miis. (What is the plural form of Wii and Mii, anyway?) While we are waiting, you can make your own Mii here.

Again soon!

[The kitten has been sleeping all day on the sofa. She is content, as are we. ]