So three or four weeks ago, Grandpa Cook dropped by with an early (as in 5 months early) birthday gift for Jon: a Nintendo Wii.
(For those who don’t know, this new video game console (it’s pronounced “Wee”) has wireless remotes that require you to make motions similar to what’s going on onscreen. It comes with five sports (tennis, bowling, baseball, golf and boxing), and Grandpa had bought another disc that had more games (air hockey, pool, ping pong, targets, etc.) and came with a second controller. The second controller allows two people to play together.)
I’d been wondering about a Wii for Jon since it was released; I wasn’t sure a) whether he would take to it, and b) whether it would take to him. The answer to a) is “fish in water” and b) is “they’ll figure it out between themselves”.
Not all of Jon’s movements are the same as other people, but he figures out what works for him, as do we all (his bowling technique is odd, but see the photo below). And not everything is an equal challenge: in tennis he plays more by sound, since the ball is so tiny and quick. His favourites are bowling and boxing, but what Jon really likes are the training sessions for the sports: bowling Power Throws and Picking Up Spares, and golf (!) Target Practice. And he makes the family do their Wii Fitness Test (three random training sessions) every day.
The other addictive thing is that you’re represented by a cartoon version of yourself that you create. This “Mii” is what is taking part in the events, and it truly makes you feel like you’re part of the action. The other fun thing is that if family and friends have created Mii’s, but aren’t there or participating, they still may appear in the crowd, or on your ball team. It makes everything more personal.
He beat his own father in bowling!
We brought this thing up to the cottage last weekend, and pretty much the whole family got some measure of the addiction. It was a great social time for Jon, who played and watched delightedly, including Auntie Patti and Uncle David’s 9-hole round of golf!
David lines one up during the epic round of golf, whle the crowd looks on.
Patti nails the green again!
Grandpa has given Jon two early birthday presents in his time, and both have been out-of-the-park home runs. Thank you, Grandpa!
