This summer has been explosive for me in the video game world. When the Nintendo Wii came out on November 2006, I really did not care for it until the spring, when a drastic change occurred and lured me to my Nintendo Wii.

For those who don’t know what I am talking about, the Nintendo Wii is Nintendo’s newest game console. It is one of the three 7th generation game consoles, partnering with Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 (Elite). Compared to the other two consoles, the Wii is very unique to the other two. The PS3 and Xbox 360 practically took the form of the preceding game consoles, PS2 and Xbox. They just evolved from the older ones. Take the PS3 for example. The PS3 is the fancier version of the PS2. Sure, the PS3 has better qualities and sound features, and more games, but it is the twin of the PS2. Both the PS2 and the PS3 are the same color, almost the same shape, and their controllers are almost the same. The controllers have the same buttons, the same size, and the same features. The Wii, however, is totally different from its precedent, Nintendo Gamecube, made in 2001. The Wii has Internet Connection, called Wi-fi, sensors to point at the screen, and wireless remotes, nicknamed Wiimotes. The Gamecube, on the other hand, uses what all the other games does, a console, and wired controls filled with buttons, pads, and analog sticks. Because of the Wii’s new qualities and features, this is how my adventure began.

In the spring of 2007, three of my friends bought a Nintendo Wii. Since I didn’t have one, I would usually go to my friends’ house to play on the Wii. When they mentioned the Wii to me, I thought, “Yeah, whatever, I wonder how fun this will get.” Once, we played a game called Wii Sports. The first time I held the Wii-mote and threw a bowling ball down the lane was a moment I would never forget. It felt so real, as if I was really playing in a real bowling lane.

Wii Sports is a sports type game featuring five sports: tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing. Using a Wii controller called a Wii-mote and a separate utility called a nunchuck, this game really takes the strength and stamina out of you. The Wii-mote is a long 3-dimentional, white controller that is either used to point at the screen or to press the buttons on the controller. This fancy Wii-mote allows you to do all these motions and movement with the Nintendo Wii. In Wii Sports, you can use the controller to hit the tennis ball as if you were really holding a tennis racket hitting real tennis balls. In baseball, you can hold the controller the way you hold a bat when playing baseball and hit a home run! In bowling, you hold down the B button, and swing, as if you actually threw a bowling ball down the lane. In golf, you hold the Wii-mote like you are swinging a golf club, and you try to make a hole-in-one. Boxing is by far the coolest way you can use the Wii-mote. You have to attach a separate object called a nunchuk to play. You hold the Wii-mote in one hand, the nunchuk in the other, and you punch and block until you can KO the other guy. You could do all sorts of tricks: dodge and punch, punch and block, double punch, uppercuts, etc.

Time passed by quickly, and school ended. I knew I had to buy a Wii now, since more and more of my friends got a Wii, and I got more time to play with it in the summer. Somewhere on June 2007, I cried out to my parents, “Please buy me a Wii! I need one because all my other friends have one! I’m missing out on the fun! Please! I did very well at school, and I’m grown up! Please buy me a Wii!” My mom was really angry I asked the question and she insisted that I could not have a Wii. I was enraged to the point my face was turning bright red. When we reached the climax of our argument, my father stepped into the heat of the argument and broke it. He said he would buy me a Wii only if I behave and can control how long I will play. I said, “Of course! I’ll play only 30 minutes maximum a day.” The next day, I was so excited. My dad and I were going to buy a Wii. I ran into Gamestop and yelled, “Do you have a Wii?” I was so positive about buying a Wii. Then, the sudden downfall dropped on me, like a heavy cloud pouring rain all over me. The clerk said, “Nope, sorry, sold out.” The next store we went is Best Buy. “Do you have a Wii?” I said. “Nope,” the clerk said, “ran out.” Then we went to Circuit City. And Target, Walmart, Fry’s Electronics, Hollywood Videos, and EB Games. All of them rejected my plea. I was so furious, even madder than I was in my argument. I was really ready to punch a wall down. Next day, no luck. Long days passed. I had probably been rejected over…I don’t know how many times, I was too angry to count.

On July 17, 2007, I walked into Hollywood Videos to ask for a Wii. I said, “Do you have a Wii?” I knew that the answer was probably no. But, the clerk said, “Actually, we do have one.” When I heard that answer, I suddenly blew up. I started running around the building like a monkey, whooping and laughing. I hadn’t felt like that for almost a month. It was great to let my happiness come back into my heart. I had bought my favorite games, which were Mario Party 8, Super Paper Mario, Wii Play, and Wii Sports. When I got back home, I flew out of the car door so fast my dad didn’t even see me go out. I rushed upstairs to my TV and set the Wii up. With everything all ready to go, I played all the games I bought. I played the whole day, and that day I would never forget. Then, after that day, I took my promise and played only 30 minutes a day. My Wii was a dream come true.