It's Official: Nintendo, Wii (Heart) U

A few weeks ago we were invited to Siren Studios in Hollywood to try out the new Wii U system. What a great event – besides turning a soundstage into a futuristic gaming nirvana with individual gaming stations, fancy couches and separate rooms for some of the games – they had Nintendo cookies, too. I say an event is reflected in the cookies they serve, and these were fantastic, classy and my teenagers loved them. And much like the event, they were making some people drool.

Here are some of the down and dirty specs of the new Wii U, and then I'll let my teens give you their reviews of the game. Stay tuned for hilarity.

The biggest difference in the Wii U is the addition of the Wii U GamePad™ controller, a gaming pad that features a 6" window that expands your gaming experience (not all games will require the second screen.) The GamePad also includes motion control, a front-facing camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, rumble features, a sensor bar, and a stylus. (Your old Wii controllers and nunchuks will work just fine with the new system – in fact, hang onto them because only the new GamePad will be included with the Wii U.) Here's a little intro:



Along with the Wii U will be a new movie system, Nintendo TVii. The GamePad will function with your DVR and TiVo and can also be used to search for programming from sources like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, cable and satellite channels and video-on-demand services. I CANNOT WAIT to check this out:



There will be two versions of the Wii U:
- The Deluxe set that features a black Wii U unit and has 32GB of internal storage. This will retail for $349.99
- The Basic set that features a white Wii U unit and has 8GB of internal storage. This will retail for $299.99

Because I'm old and boring, the first thing I inquired about was if the Wii U would still be compatible with my Wii Fit balance board. It is! But there will also be some new games as well in the form of Wii Fit U so that I can change it up from my old Yoga/Skiing/Segway Circuit routine. (See 'old and boring' above.)

My teenagers were much more adventurous. Their faves of the day were Batman: Arkham City, Pikmin 3, Just Dance 4 and Sing Party. I didn't play all of these, but I did sit in on the demos when the girls were playing – I had no desire to hold up the lines of people waiting for their turn while I tried to find the 'start' button. Have you ever pissed off a bunch of eager gamers? Oh, they get mean.

But don't take my word for it - here are reviews of a few of the games, straight from my 14 & 16-year-old daughters' brains:

BATMAN: Arkham City

"The batman game was super cool and really let you experience Batman first person with full use of all his fancy rich people gadgets. It's a bit difficult to get used to when you first play, but when you finally get the hang of all the controls it makes you feel pretty awesome. The ability to kick-butt as batman is pretty sweet if you haven't heard already."

"Batman had awesome graphics, and you also have the option to be Catwoman, which is super cool because I LOVE Catwoman."

PIKMIN 3

"Pikmin 3 was also an awesome surprise because it's been FOREVER since the last one was out. It'll be a big hit for people not familiar with the previous ones, and of course even more exciting for those who are already fans. (The game in itself is pretty much the same as the others with added characters and new levels and actions with the GamePad.) It's both similar and different enough to live up to the old version's expectations as well as introduce some new things to do with the GamePad.(and omg there's cute lil' rock Pikmin??)"

JUST DANCE 4

"Just Dance was great as ever; still my favorite way to exercise without like, actually exercising. Probably the funnest game to play at sleepovers or just hanging out. The mix of wonderfully horrendous '80s songs and modern pop is enough to provide entertainment for happy(but wheezing) teenagers. Plus you can play with 5 people using the game pad so your poor friend doesn't have to sit down while you dance (for added usefulness the GamePad option doesn't require dancing, just in case you have a friend that hates dancing or is injured etc etc - or your mom wants to play and - don't lie - we all don't want to see your mom dougie.)"

"Just Dance was crazy but fun.  The new 'puppet master' feature exhausted me.  It's a great game to play with friends at parties and stuff, I even came back to play it twice!"

SING PARTY

"Sing Party can only be described as a beautiful smoothie of Just Dance and Sing it. Although the Carly Rae Jepsen and LMFAO soundtrack will get a little headache inducing when your daughter plays Call Me Maybe for the 30th time in a row at 1 in the morning, even you can't resist the booty-poppin fun of dancing really badly while your friend takes lead rapper."

"Just Dance 4 was crazy but fun. The new 'puppet master' feature exhausted me. It's a great game to play with friends at parties and stuff, I even came back to play it twice!"

And there you have it – our preview of the new Wii U. We loved what we saw, and are totally looking forward to checking it out further. You can pre-order yours over here. Sorry, cookies not included.

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With the Nintendo 3DS, in her next film you'll be able to taste the pancakes

My 13-year-old and her friend made this cute little stop-motion film about making pancakes. Why pancakes? Because pancakes are awesome and tasty.



They used a still camera, painstakingly moving their props around in small increments and then shooting it frame by frame. It took them forever, much longer than it would take you to make a batch of pancakes in regular time. I think they even ate those pancakes, in spite of the fact that they had been touched and prodded for hours. Because you should never waste a good batch of pancakes. Why? Because pancakes are awesome and tasty.

But her next stop-motion film will be much, much easier because she'll be shooting it on her Nintendo 3DS. Sometime this month, Nintendo will be releasing a system update that will include video-capture options, allowing users to shoot up to 10 minutes of 3-D video using the 3DS, and create stop-motion video projects using the system’s camera. Which means next time, those pancakes are going to look like they're sitting right on your table. Awesome. Tasty.

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Also included in the update will be new features for StreetPass and a sequel to the “Find Mii” mini-game. And don't forget that Hulu Plus will soon be coming to the Nintendo 3DS as well. Between that and the new camera features, the teenagers will be busy for awhile.

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Hats off (and on) to Super Mario 3D Land

This is going to date me, but the first game I remember playing on a home gaming system was Super Mario Brothers. I'm talking about the original one that came out back in 1985, the one that you played on a system the size of a small car. I'd sit down, adjust my fanny pack and my leg warmers and settle in for a few hours trying to get Mario to collect those coins and mushrooms. Times were simpler back then – all I had to worry about was getting off the couch to flip over my Lionel Richie cassette.

To refresh your memory – if you were alive back then –here's what the original game looked like. And no, this isn't a cave painting:

Times have changed. We just received Super Mario 3D Land from the awesome people at Nintendo. It has all the things you love about the Super Mario games, but with new game-play strategies utilizing the Nintendo 3DS system's 3D visuals. In other words, if this were the Super Mario from my day, I could see that mushroom coming RIGHT AT ME.

To get us in the mood, they sent over these hats that are being modeled by modern-day lifeforms:

In case you're wondering, the hat on the right represents Mario once he changes into his famous Tanooki suit. If you don't know what the hat on the left is, well, I'm not sure there's anything we can do for you.

Here's a trailer to give you an idea of what Super Mario 3D Land looks like. I'm going to turn down my Lionel Richie cassette and watch it with you:



Oh, what the hell – here's some Lionel for you too:



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I Wanna Be Your Superhero: Kirby's Helping Kids

I'm totally suspicious of people knocking on my door. I automatically think it's either an axe murderer or a rug salesman, both of those being equally scary and equally unwelcome. Most people who want to get in touch with me would either text me or email me and would never dream of knocking on the door. Man, I guess I just gave permission to all the axe murderers and rug salesman to email me now.

But recently I opened the door to find this:

It didn't look scary at all, so I opened it up. Then my paranoia took over and I thought of Pandora's Box and was certain that I had just unleashed evil on the world, but then I saw this:

Kirby's Return To Dream Land! And Kirby CAKE POPS! Not scary or evil in the least bit. In fact, the total opposite of scary and evil – cute and delicious. Although that one cake pop in the top left does look like a rug salesman that came by once.

Here's a trailer for the game:



This was yet another awesome gift I received as a Nintendo Ambassador. It was sent to give my girls and I a chance to check out Kirby's new game, but more importantly to announce Nintendo's partnership with the Starlight Children's Foundation – a foundation committed to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and injuries by providing entertainment, education and family activities.

And they've come up with a clever way to get your kids involved: Just as Kirby uses his 'Super Abilities' in the game to help his friends, Nintendo is asking kids all over the country what 'Super Ability' they'd like to have to help others. They can go to the Super Ability microsite to download a coloring sheet and describe their 'Super Ability' – it might get posted on the Nintendo site!

And as a total non-sequitur and because ever since I heard the words 'Super Ability' I couldn't get the Entourage theme song out of my head, here it is so you can have it stuck in yours. Hey, it beats listening to the doorbell ring.



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House and Senate Both Agree: Nintendo 3DS Price Drop Is Awesome

Tired of hearing about debt ceilings and deficits and defaults? Why not take a break, kick back with a non-partisan beer and play a few games on your Nintendo 3DS. Haven't had a chance to pick one of these beauties up? Well, this is your lucky day - Nintendo just announced they're dropping the suggested retail price for the Nintendo 3DS™ system to $169.99 (from $249.99.)

This bill will no doubt be swiftly passed by all parties in your house.

The price drop, effective August 12, obviously makes the Nintendo 3DS an even better value, and it comes just as some of the most popular video game franchises head to the system – these include Super Mario™ 3D Land in November, Mario Kart™ 7 in December and Kid Icarus™: Uprising during the holiday season.

Also, check out these new features to the system:

The new Nintendo Video™ service, automatically delivering short 3D videos from the worlds of music, comedy, animation and Hollywood.

The Nintendo eShop, a recently opened digital store for Nintendo 3DS owners that provides access to a wide variety of downloadable content, such as original 3D software, classic games that have been re-mastered in 3D called 3D Classics, Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color “Virtual Console” games in their original 2D glory, and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare™ games.

And don't kick yourself if you purchased a Nintendo 3DS before the price drop – us early devotees will be rewarded with 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop. These free games are available to anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS system and uses a wireless broadband Internet signal to connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11. Huzzah!

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I'm very fond of my Nintendo 3DS - you can read all about the beginning of our love affair:

Party Like a Game Star: Nintendo 3DS Launch in Seattle

Nintendo 3DS Launch in New York City

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Nintendo 3DS Launch In NYC: Best. Week. Ever.

Thanks to the wonderful people at Nintendo and BrandAboutTown, I was able to attend the launch party for the Nintendo 3DS in New York City. To say it was a wonderful trip is an understatement – let's just say when Nintendo launches something, they don't mess around. I'm still reeling from all of the excitement, the food and of course the blistering NYC cold. Did you know that it snows in New York? Also they pay no attention whatsoever to 'Don't Walk' signs which was both frightening and exhilarating.

But on to my trip!

We stayed in the fabulous Empire Hotel, which made my teenage daughters insanely happy, since it's the hotel from their favorite show, Gossip Girl. (I decided to turn the trip into a family vacation, and brought my family along. You can read about that adventure here.)

There we were, in an iconic hotel across from Lincoln Center in New York City, and what's the first thing they did when we got into the hotel room? Set up my laptop and pop in a DVD of X-Files that they had brought with them. I love my little fangirls.

On our first night, all of the Nintendo Ambassadors had an elegant dinner at the swanky Asiate on the top of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. I want to stop right here and declare that it was there that I had THE MOST AMAZING PIECE OF MEAT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. It was called Wagyu Beef, and is apparently a type of Kobe Beef. Seriously, I couldn't stop thinking about that steak. I could go on about it's juiciness and it's fine marbling but I don't want to scare you.

This is the view of Columbus Circle from Asiate. Also, a cranberry sphere, which I'll explain later in mind-numbing detail. Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the Wagyu because I was in a coma while I was eating it.

The next day we went to the Nintendo World Store, which was like being in video game heaven. Nintendo generously gave us some spending money, and we scooped up some t-shirts and DS games. I bought Just Dance 2 for myself so I could bust out some Ke$ha moves in the privacy of my own living room. That's my daughter, hugging her shopping bag – it really was like the mothership calling her home.

Also, the store had a Nintendo 'museum,' where they laid out the history of the game. (I was surprised to learn that the company started from a playing card company.) I love these old consoles – I'm sad to say that I'm so old that I remember owning one of these. Along with a bow and arrow and something called a 'pager.'

And, as if they hadn't spoiled us enough, they took us all to a salon, fed us food and champagne, and got our hair did and our makeup done for the big launch event that night. Someone must have tipped the Nintendo people off to the fact that my party prep was going to consist of just running a comb through my hair and putting on some ChapStick.

Finally it was on to the party, and it didn't disappoint. A beautiful space, plenty of pleasing beverages and lots of killer food being passed around on trays. I got really good at hunting them down and grabbing my fill – it gave me an idea for a new 3DS game, where your character goes on a dangerous hunt for beef skewers and tiny gourmet polenta pizzas.

That's Samantha Ronson DJ'ing!

And of course we got to try out the fabled Nintendo 3DS! (I'm going write about the actual device and the games in a later post.)

Each game had their own cleverly themed area with their own game experts standing by – here are the spaces for Nintendogs+Cats and Steel Diver. I tried out every one of them, although I was better at some than others. I discovered if you don't know a thing about football, Madden NFL Football is probably not for you. However, I kicked several asses playing Super Street Fighter in spite of the fact that the only physical altercation I've ever had was a shoving match with Andrew Sherman in second grade.

 

That's my trip in a nutshell, although I want to leave you with this totally unrelated photo of an elevator that we found in a jazz club near our hotel. I love New York. Thanks, Nintendo for taking me there!

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Healthy Hook-Up: Nintendo & The American Heart Association

One of the first times I realized that the Nintendo Wii was more than just a gaming system was when my oldest daughter's middle school started assigning P.E. homework. Intended to prepare them for the standardized testing for physical education that the district will implement soon, they're required to do a certain amount of cardio, strength training and stretching every week. She got permission from her teacher to use the Wii Fit Plus' yoga and step programs to fulfill part of those requirements and soon we forgot a time when all we all we used the Wii for was to fly Kirby around and blow things up.

So it didn't surprise me when Nintendo announced a partnership with the American Heart Association in order to get people to healthy-up their lifestyles through active play. Nintendo introduced the Wii as a way of getting gamers off their couches, and together with the AHA they're furthering their commitment to helping people find ways to fit physical activity into their busy lifestyles. Whether you're a overworked mom like me or a middle-schooler doing her homework.

I was lucky enough to be asked by Nintendo to co-host a party at the W Hotel in Hollywood to get the word out about their new alliance with the AHA. If it sounds like a great day, it was. Here, let me show you:

The event started off with a spread of healthy food - granola, fresh fruit, organic teas. Also, the key ingredient - unlimited coffee. I can't help but think that it was provided for the 'health' of others, since without my coffee I could pose a danger to those around me.

Then we had some time to play. Here are two of my friends in action on the Wii Fit Plus. I think I may have been socializing a little too much to get any Balance Board action in myself, but I was a good cheerleader. Also it's hard to exercise when you're holding a mug of coffee. Did I mention I like coffee?

Then, because Nintendo's new partnership aims to motivate people to “Get Informed,” “Get Empowered” and “Get Active," they had a program planned that did just that. First up was a presentation by author and former ad man, Hank Wasiak. I don't want to call him a motivational speaker because for me that has a slightly negative connotation - it brings to mind a sweaty, sputtering slightly hysterical person barking orders to love yourself, or conquer your enemies, or to get in touch with your inner care bear. Who needs that?

Hank was more of an inspirational speaker, and his theory of asset-based thinking – or simply seeing the glass half-full – was more encouraging than preachy. He said something that my husband and I repeat often, "Look at it as your best problem ever," meaning to find the lesson in your obstacles. Even if we sometimes use it in an ironic or sarcastic way, we still think it's a valuable way of thinking.

(Hank wrote a book based on the concept of asset-based thinking called 'Change The Way You See Everything' and everyone got to take a copy home.)

Next we had a presentation by the American Heart Association, and they gave us some valuable heart-healthy tips, things like shopping in the outer aisles of the supermarket where all the fresh and non-processed food is, and the symptoms to look for that might indicate a heart attack or stroke. Also, they scared the daylights out of me with this little tidbit: If you eat one donut a day for a year, you'll gain 15 pounds. Man, am I glad I didn't put that bear claw in my purse before I left the house.

Finally, because the Nintendo people are a kind people, they ended the day with some dessert and some awesome gifts bags. In addition to Hank's book, my friends and I all took home hoodies and a copy of Wii Sports Resort. Even their swag is healthy! I left there feeling rejuvenated and inspired, and I know my friends did too. And I definitely started to see my coffee cup as being half-full.

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It's On Like Donkey Kong

This arrived on my doorstep on the day before Thanksgiving, and in my frenzy of preparing for 26 people to descend on my house the next day I completely forgot to tell you about it. As usual, the people at Nintendo completely outdid themselves:

 

To introduce their new Donkey Kong Country Returns, they sent over a copy of the game, boxed up in a miniature crate and surrounded by rubber bananas. Being a former art director, I had to take a few minutes to marvel at their promotion prowess and packaging ingenuity. My kids, however, took one look at the shiny Wii logo and immediately snatched the game out of the box and headed for their controllers. Then they started throwing the bananas at each other. At this point they weren't even listening to my lecture on the fine points of advertising and marketing strategy.

If you're old like me you'll remember the classic Donkey Kong arcade game from the '80's. Here, let me refresh your memory:

Can't you just see me standing in front of this in my leg warmers and shoulder-padded blazer? I'm pretty sure my boyfriend was standing next to me humming a Flock Of Seagulls song.

Donkey Kong was one of the few video games I remember playing, and I always liked the humor of that big ape tossing barrels around. The game has come a long way since then, but I'm glad they've managed to keep Donkey Kong alive. The new game still stars that familiar ape, but according to my 12-year-old is pretty challenging and apparently beyond her mom's Donkey Kong 80's abilities. I'd like to see her try and play while you're balancing a stack of quarters and a can of Cactus Cooler on your knee. 

I'll have a full review from that 12-year-old, who hasn't had a chance to write it because of a full homework load. Kids these days and their priorities.

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My Daughter Takes On 'Dragon Quest' and Wins

A few weeks ago Nintendo sent over the new Dragon Quest game for the DS and as usual I just opened the package and handed the whole thing over to my 12-year-old. I can't even begin to understand these video games – it may as well have been a box filled with parts to build a pony. Although at least with a pony I could point out things I recognized, like 'ear' and 'bladder' before my daughter stepped in and said, "You're doing it wrong, mom."

This time Nintendo sent over several copies of the game so that my daughter could have her friends try it out, too, and it just so happens the package arrived the day before she was having a slumber party. How perfect is that? Unfortunately her friends all think that they'll get a new DS game every time they sleep over, and now they're just hanging out on our front porch till all hours just waiting for me to invite them in. Funny, they were never this enthusiastic when I handed out my pizza rolls.

(I will say this, though – those girls played this game for hours on end, nonstop that weekend. I woke up at 4am to find them all awake in the living room, their little DS screens glowing. There were also empty soda cans and potato chips strewn about – it was a tween girls' version of a frat party.)

The people at Nintendo wanted some sort of video reaction to their game, so not only did my daughter write an eloquent review but she put together this video with her best friend. We had just seen 'Inception' so it's a sort of homage to that, as much as a homage as two tween girls could muster after staying up till 4am and getting hopped up on root beer and Cheetos.



Here is the review my daughter wrote. It's a 100% her. Please read through to the end for the important life lessons she gleamed from this.

As I’ve heard, the Dragon Quest games are quite popular in Japan, as well many other role-playing action games. Although I’m not a big fan of action games as much as I like a game with a story-line, Dragon Quest quite generously balances them both.

When you first start off, you get to create your character known as a Celestrian. You can pick out the eyes, the hair, etc., either way creating an adorable hero to represent you through the game. Celestrians are basically angels, that are guardians to the many towns in the game. They go through the town and help people, gathering benevolessence, otherwise known as gratitude gained from helping the mortals in your town.

Your oh-so-adorable Celestrian hero guards over the small (But big in heart!) city of Angel Falls, where you invisibly float around listening to the many “Oh no he didn’t!"s and collecting benevolessence that you give to the great tree, Yggdrasil. The tree eventually bears magical, golden fruit, known as Fyggs, that can make the consumer’s desire come true. The bearing of the fruit also means the Starlight Express will arrive and take the Celestrians to the world of the Almighty. But, when the Yggdrasil finally bears fruit that’s when it all goes wrong. Right when The Starlight Express arrives, purple blasts of light shoot up, followed by many “Oh snap!"s as you plummet to the ground (Along with the Fyggs) without your wings or halo.

For all of the adventures, I think the stories that go along with it are very interesting, although sad, and make the game interesting and fun. The downside of the stories is that each one usually involves a death and creepy ghosts wandering around.

I’ve also found defeating the many monsters extremely difficult, in which some take days to defeat. Of course nothing is impossible, so after many tiring days of sitting on the couch fighting fictional monsters, I eventually defeat them.

I think one of my favorite things from the game is the clothes. You can explore different towns for their clothes and decorate your characters to match their personality. Cause I mean, when you’re fighting to your death, you might as well die fashionable.

Overall, I think the game is very creative, and while the entire story is quote confusing, the smaller stories are sweet, and give important messages as in: “Don’t eat magical Golden fruits from strangers.” and “Don’t go fighting Dragons after dark.”

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Wii and Netflix Go Together Like Pizza and Martinis

A few weeks ago Nintendo threw me a fantastic party to help me get the word out to my friends about their partnership with Netflix. Did you know you can stream movies and TV shows straight from your Netflix queue through your Wii and watch them on your TV? Well, did you? Yes, it's amazing but don't ask me how it works – like my explanation for everything else I don't have a clue about, I'll just tell you it's done with magic. How does the music come out of the radio? Magic. How does an airplane stay in the sky? Magic. How does popcorn pop? Magic, voodoo, and a little bit of oil.

Nintendo sent over a Netflix/Wii streaming disc (which you can get here), some genuine concession stand treats (hello, Raisinettes!), a catered meal and best of all provided me with a three-month subscription to Netflix. We had a subscription many years ago, but canceled it when we realized it wasn't cost effective for people like us who take eight months to get around to watching a DVD – that one viewing of Eraserhead in '02 cost us $96.

(The process is simple: Set up an 'Instant Queue' on your Netflix account online, pop the streaming disc into the Wii, access your queue and select the title you want, and the movie downloads within seconds.)

Our meal that night came from one of our favorite restaurants – California Pizza Kitchen – and we decided the drink of choice for the night would be martinis. Maybe an odd beverage to pair with pizzas and salads, but we thought it would add a nice adult, upscale air to the evening of dining and fine cinema. After all, we were using our fancy new movie projector, and I was looking forward to kicking back with my friends, noshing on some pizza and sipping a beverage while watching La Dolce Vita.

Which is why it all felt so futile when the choosing of the movies quickly got overtaken by the kids at the party, and I turned my back for a minute to mix up a pitcher of Cosmos and came back to find this on the screen:

Damn those diabolical toddlers! I managed to lure them out of the room by throwing a box of Junior Mints out onto the lawn, but when I left again to mix up a pitcher of Lemon Drops (hey, my friends are insatiable when it comes to free booze) I came back to find a gaggle of girls watching this:

Come to find out this movie was neither streaming through the Wii nor a Netflix DVD, but was a gift my 14-year-old had gotten for her birthday. This party was seriously getting out of control. What was coming up next – reruns of Matlock on Beta? Thank goodness the Nintendo people weren't at the party see the anarchy.

This time I lured all of the teens and tweens out to the backyard with a couple of Forever 21 gift cards tied to a string so that we could get to some serious movie watching. Unfortunately, by then a lot of the adults were starting to get restless from the mixture of vodka and pepperoni in their stomachs and headed outside before I could get another movie queued up. Personally I think it was just an excuse to go out and dig around in the lawn for those Junior Mints.

Eventually I gave up, and gave the controls back to the kids so they could watch 3 Ninjas and Ace Ventura which they had so cleverly queued up when I was busy mixing up that fifth pitcher of martinis. I joined the party outside, but not before sneaking onto the computer and queuing this up to watch later on my own:

I forgot to mention the nice people at Nintendo also sent over a Flip camera to record the festivities with, and my 12-year-old aspiring filmmaker was in charge of that. Here's a movie she made:



Mandatory small print disclosure that I implore you to read: I was not given any monetary compensation for hosting this event or writing about Nintendo or Netflix products, nor was I required to write a review. From Nintendo I received a Flip camera, a three-month subscription to Netflix, food for my guests and Wii Points cards to distribute. Beverages were provided by me, but if Nintendo were paying for the vodka I'm sure it would have been the good stuff and not the cheap swill I passed off to my guests.
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Perfect Timing: Summer Is Here and So Is Super Mario Galaxy 2

We're just starting the second week of summer vacation over here at Casa Sweatpants, and I'm not sure who's happier, me or the kids. Those last few weeks of school were so brutal that I think we all deserve a medal for surviving it, and we got something even better -- Nintendo sent over a copy of Super Mario Galaxy 2! They also sent over some freeze dried ice cream and some Tang to go with the intergalactic theme of the new game, but the edibles were gone before I even got to try them. That's the last time I say the words, "Open the package and I'll be right there."

To be honest, I haven't had a chance to try out the game, either. As with most of them, the kids don't have the time to ever show me how to play, so if I ever pick up a controller and try to jump in it's all, "Hey, you're doing it wrong" and "Can you just wait and try it when we're all done?" It's like being at my high school dance all over again.

So in order for this to be accurate, I had my 11-year-old, who is the video game expert in the house and has logged around seven-thousand-hours on the game, write this review. She's a fantastic writer, and I swear she came up with 'devilishly handsome Mario' all on her own.

Personally, I LOVED Super Mario Galaxy 2. I had the first Super Mario Galaxy and enjoyed it, so I had thought the next one would be just as good. Even though there are so many Mario games, this seems to be my favorite of them all. I’m not sure if it’s the creative planets they come up with, the devilishly handsome Mario, or adorable Lumas that fly around, but I’m completely addicted to this game.

The storyline in the first Super Mario Galaxy was the same old thing, Bowser captures Princess Peach, and Mario has to rescue her. The only thing that I found odd was that because this game was a sequel to the first, I expected the storyline to change. In the first game, what had happened was that Peach had invited Mario to this Star Festival or something, and Bowser had arrived, captured her, and took her to the center of the universe. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Princess Peach had managed to make the same mistake again of hosting the Star festival and was captured by Bowser to the center of the universe again. Other than that flaw though, the rest of the game was good.

Throughout your adventure through space, you travel to different galaxies and worlds, capturing stars and coins. I loved the worlds they had created, each with their own level(or levels) and a magical coin you could collect. Some worlds were engulfed with water, while others were dry as dust. Some even had a special items only found there, enabling Mario to transform and have a special power required for finishing the level.

The whole point of the game is to capture stars to power the starship(that strangely resembled Mario’s face) Mario rode on to reach Peach and save her. Each time you got a new star, the ship could go further, getting you closer to the center of the universe where Peach is. On your starship, you have Lumas (little star creatures) that fly around as well as their leader, a big plump purple Luma that guides you along the away. You also have your classic Toads(little dudes with Mushroom heads) that are aboard your starship helping out by delivering mail and working a small bank.

You also meet many new creatures that lurk around the Galaxy from dangerous Jellyfish and jittery bugs, to cute space bunnies and wide-eyed Penguins. I find that you can get VERY attached to this game, where to the point you are cussing at the monsters when you are losing, and not leaving the TV to even eat dinner. But overall, I think Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a super game and is sure to be a hit.

I couldn't have said it better myself.
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tags: super mario galaxy 2 | nintendo wii | video game reviews

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Happy Monday! Win a Wii and Wii Fit Plus

A winner has been picked -- see below!

I hate Mondays. Who's with me? Well, here's something that might help you pull the day out of the toilet -- the chance to win an awesome prize! Remember I told you about my fabulous Wii Fit™ Plus yoga party hosted by Nintendo? And remember I told you I’d be giving away a Wii™ system and a copy of the Wii Fit Plus video game? Well, seeing as I only lie about things like my weight, and my age and how many cups of coffee I’ve really had, here’s the giveaway.

Nintendo has given me a Wii system and a copy of Wii Fit Plus and I’m going to give them away to a lucky reader who wants start enjoying the benefits of working out right in their living room. That’s right - work on your abs without having to drive cross-town to the gym, or fit in a calming yoga session without having to fight for a parking space at the local yoga studio. That means more time to hang with your family, or play with your cat, or –– pick lint out of your navel – I don’t judge.

Just leave me a comment where you answer the question, “How would YOU fit some fit in with Wii Fit Plus from Nintendo?” Just do it before 11:59pm PST on May 16 2010. To keep things fair and totally random, I’ll use random.org to pick one lucky winner. Winner will be notified by email within one week and the prize will be sent out within two weeks.



A few rules!

1) I only ask that you give me a real answer – no smartass lines like, “When my wife’s not looking,” or I’ll be forced to disqualify you and your cat.
2) One entry per person.
3) No anonymous comments.
4) Entries from U.S. residents only.
5) Employees of Nintendo and my family members are ineligible to enter (sorry mom.)
6) Entrants must be 18 years or older.

So hopefully your Monday just got a little better. Carpe Diem! Seize the day! And the Wii if you're lucky.

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And the winner is:

Megryansmom of Look It's Megryansmom. Congratulations! (Is she really THE Meg Ryan's mom? I have no idea, but she is the proud owner of a brand new Wii and Wii Fit Plus!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

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EA Games Winter Gaming Wonderland: Our First Holiday Party of the Year!

A few weeks ago my daughters and I went to the EA Games Winter Gaming Wonderland event. This was the first holiday-themed party we were invited to, so the excitement level was high. Let's face it - once you have kids, the holidays and video games go hand-in-hand. Like juice boxes and pretzels. Know what else goes hand-in-hand once you have kids? Room cleaning and whining. Just thought I'd get that in there.

EA Games throws a great party - besides the huge room filled with numerous gaming stations and big screens, they have things to make the adults happy, too. Like food catered by Chipotle.



While my daughters and their friends battled each other in Harry Potter and Hasbro Family Game Night 2, I got to nosh on some tortilla chips and killer carnitas that I didn't have to cook. That never happens at home I can tell you that.

My youngest daughter and her friend spent almost the entire night playing Charm Girls Club, and after they were worn out they started hanging around the sno-cone cart.



A LOT. I told them twenty sno-cones was going to freeze their stomach solid and that seemed to scare them away for awhile. But then they drank a bunch of hot chocolate, which they argued had thawed their stomachs enough for more sno-cones. Damn them and their science!

The girls even made the local news that night, which was a huge thrill for everyone. Let's just say my youngest has learned the fine art of following the camera crew around and inserting herself into the shot. Is there a video game for that?

A couple of other games my girls and their friends liked were Littlest Pet Shop Friends and The Sims 3. I tried a little Harry Potter but it was too hard to play while balancing a burrito and a cup of coffee, and my daughter said I had to choose between eating and gaming. I told her that sustenance is necessary for skill, thereby throwing that science right back at them!

I lost the game, but I still had my awesome burrito. Everybody wins!

Thanks to EA Games for kicking off our holidays with a great event!

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tags: ea games | chipotle | harry potter for wii | charm girls club

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Bliss & Broads: My Nintendo Wii Fit Plus Yoga Party

I love throwing parties, but anyone who knows me is familiar with the torture I put myself through - the agonizing over detail, the hours of preparation - and that's just putting together the vegetable tray. So I was pretty excited when Nintendo and Brand About Town contacted me about throwing a yoga party and told me they'd be doing all the work - I told them that was a fabulous idea, but I still wanted to show up a couple of hours early to vacuum, scrub all the toilets and obsess about the placement of candles. Oh, and no party of mine would feel right unless I spent a few minutes yelling at my husband to go buy ice.

But I didn't have to worry, because they handled everything down to the last detail. I was able to invite twenty girlfriends to spend the evening with me getting to know the new Wii Fit Plus, the newest version of Wii Fit that features new strength and yoga exercises as well as new balance games. The location was a photo studio in Hollywood that was converted into a yoga studio for the night - check out this beautiful scene - just knowing I didn't have to Swiffer those floors makes me all choked up:



Upon arrival, everyone was greeted by the Nintendo staff and after a round of delicious smoothie shooters we were all invited to relax on the cushions and make ourselves at home (some of us were embarrassed to learn to that "at home" didn't mean laying down, loosening our pants and tuning the TV to CNN.) After a little socializing we sat down to watch a demo of the Wii Fit Plus by our Nintendo coach, the incredibly fit and energetic Natalie. Here is my group of amazing girlfriends, looking captivated - I can safely say I haven't seen a few of them look this enraptured since that time at the club where that guy did that thing with his whatchamacalit. You know who you are.



Earlier we were each given a stone with a word such as 'balance' or 'calm' inscribed on it and that determined who your partner was once we were let loose to try some of the exercises and games on our own. My partner was my friend Krista, who also taught both my daughters in elementary school. Needless to say I was on my best behavior. We spent some time going through a basic yoga routine on the Wii Fit Plus where I quickly discovered how uncoordinated I really am - I think I actually heard the virtual trainer snickering when I was attempting the Tree Pose. (But the great thing about the program is that it tells you when you're off balance, or not putting enough weight on one of your legs during the pose.) The only thing I was good at were the Torso Twists, and that was only because I told myself I was turning and bending to reach a bag of french fries that was just out of my reach.

After yoga we moved onto the Training Plus feature - Wii Fit Plus has some great new games including one called Obstacle Course, where you try to avoid being knocked into oblivion by a huge ball (me = dead) and my favorite, Perfect 10, where you use your hips and butt to hit bumpers that add up to 10. Not as easy as it sounds, since it requires some serious swiveling action while doing math - this game illustrates why my accountant friend Dan is such a lousy dancer.

Alas, no party post of mine would be complete without showing you the food. After all of our hard work they brought out trays of delicious sandwiches, cheese, hummus and fruit. For dessert there were cookies and strawberries, and glasses of wine. I know wine isn't considered part of any fitness routine, but I'm thinking my tree pose might have been more successful had it come post-cabernet.



The biggest surprise of the evening came when our hosts presented me with a brand-new Wii Fit Plus and Balance Board...and then gave one to every single one of my friends at the party! You should have heard the squealing - again, haven't heard anything like it since the guy did that thing - oh never mind.

This party was to kickoff my designation as an official Brand Enthusiast for Nintendo. What does that mean? I'm not exactly sure, but for the next year I'll be sharing with you - my friends, family and unsuspecting public - all the goodness that is Nintendo. And around our house, where the Wii is the most frequently used appliance (next to the espresso machine) that won't be hard to do. After the party I had quite a few people call to tell me they were already using their Wii Fit Plus daily, and two of my friends, who didn't have Wiis, went out that weekend and bought the consoles. I guess this means my hypnotizing powers as an Enthusiast are already doing their voodoo.

And stay tuned because I have an amazing giveaway coming up, courtesy of Nintendo. Hint: It's not one of my impressive vegetable trays.

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tags: nintendo | wii fit plus | wii fit plus yoga | brand about town | nintendo brand enthusiast

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Disney Interactive Party: I Came, I Saw, I Brought Home Gift Bags (Including One to Giveaway!)

Update: 10/21 - The winner has been picked! See below.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a party thrown by Disney Interactive Studios to introduce some of their new games for Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation. I took my girls and a couple of their friends, since they're the real gamers and the ones whose opinions count - no one wants to hear me complain about how the game's going too fast! And hey - I swear I got a gazillion points so why is the score telling me I'm a loser? Better for everyone if I just kick back on one of the comfy couches, sample the food and shout encouragement.

No slouchers, these Disney people - they had their party at the über hip Coco de Ville, where David and Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian have been known to party. They weren't there that night, but I'm sure if they were they would have hung out with me on the couches. Except for Posh - she looks like she might be able to kick ass on Toy Story Mania.

And speaking of one of our favorite games, Toy Story Mania for Wii is based on the ride of the same name at Disney's California Adventure. This is a really fun, fast-paced carnival-style game and one of the few that I can actually play without looking like a complete idiot. I played this at the party with one of the people from Disney Interactive who helped develop the game, though, and not surprisingly she beat me pretty badly. In fact, I think she may have had her eyes closed the whole time. And one of her hands tied behind her back. Okay, both hands.

I finally talked my girls into giving the new Sing It: Pop Hits a try, but only because I threatened to get up there and sing a Coldplay song by myself. Nothing gets kids motivated like the threat of being horribly embarrassed and they couldn't wait to get the microphone out of my hand. Once they started singing this ended up being their favorite game, and they loved that the song selection included some current artists like Duffy, OneRepublic, Maroon 5, Colbie Caillat and Taylor Swift. And they're going to die if any of their friends see this, but they even sang along (very well, I might say) to Miley Cyrus' The Climb.

I have to add that the food, provided by the adjacent restaurant STK, was amazing. There was fare for the kids (corn dogs, chicken fingers) and a cotton candy machine that was the highlight of the evening for my 11-year-old. For the adults there was tuna tartare, beef kebobs and salad sticks and what may be the best cheeseburger slider and fries I think I've ever had. Just to make sure I had three of them.

As is tradition whenever I take this group of girls out, we stopped at Starbucks on the way home, and as the gaggle enjoyed their mochas and lattes I overheard what passes for an enthusiastic endorsement from this jaded crowd. "Dude, I totally don't like karaoke but I'm going to have to buy that Disney Sing It." So thanks, Disney - I might get to warble along to that Coldplay song after all.

And leave it to Disney Interactive to send all of us home with not one, but two great swag bags - one to give away to one of my readers.

Here's what's in the bag: Toy Story Mania for Wii, Spectrobes Origins for Wii, a Tinkerbell Light-Up Projector flashlight, a Spectrobes Excavation Kit, a Jonas Brothers mouse pad and a set of Princess and the Frog measuring spoons.

Oh, and also? In keeping with my tradition, I'm personally throwing in a $5 Starbucks card so that you can get yourself a coffee after you've worn yourself out gaming.

So, if you'd like a chance to win here's how you can enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post, below. Or,
2) Leave a comment on my Facebook fan page (Sweatpantsmom)

You can enter once in either location (meaning two entries per person)

I'll be picking a winner from all the combined entries on Tuesday, October 20 using random.org, which is, as the title suggests - random.

*Sorry - entries from the Continental U.S. only.

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Update: 10/21: WINNER PICKED

I put all the entries into the random list generator and let it do its thing.

AND THE WINNER IS...



Kirsten Pekrul Dominguez! Kirsten, send email me your address so I can ship you your swag bag! Congratulations!

And thanks to everyone who entered - I have lots more giveaways coming up!

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tags: disney interactive studios | disney toy story mania for wii | coco de ville | nintendo wii games | disney sing it pop hits

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MySims Racing is Keeping the Peace in My House

I have two daughters, ages 10 and 13. When it comes to playing video games, the scenario goes like this: The 10-year-old spends a huge amount of time begging the 13-year-old to play with her, while the 13-year-old does her best to ignore her and then finally promises to play with her as soon as she's done updating her Facebook page, re-charging her iPod and IM'ing with her 75 closest friends that are usually online at any given time. Because discussing the latest Gossip Girl episode is apparently more important than crushing your little sister in a video game any day.

But all that changed when we got a copy of MySims Racing for Wii to review. My 13-year-old? Suddenly a world-class racer who is determined to conquer the Burning Lap Challenge no matter how many of her friends are waiting for her to text them back. She's a fan of the Story Mode version of the game, where you can customize your car and chart your own course. In fact, she was so engrossed in a race through a snowy field the other day that she was unplugged from her iPod for an entire 30 minutes, a record. And crushing her little sister in a race has once again become a priority. I'm so proud.

The 10-year-old, who was already a fan of all things MySims and Sims, didn't need any convincing. and is expertly racing her customized kart around the track. And now, she's happy to have her sister along for the ride.

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tags: ea games | my sims racing | nintendo wii | video games for teen girls

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And The Winner Is...

The winner of the We Ski & Skateboard for Wii is...

Heather Ostrom. Proving that bending back the corner of the comment box really does work!

Heather, send me your mailing address so I can get your game to you. You'll be spewing out snowboard lingo like an adolescent boy in no time!

Thanks to everyone who entered - I have another giveaway coming up next week. And no, it's not leftover Easter candy.

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tags: wii ski and snowboard | namco bandai | nintendo wii games | wii fit balance board

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We Ski & Snowboard: Come Out of the Cold - and Win Your Own Copy!

The last time I went skiing, a friend and I stopped halfway down the mountain at a warming hut during our first run. We had only been on the slopes for thirty minutes but we were exhausted and cold, so we sat ourselves down in front of the fireplace, propped our feet up, sipped our steaming cups of coffee and complained. The next thing we knew our husbands came marching in wondering where we had gone to, and it was then we realized we had been sitting there for four hours.

I learned something important on that trip (besides which muffins at the cafe were the best) and that was while I loved skiing, it combined three of the things I hated most in life: Waking up early, being cold and waiting in line. I haven't skied since that day, and while I keep meaning to get back to the slopes the thought of waking up at dawn and standing for up to thirty minutes in freezing temperatures to get on a lift is not my idea of a fun day.

So I was excited when I was asked to try out We Ski & Snowboard, a new game for the Wii. Here was a chance to use my skiing skills, without having to leave my house. I put on a pot of coffee, put a log on the fire and got to work. And the temperature in my living room? Perfect.

We Ski & Snowboard lets you hit the powdery slopes in a virtual adventure through beautiful scenery - you can even do jumps, perform tricks, have races, take pictures and meet up with other Mii skiers. The only thing I didn't find was a warming hut halfway down the mountain so I could take a rest, but thank goodness I was able to pause the game, head into my kitchen and make myself a snack. A girl can really work up an appetite doing a wheelie off a half-pipe.

Just like on a real mountain, there are slopes of varying difficulty for beginners or experts. I had never snowboarded before, so I was excited to try it out. Sure it's not the 'real' experience, but even learning some of the moves is a step in the right direction. Also, the more you play and progress, you're given the opportunity to unlock prizes like costumes and equipment. I haven't gotten that far yet, but I think with a little bit of practice I'll be snowboarding like a pro. At least like a pro who's never actually snowboarded on snow.

We Ski & Snowboard can be used with Wii Fit balance board, or for those days when you're really feeling lazy, with just your remote and a nunchuck. This opens up the possibility of actually skiing while you're sitting on the sofa, but let's not go there quite yet. I used the game with my balance board, and found that it was really responsive and felt like I was using a lot of the same movements as I use when I ski, although crashing into that tree was not quite as painful. And the best part? The only waiting I had to do was hanging out while my 10-year-old showed me how to turn the Wii on and then set up the game for me. Yeah, I haven't mastered that part yet, but when you're a world-class snowboarder you get other people to do the dirty work for you.

Want to win your own copy of We Ski & Snowboard? Leave a comment below by 11pm pst on Sunday, April 5, and I'll be picking a winner on Monday, April 6. (U.S. entries only, please.)

I'll even throw in this cool snow hat, in case it gets a little chilly in your living room.
















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tags: wii ski and snowboard | namco bandai | nintendo wii games | wii fit balance board

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