Nintendo Wii Bowling a Hit with the Elderly
This is hot. Nintendo's Wii is making video game converts of the elderly.
Nintendo took the Wii to an AARP convention, says Perrin Kaplan, VP Marketing & Corporate Affairs for Nintendo of America: "The AARP thing was a little bit tough at first. They were like, ‘We don't really want to talk to you because we're all grandparents and we already buy stuff for our kids,’ and so we said, ‘No we want to talk to you about you. It took several attempts for them to finally say, ‘So why do you want to talk to us?’ And it's because we have products for them as well now."
The seniors weigh in:
72-year-old Flora Dierbach: "I've never been into video games, but this is addictive. They come in after dinner and play. Sometimes, on Saturday afternoons, their grandkids come play with them … A lot of grandparents are being taught by their grandkids. But, now, some grandparents are instead teaching their grandkids."
Don Hahn, 76, a veteran of numerous real-life bowling competitions: "This is pretty realistic. You can even put English on the ball. I used to play Pac-Man a little bit, but with this you're actually moving around and doing something. You're not just sitting there pushing buttons and getting carpal tunnel."
I bet golf's a hit too.
(via gizmodo)
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Wii Approve [tr]
How heartwarming...
Posted by: FanGirlHater | Feb 23, 2007 3:32:50 PM
That's awesome! I have to say Andy, I bought a Wii three weeks ago on EBay (I called around but no one had any, and most retailers said they sell out in minutes or people spend the night in line for new shipments the next day). I hooked it up to my 50" Plasma and had my family try it out. Everyone fell in love, and these are adults from the non-video gaming generation. The golf was especially a big hit. My only complaint is I wish they had more games, especially real sports games without the Japanese cartoonish characters, but that's it. Otherwise, a huge hit.
Posted by: Cory | Feb 23, 2007 3:36:36 PM
i'm thinking shuffleboard on a cruiseship.
Posted by: A.J. | Feb 23, 2007 3:39:18 PM
This is great!
Posted by: peterparker | Feb 23, 2007 3:41:34 PM
My partner who is 20 years my senior. Just joined the AARP land he got me a wii 2 months ago. Surprisingly he plays it way more than me. I haven't touched it in 3 weeks, he plays a couple hours a day. He's addicted to tennis and bowling ;-)
Posted by: Scott | Feb 23, 2007 3:44:48 PM
I guess I'm old! I wasn't a gaymer, until my friend got a Wii and I tried the bowling. Wow! As someone who has spent a lot of time in bowling alleys in my life, I was so freaking impressed. Now I rave about the Wii to everyone I meet.
Posted by: truthy | Feb 23, 2007 4:56:38 PM
This post gave me goose bumps! Sentimental--I know--but wtf?! Imagine seeing something kind about us geezers on a gay site.
Posted by: Gary Ballis | Feb 23, 2007 7:17:24 PM
I don't know why they are trying to sell more more Wii units, when they still do not them available for sale in most stores.
I will never understand Nintendo's marketing...trying to sell merchandise that they cannot deliver..it makes no sense.
Posted by: Rob | Feb 24, 2007 8:11:24 AM
WII is gonna take over. I tried the boxing game and it was pretty tight. Now, you can get a great workout with a game interface. And this is a solution to children not getting enough exercise. Once WII releases World of Warcraft ... we'll have the most athletic children in the world.
Posted by: Nik E Poo | Feb 25, 2007 5:53:04 PM