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Posts tagged wii
Check Mii
Jun 21st
One simple way to add some fun to your Wii Sports, Sports Resort and other Wii gaming is to add celebrity or character Mii’s.
The Check Mii Out channel is a free downloadable channel. There are Wii artisan contests to create character Mii’s (Marie Antoiniette, someone who loves plants). You can download these Mii’s to your system, and then when students/you play, they appear.
You can also choose from the Top 50 Popular Mii’s.
On my home system, I still get a kick when I am bowling and Chuck Norris or Batman is watching. Or if I run on Wii Fit, and pass Snoop Dogg. A friend created all the Lost characters, and playing Wii baseball, I had Sawyer pitching to Kate and Claire in the outfield.
Of course, allowing your regulars to customize their own Mii for playing can be great too.
Just a few minutes of time every few months can add just a little extra to your Wii experiences! 
#libgaming (Topic: June 16, 2010: Best of E3)
Jun 16th
#libgaming will discuss the following topic today at 4pm EST on Twitter
How will E3′s announcements this week affect your future gaming-in-libraries decisions?
I understand that you may not have had time to keep up with the E3 announcements. You can catch up: 1up.com’s Microsoft E3 presentation coverage, gamepro.com’s Nintendo E3 presentation highlights, gamespot.com’s full Sony E3 presentation video.
@8bitlibrary on Twitter tweeted highlights of all three press conference while they were happening, so be sure to follow us to stay up-to-date with the latest news in gaming.
And don’t worry, as our discussion reveals itself, much bigger issues than E3 2010 will be raised!
Review: Cave Story
May 10th
WHAT? Side scrolling adventure is back on the Wii with Cave Story, a title that I’m giving the term “Epic Side Scrolling Adventure” to because, well, it is just that.
(Side scrolling, BTW, is a term used to identify games that move left to right on a two-dimensional plane. A good example of this would be the original Super Mario Bros.)
WHY? Side scrolling is a genre that, while still popular in some circles, has lost out in terms of mass appeal to 3D gaming and better technology. It’s a bit sad to me because without side scrolling games, video gaming may not be as popular as it is right now. Cave Story is a beautiful game that may just bring the side scroller back into the limelight. Full of depth, action, and originality, this is an excellent title to introduce the gamers in your library to. At the same time, it’s also quite a simple game that anyone can enjoy it.
WHO? Put on your salesperson hat. Time to sell this game to the gamers at your gaming program at your library. They’ll be better gamers for knowing this title. Highly recommended.
For more information on this excellent title, please visit http://www.cavestory.com/
Review: Netflix for the Wii
Apr 19th
WHAT? It’s finally here. Instant streaming from Netflix for the Nintendo Wii. Netflix subscribers can use their Wii now to stream movies, tv shows, and more directly to their Wii console.
WHY? The XBox got Netflix streaming in 2008. PS3 came next in 2009. Us poor lonely Wii owners have had to wait (yes, I only own a Wii. Boo on me) quite some time. But it is finally here and boy oh boy it is wonderful. The navigation screens are easily managed and the Wiimote works like a charm. The bad? There isn’t a search option that I can find and it doesn’t support HD. Not that I’m complaining though. Having a library worth of movies, tv shows, and documentaries at the flick of my Wiimote has made me a happy camper.
WHO? If you haven’t signed up for Netflix and you own a Wii, this may be the time to do so. With this service and your local library, why would you need to own any DVDs anymore? I mean, really? You’ll see me at my local store trading in my collection soon.
8BitLibrary.com: The Video Game
Apr 1st
COMING THIS SUMMER TO A NINTENDO WII NEAR YOU.
You’ve read the blog.
Now play the blog.
8BITLIBRARY.COM: THE VIDEO GAME features everything you want in a game. Action. Mystery. Puzzles. One on One Fighting. Co-Op Online Play. Blogging. All wrapped into one game.
Select your favorite 8BitLibrarian and take them on a journey of a lifetime. Help Librarian JP gain respect for Pokemon in the Education World! Join Justin The Librarian as he tattoos every librarian he can find! Feed the world with Andy Woodworth and his endless supply of Ben and Jerry’s! Join in on Laverne’s quest to be the #1 gaming and comic geek of all time! Erin needs your help…becoming a librarian! Join Craig as he just walks around in Second Life! The fun never stops in this one of kind video game for the Nintendo Wii.
Featuring 33 levels of non-stop entertainment, all ages will enjoy this title. Online, 4 player, or solo…8BITLIBRARY.COM: THE VIDEO GAME is a load of fun for you and your family!
This is your chance to life the dream that we all have: BECOME AN 8BITLIBRARIAN!
COMING SUMMER 2010 TO THE NINTENDO WII.
Review: Yoshi’s Story
Mar 17th
WHAT? A sort of sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, this title features the character Yoshi as the main character in this 2D/pseudo 3D adventure game. This title, which was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, is now available for download through the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console.
WHY? Yoshi’s Story is a classic, although slightly flawed adventure game in the Mario series. It’s major drawback is the simplicity of the game. Compared to other Mario games, it is a pretty simplistic affair that more hardcore gamers will be able to complete with great ease. Graphically, the game is beautiful, as each stage and the characters are colorful and full of life.
WHO? Yoshi’s Story is a classic 2D adventure game that I can’t wait to show my son when he gets older. Why you ask? It’s the perfect entry level kind of game for a young child to play. It mixes enough old school gaming elements with something a bit more modern to make it pretty unique. Highly recommended to parents who want to get their children into simply, yet fun gaming.
Video Games at the Library on Tour
Mar 12th
One way to get the word out about gaming in libraries is to take your program out on the road. Hearing about gaming is one thing, but users will start to see just how important gaming can be in literacy and libraries once they get their hands on the games themselves.
I saw some kind of magic happen when I took my game night program out on the road in the Summer of 2008. Sure, we had the hardcore gamers that just wanted to play coming to the program. But something else happened as well. I saw older folks getting really excited about sharing the experience. I had never seen this before. I thought the cut off age for anyone to like video games was 30. Boy I was wrong.
While it may not be the most exciting video in the world, I really think this video sums up what I was trying to accomplish with this program. Gaming is for all ages to share and enjoy. The experience is what counts. Getting people together to have a positive experience like this does two thing. It gets them understand that gaming is a good thing and it also shows the value of the library.
Here’s how I approached the program: Think of yourself as a traveling rock band. Pack up the van with your gear, gather some bandmates, and head out onto the road for an exciting (yet tiring) week of gaming with your library patrons. At the end of the week, not only will you have more library users interested in gaming but you’ll finally understand exactly what Bob Seger was talking about in “Turn The Page“.
(a brief glimpse into Game Night on Tour from the Cape May County Library)
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Review: Wii Fit Plus
Mar 10th
WHAT? The first update in the Wii Fit series, this title adds more games and exercises to the Wii Fit experience while tweaking the overall experience to make it more friendly to users.
WHY? While the update does provide the user with more games and exercises to play, the title feels a bit like a minor update of the original game. At $19.99, the game is rather inexpensive but it all feels like the content should’ve been offered by Nintendo as a cheaper download. I’m thinking five to ten bucks, tops.
WHO? If you love the original Wii Fit, you’ll appreciate the update. However, if you (like me) were just sort of curious about Wii Fit when it came out and were not a hardcore fan, you’ll want to pass on this. The title is PERFECT for libraries. WHY? It’s not worth buying, but it is worth giving a shot. Your patrons will appreciate that you’re lending out the title so they don’t have to spend $20 on it.
DEAR NINTENDO: This title is a good example of why downloadable games and content work really well. I love the Wii Shop and the Wii Ware titles. You’re doing a great job there. Let’s take the Wii Fit series to the next level and offer us some cheap downloadable add ons.
Review: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Feb 23rd
WHAT? OK, Capcom is finally getting weird on us. Taking characters from their own roster and mixing them with the who’s who of Tatsunoko Productions characters (a Japanese animation studio famous for Tekkaman and the original Speed Racer just to name a few), Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is another entry in ever popular Vs. fighting game series by Capcom.
WHY? Simply put, Capcom makes the most beautiful and well crafted fighting games out there. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is not an exception. The game manages to keep everything that people love about Capcom fighting games intact while still managed to be innovative and fun. The simplified 3 button configuration for this Wii only release will allow newcomers to adjust to the series. Die hard fans may be taken back by this, but fear not: there are other control schemes you can use with the GameCube or Wii Classic Controller if you want a bit of depth back in the game.
WHO? The not so recognizable cast of characters may turn off some players, but let’s face it. This game was created for the hardcore nerd who understands just how important Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is in the world of popular culture. If you’re not into this kind of stuff, I still highly suggest you give this title a whirl. Not only is it a blast to play, but you may even become a fan of these wonderful characters.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a Wii only release by Capcom. Let’s see more of those please, and thank you!
