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So there we were, in line at our local Target at 5:00 A.M. based on a tip from one of my friends. My wife, playing the role of anxious, supportive, but somewhat annoyed spouse standing at my side. The reason for our visit? A Nintendo Wii console.
Before Christmas we had struggled and searched for weeks to no avail. When at last I had the day and time and location of a shipment nailed down, there was no way we were going to miss it. We were fourth in line. The tickets sold out in minutes. We would return at 8:00 to purchase our console. In the meantime we drive to the local McDonald's and get coffees, Egg Mcmuffins. I'm not a fan of McDonald's, but that morning I would have eaten tire rubber.
We had saved the money to purchase a Wii for our ten year old daughter. Our resolution this past Christmas season was to not put a penny on the credit cards. So we had $400 cash and nothing but a Nintendo Wii and supporting peripherals and games to buy. The Wii itself was $249.99, add tax and we'll call it $265.
I'm no techno-game junkie, but I know that my daughter will want to be able to play with at least one friend, or one of us, and that she'll want more than the one prepacked Wii Sports game (which is, by the way, a very clever piece of software). In order to keep our resolution and not use the credit cards, and to not have to draw money from savings or the monthly household budget, we're going to try and get everything else we need for the tender little price of $135.
It's a beautiful thing when in this day and age you can even dream about setting your kid up with this kind of system for under six bills, let alone four.
I've done enough homework to know that the Wii Play Game Pack ASIN #
B000KRXAGE is $39.99 and that includes a second controller, which is about $30 if we purchase it seperately, plus the Disc in the pack comes with nine additional games. I figure, hey, even if she only plays them while she gets to know the console, it's nine games for ten bucks, right? Plus the billiards game on Wii Play looks really cool to me. So after purchasing the Wii Play Game Pack with controller, we're down to about $92.
The Wii has a two piece controller system, the second portion of the apparatus being what Nintendo calls a "Nunchuk." These cost about $20. We are now down to $72.00
As it stands now, our daughter can have a friend over and play a bunch of games, mostly involving some sort of physical interaction, not just zombified finger exercises. I'm pleased, but, I figure, we can do more with the additional $72. To tell you the truth, I'm so pleased at this point, that I'm maybe even willing to supplement it a few bucks. And I'm cheap. I mean C-H-E-A-P.
My next discovery, as I'm leaving the local Game Stop, is Super Mario Galaxy ASIN #
B000FQ9QVI.
A little girl is playing a demo of the game while her parents are watching. They are laughing as her character chases a little bunny rabbit around a tiny little planet. I'm a sucker. The capitalist in me is laughing at myself as I turn around and pick up a used copy of the game (One of the best ways in the world to save money on video games is buying the pre-played, tested and guaranteed titles at your local video game store! Plus, if you've raised your child to be anything but an arrogant, nose-in-the-air snotbag, they won't mind that the game has been played before.)
With Super Mario Galaxy in the bag, I'm down to about $30 and itching to pick up one more game. I tuck the money back into my wallet.
It's three days later when I finally break down and go back into the Game Stop. I've been trying to convince myself that I've spent enough. Quit while you're ahead! My brain is screaming. But my heart won't let me. I discover a neat little new release, it's title, Wii Game Party by Midway. ASIN #
B000SFK0SO. For $19.99 plus tax I'm done. This particular title has seven different games, including Darts, Table Hockey and Skii Ball. It genuinely looks fun, and it's cheap. Jason is a very happy man as he plunks the game down on the counter.
I stop on the way home and buy a sub-sandwich loaded with everything my wife won't want to smell on my breath as a celebration. Onions, peppers, jalapeno's, vinegar, salt, pepper and mayo. Pepperoni. Glorious pepperoni!
It is going to be a Merry Christmas, and no, Santa is not bringing these gifts. The big guy ain't gettin' any of the credit for all our hard work. He'll be bringing ice skates and snow pants this year.
So after all that shopping and four hundred bucks spent, we find ourselves closing in on February vacation. What do I think about the Wii? Let me just say this. I've never spent a better $400 in my life. We use it almost every day, as do several of the kids in the neighborhood who my daughter is friends with. Myself, I'm addicted to the battle tanks game on the Wii Play disc. Not bad for nine games for ten bucks.