When Nintendo announced its Wii gaming console at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in 2004, it all seemed a little quirky to traditional gamers, what with the motion-sensitive Wii remote instead of a traditional gaming controller. Even so, the system's initial strong sales when it hit retail shelves in November 2006 was no surprise (Nintendo has a kajillion fans who will buy anything it produces). Still, it's the continued success of the system is nothing short of amazing. This year at the annual E3 video game conference, Nintendo is resting on its laurels somewhat, with no groundbreaking announcements, but more of what the fans need. Here are the highlights from Tuesday's press conference:

Wii MotionPlus Controller - The Wii controller has definitely changed the way people think about video games, but for all the good it's done, it has some problems. The Wii-mote doesn't really pick up small, subtle movements and it can't detect rotation unless it's pointing right at the screen. But this will all change with the MotionPlus attachment, an extension to the original controller that greatly enhances sensitivity to movement and allows for such nuances in movement that everything from a realistic sword fighting game to chopping down trees from different angles is possible.

Wii Sports Resort - 'Wii Sports' has proven to be the most popular title on the Wii, despite being the first and, in many regards, most simple game on the platform. Nintendo's hoping to capitalize on the title's popularity with a new title that includes some more tropical-themed sports. 'Wii Sports Resort' uses the MotionPlus accessory for many of its games, including fencing, and will come with a single MotionPlus included. No word on exactly what that price will be, or how much additional MotionPlus attachments will cost, or on exact the exact release date, except that it sadly won't be until sometime early next year.

Animal Crossing - Yes, the Wii is finally getting its own version of 'Animal Crossing,' one of the most popular titles on either the N64 or the Nintendo DS, in which players arrive in a new town and must earn money by performing different random tasks. The Wii version is called 'Animal Crossing: City Folk' and will feature the same sorts of distractions found in the earlier games, like fishing and random archeology. Gamers can also now travel into the city to buy new kitsch for their characters, but the real extension comes with the online aspects. Gamers can now invite up to three other players to their towns and actually play directly with them, using the optional WiiSpeak microphone to talk. You can also send e-mails and texts from within the game, but those who have played the original may be somewhat disappointed to see that this one looks almost identical graphically.

Wii Music - One of the first titles shown for the Wii was a game in which players used the Wii Remote to conduct a virtual, onscreen orchestra. After said initial demo, the game disappeared, but it has finally re-appeared as 'Wii Music,' a music-focused game in which you can play 50 instruments, all without having the faintest idea of how they are played! Just tap random buttons on the controller and move like you're playing the instrument and, voila, you'll be part of a band. This is in sharp contrast to other music games such as 'Guitar Hero' and 'Rock Band,' in which you actually have to have some musical ability to excel, but we're not entirely sure how it differs from just getting in front of a TV and playing air guitar, but we'll take it on faith that this game is somehow compelling, since it's the brainchild of Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator of 'Mario Bros.' and 'Zelda.'

DS - Nintendo was quick to tout the success of its DS handheld, far and away the most popular portable gaming system in the world at the moment, and bound to be more popular with the announcement of 'Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars' and a new 'Guitar Hero' game, 'Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades,' which will add more tracks and more multiplayer options. Nintendo also talked about plans to extend the functionality of the DS by letting travelers get flight info and weather updates delivered right to the device, but it remains to be seen just how that will pan out (or if it'll end up being at all useful now that most cell phones have similar abilities).

So, an understated start to E3 for Nintendo; no major announcements or shocking revelations, but when you're producing the hottest console and handheld gaming systems on the market, you don't really have much to prove.

For a play-by-play account of the Nintendo press conference, check out the Engadget/Joystiq live blog here.

The older people get, the harder it is to drive -- reflexes slow, eyesight goes, and one's level of awareness drops as the years pass. These unfortunate realities of aging can make driving a potentially lethal proposition for those getting on in years (not to mention the drivers around them).

Governments, however, are not about to start confiscating drivers licenses when people are old enough to collect social security, so the challenge becomes how to minimize the danger involved with putting those in their golden years on the road.

Toyota is teaming up with Professor Ryuta Kawashima, who worked for Nintendo to develop the DS hit 'Brain Training,' which uses simple and fun puzzles to sharpen the mind and tell you how old your brain is. Toyota and Dr. Kawashima are working on a system that will monitor the moves of aging drivers and help them avoid dangerous behaviors. The ideas currently on the drawing board are an automatic braking system that can curb unnecessary accelerating, a navigation system (duh) and climate controls that will help keep the driver alert and comfortable.

"Ultimately, we hope to develop cars that stimulate brain activity so that driving itself becomes a form of brain training," Dr. Kawashima says. Toyota and the professor hope to have a basic form of the system ready for deployment within five years. Toyota's system isn't the only game in town, though, that is looking to save some lives by keeping drivers alert, Nissan has been working on its Intelligent Transportation System for some time now.

Nintendo has cornered the market on electronics marketed to the elderly at this point. 'Brain Training' and the 'Brain Age' series on the handheld DS and 'Wii Sports' and 'Wii Fitness' have also proven to be huge hits with older consumers looking to dull the effects of aging.


From Daily Mail


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• Study Shows Video Games Make Senior Citizens' Brains Sharper
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Since its release late last year, the motion-sensitive Nintendo Wii has become a runaway success for many reasons, including famously keeping the aging and elderly active with a variety of sports titles.

Given the video-game console's unorthodox penchant for promoting physical activity instead of discouraging it, it seems only natural that physical therapists have begun putting the system to use to help patients achieve better balance and motor skills. As Minneapolis/St. Paul CBS affiliate WCCO reports, therapists at the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital are seeing great results among stroke patients who play 'Wii Tennis.' In addition to actually exercising the patient back to health, the therapists note that the Wii makes the process of rehabilitation more fun. According to WCCO, the U.S. Army has also also hopped aboard the Wii Train, testing the system out on injured soldiers in Landstuhl, Germany to help them regain their strength.

With Nintendo's upcoming 'Wii Fit', which includes a pressure-sensitive balance board that can be used for everything from push-ups to yoga to aerobics on the way early next year, we expect that more practical uses for the Wii's unique controls are on the way.

From Engadget

Related Links:

• Senior Citizens Going Nuts for Nintendo Wii
• Nintendo Offering Free Wii-mote Grip Sleeves
• Nintendo Gears Up for Wii-Hungry Holiday Shoppers

Thanks to Nintendo (and, let's face it, Viagra), senior citizens are having more fun than ever -- probably even more fun than you're having, since most of them don't have things like jobs, which totally get in the way.

Here's a story about a group of sprightly 60-plus-ers at the Riderwood retirement community in Silver Spring, Maryland (they actually average 75 years old), who play 'Wii Sports' like it's going out of style. The crew even threw a little home run derby last week in honor of Barry Bonds' record-setting homer, where age-appropriate prizes included baseball memorabilia. It appears that good times were had by all (except the ump).

Believe it or not, this is not the first time we've seen such video-game-playing antics among the over-60 set. In fact, senior citizens have been building up their 'Wii Sports' scores ever since the Nintendo console was released back in the Fall of 2006.

Ah, to be old again.

From GeekSugar

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