hello, nintendo

the least stressful way to buy a wii in nyc

1. Wake up extra early on any day office people have to go to work.
2. Get to the Nintendo World Store before 8:30 a.m.
3. Wait in line outside till the store opens at 9 a.m.
4. Wait in line inside cause the registers are slow.
5. Ask for a copy of Wii Play cause it comes with a Wiimote, costs only $10 more than just a Wiimote, and the games are simple but fun.
6. Buy your Wii. Hurrah!

Make Your Choice

Some of the best conversations I've seen about Nintendo have come up in the debate about best handheld gaming system. Nintendo's got three strong options with the new-generation GBA SP, the adorable Micro and the powerhouse DS. I love the way this Ask MetaFilter thread played out, especially since it led me to discover the discussion about the GBA SP2's d-pad. (Also, as a bonus, "GBA SP2 d-pad" would make a great password.)

To my mind, the real choice option is either Micro for the casual gamer or DS for someone who values great, unique games over ultimate portability/cuteness. That surprises me to say, because the GBA SP is still probably the best form factor ever for a Nintendo handheld. (In fact, it led me to buying my first game system ever back when the SP first came out and was plastered all over every bus stop in Manhattan.)

I can't wait for next Christmas, because the increase in sexiness from GBA to GBA SP was so dramatic that the clunky and homely DS is sure to be replaced by something astounding.