So way back when I decided I would buy a Nintendo Wii on launch day.  This was way back, like when there weren’t any games and it was still called the Revolution (more on that later).  This would be an upgrade from a Sega Genesis so I was pretty excited.  My first brand spanking new, next-gen console on launch day.  Oh the joy.

So the last few months were filled with excitement and anticipation.  The last few weeks became a little more logical, picking what games and what accessories.  And the last few days became filled with anxiety.  “Will I really get one?” “Am I hardcore enough to score a Wii on launch day?” “What if I go to the store that actually only has 2 of them and I’m left standing in the wrong line?”  Aaaaagh!  So I did my research, calling around trying to get stock numbers and such.  Like a fool I assumed alot of the stores would be having midnight launches.  So I commissioned my courageous friend Ben to brave the lines with me on Sat, Nov 18th.  We went out around 8pm, checking out the lines.  This was great news! The longest line we saw was like 5 people long.  So we we’re amped. We hopped in line at Best Buy and in a mere four hours we’d get in and score gaming goodness.  So we get in line and start talking to a fellow in front of us who we came to call Knowitall.  He knew how much stock the store had, how many we’re ahead of us, what position other people had in the PS3 line, everything.  And then he let slip the fatal truth I was ignorant of.  “Oh they don’t open till 9 in the morning”.  What!?!?!  Crap.  Suddenly our 4 hour wait turned to 12 hours.  I thought I was getting in easy.  So slightly scared and confused I left the line and started scoping out the other stores.  There’s no way I’m going to sleep on a Colorado winter sidewalk for video games.  Sorry, I’m just not that hardcore.

All the lines around town we’re from 5-20 people at around 10pm.  Turns out the only midnight launch peeps were Wal-Mart and for some unknown reason they gave out all their vouchers throughout the day.  So the lucky voucher holders had only to show up after midnight and claim their prize.  I thought that was pretty lame of Wal-Mart to hand them out like that.  Oh well.  So I have a Target about 2-3 miles away from my house and there were 7 people in line, so I picked that for my “target” in the morning and went home.  There I spent a peaceful night in my warm bed next to my lovely wife.  How wonderful.  “This sure beats standing in the freezing cold talking to gamers and having ‘you guys suck p—s!’ yelled at us by drive-bys” I thought to myself.  So I get up at 5:50am Nov 19th, Wii day, and head to Target.  The line had about doubled, and judging by the stock numbers I knew of other stores I thought I had a good shot.

I took position at 6am and about 30 in line.  Around 6:30 the Target security officer in charge of Wii operations showed up and gave us the scoop.  How thoughtful.  They had 39 units and I had guessed myself around 34 in line so I was a bit nervous. At 7am they handed out the vouchers for the systems and I was placed 27, w00t!.  They told us we could leave and come back when they opened but the vouchers were good ’till noon.  Score!

So I go to my car and thaw my toes and fingers then head back to the line.  20-30 more minutes later I was shuffled through the line and I was off to home with my brand new Nintendo Wii, and extra controller and nunchuk, Zelda:Twilight Princess and Rayman Raving Rabbids.  w00t!

I found that to be quite easier than expected.  I didn’t have to wait in line more than 2 hours total.  No tents, no sleepless nights.  Half the people there were saying “I’m going straight to bed! After I wake up I’ll play.” Pshhh.  All nice and rested from my nice warm bed I went straight home and hooked it up.

I’ll write more about the experience with playing the Wii later.  But I must say, it’s sweet.  One thing became painfully clear after playing the Wii though.  Ever since they renamed the console from Revolution to Wii I’ve grown fonder of the name.  I realized bits of genius behind it and started to like it more.  But in practice, oh man.  Everything sounds dirty.  “Hey dude, wanna play my Wii?”  “I was playing with my Wii” “Clean up that Wii mess” There’s just no good way to say it.  It basically opens itself to endless horrible puns and horrible connotations. I’ve tried to start using “Nintendo” as my term for it.  “Want to come over and play Nintendo?”  So bottom line: Wii, bad name.  Sorry Nintendo.