A few weeks ago, while browsing the bargain bins at the local Game Stop (no, not that one… the one across the street from it) the Wii display of Nintendo’s new Super Smash Brothers Brawl game caught my eye. I sauntered over to see what all the hype was about and when I picked up the controller, a voice from behind the counter immediately started bellowing excited instructions at me. “Pick which character you want to be! Press the ‘A’ button and then press ‘+’!”

The ghostly blue hand, controlled by the counter clerk, moved confidently around the screen and chose Link from the Zelda games. My wavering ghostly pink hand could not be still long enough to choose from the extravagant array of Nintendo heroes available on the selection menu. The voice behind me sounded frustrated. “Pick who you want and press ‘A’!”

I looked stupidly down at the controller, pressed ‘A’ and still couldn’t get it to work. I was not eager to have my ass soundly kicked by the large, sweaty, pimply kid working the counter. I shrugged my shoulders, returned the controller to the holster on the display and slinked away.

The next week, when our plans for a fun, out-doorsy activity were put on hold due to the impending wet weekend weather, Dwayne suggested Smash Brothers. “I’m house-sitting for my neighbors this weekend and they have a Wii!”

We all agreed and Friday evening, as the wind and clouds blew into town, Mauricio, Isabel and I met Dwayne on the front porch of his neighbor’s house. “Come on in.” He said opening the door “I’ve already got the beer and chips!”

Mauricio and Isabel grabbed the dining room chairs and arranged them around the big screen TV, while Dwayne handed out beverages and fired up the game. He handed out the controllers; big clunky Nintendo GameCube controllers for Mauricio and Isabel and the sleeker, stylish Classic Controllers for the two of us. I was glad not to have to struggle with the Wii remote, but the Wii controller was nearly as awkward. With the cord jutting out from the front, it felt like I was holding it backwards.

The title screen appeared accompanied by a triumphant, action movie soundtrack loop. The selection of characters seemed meager compared to the menu at Game Stop. They must have spent their entire shift opening up all the hidden fighters. We each chose our combatants: Wario for me, Princess Zelda for Isabel, Some fire breathing Pokemon dragon thing for Dwayne and the Ice Climbers for Mauricio. We pressed ‘A’ and then ‘+’ and the melee began.

“Now what do we do?” Asked Mauricio as our characters appeared on a floating iceberg.

“Hell if I know!” I responded as my character hopped on a motorcycle and drove unceremoniously off the edge of the playing field. When I reappeared at the top of the screen, I did it again.

Power ups rained from the sky above as we duked it out, but none of us could figure out how to pick them up or use them.

“How do I block?”

“Which one am I? Where did my character go?”

“Did you just hit me with an umbrella?”

“This is dumb!”

After much swearing at the screen, Isabel prevailed victorious. We selected new characters and started again. “Who is Pit? Is he from Kid Icarus?”

“I don’t know. I’m some dude named Ike!”

“I still can’t tell which character I am!”

Isabel reigned supreme once again and continued to do so, round after round. “It’s because she’s a button masher!” said Dwayne, setting down his controller and grabbing another beer.

We played a few more rounds. Isabel continued to win and we unlocked two new fighters, Ness and Marth, neither of whom we’d ever heard of.

“I’m bored!” said Isabel after placing first once again. “Let’s play something else.”

We fired up Wii Sports, made some Mii avatars and spent the rest of the evening kicking Isabel’s ass in Wii boxing.

Hey CP!

I like your idea.  We’re considering some future events where readers would be involved.  Gaming would be a good one.

On a personal note I like the smack talk but should warn you about gaming challenges.  There are a few of us at Brick who are real gamer nerds with some leet gaming skills.  Korey wasn’t involved in this Experience it but rumor has it that fire actually shoots from his hands and he begins to float 2 feet off the ground when he’s at the controls...and that’s before he starts drinking Captain Morgan.

Jim

I usually like the Experience it but this one is kinda’ weak.  Any gamer would agree Wii rocks.  This would have been better if you held an event at a bar or club and let us readers take you down and show you how it’s done.