So it is Saturday night, the kids are out of the house for a few hours at friends houses and my wife and I are sitting on the couch enjoying some peace and quite...she turns to me and says, "Let's go downstairs and play...Guitar Hero."
In the past I could never get my wife to play any type of video game, even my boys had trouble getting her to play video games...she always hated the controllers. But my son got Guitar Hero II and now she is addicted. She loves it.
She has been channeling her lost Rock Star! I've blogged before about women and games. See You Go Girl and I have been having an off and on discussion with Cammy Bean about girls and video games. See Games for Girls among other entries on her Learning Visions Blog.
I contend that women like video games and play video games just as much as men but don't think of themselves as "gamers."
Perhaps the real difference is not that women don't like video games (I think they do). No the real difference is they didn't like the interface.
As interfaces to computer and video games become easier to use, the games will be more accessible and more fun for everyone. That's the whole idea of the Nintendo Wii
console. Make gaming accessible and more people will do it. And they are. I witnessed first-hand the power of an easy-to-use, comfortable interface. It draws in players who do not consider themselves gamers...and gets them addicted...watch out Janice Joplin.
If you want to introduce someone to the power of an easy interface and a fun game, check out the Guitar Hero games and interface devices (guitars) below. They are a good introduction to video games for the video gamephobe.
If you are into an entire Rock Band, not just guitar playing...check out the latest in interactive fun...ROCK BAND...you can sing, play drums and jam on the guitar. Talk about an easy-to-use interface and the disappearance of the idea of a computer...just jam'n on some realistic instruments.
Oh, and don't tell my wife but for Christmas I'm getting her...Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.
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9 comments:
Sweet! Our entire family - me, wife and son - love playing Guitar Hero. As you put so well in your post, it is the controller and ease of use that has really attracted all of us to the game.
I also like the scaffolding in the game itself - being able to go to practice mode and slow the tempo to get those fingerings right ... then brining it up to speed to earn 5-stars.
(Oh and Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is quite fun!)
Thanksgiving surprise...and I'm not talking about anything inside the turkey. This Thanksgiving I was thankful to Nintendo for creating the Wii with the goal of bringing casual and hardcore gamers together. I didn't need any more proof to know that since its inception the Wii has succeeded in this goal but it didn't hurt to see it first hand (again). There's nothing like seeing your family (those ranging from 28 to 72) interacting with each other and playing Wii sports instead of passively watching the turkey day NFL game. It's just a nice reminder to know that if you have the right design for a game, anyone will be able to jump right in and have a good time.
Last christmas the Wii brought 6yr olds and 86 yr olds together at the house. This thanksgiving Rock Band did the same thing. I think I cost my brother $1,000 in a years time for systems + games.
Rocking out with Rock Band
I was shocked when my wife came home with a Wii last week. I was even more shocked when I saw Guitar Hero in the bag. And even MORE shocked when I found her to be obsessed with being a Guitar Hero. What is it with wives and Guitar Hero?
I actually don't really care. I'm just happy to see the whole family engaging TOGETHER in computer games.
Cheers!
Brent
Great post Karl! You may find my daughter's website ineresting at: http://gpba.pokepop.com/index.php
She calls it "the prime community on the net for Girl Pokemon battlers!"
Don;t get into an arguement with here about women and video games!!
Gordon
That's awesome. We played family-style Nintendo 64 (DonkeyKong) and Wii Play all weekend. Does this mean I'm becoming a gamer? Mostly I watched and napped...
My husband is an amateur musician and would, I believe, highly object to Guitar Hero. He'd rather the kids (and the wife) were playing actual guitars.
Wow, sounds like Guitar Hero is the family game. Actually, it is so great to have a game that everyone can play and as Bart pointed out 6-86 can enjoy. As Chris indicated the Wii sports is awesome as well...in fact the entire family played tennis against each other...it really is fun.
Rory, I agree, its the interface and the scaffolding...it really temps to you keep going.
Gordon, your daughter has a great web site, I need to put her in touch with Cammy:)
Brent...your wife came home with a Wii and then Guitar hero...man you need to MARRY that women...bringing home gifts like that...life really is better in Arizonia!
Guitar Hero is by far my favorite game! It's way better then dance dance revolution or pump it..
Are you able to play in expert difficult?
Imagine doing 100% in that difficult.. Sounds impossible right? haha
have you seen this video?
http://www.weshow.com/r/us/p/25092/100_on_expert_level
This guy managed to achieve that score.. That's insane!
I bet he is a professional real guitar player...
After having been burned by Nintendo. I'm waiting out the GH and Wii fad. For some reason I have a feeling after more people see them they will go the way of the power glove...
http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/power-glove-mod-merges-with-wii-mote/
All we need to do is cute Fred Savage in The Wiz. over the next few years.
http://thor.mirtna.org/reviews/thewizard.html
I wonder what the tag line for the Wii will be?
Maybe it will go like this -
Jimmy: "I love the Wii... it's so bad."
Corey: "Yeah, well, uh, just keep your Wii off her, pal."
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