Goodbye, Grandma...I'll Miss You!

So, our Grandmother's visit came to an end last night (early this morning). We drove her to LAX around 9:30pm for her 1:05am flight back to El Salvador. We were fearing a very complicated and hectic check-in process at the Airport, but, to our surprise, that was not the case. The people at the Taca Airlines counter were both kind and courteous, and they were very attentive to my Grandmother's needs. It was a very welcome relief to know that she would be very well taken care of, seeing how she was flying alone. There were tears, and there was some heartache, but in the end we were truly thankful for having at least met her this once. (And hopefully not the last) She called early this morning to let us know that she arrived safe and sound. She left us with memories and plenty of love. Despite never having met, we got along like we were lifelong friends. I miss her already...I hope she knows that.

Smooth Moves!

Today I picked up Warioware: Smooth Moves for the Nintendo Wii. This would be the 2nd game that I have purchased for the new system (3rd if you count Wii Sports, which comes included with the console). The entire gimmick of the Wii is the innovative use of the controller, and the bringing together of gamers and non-gamers alike. With games like Smooth Moves, it is going to be very easy to accomplish both. This latest entry in the Warioware library doesn't veer to far from the norm. The basic premise is that you must complete very quick Micro (NOT Mini) games in a very short amount of time. The pacing is fast and furious. The previous 2 installments have utilized new and innovative approaches to the game. WarioWare Twisted! for the Game Boy Advance used a motion sensor that would respond when the console itself was tilted from side to side. WarioWare Touched! for the Nintendo DS took advantage of the DS's touchscreen to introduce new methods of game play. Now with the emergence of the Wiimote, WarioWare: Smooth Moves utilizes motion detection from the Wiimote and the Nunchuk attachment to play. The controller transforms throughout the game depending on how you hold it in your hands. Each grip has a special name such as Mohawk, Janitor, Boxer, Sketch Artist, and more. Each mini game tells you which grip you will be using, and your tasks range from driving, slicing, punching, dancing, hula-hooping, sword-fighting, and more. There are over 200 micro games in this title, and every one of them has been fun and entertaining. They are quick, they are stupid, and some are very gross, but all are quite fun. It starts off as a single player mission-type game, where you unlock new levels by defeating those already open. Once you accomplish that, you are allowed to access the Multiplayer feature from the Main Menu. I highly recommend this for anyone with a Wii, and who is not afraid to make themselves look like fools in front of family and friends. This is definitely a party game. (Oh, and it only takes one Wiimote to get the party started! Definitely a plus for those of you unable to find a 2nd one in stores!) Overall, I'd give this game an 8 out of 10, for the sheer fun and replay value.

This Past Saturday, Saturday, SATURDAY!!!

This past Saturday we bundled up the family (Grandma included), reddened our necks a little bit, and headed on over to Angel Stadium in Anaheim for the Monster Jam show. It's become somewhat of a yearly ritual with us. My girlfriend's nephew looks forward to it each and every year. (Ok, I'll admit, I do too!) It's been a pretty cold late Winter here in SoCal, very unusual for this area. (Temps have dropped into the low 30s here, and even lower in some other parts!) Saturday was no exception. Cold weather, wind, and nosebleed seats do not a pleasant combination make. Despite the frostbite nipping at our collective noses, it was an awesome show.We usually root for Grave Digger, and he did not disappoint. (More on that later!) But there were plenty of other cool trucks there like Maximum Destruction, Jurassic Attack, Bulldozer, and Hot Wheels, to name a few. The Monster Trucks are definitely the main attraction, but they always throw in a few other events just to change it up a bit. This year they had Quad Wars, Pro Stadium Trucks, and Auto Cross (Which was a mix between motor cross, and demolition derby). But we definitely go to see the Monsters tear it up.Our fav, Grave Digger was off to a good start, winning a few of the Monster qualifying rounds. But as the night progressed, he was slipping in the standings. Soon we knew that he had no chance of recovering, and the Monster race champ was Maximum Overdrive. But although the main event was over, the show was just about to begin. The Trucks then headed on over into the Freestyle competition, which is where they have their run of the course to try to win over the crowd. Big air and flips are usually what get the crowd pumped. There were a few close calls, one loudly popped tire, and one very awesome recovery by El Toro Loco. But then came Grave Digger.Grave Digger never manages to disappoint. The crowd is usually 100% Grave Digger to begin with, but that doesn't mean that he holds back. There was definitely some big air, some nice car crushing, a very awesome rear wheelie, and, what the audience craves, a flip. After attempting a few doughnuts, momentum finally got the best of Digger, and over he went. Needless to say that the crowd went wild, and that Grave Digger won the Freestyle competition. At $10 a ticket, it is definitely a fun night out for the family, despite the subzero temperatures. We'll most definitely be back next year! (For anyone interested, Monster Jam will be back this upcoming Jan. 27th at Angel Stadium. I highly recommend it!)

Joshua Update

This past weekend we celebrated our friend's birthday (a few days early, thanks to busy work schedules!), and I managed to snap a few shots of her baby, Joshua. (Who you might remember from this blog!) It's hard to believe that he is almost a year old. And you couldn't imagine a cuter kid. I hear he wants to be just like his Uncle Omar! (That would be me!) Hey, I can dream, can't I? Oh, well. Enjoy the picture.

I've Been Wii-ified!!

Just wanted to show my Mii that I created for my Wii. (This is seriously starting to sound like a bunch of baby talk! LOL). I'm surprised at just how closely it resembles me. Well, America, this is what I look like. Pleased to meet you!! And this here would be me and my two brothers. (I'd be the one on the far right, by the way) Just wanted to share these couple of pictures with you. There is so much that can be done with the Wii. Everyday we're learning something new. So, what are you waiting for?? Go get yours!! (If you can find one! Happy Hunting!)

Star Power Activated!

And just to prove that we are not entirely Nintendo whores, I'd like to take a moment and acknowledge just how kick-ass Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II are for the Playstation 2. Not having one iota of musical talent (despite having taken accordion classes for about 2 years! DON'T LAUGH!!), even I have begun to develop some slight skill with this game. Granted, it is on the easy level, and that although the controller resembles a guitar, it is far from an actual one. But I can certainly see some development in hand/eye coordination. And besides, the game is just too damn cool. The songs rock, the animation is flashy and fun, and the replay value is very high. You actually start to believe that you're a rock star up on stage in front of thousands of screaming fans. (And with some surround sound, you can actually feel it too!) Not to mention how cool my Axe looks. Don't you think?? And it's wireless! If you enjoy games like Dance Dance Revolution and Karaoke Revolution, you'll totally dig this game. ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?!?!

Me Wii!

So, I finally gave in. I couldn't resist it any longer. The draw, the allure, the pure seductive power. I'm sorry, My Love, but if you are reading this, I think I've found a new Mistress, and her name is Wii. Sleek, petite, and let's me be in total control. What more can one man ask for?? Sure it isn't much of a conversationalist, and it's fashion sense is a little bland. But for the sheer entertainment value, and the vigorous work outs (WINK WINK!), I'm willing to overlook it's shortcomings. This is definitely the little engine that could...beat out Sony's PS3, that is!! We were most fortunate to get our grubby little mitts on one early yesterday morning, after much fruitless searching the latter part of last week. Store would have them 2, 3, or even 4 one second, and literally sold out the next! Before you can even say Wii, they're gone from shelves. So delicate, that with but a whisper, it vanishes into the nothingness! (Poetic? Perhaps! A Nintendo Fanboy's Wet Dream Come True?? Definitely!)The Wii is so much more than just a gaming console, and I think Nintendo was right when they said that it would draw in the non-gaming audience as well as the hardcore gamers. 2 or 3 hours into powering it on, we were having a blast without having even inserted a game to play. The Wii channel menu offers so much more. (e.g. Shopping, Internet, Photo Uploads, Character Customization, Up-to-Date Weather, News Channel, etc.) And with 48 channel slots available, the possibilities are endless! We were having so much fun creating Miis (the little character that are your counterparts in Wii Sports games), and they ended up looking almost exactly like us. It's fun watching a little animated version of me running around the screen.From the Wii Sports game that comes with the console, my favorite has been the Wii Golf. Although Wii Boxing provides the best cardio workout, golf for me is the most user responsive. The Wii Tennis and Wii Baseball games don't give you much control over the characters. Other that swinging rackets or bats, you can't really control much character movement in the game. (It runs on auto-pilot, while you concentrate on flailing you arms and whacking balls at the precise moment!) Although, I have to admit that bowling it pretty fun too. For an in-package-included title, it's pretty good, and VERY fun.But, of course, the main reason any gamer was eager to get their hands on a Wii had to be The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I wasn't going to play any games on the Wii until I had a copy of it in my hands. After trading in my old reliable Game Cube (Thanks for the $20 Game Stop!!), and some old games that we felt needed to be retired, I bearly had enough to snag a copy of the most sought after launch title for the Wii. And after immersing myself in the land of Hyrule for almost 5 hours at this point, it is definitely worth the wait and the hype. The graphics are exquisite, the story is enthralling, and the Wii-mote interactivity is very power-trippy! You can aim, swing, fish, gallop, and so much more with the controls. And with this being a 70hr+ game, I just know that the adventure is going to get so much better. (Most critics have given this game a perfect 10, and has been named game of the year as well!)All-in-all, I have to hand it to Nintendo for taking a stand, taking on Sony, and coming out on top. Of course, the Xbox 360 is currently ruling the market, the Wii is making a very impressive appearance at second, while Sony is a very distant third. And, hopefully, as time progresses, and the supply meets the demand, we will begin to see entirely new communities of non-gamers springing up on the Wii network. This truly is a console for everyone from 8 to 80. So, how about it? Can Wii be friends?? WAY TO GO NINTENDO!! KEEP IT UP!!

P.S. Could you please hurry along with Super Mario Galaxies, Metroid Prime: Corruption, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl? I'd really appreciate it.

P.P.S. Oh, and while you're at it, how about speeding up The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass for the DS? If it's not too much trouble, that is. Thanks!!