by Matthew P. Nicholson

Created on: January 25, 2008

A few months ago was my first experience of the incredibly over hyped Nintendo Wii, after my sister had recently splashed out on one for her and the kids. On the face of it seems like a good idea, but I didn't really feel the excitement of it all. Even watching the kids playing, laughing and occasionally crying failed to alter my opinion of it in any way.

It wasn't until I heard the words "it's your turn Uncle Matthew" and I took hold of the control wrist pad thing, that I felt any sort of alteration to my mood. Clumsily selecting through the desired options in the menu screens brought me to the choice of sports games I could attempt. Tennis, Ten-pin Bowling, Baseball, Golf and Boxing. I was reliably informed by Ben, Jack and Megan that I would be rubbish at them all anyway so it didn't matter which sport I chose.

Now I had been challenged and by children nonetheless, so I felt it was my duty as Uncle and role model to put all I had into whichever choice I made and show them what I was capable of. The only sports on offer that I had ever played where Tennis, Golf and Ten-pin Bowling and not for at least a decade. Tennis it was to be. So there I was "clear a space kids and watch this for skill"

Eight and a half minutes later and I was facing the mocking laughter of three kids after losing the match without winning a single point. I decided to move on to the golf. After going eight over par on the first hole I called an end to that and returned yet again back to the main menu screen; something which I was becoming highly skilled at by this point.

The Ten-pen Bowling was a poor showing also scoring almost fifty in the game, that being less than fifty. The Baseball saw wild swinging and more laughter from the three of them, who by now had clearly realised that it was more fun for them to watch me make a fool of myself than for them to play on it themselves. I know this with authority as they told me repeatedly exactly how much fun I was to watch.

I was tired, frustrated and defeated when I reached the Boxing, selected my character and was faced with the image of my computer opponent. I noticed something about his face that seemed familiar, but I couldn't work out why. I've never been a fighter I am happy to say and I don't advocate violence at all, however, when the computer character started to taunt me after I missed him with a number of punches I got really fired up.

Now I wanted to compete and win this one. It was the end of the line and if I failed here I would

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