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Nintendo hit a huge coveted demographic a few years back when it released Brain Age for the DS. The game captured the imagination, and money, of adult gamers, many of which were novices to the gaming industry. Now Nintendo is going after the next generation with Grandy Games for the Wii. This next generation, ages 65-105 consists of the parents of the Brain Age demographic. Grandy Games is aimed at Grandmas and Grandpas. It contains a variety of activities for this golden demographic. Grandy Games is available only for the Wii since it employs various peripheral devices to make the experience more realistic. Nintendo says the game won’t be cheap, but it will be worth it, since it’s designed to improve the declining quality of life of its players. Grandy Games has games and activities for both sexes. Knitting is a popular activity among elderly women, and a pair of knitting needle controllers let you create an endless array of haberdashery items. Tens of thousands of patterns are available, from socks to toques. When completed, simply email it to your grandson or granddaughter, saving them the embarrassment of actually having to wear it to school. After all, it’s the thought that counts. Grandpa will enjoy the virtual woodworking game with realistic jigsaw. It uses a laser instead of a blade, allowing him to craft new, virtual furniture from existing furniture, without destroying the real furniture. All this, and no trips to the hospital. In the tradition of Pokémon, there is a collect-‘em-all feature. Figurines, spoons, ornaments, and other eccentric collectibles are yours to amass. Storage is never a problem with Grandy Games, so hoard away. It wouldn’t be Grandy Games without games, and there are plenty of your favorites including Bingo, Shuffleboard, Bridge, Whist, and Strip Poker. (Hey, why not? You’re more than adults.) If you want to keep up with the latest trends, Grandy Games turns the nunchuck controller into virtual cell phone. It allows you to make calls and send and receive text messaging. The friendly voiced CPU will respond to your stories and concerns. It will continually calm and reassure you of your relevance in a professionally modulated voice with absolutely no traces of sarcasm, anger, or indifference. And don’t forget the Gramma’Phone. It’s your personal record collection of days-gone-by. Forget those crazy MP3s with all those dirty rap songs. Gramma’Phone comes loaded with your favorite 78 recordings, including Bing Crosby, Hank Snow, and even the voice of Thomas Edison himself wishing you a happy birthday. Grandy Games is also a useful technical aid. There’s the Clapper to turn the Wii on and off. A remote will synch to your VHS or DVD player so that it won’t continually flash 12:00 after a power outage. It’s also a medial device, capable of taking your blood pressure, blood sugar, and stool samples. If it detects anything out of the ordinary, Grandy Games will automatically call an ambulance to your dwelling. Small fees may apply. Whether it’s games, activities, music, or vital sign monitoring, Grandy Games is just what the doctor ordered. By Cole Smith/font> |