“Hey Kids, Get Off My Wii!”

On October 14th I turned 28 years old, and you can just guess how many times friends, family, coworkers, and even complete strangers said, “28… it’s almost 30!” I seriously felt like I should’ve had black balloons and candles on my cake. But, being an oversized child, I felt largely at odds with all the age jokes. I daydream for god-knows-how-long everyday. I even play games like/with my nephew. So, since I’m all old now, does that mean I’ll have to stop playing games for fun? Do I need to put down the controller and switch to pinochle and shuffleboard on a cruise ship?

Simply, the answer is no. Old people, as every generation says, don’t get it. It’s not that they’re stupid or feeble. They are just doing the things that entertained them in their younger years. I don’t know why they don’t want to switch to some new activity, but they don’t. Likewise, my generation likes to play games and surf the internet. And, honestly, I’m content with doing that. Perhaps if I were 40, 50, or 60, I’d be content with my arcade games and NES.

Artwork by Dan Gibson

Maybe Nintendo has it right. Maybe if you bring those people used to playing shuffleboard on a cruise ship in by making WiiCruiseliner with the Shuffleboard minigame (patent pending) you can bring the older (those that didn’t grow up with games) in with the younger folk. So, now, gaming becomes a form of entertainment like going to the movies, reading a book, or doing a crossword puzzle. It’s something that anyone can enjoy.

So, again, NO: there is no point where you are too old to be a gamer. Gaming is simply the youngest form of media compared to movies, music, theater, and literature. Games have lots of growing up to do before they can be accepted alongside those standards, but that’s a story for another time.

Right now, I’ve got to put this laptop down, shuffle half way across the home to Sally’s room, and play me some Gin rummy… if you know what I mean. *wink, wink*