For once I was in the right place at the right time and hijacked received an invitation to a Wii U demonstration party. (The Wii U Experience.) Yes, people, Nintendo is launching its next generation home entertainment console – Wii U and I was invited to an exclusive party for mom bloggers, gamers and industry influencers to check it out. (Or I might have possibly stolen the invitation from someone who wasn’t able to use it – by why get caught up in semantics?)

Now I’m always looking for stuff to do in LA with the kids that is fun and unusual and (let’s face it) free – and this certainly fit the bill. The event took place in a studio in Hollywood that was transformed to look like some sort of spaceship gamer paradise. (At least to me.)

We already have a Wii, but this Wii is different – it is the Wii U. It comes with a separate game pad controller that gives you control over the game. What does it mean to have control of the game? Well, for example, when I played Just Dance 4, Marley held the controller and chose the moves the dancers would make and even make us freeze. (Uh, yeah… pretty dangerous.)

She made me do this…

And she made me do this…

So if your kids like to play video games in a group or party setting, a Wii U console is a perfect gaming console for your family. (BTW – you can see that Marley’s controller has a cord. It’s actually a cordless device. The cord was just attached to it for security reasons.)

Chandler and Marley both thought the new Wii was better than the old Wii because of the increased interaction. (And I really think Marley liked controlling me!) Up to six players can play instead of just four. There are tons of games. Some of the other games we played were Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros U and Sing Party. Of course you can also play the games solo, but what my kids liked best about the system was the interaction.

Marley and I liked Just Dance and Sing Party best. Sing Party is like karaoke, but its taken up a notch and made more interactive because one person hold the controller and microphone and the other people follow dance moves on the TV screen and sing along to the chorus.

Marley also liked the photo area where we got to have a bit of fun.

And she got to meet Mario. (I’m pretty sure she knows it’s a guy in a suit!)

 

Chandler really liked Nintendo Land.

 

I liked the eye candy in one of the gaming rooms…

 

 

All in all, it was a pretty fun way to spend a Sunday morning. Even my friend and blogging mentor, Kim Tracy Prince, was there.

 

They even had cookies.

 

And chocolate moustache lollipops when we left. (This picture is just for you ladies!)

 

The Wii U comes out November 18th. My kids give it two big thumbs up.

 

I was not compensated in any way for this post. Unless you count the cookies. (And the eye candy.)