Just Dance!

or "Why video games are GOOD for you!"

I will say it loud and proud - I'm a gamer grrl. I lubs me some video games. Racing, FPS, RPG, puzzle, action/adventure, you name it. And I've tried to instill in my children a love for gaming. Especially in my daughters. Because it's a sad day when a guy gets married and his wife can't STAND how much time he spends gaming.
Sample conversation:

Her: I can't BELIEVE how much time you spend on that stupid thing!

Him: [grunt]

Her: I might as well not even be married for all the good it does me!

Him: [grunt]

Her: FINE! I'm going shopping!

Now that might not be exactly how it might go down, but I think it's pretty close. And that's why I'm letting my girls game. Because gaming is here to stay and it's FUN and why not have something in common? Right? Around here, it goes down a little some-something like this:

Him: Are you going to use the computer all night?

Me: Well the kids have the Xbox going and I was trying to unlock the next level of Farmville...

Him: Can you take the lapop and do that? Because I have Steam installed on the PC and I really want to get back to [Fallout New Vegas/Total War/Dragon Age/game du jour].

Me: KIDS! It's MY TURN now! You use your computer and watch Netflix or something!

Kids: What are you going to play, mom? Braid? The ball game [Luxor2]? Splinter Cell? I want to play Kingdom Hearts! How come sister gets to play DDR so much?

This is what happens in a one TV/multiple gamer household. We've got two consoles, three computers and 5 users. And the kids will use my laptop over my cold, dead body. Well, dead at least, because I'm freezing my naughty bits off over here.

Recently, Microsoft released Kinect. It was known pre-release as "Project Natal" and boy-oh-boy is this a good one. It basically eats the Wii for dinner and the PS Move for dessert. Imaging gaming without having to hold some crappy controller! Dance without a dance mat! Be fit without needing any specialised gizmos! Yes, indeedy, Kinect is an amazing awesome terrific fandabidozie dealio. Which is "me speak" for "the shiznit" which is Snoop Dogg for "Nifty!"

You'd think in a household that has as many game consoles as we do, that we'd have run right out and purchased Kinect the day it debuted! Not so, dear readers, not so. For while we lubs us some technology, we like to save our little pennies, too! Our first Xbox was a refurb, as was the first PlayStation. We tend to wait until after the first price-drop to acquire entertainment stuff just because you can save some serious change over time.

But that doesn't mean we haven't had a chance to play with Kinect, oh no it doesn't. We've got friends who have it and they invite us over for playdates pretty regularly. Which is COOL. Who woulda thunk that someone pushing 40 would get to go for a playdate at a friend's house and get to play with their toys?

The best part of playing with Kinect as that we don't even need to buy one. Because the kids? Well, they *pretend* we have Kinect! It's a total laugh riot! They stand in front of the *turned off* TV and wave their arms and jump around pretending to play Dance Central. No kidding.

Which leads me to my final point... The best thing about Kinect is - in my oldest's words - "You don't need a dance mat and you use your WHOLE body! not just your feet!" It's true. There's nothing like being able to bust a move without fearing that you'll accidentally lose your grip on your upchuck and smash your big screen tv. It's actually a total body workout and you don't need anything special. No special mats or slippers or platforms or anything. Once you have the Kinect sensor and whatever game you want, you're golden.

Now get out there and DANCE! And if you have the extra dough to spend, why not clicky the linky and help me make some money so my kids don't have to pretend we have Kinect?