It's hardly news that the DS appeals to many people who aren't exactly traditional gamers. Expanding the market is part of Nintendo's entire strategy for the handheld. That doesn't make it any less (delightfully) surprising when you get to see a new adopter in action. Every day, people who've never really gamed before pick up a DS, which isn't as immediately appealing as its new cousin, and yet something pull them in. We're betting it's all the incredibly awesome games, but that's beside the point. We want to hear your stories, stories of friends or family members now hooked on the DS despite little or no love for gaming in general.
It's hardly news that the DS appeals to many people who aren't exactly traditional gamers. Expanding the market is part of Nintendo's entire strategy for the handheld. That doesn't make it any less (delightfully) surprising when you get to see a new adopter in action. Every day, people who've never really gamed before pick up a DS, which isn't as immediately appealing as its new cousin, and yet something pull them in. We're betting it's all the incredibly awesome games, but that's beside the point. We want to hear your stories, stories of friends or family members now hooked on the DS despite little or no love for gaming in general.
Reader Comments (8)
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 8:12AM (Unverified) said
Alot of my friends and family are getting into the idea of life-coaching. Advice and support to live a better life. I think this has meant that some of us are more suseptable to the DS training games. Some of the girls in particular liked the idea of having a daily ritual of training your brain.
One evening the guys ended up chatting while the girls played Rhythm Tenko, now there's a turn up for the books.
One evening the guys ended up chatting while the girls played Rhythm Tenko, now there's a turn up for the books.
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 9:06AM (Unverified) said
I was recently playing EBA on a long flight. The lady next to me, who was well into her 60s, commented on the fact that she had never seen an adult play video games (I'm 40 myself). She then asked me if she could try it. I handed her my DS and she played for about 40 minutes, finally beating a chapter. I don't think buying a DS was her priority when she got off the plane, but she clealry enjoyed the game.
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 9:42AM WAldenIV said
My wife loves playing Big Brain Academy and Brain Age. She's not a gamer at all. She simply found them to be very easy to enjoy and play. She now knows how to change cartridges, turn the unit on and off, take out and replace the stylus, and when the battery is low. I think she would try EBA if I had it.
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 10:32AM (Unverified) said
My cousin and her husband border on "anti-video game". Especially when it comes to their kids. They feel gaming is just too expensive of a hobby. But over the Christmas holiday, I introduced their kids to Clubhouse Games on my DS Lite. The five year old loved bowling, and the nine year old (who is currently learning chess) tried out the chess game and won!
My cousin's husband kept leaning over to watch his daughter play chess, and tried to coach her whenever he could. After she won, and when she finally stopped jumping up and down in excitement, he asked me the name of the game she was playing and how much the DS would cost him.
In a few months, my little cousin will be getting a Lite for her 10th birthday, on the condition that she lets her dad play it once in a while.
My cousin's husband kept leaning over to watch his daughter play chess, and tried to coach her whenever he could. After she won, and when she finally stopped jumping up and down in excitement, he asked me the name of the game she was playing and how much the DS would cost him.
In a few months, my little cousin will be getting a Lite for her 10th birthday, on the condition that she lets her dad play it once in a while.
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 10:40AM (Unverified) said
My girlfriend gave me a DS for xmas with Brain Age. The next day I took it to show my family at their xmas gathering. Needless to say, it wasn't turned off the entire time we were there. Father, sister, girlfriend, everyone there at some point of the day was heard to be calling out "Red! Black! Yellow! Blue!" I had never seen my family react that way to a video game.
Ever since then my girlfriend, who also is by no means a gamer, has hogged the DS quite a bit. She can't get enough of Brain Age.
Ever since then my girlfriend, who also is by no means a gamer, has hogged the DS quite a bit. She can't get enough of Brain Age.
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 1:34PM (Unverified) said
It seems Brain Age seems to be the one people are most willing to try. If anyone sees me do Calculations x20, they almost immediately want to try it themselves. They are usually put off by the handwriting recognition though; I know how to write the numbers so the game would understand, but they don't. My friend's dad even got 24 s on his first try! But than again he is a nuclear physicist.
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 1:30PM (Unverified) said
@Francois: I'm not sure I'd want an old lady to still my DS for nearly an hour, especially on a long flight!
I think if people don't see the DS and buy one, at least they don't see the DS and instantly associate anyone using it violence, socially stunted teenagers and all the other things ignorant people tend to associate with gaming; and I think that goes a long way!
I still don't get the appeal of Brain Age, but my family all thought Nintendogs was very cool last year, and the more games use the microphone and stylus, the more they seem to enjoy it!
I think if people don't see the DS and buy one, at least they don't see the DS and instantly associate anyone using it violence, socially stunted teenagers and all the other things ignorant people tend to associate with gaming; and I think that goes a long way!
I still don't get the appeal of Brain Age, but my family all thought Nintendogs was very cool last year, and the more games use the microphone and stylus, the more they seem to enjoy it!
Posted: Jan 15th 2007 1:26PM (Unverified) said
My sister is a real estate agent, and she often finds herself really board while holding an open house. One day she played Brain Age and was hooked. She's a 33 year old Louis Vuitton fashionista type person, but now she carries her DS around everywhere. I even bought her a pink crocodile case for it.
