People getting mugged. People getting shot. People needing escorts to their cars. People waiting in line for hours upon hours for the local Wal-Mart to open. You'd think that with all this chaos and ridiculous behavior that the apocalypse had finally arrived. That or two video game consoles that gamers have been anticipating for years now have finally hit store shelves.

I've been following all of the craziness and irrational behavior of the past few weeks since Nintendo launched the Wii and Sony launched the Playstation 3 and it has been nothing short of insane. People waiting for days in line for a game system that costs $650 after tax or that they could get in 2 months with no wait. Stories of people getting link for their game consoles. Listings on eBay for several 100% markups over the retail price. And idiotic publicity stunts like link which worked because of the sheer audacity and stupidity of these idiots. Granted I love video games as much as the next guy, okay maybe not as much as link. You'd think that they were giving away water from fountain of life or something! The other day my friend was fortunate enough to get a PS3 randomly at Toys R' Us (lucky bastard) and they had to escort him to his car in the parking lot!

That being said, I can appreciate the excitement about getting a new game system. Heck I've been gaming since I was a wee lad myself when my dad bought me my first console, the Magnavox Odyssey (first distributed by Nintendo in Japan). Then I got a ColecoVision, opting for the cooler graphics and numbered keypad over the Atari 2600. I was always one for better graphics and comparing Missile Command, Space Invaders and Asteroids on the Atari to Donkey Kong, Smurf Rescue or Congo Bongo on a Coleco was like comparing the Simpsons to the Incredibles. It was in those early days that I got a taste for the greatness of Nintendo gaming through games like Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Mario Bros.

I got my first Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986 when I was in fifth grade. It changed my life (not necessarily for the better!). Virtually all of my earnings from my paper route were going directly into the hands of Nintendo (and the Garbage Pail Kids people). After the NES I had to get a Game Boy. In 9th grade I picked up the Super NES. My first magazine subscription ever was to Nintendo Power Magazine. I spent all my money on games. I even paid to see Fred Savage in the Wizard just to see Super Mario Bros. 3! Needless to say, I was not the ladies man I am today back then. Right.

It was in college that I first betrayed my Nintendo heritage. I purchased the Sony Playstation and never looked back. I was far too mature and sophisticated to be playing games like Super Mario Kart. Real men didn't play games with Italian plumbers and dragons racing around in go karts. Real men played games with men who shot fireballs and yelled "Aaayoooken!". The same went for the PS2 over the GameCube. Nintendo was for kids and sissies. If you wanted a real gaming machine you got a PS2, if you wanted to play a party game putting strawberries on cakes you got a GameCube. Yes, this was indeed a dark time for me, as I had strayed very very far from how Link and Mario had raised me.

Now the year is 2006 and the only two game companies that matter Sony and Nintendo are in a battle of titans vying for my lost and confused gaming soul with the Wii and PS3. In one corner we have the Wii with a stupid name but revolutionary gameplay. In the other corner we have the PS3 with mind-blowing graphics but a ridiculous pricetag. I initially thought I'd hold out for the PS3, because I justified the price with the Blu-Ray Disc player. But seeing as I don't have an HD TV yet, that seems pointless. I just can't bring myself to pay almost $1000 after the system, controllers, accessories and games for any console. Plus, outside of the amazing graphics, I don't know that I can even justify it if I wanted to. I could just go buy some more games for my PS2. On the other hand, I see the Nintendo Wii selling for just $249 and link and I am in awe and wonder. It is a whole new way of playing video games at home that is interactive and in a word: fun. I want to have fun again and be that 10 year-old who escaped into video games because he wanted to experience the fantastic worlds and whimsical adventures they had to offer. Sure I may look like an idiot waving around two joysticks like swords or boxing gloves, but at least I'll have a blast doing it. Now if only I could get my hands on one of those darn things!