Track Wii Gameplay Stats With Nintendo Channel

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on January 13, 2009.

If you’re a numbers geek and you have access to a Wii, the Nintendo Channel is a must have download from the Wii Shop. The Nintendo Channel is Nintendo’s preview section for upcoming DS and Wii games. It includes streaming video, DS demo downloads, and information on nearly every Wii and DS game in existence (including WiiWare and Virtual Console titles).

It’s this information section that brings the fun for statistics geeks. Every Nintendo Channel that opts in to the tracking service sends Nintendo the titles of the games they play and how long they played it for. Nintendo then compiles this information into each game’s profile and tracks how many people have played it, how many times they’ve played it and how long they’ve played it for. So it’s possible to track which games get played the most.

And that’s exactly what the MTV Multiplayer blog has been doing every month since September.

Following that link will lead you to a breakdown of the usage stats for 41 Wii games. The MTV blog used Wii Sports as the benchmark to figure out the total number of users that allow the Nintendo Channel to track their game playing (which was 1.6 million). This makes sense seeing as how every Wii owner has Wii Sports and has played it at least once.

So, based on the Nintendo Channel stats, these are the games that have been played the most (per player) on the Wii:

1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
3. The Legend OF Zelda: Twilight Princess
4. Wii Sports
5. Rock Band
6. Mario Kart Wii
7. Madden NFL 08
8. Super Mario Galaxy
9. Animal Crossing: City Folk
10. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Be sure and check out the MTV blog post, it’s very interesting reading and a great way to find out which Wii games are the most popular when looking for titles to add to your collection.

2008 Video Game Librarian Bookmark Awards

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on December 30, 2008.

The votes are in and the 2008 Video Game Librarian Bookmark Awards have been handed out. The following games were chosen based on suggestions from The Video Game Librarian readers, review scores, innovation and overall impact on the video game community.

“Continue Reading” for this year’s selections. Continue reading →

Study: Majority of American Adults Play Video Games

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on December 8, 2008.

Back in September, a Pew Internet study revealed that 97% of teenagers play video games. Impressive, but hardly a revelation. Their latest study might provide a bit more of a surprise.

That study, Adults and Video Games, revealed that the majority of adults in America love video games:

  • 53% of American adults play video games of some kind
  • 81% of Americans aged 18-29 play video games of some kind
  • 23% of Americans aged 65+ play video games of some kind

They also found that elderly gamers play more often than young adult gamers:

  • 20% of young adults (aged 18-29) who play video games play everyday
  • 36% of elderly adults (aged 65+) who play video games play everyday

The full report can be found in PDF form at the official website for Pew Internet.

University of Michigan’s Computer and Video Game Archive Had Its Grand Opening

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on November 22, 2008.

The University of Michigan Computer and Video Game Archive held their Grand Opening Event on November 17, thus ending the “Preview Opening” it had been in since late September. Librarian David Carter posted a bunch of pictures of the event over at his blog, Eaten by a Grue.

Congratulations to all those that helped make this very cool library space happen.

To learn more about how the Archive was started and what day-to-day operations are like, be sure to check out my recent interview with Carter.

Dead Space Comic Collected in a Graphic Novel

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on November 20, 2008.

The six issue prequel comic book series to Dead Space has been collected and released as a hardcover graphic novel. The book will initially be released exclusively to comic book stores and then other retailers and websites at the end of November.

The story was written by Antony Johnson and illustrated by Ben Templesmith. The graphic novel collection includes exclusive cover art by Templesmith, an exclusive bonus art section, and a background section on the major characters.

This is not the only prequel offshoot of Dead Space. A Direct-To-DVD movie, Dead Space: Downfall, was released in October.

Utah Library Partially Bans Games

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on November 17, 2008.

I spotted a link to this article at GamePolitics late Saturday night and it amused me that this was first reported on the day before National Gaming Day.

According to KSL, the Eagle Mountain Library in Eagle Mountain, Utah (where the average resident is 13 years old) has partially banned video game playing on their Internet computers from 2:00 – 5:00 PM. Because of the large number of teenagers in the town, the library had become one of the most popular hangout places after school. So the partial ban was put in place for people trying to use the Internet for research at that time.

The article also states the library has received “a few complaints and a lot of thank-yous” over the ban. It goes on to say that other libraries in Utah county have even stricter policies for their Internet computer, banning games completely at all times.

Highlights From National Gaming Day @ Your Library 2008

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on November 15, 2008.

Here’s a nice helping of press coverage from libraries all over the United States and Canada for National Gaming Day @ Your Library 2008 (it’s probably time to rechristen it International Gaming Day @ Your Library)…

Libraries celebrate videogames

Back when I was growing up, it was a big deal when libraries introduced VHS movies to their collection of books. Now libraries are introducing the first-ever National Gaming Day on November 15. On Saturday, hundreds of libraries across the country will join the American Library Association (ALA) to celebrate the popularity, as well as the recreational and educational value of traditional board games and videogames.

The louder the better at Lapeer library as gamers take over

Parents who question the wisdom of encouraging children to play video games can turn to Pohjola for information about setting appropriate time and content limits. She can update them on the latest research that shows gaming can be educational. Pohjola prefers games the require social interaction and avoids games that are violent. Games are rated, she said, and studies show that properly monitored gaming enhances social skills and learning.

Games take center stage at library tomorrow

“It’s just an open day for kids to come with family and friends, play some games and read books,” said Kim Butler, head of the Newburyport Library children’s services. “It’s a good community event.”

Video games and libraries

The introduction of video games in Ottawa libraries, with the help of a donation from Urbandale Corp., is just another way to serve the community. In Ottawa, library branches have been successfully attracting young children through programs that begin when they are babies. As a result, librarians have been able to help instill a love of reading in many. Summer reading programs, clubs and other incentives encourage children to keep visiting their library.

Libraries are more than books

Video games are an important service that the library offers now, [assistant director Laura] England said. But it wasn’t always that way.

“We used to say that we didn’t want anyone playing video games on the computers. But that’s changed.”

Library to celebrate the popularity of board games

“Gaming is yet another example of how libraries are becoming more than just educational resources for the communities that they serve,” Director Erin Steinsultz said. “They are also places where users of all ages are welcome to have fun together.

McAllen libraries to participate in national gaming day

On Saturday, McAllen’s three library branches will join hundreds of libraries across the nation in conducting a simultaneous game of Pictureka! during the first National Gaming Day @ Your Library.

Today is National Gaming Day @ Your Library 2008

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on November 15, 2008.

National Gaming Day @ Your Library is here! If your library has anything planned, feel free to contact me through the comments on this post or by email at videogamelibrarian AT gmail DOT com to tell me all about it.

And don’t forget to start planning for next year’s National Gaming Day @ Your Library, which will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2009.