In the film Idiocracy people selectively breed such that the entire population of the U.S. can’t reason out why plants don’t grow when watered with Gatorade.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii will feature “demo play”. Demo play means the game plays itself through chapters you can’t figure out, showing you each & every move, plopping you near a goal as if you got there all by yourself.

I’ve used a website or guide to unblock my progress in a game, and I realize keeping fun flowing is the intent of demo play – as well as keeping game sales flowing, since freely flowing fun runs out quicker  – but integrating this crutch, especially in a game series like Super Mario Bros. which 6-year olds were able to unravel in the 1980s, is like mandatory plot-explanation subtitles in the movie Ice Age 3.

In the 1980s, when a 6-year old couldn’t figure something out, a 6-year old in the neighborhood  or at school could help. Networking. Teamwork. Conflict negotiation. Trying until you succeed at something. I’m pretty sure these all still work. Get your kids to try these instead of demo-playing right into Idiocracy’s dust bowl.

Everyone keeps saying the design of the Nintendo Revolution is based on the iPod. No. Where are the rounded corners on the Revolution? (There are next to none, except for ergonomics on the controller.) Does the Revolution have chrome? (No chrome.) Does the iPod have a routed logo? Visible seams between paneling?

The blue glow actually has a purpose. It’s actually an outward-flowing ion stream that keeps dust from settling in the slot, eliminating any need for blowing on cartridges.