So, for the last few months, I've enjoyed Wii as a... um, new platform for playing GameCube games. Then, I got Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which was ultimately just improved Melee and the Serious Players could just stick to GC controller.

And this week's new highlights for me: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Both will need more rambling in due time, but here's some rambling on the topic of Controlling The Games. Of course, I was a little bit sceptical about how these much-raved-about Wii controls really work in real life, but my fears have subsided.

I grew in a fairly ordinary Lutheran faith, but if you want a honest analytic opinion, I've always considered myself an "eclectic believer". Intricacies and slavish following of the Scriptures matter less to me - what really matters to me are the Good Ideas.

Yet, for a long time, I have had this weird mental condition that prevents me from being open-minded. It's one of those weird things that have to be demolished if I'm really going to accept Good Ideas from around me.

The mental block is simple: Are computer games a valid source for religion, philosophy and ethics? Can the same thing be said about fiction in general?

Finally.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes has been a bit problematic game for me. It's much harder game than Metroid Prime, and when I started playing the game, I made a conscious effort not to look at any walkthroughs - after all, I had beaten Metroid Prime with some help so the sequel should not prove to be problematic, right?

Well, I'm happy to say that while I did indeed look at walkthroughs while playing the game, I can honestly say that I did figure out the strategies myself. In the end, I did look at the walkthrough at times to see if there's any "optimal" way of beating the bosses - but I did manage to figure out how to damage them and what I really should do to beat them. That's one of the annoying features of Metroid series: You somehow manage to figure out how to beat the things, but figuring out how to do things without dying 10 times is the hard part. I'm taking my enjoyment from the fact that I figure things out this way, rather than slavishly following the "Real Men don't look at the walkthroughs" purism that I thought was a good idea. I enjoy the games more this way.

Anyway, the end battle was amazing - much more fun than the Metroid Prime last boss. Took some massive amount of cursing to get through, though... The crazy thing is, of course, that the final forms of the bosses aren't so difficult at all; Emperor Ing's first form is the hardest because it sucks up all ammo and there's such a limited time to damage the thing.

One annoying thing about the game was the fact that I got 99% of the scans. I missed one damn one-time-only scan (the space pirate cannon). Damn. Well, maybe I'll be inspired to beat the game again or something. Eventually.

But now, this game is finally over. Finally. Damn it. No more beating the goddamn Spider Guardian. Considering adding Metroid Prime 3: Corruption to the to-get list.

I need a bit of rest. But at least now I can get back to playing Thief 2X: Shadows of the Metal Age, without any big diversions like this any more.