Is anyone else playing "Animal Crossing City" on Wii?

Boomerang, is this the name of a Wii video game?? I've not heard of it, but anything that helps with reading might be of use to one of my grandsons. My two grandsons are 9 and 12, perhaps it's out of their age range. I know they just ADORE a game called My Sims Kingdom on Wii -& my oldest grandson plays XBox Live games with a school pal, using headphones so they can yak to each other while playing a video game together while they're both safely esconced in their own homes. I certainly do understand your absolute NEED for safe & known contacts only! It's a dangerous world out there!! Especially regarding internet use & children. I don't know how you feel about Club Penguin but that seems to be a safe place for them to meet up with school chums & meet other people - but then my boys are old enough to know the rules about never using real names or giving any information out & the need for safety while using the computer. How old is Mo by the way? Would it be possible for you to describe how this game helps children with their reading skills? Because if it's something in my grandson's age range I'll sure get it for him because he has difficulty with his reading comprehension in school. Thanks.

I don't play that, but I'll beat any challenger at Mario Kart. So far I've played 4 a2kers, no serious competition. If Mo's wicked good send him my way.

(P.S. You can't do anything other than exchange predetermined messages in Mario Kart, so I figured I'm trustworthy enough for that)

We don't have Mario Kart but I'll have to look into that. Is it a racing game? He sometimes likes those.

I imagine that "Animal Crossing" (we have the "City Folk" version) is kind of like a Sims game, Babs. Your character moves into a town and has to buy a house so he has to get a job and find other ways to earn money. Mostly by fishing, bug catching and digging up fossils.

The characters don't talk so you have to read all the dialogue. If you don't talk to everyone, everyday they move away so you spend a lot of time talking to the other characters.

You also have to read what you've caught or dug up and determine whether you want to donate it to the museum or sell it. The owl that runs the museum gives you little factoids about the bugs, fish and fossils you bring in.

You have to write letters to all the people who live in the town and post things on the bulletin board.

Basically, you have to read the whole game.

Mo is eight and he really enjoys the game but I thought having a new town to visit might make it more enjoyable. Even I have to admit that the game is strangely addictive and relaxing to play. I made up a character thinking it could interact with his but that's not the case -- four people can move into your town but only one can play at a time. Mostly I write Mo letters and send him presents but sometimes I'll find myself just playing.

We haven't tried the online feature at all. You get a code and exchange the code with a friend and then you can visit each other's towns. I think it is probably safe, safer than the internet anyway, but it could be the perfect way for some pervy old fart to get access to young kids.

I'll bet your 9 year old grandson would like it and you might enjoy a day of virtual fishing yourself.

Yeah, it's a kart racing game, but you can throw obstacles (banana peels etc) at other players.