In what I hope is a regular feature, I will dissect the week's major sporting events using Nintendo games and products as a point of comparison.  Both areas share much in common, but the conventions of one are rarely used to discuss the other.  Yet I realize many in the gaming community -- including certain higher-ups at BitMob -- have similar enthusiams for sport.  So why not bridge the gap?  Our passions regularly seep into the everyday: obsessive Tetris players seeing blocks in skyscrapers, Guitar Heros imagining freeway traffic as falling gems.  Whether games are art or not is moot; fact is, they color and shape the way we see the world.  So do sports.  By viewing sporting events through a specific gaming lense, my intention is to combine these interests in a way that hopefully sheds light on each.

Secondary goal: To make strange, often ill-fitting connections that may or may not cause you to chuckle or ponder deep existential queries or argue for the legitamacy of the Designated Hitter rule. Follow along if you wish.  And I welcome your responses or alternate takes on the weeks' topic. 

Special thanks to community member T. McReynolds for the inadvertant suggestion.

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Week of May 29th - June 4th

In Game One of the NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers trounce the Boston Celtics 102-89.  Both are estabished franchises, with many similarities: tradition, success, iconic outfits.  Both differ wildly: L.A. is the flashier team led by its single superstar (Kobe Bryant), and Boston is the more subdued, workman-like squad led by the Big 3 (KG, Pierce, and Allen) + 1 (Rondo).

In Nintendo Terms: The Lakers are Super Mario Galaxy 2.  Kobe is Mario, wiht his long jumps and terrific spin moves.  At times it appears gravity does not affect his effortless flight.  But this time, he can't do it alone.  Enter Pau Gasol, as Yoshi.  Though he may look a tad funny, he is quite agile and strong for a big man, and allows Kobe to do things he otherwise couldn't do.  Pau and Yoshi also both have long tongues.

The Celtics are New Super Mario Bros. Wii.  Their success is built upon a strong foundation of past winners.  Each are most effective when everyone is working together as a team.  Whereas Galaxy has one true star, NSMBWii relies on the strength of 4 key players.  Paul Pierce is Mario (sturdy, consistent), Kevin Garnett is Luigi (tall, good jumper), Ray Allen is Blue Toad (short but quick, funny-looking head), and Rajon Rondo is Yellow Toad (newly relevant, snappy dresser).

Over the years, the Celtics and the Lakers have faced each other in the Finals twelve times.  Boston has won 9, and L.A. has won only 2, with 2010 still to be decided.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii also has the overall edge in sales, with the total (as of May 2010) nearing 13.5 million copies.  Super Mario Galaxy 1 and the newly released sequel combine for only 8 million.  History is on Boston's side.  The 2D side-scrolling Marios have always sold better than his 3D adventures, even if the latter show us bold and amazing things. But Galaxy 2 (and its spiritual predecessor, Mario 64) are among the highest rated games critically of all-time.  Similarly, almost all the experts are picking L.A. to thrash Boston and bring home the trophy.  So: Will the people's  choice get all the Gold Coins and save Princess Larry O'Brien? Or will the critic- and fan-favorite float away with every last Star?

Game 2 is on tonight, Sunday the 6th, at 8:00 PM Eastern Standard.  In the meantime, I'll be playing Galaxy 2 and not really caring who wins: I'm a Detroit fan. (Pistons = Super Mario Kart.  Or Rad Racer, depending on the era.)

Come back next week for Nintendo-ified takes on the French Open and World Cup!