Wii Will Rock You, But for How Long?

There was more to electronics show than TVs

(NEWSER) - This year's Consumer Electronics Show had the predictable high-tech TVs and other conventional items—but the 3,100 exhibitors also showed off some rather bizarre devices. A few highlights:

• Solowheel. An electric unicycle with no seat and footboards that allow riders to stand and lean in the direction they want to go. The 26-pound, $1,800 machine goes 10mph on its battery-powered motor, and has a 15- to 20-mile range.

When you're done, don't forget to tweet your score!

(NEWSER) - It’s such a drag when you have to press pause on your fun night out in order to go to the bathroom—but one London bar has solved that problem by installing the world’s first urine-controlled video games in its bathroom. Only male patrons can play so far, as the games are over the urinals in the Exhibit Bar. After you play, you can—of course!—tweet your score, the Telegraph notes. More»

Spoof Nintendo game proves popular

(NEWSER) - Some of PETA's stunts seem like jokes , but apparently its rather absurd anti-Mario campaign actually was one. After the group attacked the cartoon plumber for his Tanooki suit, a rep tells Kotaku that Mario fans should “relax.” Its violent game parody, in which players act as a bloody tanuki chasing down Mario, "was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, a fun way to call attention to a serious issue, that raccoon dogs are skinned alive for their fur.” More»

When he wears the Tanooki suit, he promotes fur, it claims

(NEWSER) - PETA's latest target isn't exactly a celeb with a penchant for hitting the red carpet in fur. It's Mario. From the Nintendo game. No, seriously. PETA explains that in the game Super Mario 3D Land, the graphic character will do anything it takes to conquer his enemy and save the princess—"even wearing the skin of a raccoon dog to give him special powers. Tanooki may be just a suit in the game, but in real life tanuki are raccoon dogs who are skinned alive for their fur." Ergo, every time he dons his Tanooki suit, Mario sends a pro-fur message. More»

Researchers unsure whether it's pre-existing or games change brains

(NEWSER) - This is your brain on videogames: The brains of hardcore gamers are wired differently than those who rarely play video games, according to a new study. Researchers who scanned the brains of more than 150 14-year-olds found that the brain's "reward hub"—which plays a role in addiction—was bigger in frequent gamers, as it is in gambling addicts, the Los Angeles Times reports. The researchers couldn't determine whether gaming changed the brain, or whether having a certain brain structure made people likelier to enjoy gaming. More»