The Wii's always had the most "family friendly" image of the current generation of consoles and Nintendo really knows how to play it up. They're holding a Father's Day Super Smash Bros. Brawl Tournament in Manhattan at the Nintendo Store.

From 1 - 4 p.m. at the Nintendo Store at Rockefeller Plaza, father-kid teams will compete for the chance to win the grand prize of two Wii consoles, two copies of the SSBB and a trophy. There's no age restrictions so I assume some teenager or twenty-year-old with a properly trained father will destroy everyone. Hell, I doubt they're even checking ID so you could just track down a gamer kid and try to pass them off as your offspring. Maybe that's why there's so many people on Craigslist promising money to kids with quick fingers...

This event illustrates to me how adept Nintendo is at cultivating their console's "mainstream" image. This event is going to give their PR department some pretty awesome pictures of a thirty-something father and his little five-year-old son playing SSBB alongside each other. These photos serve two purposes: one, it shows how the Wii appeals to gamers of all ages; two, it reinforces the perception that the Wii is for casual, "normal" gamers because, hey, these gamers must've had sex with someone if they have kids. Well played, Nintendo.