Inside The Game/Part 1

Empath's personal journal.

''It has been a few years since Handy's invention called the window-vision was put in use with the discovery of the power crystal that could transmit images unto dozens of smaller crystals. While it was an innovative invention that this smurf wished to have experienced firsthand during its debut, it had the unfortunate side effect of making the Smurfs into what would be called "couch potatoes", paying more attention to what was going on on their window-vision screens than interacting with their fellow Smurfs outside their own houses. Another unfortunate thing about the invention was that it had made them sitting ducks for Gargamel when he had discovered his way into the Smurf Village through one of the crystals he had found. With the Smurfs he had captured along with the power crystal, his intention was to use his Smurf Smasher invention to pulverize them into dust. However, Papa Smurf and another Smurf who had escaped being captured caused Gargamel's invention to turn against its creator until it was destroyed along with the power crystal. Without the power crystal, the receiver crystals were rendered useless and thus ended the window-vision...for then.''

''Handy, however, was still tinkering with the receiving crystals to see if he could continue to use them for other similar inventions where images could be transmitted unto them by using a special box that was controlled through a magical wand-type device called a remote control. Just recently, his efforts have paid off through the debut of a new invention that would bring new life to the window-vision receiving crystals.'' - Every Smurf was gathered around inside Tapper's Tavern for the unveiling of Handy's new invention, which he had hooked up to the window-vision receiving crystal that Tapper still had in his tavern.

"Smurfs and Smurfettes, I introduce to you my latest and greatest invention that will make the once popular window-vision live again," Handy said as he stood next to the flat rectangular box that was his latest invention. "It is called the Game Wand."

"The Game Wand?!?" every Smurf said in unison.

"I hate the Game Wand," Grouchy said.

"Uh, what exactly is the Game Wand?" Clumsy asked.

Handy held up what looked like a remote control. "This, Clumsy, is the controller that lets you play games with the Game Wand. You can smurf it in your hand and swing it around, and it will pick up your motions as input. Or you can smurf it with both hands and use the direction pad and buttons. It's very simple to use once you know how to smurf the hang of it."

With the remote, Handy turned on the gaming unit, which then displayed a simple title screen WELCOME TO THE GAME WAND before a selection menu appeared: TENNIS, HOLE-IN-ONE, BOWLING, GOAL SHOT, and some other titles.

"Let's select something simple to play: Hole-In-One," Handy said, as he pointed the remote toward the window-vision screen, causing a pointer cursor to appear on the screen. He selected HOLE-IN-ONE, and soon a Smurf appeared on the screen holding what appeared to be a golf club in the position of a golfer ready to swing at the ball.

"Now you smurf the remote in your hands like you're going to smurf the hole-in-one club the same way that your player smurfs on the screen," Handy said as he demonstrated with the remote, holding it in both hands. He moved his hands to make a motion for a swing, and as he did, the Smurfs saw that the on-screen player did the same, swinging the club to drive the ball around the course until it landed close to where the cup was in the course.

The Smurfs ooohed and aaahed as they continued to watch Handy play the rest of that course as if he would be playing it on a real-life hole-in-one course, until finally with a gentle tap of the ball he got the ball straight into the cup.

"Amazing...simply amazing," Papa Smurf said.

"But is that the only game you can play on that thing?" Clumsy asked.

"That's just one game out of many, Clumsy," Handy said. And with some presses on his remote, he returned to the menu screen where he selected BOWLING. The Smurfs then saw a player holding a bowling ball in his hand. "In this game, you position the player to smurf to the left or right with the direction pad, then you press the button and swing the remote to smurf the ball down the lane like this." Handy then made a motion with the hand holding the remote as if he was going to roll the ball down the lane, and as he did, the player on the screen did the same, and the Smurfs saw the ball go down the lane and knock down several pins before the score was shown on the screen.

"Wow, now that's incredible," Harmony said.

"I don't get the point of this invention at all, Handy," Brainy said. "I mean, we already have the Imaginarium if we want to smurf games like this. Why would we need something that wouldn't let us smurf in the game itself?"

"This is just in case the Smurfs don't want to actually smurf in the game, Brainy," Handy responded. "Besides, there may be times when we won't have the Imaginarium in use because it needs repairs, so this may smurf us over in those times until the Imaginarium is back up and smurfing."

"I hate the Imaginarium not being up and smurfing," Grouchy said.

"So who wants to smurf this thing a try?" Handy asked, looking at the crowd as if hoping to find someone who would be willing to play with the new invention.

"Hey, I'd like to find out what games are on this thing," Snappy said, pushing through the crowd just to get his hands on the remote.

"Yeah, me too," Sassette said.

"This sure smurfs like a lot of fun," Slouchy said as the four Smurflings gathered around the window-vision with Snappy turning the controller this way and that to find out how to use it.

Handy laughed. "Well, it smurfs like I may have my first group of customers wanting to smurf the new Game Wand."

As the Smurfs continued to watch the Smurflings as they took turns playing with the new invention, trying out the various games that were on it, Empath and Polaris were privately talking to each other. "This one is curious to find out how long the Smurfs would be interested in this invention until it loses its novelty, Empath," Polaris said.

"Do you think it's not going to last among the Smurfs before they turn to something else, Polaris?" Empath asked.

"This one has observed from the short amount of time that this one has lived among your people that not all new inventions can continue to capture their interest, and that they eventually become just another item that collects dust in their collection of things," Polaris said.

"That's unfortunately true, Polaris," Empath said. "There's no guarantee of the Game Wand becoming so popular that every Smurf is going to want to play with it at all hours of the day. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't worth the effort Handy put into making the invention in the first place."

"If only more Smurfs would be interested in playing with the Psychelisphere, despite how difficult the game actually is among your kind, Empath," Polaris said with a hint of longing in his voice.

"This smurf has to admit, that it was rather fun to play and meditate with in Psychelia when we weren't always occupied with our lessons," Empath said.

To be expanded on.