10:47pm. Excitement is building.

11:06pm. In the car now, driving to the midnight launch.

11:20pm. I have in my hand ticket number 53, handed to me by EB employee Mark.

11:35pm. Crowd starts to form. EB run out of tickets. Good thing I got here early.

11:59pm. Seconds left. The 40+ crowd is getting restless.

12:01am. Australia holds their breath.

The doors open. EB employee David stands and explains what will happen tonight, 3 people in, 3 people out, at any one time. Makes sense, with 3 security guards patrolling (Or as David put it, “rent-a-cops.” I wonder if they even know what they’re protecting). Tickets run from 44 – 64. I will be in the third group inside. 44-46 moves inside. Eager fans watch with jealousy as they walk to get their Wii’s. The crowd falls silent, aware that the initial excitement is over. After a moment, groups resume in conversation.

12:12am. 44-46 still not out. Should be done by now, what’s the hold up?

New fans turn up. Each of them ask David what is going on, each leave disappointed that they have to wait after the ticket group.
“But even if I’ve pre-ordered?”
“Sorry mate.” Umm, news flash buddy, we’ve all pre-ordered. Back of the line.

12:16am. The first Wii-er exits, number 44. We find his name is Steve. As he walks through the doors, lifting that prized bag above his head, the crowd breaks into applause. He doesn’t stay to chat either; Steve rushes off to play Wii.

12:25am. Security guard comes out and announces that everybody will be let into the plaza to line up in ticket order, and then people without tickets. The crowd basically run to EB. My ticket secures me 3rd place in line. The wait begins again. I can see the Wii videos in store, EB have gone ballistic on advertising. Cardboard cut outs, extra accessories; the store is a blinding flash of white.
“So close, and yet so far,” as one fan put it.

12:27am. I start to chat to other fans in the line. We talk about EB.
“I pre-ordered Wii Play and they told me it came with the Wii-mote and nunchuck, however it only comes with the nunchuk. I was pissed.”
“They did the same to me as well.”
Seems I wasn’t the only one who EB shafted, methinks I’ll be shopping at JB Hi-Fi from now on. Mark begins to talk about Sony. He believes in 10 years “Sony will be belly up as a company.” When he leaves the woman next to me says he looks like he’s on crack, I laugh and agree.

12:35am. Finally, my number is called. I turn and enter EB Games, Elizabeth. The attendant greets me with a nice smile. I hand over my receipt and collect my Wii, shutting down the EB attendant for the extra $60 warranty (a complete rip-off) and $5 game guarantee for Twilight Princess.

I leave the store and Mark grabs my hand, nearly shaking it off.
“Enjoy your Wii!” he yells. Outside, I look in the bag. Wii Console, Twilight Princess (Wii), Wii console bag and EB catalogue (typical) stare back at me. I hop in the car and resist the urge to tear open the box.

12:45am. Driving home. The urge is too much; I rip open Twilight Princess and read the instruction booklet.

12:56am. Home now. I gingerly open the box and peer inside.

- Aaron Kleemann.