Stop into a waterfront restaurant in downtown Newburyport and you'll find groups of young adults huddled around ... a television screen?
It's not the most typical scene, but that's the case at Michael's Harborside these days.
The well-known eatery has started a Winter Wii Series. Each Tuesday evening through March 13, contestants — the series is for the 21-plus crowd only — can pick up the remote and nunchuk and take a stab at the video game system's sports collection. The selection that week could be anything from bowling and tennis to Wipeout, Mario Kart or shuffleboard.
"We pick the game at random, so no one is practicing all week," restaurant manager Ben Treshinsky said.
The tournament-style play runs in brackets, as contestants advance after the best of three games. The winner of the night receives a prize — a restaurant gift certificate, Lowell Spinners baseball items or apparel — and moves to the championship game in March. There, he or she will have a chance to claim the grand prize: two Boston Bruins tickets and a limo ride transporting them to and from TD Garden.
While participants can come and play each week — a second Wii system is set up for Round Robin play — people cannot win twice, in order for eight players to try their luck in the championship.
They should be warned, however, said Treshinsky. Despite all that practice at Wii sports, the championship contenders will face something new.
"It may be a crazy game, a surprise," he said, "maybe we'll bring out 'Just Dance' or something."
After running a successful trivia night each Thursday, the restaurant was looking for a way to offer customers something new on the other weeknights, said Tina Santoro-Smith, marketing director for Newburyport Development. On Wii night, which is held upstairs at Michael's, there is a discount on appetizers and the pub menu for participants.
"We always want to stay ahead of the trend," Santoro-Smith said. "We wanted to do something different that nobody else does."
The video system remains up throughout the week, she added, if diners want to play. The restaurant is considering running other Wii nights with seasonal sports games, such as golf in the summer.
Wii is more interactive and exciting, Treshinsky said.
"When you're out with friends and Wii comes out at the end of the night, everyone's ecstatic," he said.
The goal of the evening is to have a good time, Treshinsky said.
Watching her Mii character cross the screen on Tuesday, Brianne Records, 24, of Topsfield dissolved into laughter as she tried her luck against Carey Heywood, 27, of Salisbury.
"I'm so bad," Records said. "I got totally killed."
Records, a marketing assistant at Newburyport Development, said Wii Night offers a chance to meet up with friends and do something fun. "Sometimes the weekdays are quiet around town," she said.
"It's not a regular video game; it gets people going," Heywood said.
Joe Marino, 27, of Amesbury, arrived at Michael's with Caroline Brockmyre, 23, in hopes of proving himself at Mario Kart.
"I think that I'm the best Wii player in the world," he said.
"It's fun," he added.
Brockmyre agreed, with a laugh.
"I lost immediately," she said.
IF YOU GO
What: Winter Wii Series
When: Tuesdays through March 13, 7 to 10 p.m.
Where: Michael's Harborside, 1Tournament Wharf, Newburyport
How: Contestants try their luck at Wii sports each week. The winner advances to the championship game.
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