Sunday, January 27, 2008

Online 3D Racing Games


Many online sites offer sophisticated and entertaining 3D racing games with excellent graphics to play. These racing games include races in spaceships, luxury cars, barrels, and even boats. Online racing games that can be played online are also becoming increasingly complex as internet speeds increase and allow for a higher resolution of 3D graphics.

A simple online search can find plenty of racing games ready for download or online play. Many of these video games have creative types of racing, including one that allows you to race in a barrel down the road, running into as many cars as possible. There's even one game that is pretty popular to play online where you and your friends race without any sort of transportation. You have to run through different terrain with a map, and the first to successfully navigate to the goal is the winner.

In fact, online racing games using LAN connections is quick becoming one of the most popular online gaming options on the net. You can race against your friends or total strangers from around the world in a number of creative races. Aquadelic 3D is one of the most popular racing games where players can play against the computer or among friends. In this game you race one of four different speed boats, which become available to you as you win races. A total of four players can play at the same time in the multi player version.

Enjoy the online world of racing games today and support grass roots video games designers. Many novice game designers are able to get valuable experience through creating their own online game. There are even several games that are more popular than racing games sold with the most popular video game consoles. Play with gamers from around the world through LAN technology.

If you're looking to design an online racing game that anyone can play, there are plenty of websites that can help you learn how to program these types of 3D racing games. Programming your own racing game can give you incredible experience and maybe even a job with one of the big video game designers.

Take advantage of the opportunity to post or play online racing games today. The choices are endless for action packed game play. Finding the best games online is possible by going to popular message boards or reading user reviews in the most respected sites online. You can also search for specific types of racing games. It's almost sure that you'll find something for your taste. Whether it's racing on a horse or in a barrel, there's a 3D racing game out there for you.

3D racing games are perfect for spending a few minutes online relaxing from work or taking a break from a long night of homework. Enjoy this incredible world today with just a click of the mouse.

For more on video gaming, visit http://gamer-revolution.net to read about Free Mass Multiplayer Online Games or how to (legally!) back up and copy your PS2 games to PC and Nintendo games, and much more!

Download PS3 Games - Download Your PS3 Games Online


Do you want to download your PS3 Games from the internet? No more walking to your local games shop only to pay ridiculous amounts of money for a game you might not even enjoy playing? It's now possible to download all the latest PS3 Games online at any time you want!

But when downloading games from the internet it's easy to get confused. There are so many sites out there to choose from and a lot of them are scams. So where should you download from? And which sites should you avoid? There are a few simple rules you can follow that will assure you find a great site to download all your PS3 Games from.

Firstly, although it's tempting to download games from 'torrent' sites (file sharing sites) its best to avoid them. The files on these sites aren't regulated and a lot of the time can contain viruses and spyware that even anti-virus software can't detect. Its best to join a paid site (which should only charge a small one time fee) and have access to there database of games for life. These databases are always being updated and so have all the latest games ready for you to download.

Next, you should choose a site which has all forms of media available to download, not just PS3 Games. The best sites will have music, movies and TV shows as well as games for all consoles (Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PS3) so check for this before you join.

Finally, make sure the site offers a customer support service in case you have any problems or questions you need answering (the best sites offer 24/7 customer support) and that the site also has a money back guarantee in case your really not happy with the quality of their service.

Follow these simple rules when searching for a site to download PS3 Games from and you will find a great service that you can use for life. To Read a Review of One My Favorite Game Download Sites Click Here

What Does The Word Naruto From the Anime in Japanese Truly Mean?


As enthusiasts of the animation Naruto, we've all heard about the word Naruto, but do you know what it truly means? In Japanese it actually stands for a type of Japanese fish cake. This particular fish cake is often seen with pink surroundings and designs that is seen as a simple spiral form.

Believe it or not, it is often eaten alongside with soups and noodles. Yes, this will include the ramen that Naruto from the animation that he enjoys. If you examine the fishcakes carefully, you would also notice that the head protector that Naruto wears looks very much the same as the food itself. From the head protector, thus you'll realize that Kanoha is really revolved around this food and it's kinda interesting to see that these little facts actually ties in together to the centric part of the storyline in this animation.

Besides the fact that it is being seen as a traditional Japanese dish fish cakes, Naruto is also an actual city in Japan located in Tokushima a bit towards the southern part of Japan from the central divider. The city itself is quite small with a population of only 63,784 currently shown on their city's official website. This city was founded in the March of 1947 and as you can see that the city itself is still relatively new in comparison with other parts of Japan. One of the most interesting facts about the city is that it contains the first two of the 88 Shikoku Pilgrimage Buddhist temples. Now what makes this fact stands out is the looks of the people from the temple and what they wear.

Yes, those traditional Buddhist clothings that pilgrims wear are closely resembled to ones that the Hokage's in the animation wear starting with how they dress all the way to their hats and accessories. So the next time you watch Naruto episodes again, you'll know exactly where it's origin as well as where the little facts tie up together. I truly believe a lot of time has spent in the making of this animation from the Japanese to implement various names, clothing, as well as signs to symbolize the meanings of the traditional Japanese culture. It is truly a masterpiece by all means.

Henry Hsieh has multiple interests and he enjoys talking about them. As a fan of anime, he likes watching Naruto Episode and listen to Naruto MP3 at http://www.tailedfox.com the best Naruto site out.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

How Do You Decide Which Game System To Choose With So Many Choices?

With the new Play Station 3 you can still play all the old games and you can now watch Blue Ray disks on it as well. The only bad thing about the PS3 is that you cannot watch regular DVDs on it because it cannot read the disks. It is only made to read Blue Ray disks.
You can still get the PS2 if you are not going to like the PS3. I personally like the Xbox 360 way better then PS3. The PS3 is just an expensive toy that doesn't do nearly as much as the Xbox 360 can in my opinion. I have owned both systems over the last few years and I have always liked the Xbox the best but it is still a matter of personal preference.
You might as well get a PSP if you want to play games because with all the DVDS you probably own why would you buy a system that cannot play them? So go get either a regular Play Station 2 or an Xbox 360 and save some money.
You can get all kinds of accessories for your Play Station 2 to make it cool. All you need to do is go online and look for what type of things you like. You can get extra controllers or more games whatever it is that you like. Just go to a site like ours and look around at what they have to offer you never know you might find something that you like and that you want for your game system. I know they have a lot of things for the Xbox so I know they will have quite a few things for the Sony Play Station too.
Some of the games that you can get for children include MLB 07-The Show, Meet The Robinsons, and NBA Street. Adult oriented games include God of War, Gran Turismo, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, and Medal of Honor.
Some other notable games include Socum U.S. Navy Seals, 300-March to Glory, Prince of Persia, and Rocky Balboa.
The gaming industry is one of the largest and fast growing industries on the planet and companies spend millions of dollars producing some of the most popular games such as Halo 3 for Xbox. You can rest assured that they will continue to do research and development to create better game systems and exciting and fun to play games.
The games seem to be more real every year and I envision games in the near future that will be more like an interactive hologram that allows the player to actually seem to be in the game itself. I can't wait for that technology, I may even stand in line for that.
Author: Gregg Hall

Today`s Arcade Games

Since the advance of modern personal computers there are very few people that go out to play arcade games. Also the development of graphically-advanced games like Unreal 3 or Crysis seems to have made arcades disappear. But what happened to the classics like Donkey Kong or Mario? Did they disappear?The answer is no.
They are all to be found on online gaming websites that lets you play them for an unlimited time at no price. The advantage of this kind of games is that they can be played from home, on almost any personal computer that has an internet connection for free. All that you have to do is type an online arcade website`s address in your browser and choose from thousands of free games to play.
The reason why webmasters make this websites to offer free games is that there is no need for a large amount of money to establish them and they can also make big amounts of money from the advertisements placed on the site. While establishment a real arcade might cost you up to $50000, establishing an online arcade might cost less than $20.
The average online arcade has about 1500 games distributed in categories like action, adventure, strategy, role-playing, driving, shooting and sports which can satisfy gamers of any age with any preferences. In addition many of this online arcades offer gamers a social environment in which they can comment, rate, bookmark or add their favorite games to social networking sites such as myspace or hi5. Some even offer more fancy ways to socialize such as forums and chat rooms.
The games themselves are developed using software such as adobe flash or adobe shockwave. This programs are very easy to use, so almost everyone can create a game. Some online arcades are taking advantage of this and have the ability to allow users to submit their own games to the website. This can be a great way for online game developers to express their talent and gain popularity.Online gaming probably has the biggest effect on teenagers especially girls that prefer less sophisticated games.
They are also a good option for adults that don`t have anything better to do or boys that can`t afford a powerful computer or complex 3d games. Another significant source of traffic comes from poorer countries where people can`t afford a Personal Computer, so they visit local cyber-cafes, and the fact that they don`t have to pay extra for the games they play gives them a good reason to spend time on those sites.
There are also arcade gaming sites that offer mobile solutions, so a user can go online with their mobile phone, download a game in java format, play it leave comments or even more.Some online gaming sites organize contests from time-to-time and award the winners with cash or gifts.
This gives people a good opportunity to make money or win stuff for free and also helps to advertise the website.In conclusion, online gaming is gaining popularity very fast and will probably be one of the biggest forms of entertainment of the 21st century, competing with sports, television and 3d gaming.

The Funniest Games at the Coolest Arcade

Finding the funniest and coolest games in one place is often a hard thing to do, many people end up bookmaking several sites because they liked one game they couldn't find anywhere else and so the list of bookmarks keeps growing as more free online games become available. Fun games can be found in almost any category, in the shooting section we can find a game which instead of using bullets or arrows to hit the bullz-eye it uses an odd looking weasel attached to a rocket! and if you fail to hit the target the weasel explodes.
Another fun game in the sci-fi/space section is called planet gobbler, this fun game is all about color coordination and mouse skills, the point of the game is to give the gobbler the right planet at the time it asks for it, the planet needs to match the color it asks for otherwise you'll have to start all over no matter in what level you may be. The controls are very easy, you don't even have to click the planet in order to swallow it, however avoiding the wrong planets and going after the one it asks for can be quite difficult.
Yet a third games which is sure to crack you up is called "Britney Spears vs Child Services", yes! that's the name of the game and if you have followed the latest developments related to her 'live soap-opera' you now how funny this online game can be. The point of the game is to try to keep Britney's child by throwing objects at the child services agents who want to take him away.
This game is actually very addicting because the more agents you kill the more agents keep coming at you who will try to take her kid's belongings away. If you throw stuff at the glowing agent you get a chance to earn more points or if the agent turns into a red ball and you hit it again it automatically kills all other agents, on the other hand if the ball turns purple you can trap them all and immobilize them so that they'll be easy to hit.
The only problem you may have with the Britney Spears game is that the she doesn't throw items fast enough so you need to throw items at the spots where you think the agents will stop before they walk at her to collect more of her kid's items. As you see fun games can be found in pretty much every category from action, casino, fighting, educational, memory, mature, skill, role playing to many more categories.
Author: IC

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Wii Trackers - Do They Help?


Wii trackers are notification services that tell the user where and when a new shipment of Wii consoles will be available at certain retailers. It scours the internet to find out where the Wii availability is. A Wii buyer can simply look up availability through a website or get email notifications. With the convenience of knowing where a Wii console is, the buyer can avoid wasteful attempts to the retail store.

Since Wii availability is usually low for retail outlets, checking each store to see if there is one could be a laborious task. Especially with gas prices, it may not be economical to drive around endlessly to find a Wii console. With the advent of Wii trackers, some consumers may benefit from knowing where it's available. However, it's important to understand that a Wii tracker may not be for everyone.

Wii trackers will tell you which store has a Wii console system in stock. They will show that Walmart, Target, or Kmart has a Wii available at the local store. This is perfect for the non-discriminating buyer. But what many do not understand is that the major retail outlets are bundling the Wii with games, accessories, and other add-ons to boost the price to high levels.
For instance, one major retailer chain bundled at least 4 different add-on games and wii controllers to jack the price above $400. For many, $400 is too high. But because of desperation, many shoppers will take the bundled package to avoid spending more time to look for the console.

Sometimes Wii trackers will tell you that a retail outlet has a Wii console available; but when you get there it's out of stock. If the wii console is not bundled, chances are that the console will be sold out very quickly. Usually the plain, stripped-down version of the console, which sells for $250, will be more attractive to shoppers than a $500 Nintendo Wii bundles version. A lower price point will certain cause a much greater demand.

Besides physical retail outlets, there are Wii trackers that seek out online sites for Wii availability. Online stores are usually accurate with their availability. However, the problem with online stores is that they are usually marked-up or are bundled with other games and accessories.

Some Wii trackers require you to pay for the service. If you're a person that's very desperate for a Wii, this might be a good alternative. The paid service usually comes with greater accuracy and timeliness.

Wii trackers are not everyone. They do help a person find Wii availability. But what these trackers do benefit the most are the shoppers with a little more time on their hands. If anyone takes the time, the person will find a Wii.

For the person who does not have the time to spend on searching for Wii console game systems, he or she can check out http://www.WiiForSale.Us.

Julian Hartley is a video game enthusiast with a background in business intelligence.

Anybody Still Playing Mobile Games?


Video games have come a long way since they first gained huge popularity in the 80s. What happened was that newer and faster machines were built, and that meant they got smaller and smaller through the decades. After awhile, hand held models came out and people could play wherever they wanted, as long as their batteries held out. Gameboy was very popular for a long time, and many manufacturers still make handhelds. However, you can also find mobile games for your phone, and that means one less thing to carry with you.

You can get mobile games for your phone rather easily. Some come with one or two, but you may have to pay to download them. This is usually very easy to do, and generally the games are rather inexpensive. The downside is that the numbers of mobile games you can find are not very high, and you may not be able to find your favorite game. There are many good ones out there though, so you should be able to find something you would enjoy having on your phone. One of the most common games you can find on mobile phones is Tetris, but there are many more from which you can choose.

Though some don't see the wisdom in having mobile games on a phone, there are plenty that understand why this can be very helpful. You obviously cannot play them while you are driving, or even walking down the street. However, if your commute involves any sort of public transportation, this is something that can help you pass the time. These can also be great when it is obvious that you are going to be waiting in line somewhere for a long time, but do remember to keep the noise level down when you are standing in a crowd.

Mobile games do not have to be on your phone, as you can still get the handheld game consoles that go anywhere you go. These have a higher price, and are often more expensive when it comes to buying games. However, these also have more options for games, and the graphics and game play are a lot smoother. Your battery life will depend on how much you play and what type of batteries you get, but when using one of these, you don't have to worry about draining your battery on your cell phone. Either is great to have, just remember to use them responsibly.

Anime Hentai and PSP Downloads Site for everyone. Download reliable and unlimited PSP games and videos at PSP Games and Videos Download Site

Download Games Onto iPhone


iPhones are crazily popular, and getting free games for them is something that more and more people are learning to do. There's probably more games on iPhone than you realise, so why not learn to get your share today?

There are a few different methods of locating these kinds of games, and we'll run through them now:

Download Game Onto iPhone- Method 1

Just Google it! You can find plenty of java games that use the iPhone's web browser, and many of these titles are suprisingly good quality. The main difference with the games like this is that there is really no download required. It's just about connecting to the right internet site, and playing the games directly in your browser. Of course the main disadvantage here is that if you are outside of a provider's coverage area, you won't be playing anything! Check out iPhoneBattlefleet.com for a great example.

Download Game Onto iPhone-Method 2

Membership sites-There are sites around that will give you access to their games, but at a price-usually about $30 a month! This to me is a little overpriced, as you can get the same service for much less money. Also, what about when you don't use the site for a little while? You still get charged for it, which just doesn't seem fair to me.

Download Game Onto iPhone-Method 3

Torrents/P2P sites. This is NOT recommended, as it is illegal. The only way it's not illegal is if you already own the game which you are downloading, and you are downloading it solely as a "backup." Yeah right! Seriously though, the governments of the world are getting better at catching people for this, so it's really best to stay out of it altogether-this is not really the safest way to get iPhone games-and that's not to mention all the nasty malware that you'll be inflicting on your computer!

Download Game Onto iPhone-Method 4

Life has just gotten a whole lot easier due to the more specialist sites that have recently sprung up. Sites like this are not free, but they certainly provide an excellent service and ridiculously high value for money. Typically you would pay say 30 or 40 bucks to get access to the site, and then that's it-you get access to literally millions of media files, and the company use your money for upkeep of servers etc. It's a win-win situation.

Download game onto iPhone may seem like something that only those "in the know" can do, but it's really much simpler. Hopefully this article has opened your eyes a little. Check out the links below to the best rated iPhone sites.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Play Poker Like a Pro at Pokerstars.net

Poker is a highly captivating card game, with millions of fans all over the world. Traditionally, one would have to go to a casino in order to play a good game of poker. These days however, with the development of the internet, poker players have other options as well. Playing poker online is probably the easiest and most enjoyable way to experience the excitement of the game. With millions of poker players from all over the world, you’ll never run out of opponents. Pokerstars.net is the number one online poker website in the world, with hundreds of new players signing in every day.
Online poker is very similar to the original poker game – the only difference is that you’ll be facing you opponents through an internet connection. You won’t be able to look your opponents right in the eye but then again, you won’t have to leave the comfort of your home either. Another big advantage of playing online poker is the enormous diversity of competitors. You’ll be competing against players from all over the world and might even make some brand new friends. If you’re looking for the poker website with the largest number of players and the best tournaments, poekrstars.net is the place to be.
Many poker websites offer different poker games and tournaments of various difficulty levels. If you want to have absolutely everything in one place, poekrstars.net is your best option. Poker Stars has everything from freeroll tournaments to $1 million tournaments. Ring games are also available, starting from 1 cent and going up to hundreds of dollars. Low dollar tournaments are often pretty tough competition-wise but the good news is that you’ll be constantly improving your game. It’s safe to say that pokerstars.net has something to offer to any poker player, no matter how experienced he is.
As an aspiring poker player, you’ll probably want to keep track of the evolution of your game over time. Pokerstars.net gives you the opportunity of reviewing your personal player statistics for every hand you’ve played. This is an excellent way of looking back on where you went wrong and what aspect of your game needs some improving. You can even make personal notes on your opponents and the way they play so you’ll have a good enough idea of who you’re facing the next time you meet. There’s no questioning the fact that your personal notes and statistics can make a big difference in your game.
It’s impossible to remain indifferent to poker once you’ve played the game a couple of times. Most players fall in love with the game from the very first instant and embrace any opportunity of playing. Online poker websites make playing poker very easy and are guaranteed to show you a really good time. If you want a poker website with a wide variety of players, excellent tournaments and great game features, pokerstars.net is the place to go.
Author: Ken Wilson

Online Gaming: How to Gamble

Online gambling has become an increasing craze in this fast changing world. This way of playing your gambling moves has added lots of fun and pleasure. Now, you don’t have to visit a land based casino and spend your precious gaming time and money. You need to plunge into various gambling ventures including a video poker or slot machine to have a blast.
Here are some tips that may help you to gain success in free online gambling. You are also advised to get through the basic rules and helpful hints to get success easily. You will have a much more exciting time and have more stories to tell the folks back home.
Advices on Best Online Gambling
First of all, you will need to go through the basic rules provided by the gambling websites on a variety of games -- craps, pokers, roulette and more.
It is best to observe the game you are interested in playing. By watching carefully, you may get some winning tricks. Also, you can gain important insights such as where and when to place bets and other customary tricks while playing the game. Nothing could match watching and learning in casino games.
Ask questions if you have doubts about something. This habit will help you to gain expertise in gaming and you can prove a better player.
Notice for table limits. Check out the minimum and maximum bets before placing your own bets.
Don't be frightened by the activities of pit bosses. They are paid to look at everyone as a cheater. So, if you are not cheating, you need not have to worry about these people. Also, you need to watch the game closely to put your moves straight.
Go for free online gambling if you are beginner in this arena. It will help you to remain focused and saves you from big losses.

Playing Soccer Games With Children

Soccer is a fun and challenging sport for children to play together on any day of the week. All that is needed to play the game of soccer is a ball, a playing field that is equipped with two goals and enough children to make up two teams. Since there are twenty-two children needed for a game, parents usually organize neighborhood soccer teams to ensure that there are enough children to form a game of soccer.
Soccer is a coordinated sport because it requires twenty-two people to move at great speeds without acquiring any injuries while doing so. Every child on the team must understand the object of the game and know that they must move the soccer ball down the field and into a goal in order to score a goal and earn a point on the scoreboard. The trick that children must learn is that they must move the soccer ball with their feet and never use their hands at any time.
Soccer can be great fun for children after they learn how to move and weave their strategies on the playing field. Some of the children will fumble and lose the ball several times on the way to the goal area and other children will show talent in the way that they play soccer. These are the children that need to be encouraged to continue their soccer playing because it could earn them a very good income one day when they are much older.
Children will learn the rules one by one and have a great time doing so. They will learn that only people allowed to use their hands to play soccer are the people who are blocking shots that are kicked toward their team's goal. These people are usually referred to as goalies and every player on the team will eventually get the opportunity to play this position at least once. The other team mates usually use their feet to kick the ball but have been known to use their heads to intercept the ball when it is in the air.
Soccer is a game played by children and adults all over the United States and all over the Europe. Soccer is a sport that requires a lot of concentration and a lot of team work but not necessarily to an extreme that professional soccer player's use when they play their soccer matches on a competitive level. All children need to remember is that the biggest score wins the soccer game and they will be very intent on doing their best to make sure that happens.
Soccer also takes a lot of practice, but children should be reminded that practice makes perfect and the more practice time that they can get then the better their soccer game will be week after week. Parents like soccer a lot and think that neighborhood soccer teams give their children a great opportunity to get the exercise that they will need to grow up healthy.
Author: Jim Brown

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Video Game Testing - What Is Video Game Testing And How Much Can You Really Make?


So you're interesting in video game testing? You want to live the life of dreams where you sit at home, relax and play video games all day long for tons of cash (We're talking around $80 an hour)? Well, some people live that dream, and it is not that hard to accomplish.

However, you should first be aware that video game testing is not all fun. There are times where you'll have to try things over and over until they work. For the most part, though, it is about playing brand new games before anyone gets their hands on them!

Before you get all excited, there are some qualifications that you must meet before you even consider becoming a video game tester.

1) You must have a passion for gaming. You must love to game. If you play occasionally as nothing more than a time waster, without really caring about winning, than game testing may not be for you. However, if you love to absolutely beat that new game, than game testing may be perfect for you!

2) You should play competitively. If you only play single player games, and never venture into the competitive side of things, than you can be useful, but the players who have a competitive spirit and love to destroy humans in the game, will in most cases get more opportunities.

3) You should be up-to-date on technology and gaming information. If you still think the hot system is Nintendo 64, than being a gaming tester is probably not for you. You should know the newest systems and what some of the hot games are.

4) You should be able to fill out questionaires about the games you play. Example: How easy was the menu screen to navigate? What was your favorite part of the single-player mode? Is there a feature that you feel is missing? Etc.

...and that's it!

If you still think you are up to get paid up to $80 an hour, than being a video game testing may be the perfect job for you!

And it's not a pipe dream either. You can do it if you take action!

Want to learn everything you need to know to start earning up to $80 an hour playing video games? Click Here Now To Start!

Nintendo Wii is "Adult Friendly"


This is one of the most surprising articles I have ever written, and amazed me when I first saw it. Nintendo staff may be banning any Web search that isn't "Nintendo related," on Wiis Opera Web Browser. Weeks ago, as a member of Nintendo's staff was browsing the Opera Browser to make any corrections or fix any tweaks in the Opera system, he came across an adult site that said on the Google link, "Wii Friendly." The worker immediately ran it by the Administrator of Opera and Nintendo and it was true, the site actually was interactive with your Wii Remote.

Now, I am not going to go into detail on what all you could do, but I am pretty sure you have the idea. Nintendo announced that they are in debate on whether or not to keep Opera Browser unlocked to any site on the Web, or to lock it, restricting access to any website that is not Nintendo related.

The site, however, did not get off so easy. Without the consent of Nintendo, they were illegally running a project and could possibly be sued, putting the site off the internet. As for Nintendo, they hope to keep this secret, and hopefully not change the sales of the Wii.

I personally, do not think they should have a lock on the browser. Having an Internet Browser that has locks on it is like getting on the Internet at school, pointless and a waste of time. For people that use Opera Web Browser, cross your fingers...

Mikus is a nintendo advocate and runs a wii friend codes site that allows members to share.

Free Online Games And Funny Politics


You may have heard several opinions about the gaming platforms or gaming industry in general. Whether you play games on your computer or in a stand alone console, both methods are sure to keep you busy for several hours if you let them. Must of us have heard of kids spending a lot of hours in front of the computer at the expense of school responsibilities and chores. It can't be denied that whenever you start playing, you can't get off your seat or take your eyes away from the monitor. In some cases, you might even forget that your phone is ringing, your food you are cooking in the oven is ready or that someone might be waiting for you. But hey, playing online games is not all that bad.

It is easy for teens and young adults to become addicted to games, whether it is through stand alone consoles or through the computer, the impulse and anxiety produced by games are a huge factor which contributes to the problem, but it doesn't have to be bad. As we get older we learn to moderate ourselves because our responsibilities increase. There is a big stepping stone from being a teenager to becoming an adult; we know feel the need to do things by our own which makes us become independent from our families.

As this process evolves, the time available for adults to spend in recreation forms is very limited. Work related stress can build up rather quickly which is not a good symptom and as most older folks can tell, stress can have extremely negative effects in your personal life as well as in your health.

Today's most important topic among adults is the presidential election. We hear a lot of news about debates, caucuses, polls and so on, for some this topic is rather irritating so they change the channel from C-span to comedy central, there we can hear the same news but with a different more relaxed approach which falls into comedy. What we are unconsciously doing is shifting the point of view from tense and serious to a more relaxed and funny state. Being able to laugh helps us relieve the work related stress which turns out to be good for our health.

Free online games have taken this concepts and applied it to their viral technology. If you do a quick search in Google for free games you will stumble upon several sites which have many categories of entertainment applications, one of them is the Political section, here you can see your favorite presidential candidate dancing to the rhythm of disco music, one must admit that after watching Hillary Clinton dance to funky music we get relaxed and our problems fade away, even if its just for a few seconds.

www.OnlineGamesCave.com offers free online adventure games and online action games. Loosen up and play free online games which will help you reduce your work related stress, visit us today!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Xbox Games For Online Gaming That Mom And Dad Should Know About


If your kid has an Xbox and they play online you will often here them either yelling at the TV or talking to you about how awesome it is. You will often see your kid wanting to play role playing games or shooting games because they like the action and shooting. If you love to play Halo then you will love to play that type of game online. Your kid probably already plays it and that's what he has been trying to tell you forever.

If you have a computer and an internet connection you can play any online game as long as you have a subscription so you can make an account. I play Counterstrike and I love it. You just get online and start playing with your friends from the game. You will make friends fast online if you play a decent amount. The more you play the better you will get. Most kids that play computer games on the internet play the most insane hours that you will ever hear. Kids somehow find a way to play more then 50 hours a week. It is in the stats on Counterstrike if you were to look.

The other type of activities that you might find your students or kids playing is the flash games on the internet. While at school I used to play the flash games after I did my work because I had a computer class and I had computers in some of my other classes. We would get online and look for some that were fun until school was out and we could go get on the real servers and play real online games.

If you have an Xbox or a Sony Play Station then you probably already know about online gaming. All you do is sign up for the service and you play the types that are online enabled. Most online games are like Gears of War and Halo 3. You can also find shooter types like Call of Duty I think they actually just came out with a new Call of Duty called Modern Warfare. I heard it was a good one but I am not sure if it is online enabled. Although I am pretty sure that you play it on the net because most of these games you can play online. They are pretty fun you usually just go out and start shooting up the other team. There are role playing games and such like that but they don't tend to make them for internet play although they do have a few of them I think like Final Fantasy and games like those. I am not really into the whole anime theme like the fable games and stuff; online gaming is for shooters in my opinion.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about Xbox games as well as video game systems at http://www.nsearch.com

Where To Find Free Kids Online Games?


Internet is full of free kid's online games but finding the right one can be an overwhelming task and also can be time consuming. But even after hard work some fails to select the best and simply fall short visuals, quality of graphics and even may not be age appropriate. There are some very good sites on the internet where you will find some very good games and activities, songs, stories, rhymes, recipes for kids, jigsaws and puzzles and plenty of other activities for little kids which are really worthy. These sites are especially designed using children's favorite movie or cartoon characters which automatically attracts the attention of the children thus making learning so much fun for kids.

Kids love games and the websites is especially said to be superb not in terms of just playing but quite informative and educational especially for preschool kids. There is some fantastic free kids' online games website on the internet that claims to provide good educational online games making learning really enjoyable for kids. Some of these fun sites demonstrate; Alphabets & Numbers, Fun Songs & Music, Shapes & Colors, Puzzles & Jigsaws and lots of other Fun Games with your kids favorite characters. Though finding these sites for your child is overwhelming but nevertheless rewarding.

Learning can be an entertainment with these online games where your child/children can see their favorite cartoon character. They will love the variety these online games sites have to offer whether it be puzzle time with Thomas Tank Engine and Friends or dressing up her favorite Barbie Doll thus using her creativity. Thus learning becomes more enjoyable and even more exciting, when the kid gets the chance to play with these popular characters. The learning environment is also made more entertaining with great graphics, visuals and sound effects that sometimes old people gets beguiled enjoying some moments with their kids.

There is some fantastic free kids' online games website on the internet there are top 3 fun kid websites and they are British Council Site, Cbeebies and Sesame Street. British Council Site provides plenty of fun songs for teaching kids their numbers, letters. It is made more entertaining with funnier animation that goes along with the songs. Cbeebies is saturated with plenty of good games, stories, coloring pages, recipes, and many more for young children. Long list of popular characters like Bob the builder, Teletubbies, Tweenies all can be located here. Sesame Street is popular for its fantastic collection of educational games. Games including alphabet learning, numbers, shapes and colors, match and sort games, coloring pages, stories and plenty of other fun games and activities could be found in this site. Thus learning is no more brain racking but it is more of exercising the kids' brain.

Mario Online Games


Of all the video games a person can play either on their PC, Games Console or TV today Mario is one of the most easily recognized of all the games available. Although initially he first appeared in a Nintendo console game called Donkey Kong because of its popularity Nintendo chose to release a new game where Mario had the starring role. However today no longer are you restricted to playing these games on your games consoles but today you can now play Mario online games as well.

Certainly when you carrying out a search on the internet for Mario games you will be amazed at just how many you can not only play online but also which you are able to download and then play. Some of these games you may have to purchase in order to play them but there are others which you can get completely for free, but be wary just in case your find yourself downloading spyware and adware at the same time.

However with the invention of the new games console from Nintendo called the Wii online gaming has been brought to a whole new level. In the very near future a new Mario game will become available called Mario Kart which will not only allow you to play the game online but will also allow you to play against 16 other players at the same time.

But if you have not as yet been able to get a Nintendo Wii then playing online on your computer is just as good. In fact many people who already play Mario games online have found that not only are the games brilliant to play but the graphics are quite superb as well. The reason why these games are so good to play on your computer today is quite simple the improvements that have been made to the graphics cards including within PC's and laptops. These graphics cards now allow even the minutest of details within the game to be more visible and so make playing games such as those in the Mario group much easier to play.

When it comes to actually finding Mario online games a quick search of some of the major search engines such as Google or Yahoo will provide you with a wealth of results. So actually finding a Mario game you would like to play online today is very simple to achieve and will certainly for those of us who remember when Mario first hit the gaming scene back in the 1980's will bring back a wealth of child hood memories for us. So why delay and start playing Mario games online today.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Children's Board Games - Are They Boring?


Children today seem obsessed with technology and while I love gadgets and technology myself, with all the advantages that it can bring. I feel we have lost something when our children only play on computer games.

My 3 children each have a ds lite and I frequently see them all sitting on their own, playing on their individual games consoles. You see I am as much to blame as everyone else. When I was growing up, and yes that does make me sound old, I remember very little of my childhood which was not related to games, sitting around at Christmas for example with my family playing cards, trivial pursuits, monopoly etc. I believe playing games is the way for children to learn, they develop life skills by participating and interacting with others.
Turn-taking children's games are not only fun to play, they're educational on so many levels, including social and economical.

Kids learn about waiting to take a turn, winning and losing, along with co-operation and economics (with monopoly in mind and handling money), the whole time while they have fun. Games come in and out of fashion, and new games appear, whilst the classics get revamped year after year with new themes and are always popular.

Children's games are made to stretch the child's mind and even the parents sometimes, without frustrating the child and turning him or her off the game, thus making learning enjoyable. Most kids games are also quite fun to play with mum or dad, with family games being designed to be entertaining for both children and adults alike.

If you are looking for something to bring a family together, then you can't go far wrong with any sort of board game. Whilst playing it a family can often get lost inside the game for hours on end.
If you are stuck for what to buy a child as a present then you could do worse than buy a board game. I believe it is one of the best presents you can give, because they bring friends and family together and can provide more hours of fun than any book, DVD, or cd you can find. A board game is a team-building exercise (or team pulling apart exercise if you have been sat around our table on many a heated night) you cannot ignore. It is a way of exercising your mind and social skills are built.

If you sit and examine the rules and the layout of most games, they all have a common feature, you will see they reflect on everyday life. Whether we are playing snap with a game of cards which is teaching us turn taking for example, exercising the mind to keep it alert and helping with learning difficulties, matching numbers and pictures, or trivial pursuits with team building, knowledge learning and strategy development.

Quality educational games are so engaging for most people to play with; children rarely even know they are learning valuable skills, which makes this a fantastic way for them to learn, as information and skills learnt like this, in my opinion, stick in the mind much better than when rules and education is forced.

Today, children's games are well thought out, they are fun and compete well with the lure of the solitary video game, if only we give them the chance.

Rachel Harding is a qualified nurse and mum of 3. She has a great deal of expertise with children and offers valuable support and free resources including stories, forums, recipes, article's, gifts and books at => http://www.yourkidsshop.com

My Favorite Games to Play When Bored!


Tired of playing the same Role Playing Games (RPGs) over and over again on your PS2, PS3, Wii, or Xbox 360 that just have you sitting on your couch wishing you were actually in the game? I've found a couple games I really enjoy. Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

Dance Dance Revolution was designed by Konami and made its way to the United States in 2000 showing up in arcades all across the country. Now it's marketed for every game console you can buy. You will step to the beat and rhythm of particular songs, while executing a specific set of moves to perform. Your dance cues come from the screen in four columns of arrows that scroll upwards. You score points by nailing the timing of each step and getting the order of the moves correct. The action gets faster and more furious as the game progresses, you will be dancing trickier combos in more limited time periods. The game is equipped with a Training Mode to get you started practicing your hip moves, and later you can access the Diet Mode which shows how many calories you are burning. So not only is it a great role playing game, but it is also a great way to exercise!

Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2 for Xbox 360 is a great version of the game to play. It is jam packed with music from the 70's so you'll be showin' off your disco moves; it is accessible for players of every skill level with three new modes designed for beginners. You can even play online and download music. It is one of my favorite games to play when bored.

Another awesome game is Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock! The game has one of the best lineups for music ever including: Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Sex Pistols, Guns N Roses, Living Colour, and Poison to name a few. Instead of having bands cover songs, Neversoft actually signed original artists to sing their songs. For "Welcome to the Jungle" Axl Rose actually belts out the notes to accompany your shredding skills. Slash, lead guitarist for Guns N Roses, is a character in the game - any game is cool when you can be Slash. This version of the game is much more accessible to new players. The difficulty on the lower tier songs has been reduced so even beginners feel like they are rock stars when they pick up their Les Paul wireless guitar controllers (another new addition to the game) - and that feeling really is the whole point of the game.

Even though the lower tiered songs are not as challenging, more intermediate players will find their fingers going out of control playing Metallica's "One" and Slayer's "Raining Blood". And if you can beat Dragonforce's "Through Fire and Flames" on expert, you will earn everyone's respect and be the rock star you've only imagined.

No matter if you are uninterested, apathetic, or just plain blah about the current game you are playing - you are still bored. You should alleviate your bored with these two great games. These are two of the best games to play when bored!

Buying Used Nintendo DS Games


Nintendo have always been classified easily by their type and their history because of the technical constraints of different platforms. In time, as the sums of money destined to Nintendo games production raised, their commercial value grew and the requirement for creative talent compelled companies to bring outsourcing professionals. This can be the reason why some used Nintendo DS games can be commercialized through the franchise system. To continue with, the re-use of some can be noticed during franchise trials, which are usually based on the same characters, situations, conflicts, and themes along the sequels.

That is why, although many used games are a mixture of more types, few of them gets out of patterns. Therefore, they cannot be classified as a certain type. However, some producers can use an old idea and create a new, successful game. This success must be first a commercial one and other companies will try to imitate them for a similar success.

Examples of such used Nintendo DS games are Super Mario 64, which released the video game platform for consoles, or Doom, which released the First person shooter type for PC. In 1994-1995, Sega released Sega Saturn and Sony entered the world of video games with play station. Both consoles were using technology on 32 megabytes and the way for the development of new 3D titles was opened.

After some time, Nintendo released the console on 64 bits in 1996, selling more than 1.5 million pieces in only3 months. The super Mario 64 video game has become the symbol of the 3D platform genre. After starting on Play Station in 1996, PaRappa the Rapper has made famous a new type of video games in Japan, the musical video experience. Later on, beat mania followed and became an attractive omnipresence in the Japanese arcades. Other memorable games of Nintendo were appreciated by critics for the innovations that were brought to it and for the fact that it was the first successful person shooter for a console.

The passage from 2D to 3D of the game "The Legend of Zelda" was performed by the game "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) that has been considered one of the best which has ever been made. Read more about Nintendo DS and Wii titles at http://www.nintendowiibuyonline.com
One of the popular used titles for play station was Metal Gear Solid (1998), which was the departure point for the stealth type video games. Until the late 1990s, Sony was a reputed competitor on the video games market.

To continue with, the advantage of buying used titles for consoles is that they are obviously cheaper and if you want to be a winner, you can find out tips and tricks from your older friends or even from your parents. If you are a nostalgic parent of a video addict kid, you can purchase for yourself used games and ask your child do anything else while you are playing your old, used video game.

Read more about Nintendo DS and Wii games titles including how to Buy A Nintendo Wii Online at => http://www.nintendowiibuyonline.com

Live Roulette Games


When you think about roulette games, you are probably thinking about games played in which a wheel is involved. This form of gambling has been know to have been played since the first roulette game was discovered in the seventeenth century by a mathematician. After that first invention, there was no looking back for the roulette games which became very popular in the West and even in the United States though here it is played in a variation somewhat unlike what is played in the European countries.

Roulette games that are played in the United States has a square that has double zeros while in the European version there are no double zeros, and even when you visit various casinos you will find a variety of roulette games that are being played and such games are even popularly played at sponsored events and even when fundraising.

There is another difference between the roulette games played in the United States and those played in Europe in that in the American game, persons playing roulette are allowed to play with chips of different colors while in the European version of the game, the chips are not of different colors, and even though this difference may appear insignificant, it does highlight the difficulty that players have in when playing with chips of the same color because they won't always be sure of how much they are betting when using chips that are all of the same color.

There is also a roulette game known as "In Prison" that is a variation of the European style of the game in which the player is allowed, when a zero comes up, to choose between surrendering one half of outside bets they made or carry them forward to the next game. Such an option allows the European version of roulette games to be easier since the house does not have such a great advantage as when this option is not available and so if you are a beginner at roulette games, then this form of the game would be well suited for you.

In any case, roulette games are very exciting and fun to play and the beauty of these games is that they can be played virtually anywhere though the only constraining factor would be the laws in the state where you are intending to play which may or may not allow this form of gambling. However, in states where roulette games and gambling are not allowed, you can still bet at the wheel of fortune if it is being played at a special event or for fundraising though betting or winning money is not allowed with fake money being the common denomination.

The author of this article frequently enjoys playing casino games and recommends the following links if you are searching for a place to play live roulette. Or check out the live dealer roulette game

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Live Your Fantasy With Online Computer Games


Video games are quite popular among the people of all ages from past 2-3 decades. With the purchase of the personal computers, computer gaming is a common feature that has developed craze among the crowd. Computer gaming includes all kinds of games. We have lots of variety in these games right from the slow games like chess, cards etc. that require careful steps to be followed for continuing the game, to the games that involves the speed like racing games with motorbikes and cars. These are some of the games commonly liked by the people of all age groups.

The latest craze among the crowd is for the online games. These online games allow you to play different kinds of games on the computer. This is an option that allows two people to play the same game simultaneously while sitting at the different computer systems at different places. One can easily enjoy these games by installing these games from the internet. The process of installation is quite easy and even very casual that even a small kid can follow. What we need to do is to follow the guidelines provided in the installation guides attached with the games files.

Among the famous online games we even have the various puzzles and the arcade games; these games are quite popular among the kids. Apart from downloading the games from the internet, we can even go for the installation of the games by the compact discs of various games. Even the various play stations and the retail stores involved in providing the online games lets us download the files to enjoy the online games.

It is not necessary that only small kids can play these games, even the older people and adults also have a craze for these games. Games like car racing and motorbikes squad racing are basically meant for the age group of 16-25 as it basically involves tremendously attractive features of the pace and gaming options that thrill up every one mind.

These games are basically available on the internet, you are just required to click the links and follow the provided guidelines. If you are looking for some wonderful games online with free downloading, there are many sites you can go for which allow you to have free access to these games. Online gaming is a fun trip that allows us to have the pleasure of playing animated characters in the games. There are several reviews available for these games that give you the views of others who have played this game before. You can also choose a game according to the ratings provided to the game. These reviews are helpful for the various game freaks to decide among these games for themselves.

So if you are looking for some nice online games you can simply search over the internet for free gaming and can even plan to download them from the compact discs provided by the various play retail stations.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used backup software, used online games software, affordable used online games software

Watch Basketball Games Online - Unlimited Lifetime Access!


Basketball is a great sport that I love to watch all of the time. I like to watch both college and pro basketball, but I am not home when the game airs all of the time. So, I set out to find a way so that I could watch basketball games online, and I found my answer, with some extra stuff to boot. I am going to share with you what I have found.

There are plenty of companies on the internet that are selling products that will let you watch live TV on your computer from anywhere in the world. I have used most of them, and most of them are crap. I did, however, find one that worked really well, and I am able to watch basketball games online anytime that I want..live!

I am going to explain a little how this works, and what you are going to need to get this going. First of all you will need to have a broadband internet connection wherever you are trying to watch the basketball games. Most of the time when I am traveling I can find a wireless connection to get on. I have a basic DSL connection at home that works great, and I know people with basic cable internet that have no problems.

Now, this works with a piece of software that interfaces you with thousands of TV stations that are sending their signal over the Internet. You will be able to watch anything from TV shows, movies, sports, etc, but I was most interested in sports channels. I was able to find all kinds of them including ones like ESPN.

The only other thing that you are going to need is to buy the service that you are going to use to get these stations. The best thing is that there is only a one time payment, and no recurring charges. So, you can imagine how much you are going to save compared to your current satellite or cable service that you get billed for each month.

Also, you will be able to watch basketball games online live from anywhere in the world. Who can say that they can do this? You sure can't take your cable box or satellite receiver anywhere and plug in like you can do with the internet.

I am going to show you two different packages below. Both are from the same company, and is the same that I use to watch basketball games online. The first package is called the Elite Package, which offers right at 3000 stations and costs $50. The second package is called the Platinum Package, which offers over 4000 stations and costs $100. Both work great, but you get over 1000 more stations with the Platinum Package. I noticed a lot more sports stations from both the US and overseas. So, when I don't want to watch basketball online, I go over and watch some rugby. I love it!

I look forward to watching the games online with you. Just as a side note, you can even watch basketball online when you are at work...don't let the boss catch you though.

Download Nintendo Wii Games Online - Transfer From PC To Wii


When you've finished a hard day at work and you plan to spend your evening relaxing and playing your Nintendo wii, you suddenly remember that you've completed your latest game and the thought of going all the way to the shops to search for a new title is daunting and even more tiring, Well now you don't even have to go to a shop. You can now download Nintendo Wii games free, and transfer them from your PC to wii.

There are now sites on the Internet that allow you join as a member, and members get access to huge data-bases full of all the new release games, plus you can usually find all your old favourite retro games that you can also download and play on your Wii. Its not just games either with these sites you get access to download music movies and loads more goodies! To do all this you have to find the site you want to join, then pay a small one time membership ship fee- which is usually the cost of one game then you gain access to the members area where you can download games to your hearts content. There's no pay per download or any hidden costs after you've paid the small one time only membership fee.

As a member i found this process extremely easy as I'm no computer expert at all. You get step by step instructions on how to find and download the game you want and further more you get all the tools needed to transfer and burn your games so you can play them on your wii.

To learn where to find some of the best Nintendo Wii download sites check out my review at http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-download-wii-games

Sunday, January 6, 2008

How to Download Video Games Online

Do you still buy your video games from the local games shop? Whether you have a games console or a PC it's now a lot easier, cheaper and faster to download your games online. There are now more sites than ever offering services to download games for your Xbox 360, Playstation 2 and 3, Nintendo Wii, PSP or your PC.

But which sites should you use? Which should you avoid? There are a lot of scams on the internet and it's sometimes hard to separate the genuine offers from the scams. Follow a few simple rules and you will find a decent site that you can download all you video games from for life.

When searching for a site you should take note of a few things. Firstly, avoid downloading from free 'torrent' sites. Although it's always tempting to have something for free rather than pay for it, the files on these sites usually have viruses and spyware on them that even some antivirus software can't detect.

Next, you should choose a site specific to your console. If the site is specific to just one console (or PC) then the selection of games will be a lot greater. Most of the best sites will have games for one console (or PC) and a selection of other media - music, TV shows and movies all available to download at no extra cost, so check for this.

Finally you should make sure the site you choose has a customer support section in case you have any questions or problems and a money back guarantee in case you're really not happy with the service. If the site you're looking at doesn't have a money back guarantee you can be sure it's some sort of scam.

Follow these few simple rules when choosing a service and you will find a great site that you can download all your games from for life. To find reviews for some of my favorite download sites for specific platforms check out the links below...

How to Download Nintendo Wii Games
How to Download Playstation 2 Games
How to Download PC Games

By Lewis Waller

Is the Anime Naruto Suitable For Kids?

Growing up from the US, most kids have grown up with cartoons such as Bugs Bunny and Popeye which portrays the good overcoming evil as well as satires that pokes fun of political figures in a none threatening way. For kids, the majority of the time these cartoons have provided a positive impact rather then negativity or problems.

With the recent months in the rising popularity of Japanese animation especially the series of Naruto, many parents are now worried that it may pose as a negative influence for children. Not only does it portray a lot of problems shown within society, it also contains a lot of adult humor as well. Is this something that we should allow our children to be influenced with? Will this type of influence give children bad ideas about the society or their engagements with one another?

Before we further examine this topic, we have to first understand the background of the anime Naruto. The story revolves around Uzumaki Naruto, a kid that has an inner demon of a nine-tailed fox who has once destroyed many villages until a powerful kage or a leader of a village who sealed his inner demon away through a powerful jitsu or a mystical technique of a ninja. The demon is then locked away and the story of Naruto begins with the life and adventure that he has to face. All the while knowing that the demon inside of Naruto may come out someday both from his friends and foes.

From the outer appearance and storyline, Naruto doesn't seem harmful for children nor is the general storyline provides any hint of negativity in anyway. However, with different Episodes there has subtle hints of sexuality. For one, he suddenly changes into a woman wearing a bikini from a man in ways through this Episode he seduced his teacher. In another Episode, various characters posses characteristic of a woman although by nature they are being presented as man.

For parents, these are major signs of red flags that tells parents that they are not suitable for children due to inappropriate content. I however on the other hand dare to say that it's actually okay for children to be exposed for these type of influences. Children nowadays are exposed to sex, violence, and crime whether it is from television or in the public area although some may minimize such influences. Whether you believe it or not, children pick things up rather quickly from adults. Instead of prohibiting negative influences, I believe parents should really educate kids at an early age the right and wrong and lead by example which is something that is lacking at large in causing a lot of division amongst the family and the society as a whole.

Even if we have successfully screened out the popular anime from our children in an effort to protect our children, is this eliminating the heart of the problem? I dare to say no and that we really need to examine ourselves in our communications with our kids in an educational way in light to talk about such events and things. Animations such as Naruto will only increase in this age of globalization and we need to learn how to cope with it rather then excusing ourselves from facing the true reality of this world. With proper education and support, I believe we can still enjoy anime the same way that we had enjoyed various cartoons in a positive manner with our children.

By Henry Hsieh

Henry Hsieh has multiple interests and he enjoys talking about them. As a fan of anime, he likes watching Naruto Episodes at http://tailedfox.com

Nintendo Wii As Therapy And Fun For Multiple Sclerosis

At first blush, you may think that the title of this article is a far stretch! You may be wondering how a video game console could possibly do ANYTHING useful for a person dealing with a degenerative disease such as MS. If you give me a chance, I will share my own experience. I'll also let you know that I am NOT a video game junkie. In fact, I have never found most gaming systems intuitive enough for me. The Wii is different, I was able to start using it out of the box. It was built that way and created to be extremely user-friendly.

The objective of this article will be to look at the Nintendo Wii gaming system and it's utility for fostering and enhancing movement, flexibility, balance, and cognition (memory, multi-tasking, etc.)

Although this lens mentions MS (because that is my own personal experience and journey) there are probably many other health conditions that could benefit from the same things. I need to mention that I am NOT a physical or occupational therapist and I am NOT trained in rehab or physical medicine. This is simply my own personal experience and observation. If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your doctor.

The Wii (pronounced as the pronoun "we") is the fifth home video game console released by Nintendo. A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions.

Who knew that exercising could be so much fun? Once you buy a Wii Gaming system, it comes packaged with Sports which is enough to get you started and getting the hang of how the remote works and feels.

While I would never purport that the Wii gaming system could be traded for a Total Gym, Treadmill or Elliptical ... I could purport that with the right combination of games, a regimen could be developed that could offer movement and exercise to both the arms and the legs.

The Nintendo Wii comes pre-packaged with the game Sports. Sports is really 5 games in 1:

1. Golf

2. Boxing

3. Baseball

4. Tennis

5. Bowling

If you can get over the "anime" type of animation and characters -- you'll do fine. The images are bright and differentiated by both color and pattern (this will accommodate someone with optic nerve damage who might have some problems with colors). The characters are easily distinguishable by patterns such as stripes versus solids.

What I love so much about Wii Sports is that it offers something called a "Fitness Test". This fitness test can be performed at different times (no more than once a day). The test uses an algorithm to look at all levels of play from coordination, speed and accuracy. During the course of a "Fitness Test" you will be given tasks from the various sports (this could be boxing, bowling and golf). Once completed, an "age" is applied to you (20 years being the youngest). Over time, you can take the fitness test and watch your results. Have you grown younger or older? Really a nice part of the game.

The movements used by players playing Wii Sports (tennis for example) do not have to be perfect and could be performed from a sitting position with some practice. In my opinion, the value of exercise and movement is better accomplished when the Sports are played in as realistic a manner as possible. That said, I am not a doctor or physical therapist -- so this should be discussed with them to find the optimal type play for you.

There are also many different games that tap into various cognitive functions such as mental tracking and short-term memory. These facets are often affected in those with MS. Trauma Center: Second Opinion requires the use of recall to accomplish current tasks. Each level " surgical operation" builds on the last and the player must remember certain procedures in sequence. This game also requires the use of various fine-motor skills to accomplish surgical tasks.

Although barely touching the surface, there is a tremendous amount of value to having a game system like the Nintendo Wii to bring fun into a rehabilitative environment. There is no reason that exercising the brain and body does not have to be a fun and exciting experience.

By Diana T. De Avila

Diana de Avila is a woman with Relapsing-Remitting MS who is retired but also enjoys Internet marketing. If you enjoyed this article on the Wii, make sure to check out her http://www.wii-auctionsite.com/ where she offers eBay Video game auctions and more

Saturday, January 5, 2008

5 of the Most Violent Video Games


5. Mortal Kombat

The one that started it all. While it may seem pixelated and dated now, it was undoubtedly the most violent video game of its time. Spawning a huge fanbase, a movie, and a plethora of sequels, most of us have probably played Mortal Kombat in at least one form of another.

Who can forget pulling in a victim with Scorpions snapping beak; "Get over here!" while following it up with a gruesome uppercut. The game used real life actors and mapped their faces onto sprites, creating a pretty strange yet realistic effect which made it all the more awesome when Sub Zero ripped someones head off, leaving their spine dangling below. Fatality!

4. Carmageddon

Originally released in 1997, this is an oldie but goldie. It's still a thoroughly enjoyable game and was a breakthrough in its time with video scenes from inside the car and real world physics.

Think Mad Max on steroids and you'll start to get a feel for Carmageddon which is set in a post apocalyptic world where the car rules. The idea is to race against a handful of other modified death cars through various levels, including deserts, industrial areas and populated cities, all to the tune of Fear Factories Demanufacture album (hell yes!). However, if you don't feel like racing you can hunt down and destroy your enemies one by one until you're the only survivor. Amongst all this, not only can you run over pedestrians, but you're actively encouraged to do so, gaining extra time and credits for combo bonuses and "artist impressions" (which you get by utterly mangling a pedestrian).

Carmageddon caused media scandal when it first launched and in most countries a "safe" version was released with zombies, robots or aliens instead of people. In some countries the game was banned completely. None of this stops it from being an absolute classic and the first go-anywhere 3D driving game which spawned 2 successful sequels.

3. Thrill Kill

Originally called S & M for Slaughter and Mutilation, Thrill Kill for PlayStation was never released, it was axed 2 weeks before it was due to go out. EA said that they didn't want to "publish such a senselessly violent game" and stated it was so offensive that they wouldn't sell the game to another publisher either. Fortunately for us former employees of EA released it onto the internet which are still available.

Incredibly simple, Thrill Kill consisted of only a single room where up to 4 opponents fight to the death. The usual life bar is replaced with a kill meter, which grows as you do more damage to your opponent, eventually you're able to activate Thrill Kills which were always awesomely brutal, sometimes sexual, moves like dismemberment, mutilation, cattle prods down the throat or crushing skulls with stilts. Oh yes. One of Cleetus' lethal finishing moves was to tear the head off his opponent and drink the blood that leaked out of his victim's severed neck. The story goes that the 8 characters all led devious lives and died in various ways, have gone to hell. A modern day hell which reflects todays real life. Marukka, the God of Secrets has pitted them against each other, promising to give rebirth to the one survivor. Each character is battling for self-preservation and the hope to be born again.

Cleetus, for example, is a redneck cannibal. The only victim that he didn't eat escaped minus a leg, which Cleetus carries around for good luck (and occasionally uses as a weapon). Dr. Faustus, a master surgeon, died from an infection after installing his stainless steel jaws, made from a bear trap.

Oddball was a top FBI agent who hunted down serial killers. He began to admire them and slowly slipped into insanity. Oddball is extremely intelligent, cunning, and without remorse. Pity, sympathy, and compassion have no meaning to him. Although his arms are bound in his cozy little straight jacket, he has learned to adapt, as any good predator should.

2. Postal 2

One feature in Postal 2 is the ability to pick up cats as an inventory item. When used, the player shoves the barrel of the currently equipped firearm into the cat's anus, as a 'silencer'. Every time a shot is fired, the cat meows in apparent agony, and the gunshot is muffled. After several shots the cat will be killed and will fly from the end of the weapon.

Any game where you can use a cat as a silencer has to be worth mentioning. Highly violent, both Postal and Postal 2 met with much protest from various activist groups. However, the Running With Scissors software company who created the series responded by saying that the amount of violence in the game is entirely dependent upon the player. In fact, it's actually possible (though very difficult) to complete the entire game without harming anyone.

The game is split from Monday to Friday and the tasks are simple things on a to-do list like 'Cash Paycheck', 'Confess sins', 'Get milk', etc. To accomplish these seemingly simple tasks, the player can chose to be peaceful or utterly, all out violent with unique gameplay changes for each choice.Some violent features include the ability to decapitate people with shovels, and then kick their heads around or play fetch with a dog, cops who beat innocent NPCs to death with batons, even if the NPC surrenders and begs for mercy and setting fire to people with gasoline, matches, napalm and moltov cocktails.Not content with just being violent, Postal 2 is also pretty disgusting. You have the ability to urinate on people, causing them to vomit in disgust. You can also urinate on food items which are then eaten and regurgitated by cops. Using an Antrhax-filled cow's head as a weapon causes victims to vomit blood. Oh and you can also stun gun people til they cower in fear and urinate themselves..Featuring ATF, SWAT, the National Guard, psycho butchers, religious cults, the Taliban and Gary Coleman, Postal 2 has earned itself a violent and revolting reputation and is illegal in at least 3 countries.

1. Manhunt

Quite possibly the most violent game in the list, Manhunt revolves around James Earl Cash who has been sentenced to death by lethal injection. His injection is replaced with a sedative and Cash is abducted by a wealthy Hollywood director. The director has a thing for Snuff flicks and sets up Cash as his latest star, butchering local gangs on film in the most violent and horrific ways possible.

The director communicates with Cash via an earpiece and security cameras record his murders. For extra points the player must carry out more gruesome kills. These range from suffocation by plastic bag, decapitation, jamming a crowbar in the enemys skull, etc.

Manhunt was banned outright in several countries when it was launched and later in the UK the game was linked to an actual murder case of a 14 year old, Stefan Pakeerah by a 17 year old, Warren Leblanc. Stefans mother claimed that Leblanc had been obsessed with Manhunt after he pleaded guilty in court and as such most vendors in the UK removed Manhunt from their stocks. This led to a significant increased demand from other retailers and internet auction sites. Police denied any link, but it still strikes a chilling cord. Especially when you consider that Leblanc murdered his friend by stabbing him with a claw hammer, identical to an execution shown in Manhunt.

Article by Sean Bluestone, creator and developer of online games including Planetary-War: Free Browser Based MMORPG, a unique (though admittedly not very violent) multiplayer game where thousands of players battle for dominance of the universe