Super Smash Bros. Brawl cheats (Wii) – Part 1

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment of the Super Smash Bros. series and is extremely popular for all ages. Made only for Nintendo platforms, these games bring together characters from many different Nintendo games to fight against one another. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, you can unlock 14 characters different from the 21 you start off with, as well as 12 stages, 2 modes, 4 difficulties of target test, 40 songs, 3 sets of stage builder parts, 5 free trials of classic games, more rules, more event matches, 5 stickers, 6 more assist trophies and 5 more sound tests. Well let's get started if we want to cover everything, buckle up.

Characters can be unlocked by playing X number of brawl matches OR by beating the Subspace Emissary (SSE) and then going back and fighting Jigglypuff in the swamp stage (or complete events 1-20 after beating the SSE), fighting Wolf in the ruins stage (or complete Boss Battle with Fox or Falco after beating the SSE) and fighting Toon Link in the forest stage (or finishing Classic mode after beating the SSE). Your best bet is to just complete the SSE and fulfilling the above conditions in parentheses, but if you really want them within a few hours, follow these steps.

1. Go to "Group" from the main menu and then to "Special Brawl"

2. For "Stamina", highlight "Stamina" instead of "Off". "Stamina" should turn from being grey to having red letters with a black background.

3. Go down to "Head" and highlight "Flower" instead of "Off" and click "OK!" at the bottom.

4. Choose a character for yourself and a computer.

5. On the right of the computer's character screen at the bottom, click on where it says "Stamina 150" and scroll up until you highlight "1" and press A, or press 2 if you just have a Wii Remote without a nunchuk.

6. Press A/2, you will choose "Random" since the cursor was there: it doesn't matter what stage you use.

7. When it says "GO!", it will instantly be followed with, "GAME!". You will see your opponent has died and has 0 HP left. Once you get back to the character selection screen, repeat the process 450 times. Notice above why I said within a few hours.

When it comes to the stages to be unlocked, you actually only have to do 9 tasks if you have every character. There are 8 new stages to obtain as well as 4 stages from Super Smash Bros. Melee, the previous installment in the Super Smash Bros. series to add to the Melee stages you start with. You can unlock:

-Flat Zone 2 when you unlock Mr.

Before PlayStation: The toys I grew up with

As a little girl, there was no such things play-stations, Wii, computers, dolls, cars etc. and as for a television, we had no idea what it was. Many of my toys were handmade from mud and clay, where I made complete tea sets with spoons, saucers, cups etc. For my play houses I would use the branches from the coconut trees to build it. I used the dried coconuts, pumpkin and mangoes as my audience, as I would dress the coconuts with flowers so they look pretty. For eyes and mouth on the coconuts I would use clay. The mangoes would be the little babies. When I was about seven years old, my aunts from Canada send me and my sister two little Barbie dolls. Those were the first real dolls we had. I used to play with mine only on Christmas, and every Christmas my mom use to make little dresses with the extra pieces of cloth she had, when she finish sewing our dresses. My doll and I was always wearing matching clothes on Christmas. We would then display our dolls to the neighbors and in return they would gave us money.

Pets used to our most trusted playmates. Whenever I go out someone would always gave me a pet from lambs, chickens, and rabbits to rescuing little kittens, parrots, and dogs.I would give them bath, dry them off etc. My mom used to dread whenever I come home as she didn't have the heart to tell me that I couldn't bring home more pets, or the fact that we had nothing for dinner so she had to kill my chickens. Instead she would tell me someone stole it. My dogs would play ball with me, the balls I made them my self, and almost got a good spanking for using the last bit of kerosene to make it. Swinging in the hammock and listening to my grandparents telling us stories of our religion was my favorite thing in the whole world, and every time I go home, I would swing in the same hammock and close my eyes, I would hear them telling me the stories. Although we didn't get all the toys and learning activities kids have now,I never felt cheated. My grandparents and our village played a big part in our lives and we were given the most important gift in the world, buckets full of LOVE, HUGS,KISSES AND FREEDOM TO BE A CHILD.

In Today's society, everything is already made for kids, and kids have so much more learning activities than we did, yet when I watch them today I feel sorry for them, that they will never experience the childhood I had, the freedom to run wild into the woods, make their own kites and fly it, make their own fishing hooks from sticks to go fishing etc. Although we didn't have any of the toys these kids have today, my childhood was a memory that is forever engraved in my soul and how I wish that the children today had a chance to experience at least a little bit of it.

Video game reviews: Jackass the Game (PS2)

When MTV launched the stunt-driven television series, Jackass, few people might have believed it would become the pop culture sensation it is today. A group of adolescent-minded men running around performing stunts isn't exactly what most people would call award-winning television programming, however, several seasons and two full length feature films later, millions of teens and young adults know the Jackass crew and watch in awe as they perform their stunts.

Following the success of the series and the films, Jackass: The Game was produced. Unfortunately, the humor and entertainment provided by the live-action stunts is not replicated in the video game. The game is molded after the series, offering players a chance to step into the shoes of a cast member in order to complete a series of stunts for each "episode." Although the real life episodes might contain several stunts performed by various cast members, the video game "episodes" includes five stunts each.

Getting through the series of stunts is relatively easy. Just push a series of buttons and you're done! Although the stunts in and of themselves are relatively unique and entertaining, once players complete all thirty-five stunts, the action is pretty much over. There is little to no replay value, even for those individuals who are VERY easily entertained.

Of course, like most other video games available on the market today, Jackass also offers players the opportunity to extend their gameplay by unlocking additional features included in the game. The unlockable features offered by Jackass are arguably the best part of the whole game. Players can unlock the run-of-the-mill new characters (usually from the show itself) or even view clips from the series' different episodes. But, the best unlockable feature is still the behind the scenes videos shot on set.

Jackass: The Game is great if you want to kill some time for a few hours, but I wouldn't invest in it. Rent this game if you want to catch a glimpse of behind the scenes features, but don't waste your money buying it. After a couple of hours, you'll find yourself retiring this game to your video game shelf, where it belongs.

Online video game reviews: Chromadrome 2

I found playing this game very soothing. Gliding down the track, surrounded by beautiful visualizations which moved in time to the new-agey music, put me into something close to a meditative state.

When you play, you become a cute little gold ball with big eyes. You glide along a track, and all you have to do is try not to fall off. You steer by moving your mouse from side to side.

There are silver ball creatures on the track which you can shoot with your left mouse button, but the game doesn't feel violent because the silver creatures just jump out of the way when shot. You can also make them jump away by bumping into them, which makes a satisfying clicking sound but won't get you points.

Going down the track feels like a combination of riding a roller coaster, ice skating, ski jumping, playing miniature golf, and being inside the trippy light show in the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey."

If you fall off, you just start at the beginning again. If you reach the end of the track, the gold ball makes a very cute "Whoopee" noise, and then you go up a level to a new track, which will be slightly different from the previous one.

You can adjust your speed. You can choose from various backgrounds, all of them beautiful abstractions which move with the music. The music itself is lovely. I was very impressed with the quality of the music and the visuals, which together made me feel as if I were in another world. You can also use your own music, and the visualizations will synchronize with that as well.

The game is very intuitive and easy to learn, and everything you need to know is explained as you go along.

I originally played the one-hour trial version of the game, in order to write a review. I wasn't planning to buy it, because I'm not the kind of person who usually buys video games. But for several days after I played the trial version, I kept on feeling that I wanted to play more. Eventually, I broke down and bought it! I guess I'm addicted!

I think this game will appeal to people who don't play a lot of video games, and also to people who do. The quality of the game and the other-worldliness of the experience of playing it set it apart from many other games. I think it may provide an especially nice break for people who work with words, as the music, the motion, and the wordlessness seem to tap into a different part of the brain.

On a scale of one to five, I rate this game a five.

Video game reviews: E.T. (Atari 2600)

E.T. is a game created for the Atari 2600 in an effort to capitalize off the popularity of the movie itself. Historically, this is actually considered the symbol of the demise of Atari as the dominant force in the video game industry. Looking even further, it was also considered the symbol of the infamous Video Game Crash of 1983. Howard Scott Warshaw developed the game in six weeks, the man who created Yars Revenge and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Object: Its purpose is to actually get E.T. home by finding three pieces of the phone. Along the way, you can collect Reese Pieces and you can call for Elliot to take them away. You only get three lives in the game but if you lose a life, you are all but guaranteed to lose again. Watch out for the scientist and the FBI agent. The scientist wants to study E.T. while trying to keep him away from going home. The FBI agent only steals the Reese Pieces.

As far as how the graphics look, then you have to remember that it was the Atari 2600. Its power is nowhere near what is seen today with today's video game consoles on the market.

You only have one button and if you see the symbols at the top of the screen, E.T. can perform special commands. It can even work to scare away the scientist and FBI agent but the good news is that one can

Review: This isn't a game that would be worth buying or even finding anywhere. The only reason to hold it is to say you have what could be considered one of the worst games ever made. To be fair, it was developed in six weeks and not much was going to be done about it. It is a good game? Not really because it just feels too much like an incomplete game. Had it been completed, perhaps the game would have gotten a bit better reviews than what it had gotten. It's a shame that such a game with so much potential got flushed drown the drain just to simply make a quick buck.

Legend: The major legend of the game is that it was buried in a New Mexico landfill. It probably did happen and wouldn't honestly be that surprising. The game itself wasn't something that would be considered a masterpiece but you would think it would be recycled for parts. This was considered the symbol of hatred and had the game been given the time, would it have been an excellent game? That will always be the question but you cannot go back in time to fix it. Because of this game, there is no confidence that a movie can be made into a good video game.

Finding Cheats for Your Most Challenging Nintendo Wii Games

The world of video games has certainly changed from what it was only 25 years ago. The games then seemed to have a common pattern to them. As you completed one level you had to move on to the next. It was the same but harder and maybe even faster than before. Today there are quite a few differences from one level to the next. It can be very frustrating when you aren’t able to master certain levels of games.

It may not be too bad if you are only playing at home alone or against a couple of friends. Yet if you are playing online against multiple people you want to have every advantage you can. Knowing where certain items are hidden as well as what combination of buttons is going to give you something extra is very important. You can find all of answers to these issues for your various Nintendo Wii games with the cheats.

There are books you can buy that have the tricks and cheats in them for every game that Nintendo makes. This is going to be your mini Bible for getting through these games. You can also go online to various websites to access them. Some of the sites will feature them for free while others want you to pay for a subscription or for that one time information. Do your best to get the information for free.

You can also get plenty of cheats from other Nintendo users on the various blogs, forums, and chat rooms scattered all over the internet. Of course you need to be willing to share your information too. Don’t be out there getting what you can without offering anything in return to others.

Many argue that these cheats out there though take the excitement out of the game. What happened to continuing to try until you figured it all out on your own? Many players have come to the conclusion though that there are too many variables that can take place. That is very true with most of the Nintendo games out there that are newer. So it can take you a very long time to master it all on your own.

Yet one argument is that these cheats teach children to rely on that information instead of logic. They aren’t taking the complex puzzle and breaking it down to get their own strategy in place. That used to be one of the benefits of video games as they were exercising the brain in that way. With the cheats though it is more like reading a manual of what to do when and then implementing it.

Still, there is a great deal of concentration and memorization that needs to take place to successfully use these cheats. You can’t play the game effectively if you have to stop and look at the cheats and then do them constantly in the game. You will have to decide for yourself if you want to work the game out on its own or go for the cheats.

Having them can prevent you from becoming frustrated though. Perhaps you have worked on the game for a while and can’t seem to get through a certain section. Looking up a particular cheat for that only won’t ruin the game for you. However, it will help you to get past that level and on to the many more left to conquer.

Baroque cheat codes for Wii

Baroque, a console role playing game that started off on the Playstation but put out for the Wii in April of 2008, was a mix of reviews. Some loved the idea of being able to switch from first to third person view, others lamented its poor gameplay. Love it or hate it, there are still some good cheats and unlockables for the Wii version of the game, if you know where to look.

Baroque Unlockables

Unlockables for the Wii game of Baroque are simple enough. You'll get certain things for doing certain things. Simple right?

Careless Death After you get above level two, you will need to die outside the Neuro tower.

Appraiser This is unlocked after you ID over 50 items.

Arrow Of Eros While you are in Lust Mode, you need to successfully finish the Neuron Tower.

Cat Fan You will have to use the cat torturer three times on one floor to get this.

Cat Lover You will have to use the cat torturer six times on one floor to get this.

Reverse Disk Champ You will get this unlocked once you get Reverse Disk Dungeon unlocked.

Rotten Champ You get this when you've mastered the Rotten Dungeon.

Screaming Tower Enter the Neuro Tower. Keep doing it til you've done it 100 times more.

Frugal Champ Complete the Frugal Dungeon.

Hell Champ You need to finish up the Hell Dungeon.

Hunger Champ Finish up the Hunger Dungeon.

Box bOx boX BOX Two ways to get this; die while holding more than 15 types of boxes, or you can complete the Neuro tower.

Bomber Using the explosive brand, purify over 50 Meta-beings.

Broken Doll Watch "Consciousness Simulation End VV"

Bug Nurturer Raise ten Larva and have them grown into another parasite for this one.

Trap Champ You need to finish the Trap dungeon.

Unforgettable Have a talk with a specific phantom brother.

Unfortunate Death You have to die from a Meta-being stepping on a disk.

Useless Without doing a thing in the outer world, die.

Self Reliant Without using a single consciousness orb, reach the lowest level.

Serial Thrower Throw over 100 items.

Shadow Boxer Without hitting anything, swing a sword 100 or more times.

Vacant Coffin You need to finish all the training dungeons.

Skeleton Man You will need to finish Neuro Tower or die while holding more than 15 types of bones.

Special Hunter Complete Neuro Tower after you purify over 300 Meta-beings by sword.

Sword's Miracle With a sword, land 5 consecutive critical hits.

The World's Tears Find

Games And Fitness In A Bundle

The Wii Nintendo revolution continues with some amazing product line up. The aim for company is to generate gaming interest for all generations. The Wii aims to get you out of the couch and onto exercising. All this while gaming was only standing but no exercise and Wii Fit has changed all that. The developers got the idea of a Wii Fit Balance Board while watching the Sumo wrestlers do the weigh-ins.

These sumo wrestlers are so heavy that the they use two scales to weigh both sides together. Same concept has been applied to the Wii Fit with the balance board which is dual scale and measures weight of the both the players, left and right side.

Wii has all sorts of physically interactive games which it has been trying to create and a generation ranging form three years olds to eight year olds have been busy lapping up its models. With the balance board it has now tried to combine exercise and gaming together to capture both the industries of games and fitness.

The Wii Fit and the Balance Board have about 40 activities including yoga, aerobics, strength and balance training.

There is an avatar called Mii which will tell you whether you are under or over weight and it will then try to create weight loss goals for you and you can then choose from a range of exercises to reach your goals.

Then there is a trainer which helps you get the exercises done correctly . For those who have never gone inside a gym this will be very helpful especially with the strength training and yoga modules.

There has been such a rush that old age homes and hospitals have been trying to get their hands on the Wii and it has been labeled as Wiihabilitation.
It is this aspect of the gaming system that has propelled it into the cult status and has left its competitiors far behind. In fact nobody thought that a simple blue tooth technology could result in such a gaming invention that entire nations are jostling to get their hands on the product.

You cannot cheat the system for sure so the best bet is to work hard on the Wii Fit and balance board and it will reward you with more and more advanced activities.

So rush to your nearby store and get your hands on the Balance Board and the Wii game so as to get the best out of gaming and fitness in a bundle.Enterpreneurs have set up shops ahere you can play Wii games and have bars set up around them.

Video game reviews: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence (Xbox 360, PC)

When video game developers at Ubisoft launched their series of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation video games, forensics fans everywhere were thrilled. Although molded after the popular television series, the fourth installment in the CSI video game series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence, fails to replicate the drama and suspense of the TV show.

In order to finish the game, players must solve five different cases. Unfortunately, none of the cases are as seemingly complex as they are on the show. Even still, players are required to enter the crime scene and investigate simply by walking around. In the computer version of the game, moving your cursor over different areas of the crime scene will allow you to reveal evidence. Gameplay is similar with the Xbox 360.

Once you have located the evidence, you simply click or press a button and your character will bag and examine the clue just like on the show. Forensics lovers are sure to be wowed by the detailed methods of examination and analysis, even including pictures of the various pieces of evidence (hair follicles, for example) in microscopic zoom.

The animation is relatively good, but definitely not amazing as some of the characters' facial features leave much to be desired. Another downside to CSI: Hard Evidence is the overall simplicity of the game. Even if you find the mystery-solving a bit difficult, the game offers players assistance in the form of CSI characters. Click on a character to ask for a hint. Otherwise, simply looking at the map is usually enough of an indicator as to what clues you have left undiscovered. When a crime scene has been investigated completely, and all clues have been uncovered, a checkmark appears over the scene, clearly indicating that all clues have been found. If you don't see a checkmark, you've left something behind, so simply go back and keep digging for more evidence.

Which is the better video game platform: Console or PC? – Part 1

The debate between the pc and console games has been raging for years. It is very hard to choose a side between the two, especially if you are a hardcore gamer like myself. There are both advantages and disadvantages for both systems. The pc has a lot better graphics than most consoles; they display color a lot better, as well as making figures look smoother and less block like. Pc enables you to adjust many display settings within a game and allows you to input cheats and codes to do certain things; this comes to be especially handy on games such as Oblivion: Elder Scrolls, where it has been reported (and I have experience myself) that paying this game on the PS3 can be a bit of a headache, with many missions freezing your game and not allowing you to continue the storyline, forcing you to restart the game and hope you don't make the same mistake; while on pc, a very handy feature is available, that allows you to enter into the game's data and alter its contents so in the event that you get frozen into one of these missions, you'd be able to input the data allowing you to continue further.

However, as handy the pc may be, my vote goes to the consoles, many systems that are being created now days have very handy features, from allowing you to surf the internet, to being able to read blu-ray disks. I find that the new games that are being recently released have amazing looking graphics and this goes for all 3 new consoles, PS3, Wii and the Xbox360. The variety of games offered to consoles well more than doubles those offered to the pc; more variety means more options and choices. Consoles have even been able to enable the use of MMOs, an option that only a few years back was only available to the pc, granting it even more points on the competition against the pc. True that some games that are being release for the newer consoles have a few bugs here and there but still the quality of the games are top notch with amazing graphics. In time, I believe the small problems developing games for these consoles will be solved and the bugs on games will significantly decrease, after all, these new consoles have not been out in the market very long so the developers aren't 100% comfortable with them yet. As I see the advances the console industry has had in such a short amount of time it makes me wonder if games on the pc will someday become a thing of the past.

Video game reviews: Sonic and the Secret Rings (WII) – Part 1

Gameplay: 8

Graphics: 9

Soundtrack: 7

Storyline: 7

Re-playability: 9

Overview:

Sonic and the Secret Rings gets back to what Sonic is all about: Speed. Sonic's last outings have fallen short of his potential due to a number of reasons, but Secret Rings makes a good attempt to bring Sonic back to his roots.

The controls are greatly simplified by the Wii remote. You hold it sideways, then tilt it to turn in either direction, thrust it forward to attack, and press 2 to jump (and if you need to, you can brake with 1). The motions are smooth and intuitive, and are a perfect fit for Wii (after playing for a while, you might get a case of Wii-elbow, though). Gameplay was great during running and jumping, but a few instances of platforming and literally making Sonic walk slowly backwards were annoying and detracted from my enjoyment of the game. Thankfully though, I didn't have to do those too much.

On a lighter note, the bosses were creative and fun, the camera rarely had any problems, and there were a few elements new to the world of Sonic that were a good fit. One of them was the skill rings. Sonic could gain experience and level up (similar to an RPG), then use the skill points to equip abilities to one of four rings. The abilities include ones that make you go faster, ones that give you more rings, ones that do more damage to enemies, and everything in between. Another cool addition was the soul guage and the two abilities that used it: speed and time break. They weren't needed that much, but it's always cool to whiz past enemies or slip through a spinning blade.

The game's storyline loosely follows stories from the Arabian Nights. As Sonic, you must enter the book to stop the evil Erazor Djin from absorbing the stories' power and breaking free into the real world. You are assisted by Shahra, the genie of the ring. The plot is more oriented towards a younger audience, but it doesn't really detract from the game. As you play through a series of missions in any of the eight worlds, comic-like cutscenes will help the story unfold. When it comes to missions, Only a small portion have any relevance to the story. The rest of them are a little disappointing because they just tack on new objectives as you run through the same level 3-4 times. The scenery is very detailed and fits the game's theme well. You'll even find yourself paying more attention to it than to your objective at times. The music is best described as rock with a middle-eastern flair. It was fairly fitting, but I wasn't really a fan of it. (It also didn't help that the lyrics were geared towards a younger audience).

One of my favorite things about this game is it's replayability factor. Trying to get a gold medal and find all three fire souls in each level is madness, and for completion freaks, could suck away hours of your life. Although it isn't necessary, it really is addictive. In addition, there is a party mode, complete with 40 multiplayer games. If you're a fan of party games, you'll love it, but to me, most of the games were sub-par and it felt tacked-on. I would have much preferred multiplayer racing to a frantic boat-rowing contest.

Bottom Line:

By far the best Sonic game in recent years, but it didn't live up to the blue hedgehog's debut adventure or my expectations. If you're a big Sonic fan, buy it. If not, it's definitely worth the 8 bucks to rent it.

More stress than sincerity: Should we reconsider the way we celebrate holidays

The holidays infiltrate our lives like pests, infesting our radios, televisions and shopping centers. These holidays, especially Christmas, have become increasingly noxious by stressing us out, costing us too much money and distracting us from any real meaning for the holidays.

'Tis the season to be jolly. But if you get between me and the last Nintendo Wii, you'll be sorry. 'Tis time to look at the holidays we celebrate. 'Tis time to consider whether these holidays should be scrapped because they have lost their meaning or are insensitive to the situations of many Americans. 'Tis time to consider new holidays.

The Bear Orchestra starts serenading Cross Creek Mall shoppers with Christmas carols in October before Halloween or Thanksgiving. The bears with their jerky movements and songs about Santa watching you while you sleep are creepy, but they do not belong in the mall before the annual trick-or-treat event. And where is someone in a turkey costume to take pictures with little children in celebration of Thanksgiving? Turkeys don't give presents. Santa does. End of story. The ravenous hunt for gifts, battle for newest electronics and stampede for best sales are what has become of Christmas. While this frenzied consumerism drags on for three months, the holiday season loses any true sentiments of peace, love and joy. It is all so exhausting. Fa la la la la becomes blah blah blah blah.

Thanksgiving is a holiday ironically juxtaposed with Christmas and also overshadowed by it. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a holiday about being thankful for what we have. Awww. Isn't that sweet? The truth is that Thanksgiving has been reduced to a day of eating too much, watching football and sleeping once the triptophan has set in. Let us be thankful for all of the turkeys killed and high-definition televisions bought. Thanksgiving is scarcely over when early birds are rising at 4:00 a.m. to hit the sales. Black Friday sounds ominous, doesn't it? As a mall employee, I have witnessed the bedlam that is Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. Time for being grateful for what we have is over. It is now time to trample, fight and cheat other people to get more "stuff" to be thankful for. It is time for people to camp outside of Best Buy to buy the new Playstation and sell it on E-Bay for much more than they paid. 'Tis the season for giving - or extorting parents with children whose Christmas will not be complete without a PS3 under the tree.

Best video games of 2008 – Part 1

My boyfriend and I eventually gave in and bought ourselves a Wii about 6 months ago. Then, on my birthday back in May, my parents bought me the Wii Fit. Since then, we have used it most evenings and have had an awful lot of fun using it.

What Is A Wii Fit?

A Wii Fit is sort of like a fitness game which is used in conjunction with the Wii Games Console. There is the usual disc which you insert into the Wii console and also a 'Balance Board' which is just like a set of weighing scales. You need to stand on the balance board for the various exercises and games that you will take part in. The balance board is slightly different from a normal set of weighing scales because as well as being able to measure you weight, it can also judge how much weight you place on each foot and where you centre of gravity (COG) is. From all this information, it is able to tell you how you can improve your posture.

Setting Up The Wii Fit

Setting up the Wii Fit is really easy as you can literally take it straight from the box and get going. All you need to do is put the batteries into the back of it (batteries are included in kit) and press the Power button and you can begin your fun and games.

Setting Up A Mii

Each person who uses the Wii Fit can set up a Mii, which is basically a user file which is stored on the Wii. For this you need to input various details such as height, date of birth etc. Then, every time you use the Wii Fit, you click on your own personal Mii and all your user data will be stored here so you are easily able to keep track of any weight loss/gain and the various exercises you have taken part in. If you would like to keep your user information such as your weight a secret, then you can actually password protect your Mii which I thought was quite a good option!

The Body Test - Wii Fit Age

In this section you can have your Body Mass Index (BMI) checked, take part on a Body Test and afterwards you will be presented with a 'Wii Fit Age' which is basically the Wii console guessing your age based on how well you have done in the Body Test. When you select the body test, you need to stand still on the balance board while it takes your various measurements and judges how much weight you place on each leg. Afterwards, you are told about your centre of gravity (COG), how equally balanced you are, your current weight and what your current BMI is. You are then told if you have gained or lost weight since the last time you took a Body Test. From here, you can

Video game reviews: Singstar

Warning: If you are uptight about noise in your house, or you have a partner or children and are thinking of getting Singstar for their birthday - DON'T!

It has to be said, Singstar isn't for a quiet house; which is one reason why my house isn't exactly loved in my street.

When my little sister got Singstar for her birthday, I thought that's it. No more lie-ins, no more early nights. And there weren't so instead I thought, "If you can't beat them, join them."

Oh the fun we've had playing one video game. The actual game itself can be bought for both PS2 and PS3 at around $70 at most video game and department stores. Which ever games console you own - I can guarantee you will have unlimited hours of fun singing till your heart's content.

From the geniuses behind the EyeToy, Sony Studio have created this high-tech video game carefully so that its players don't even have to leave the vicinity of their own homes. Whatever the occasion; Birthday, House Party, Sleepover, Wedding... Wake, Singstar is sure to lighten the hearts of its players and their fans.

What amazes me is the number of additional games you are able to buy to go with your Singstar microphones. Singstar: 90s, Popworld, Rock Ballads, 80s, Legends, Anthems and many, many more. It doesn't really matter how eclectic your music taste is because you are bound to find that special song that starts you humming; then you move your lips and before you know it you're singing you heart out, deafening everyone sitting near you. Obviously they are either singing along or crying through tears of laughter. But it doesn't really matter because this game brings people together.

If you're like me and are very competitive, you can battle against a friend in the party mode. If you're a shy songstress, select the solo mode and your away!

As you warble into the USB microphone, the groundbreaking technology analyzes every pitch, beat and tone and compares it to that of the song being sung. After the song has finished (and everyone has applauded, of course) Singstar will give you feedback and tell you how badly you have done. Not only that but it comes with mini-games, one being like ping-pong but have to make either a high-pitched noise or a low-pitched noise dependent on the direction you wish to go.

Let me be honest, I admit that before Singstar I was slightly tone-deaf. Now I'm the lead singer of a folk band based in Birmingham. A practice of Singstar a day helps to keep the rain away.

Oiling the cogs: Gaming peripherals play the unsung heroes

Mind-blowing graphics and complex storylines can have gamers captivated for hours at their consoles. Keeping these bad boys running at full hilt is vital, and there are peripherals that do the trick. Whether it’s cooling down the system or charging up the controllers, video game peripherals play an important role for the diehard gamer. video game accessories like batteries, headsets, chargers are a big business now-a-days.

Gaming peripherals are not eye candy – a gaming storage rack holds over twenty game discs, keeping them handy, arranged and safe. Disc skins are the surest way of protecting DVD, HD Blu-Ray, video game and music discs from scratches and moisture. If disc safety is a concern, then protection for the gaming console is essential. The air cooling system will keep a console purring after hours of gaming, while a cool bling kit can add that style quotient to any console, making it as pimped out as the gamer.

A constant fear for any handheld gamer is running out of battery juice. There are loads of options like the Xbox 360 batteries, the Nintendo DS batteries and GameBoy Advance chargers. The coolest would have to be the Charger Grip for the PSP which adds 10 hours of extra playing time and feels like a natural extension to the console. On the road, a car adapter for charging is a great option when taking long trips. Wireless controllers for the heavyweights, the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the Wii, eventually need a recharge and a charging dock or station coupled with a power kit is the only way to go.

Keeping a mean gaming machine clean and dust-free is no joking matter. A designer cover can add a personalized touch to a video game console, with the added benefit of safety if ever it’s to be lugged around. If the vanilla color scheme seems uninteresting, video game coversPS3 skins, Xbox 360 covers and Wii skins add a dash of style, color and fun. Console organizers and carry cases are essential if the gaming console is to be transported safely.

Gaming can be intense and difficult at times, with baffling levels of strategy and multitudes of monsters ready to do battle. A cheat system allows the gamer to be in control at the toughest of times. Dev kits, as these systems like the Xbox 360 cheat system, are sometimes called, will allow the gamer to control all aspects of the game.

About the Author:
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Video game reviews: Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3) – Part 1

Rock Band is the newest popular video game that makes people think they're rock stars. It is a bigger and better version of Guitar Hero and all its offspring because it has all the elements of a good rock band. You can play the guitar or the bass (using the same instrument, of course), you can sing, or you can play the drums.

The game allows you to play with any number of people. You can play your favorite instrument alone or you can have friends over and jam out. On the Xbox, you can create characters, so your band in the game actually looks like you! You can also choose to use already made characters. Once you have your band mates, you can name yourselves and start playing.

These non-traditional video games never have as much staying power as your Grand Theft Autos or your Halos, because it isn't a long complicated mission. You can tour with your band and earn money by playing songs, but at the end of the day, you're still doing the exact same thing over and over. Even though, there are different instruments to play with and master, it will eventually get boring like all Guitar Hero games do.

The best instrument out of the three is definitely the drums. This is the first time drums have been part of a game like this. The guitar games have been around along with karaoke games like Singstar and American Idol that allow you to sing using your game console. But the drums is truly new and innovative. It's also the gaming instrument that best resembles the real instrument. Many drummers will tell you that practicing on Rock Band helps you with real drums. It's actually not unlike electric drum sets.

You can try to play real guitar after mastering the video game guitar but you're going to fail. It would be interesting to see if they develop more realistic guitars in the future. As far as gameplay goes, you can't get much variety from the different instruments. And although it's a lot of fun at first, you get bored of it easily.

You can only play different things if you advance to hard and expert levels and doing that requires really learning the instrument like you would real guitar or bass. And if you're putting that much effort into it, why not just learn to play the real thing?

Game reviews: Wii Sports – Part 5

Wii Sports is a pack of five games that you get for free when buying your Wii console. Although the graphics are not spectacular, they can provide the user some hours of entertainment while also getting the hang of the Wiimote (in order to get him prepared for playing those more expensive and more difficult games).

The games are as follows:

Tennis - the player swings the remote as if it were a tennis racket. The moves of the characters on the court are controlled by the console, so hitting the ball is practically the player's only concern.

Bowling - the player has to lift the remote on his shoulder while holding the B-button (as he would have lifted a real bowling ball) and then swing it forward while releasing the button in order to actually throw the on-screen ball

Golf - the player holds and swings the remote as he would have with a real golf club. There are nine golf fields in total, some of them involving water.

Baseball - the player holds the wiimote as a bat, swinging it when appropriate in order to hit the ball. If two people play the game, one of them is the pitcher, meaning he should imitate with the hand holding the remote the movements done when pitching. There are four types of pitches (screwball, curveball, splitter and fastball), depending on whether the buttons A and B have been pressed or not.

Box - this game also uses the Nunchuk, held in the opposite hand with the wiimote. The player makes similar movements to box players, hitting its opponent or protecting himself by keeping both objects at the level of his eyes.

There are also two extra modes, Training and Fitness. The Training mode gives you some sorts of missions (related to the five games of course) to accomplish in order to get better acquainted with the games of simply hone your skills. The Fitness mode gives you the same kind of challenges, only it records your speed, stamina and balance. It will then give you a "fitness age" (between 20 and 80) to show your fitness level.

Wii Sports are said to help weight loss, a number of sites on the 'net having actually calculated how many calories you lose while playing each of the games. An article recently published states that "Last month, a U.K. study suggested gamers using the Wii Sports game burn more than 1,800 calories over 12 hours of play, the average time gamers spend playing every week." (which is a pretty neat number).

Video game reviews: Fatal/Fake (PC)

Ever since the end of my middle school year (eighth grade) I have been an avid fan of both 2D and 3D fighting games. Ever since 2005, I have looked into these games called Japanese "doujin softs."

These games are created by groups of Japanese game and anime hobbyists called doujins. Those doujin soft titles are based usually off of works of Japanese anime, manga, and other video games. The doujin soft scene is incredibly popular in Japan

as a result. Perhaps these doujins are the future of Japan's video game industry. They put in a serious amount of time, work, and effort into making these titles.

For doujin soft titles, they play extremely decent most of the time. Many of the best games I have seen so far are actually doujin soft titles.

Japan's mainstream video game industry is taking note and keeping a close eye. They have found their future programmers and artists. One of the games I decided to check out is called "Fatal/Fake." It is hard to find a place to buy a copy.

However, there are certain places in which you can download a free copy of this 3D doujin soft fighter game. For a 3D fighting game, Fatal/Fake plays very decently.

The graphics were sharp but easy on my laptop's video card. That was one plus for me. The game play also flowed smoothly. It was another major plus for me. The graphics looked to be cleaner that certain 3D fighting games such as "Street Fighter EX." The graphics seemed to be on par with Capcom's other 3D fighting game series "Rival Schools."

So far, Fatal/Fake plays like a mainstream fighting game. You can press a button and have the command list for your selected character come up. It is a good way for you to practice certain moves and combination attacks. This is another way that these doujins are taking their game creation very seriously. Unfortunately, the language is all in Japanese. You will probably have to look for a program patch that translates everything into English. For those that do not know Japanese, it will be extremely difficult to understand the text.

However, you can still play the game if Windows is set to also read East Asian dialect.

The stages of Fatal/Fake are fully rendered in 3D. It gives the game play of Fatal/Fake a full 3D feel. The background stages look professionally done. They are really clean and sharp. Unfortunately, it looks like the stages are devoid of any life. As a result, the stages do look a bit dull.

However, it should not detract to the exciting and challenging game play. This game is very balanced at best. This is a game I will keep on my computer. Fatal/Fake does a good job of keeping true to the elements and concepts of the Fate/Stay Night series.

On a downside, there are only eight characters to choose from: Caster, Lancer, Rider, Saber, Archer, Gilgamesh, Assassin, and Berserker. However, it should be understandable that it is not easy creating game sprites. It takes months to at least a year to create one character. Overall, Fatal/Fake is a very decent 3D fighting game.

Which video game console is better: PlayStation 3 or Wii? – Part 28

Hi, well I would say that the Wii is a better game console, than play station 3. I think this because with using the Wii, your playing console games while excising. And considering the UK and USA are having extremely bad obese problems its another way of exercising - thats fun!

Trying to get an obese child to do exercise can be hard so if you give them a Wii they will be able to play games but with out realising keeping fit at the same time. The Wii fit has also now been invented which again is another big boost to keeping fit and healthy as it is like your own personal trainer. A good game is Wii sports, my reasons for this are it is a very fun addicting game but you get lots of exercise and it can be very energetic. The boxing game on Wii sports is a very good one because, you are getting lots of arm movement, also you do get very in to it and enjoy getting to the next level. You get to use both arms and have the feeling of boxing; difference is you don't actually get hurt. And if you think about it you can get basically the same style games on the Wii as you can play station 3, and at least with the Wii your arms are getting some extra movement. Another good quality about the Wii is that it isn't too much money, and well if you think about it your getting a fantastic game console, a way to help keep you fit and healthy, a thing to use with your friends, and finally its also just an enjoyable boredom breaker.

The problems with play station 3 is , yes Ok maybe it does have good graphics and has some good games, but all you do is sit there with your control pressing buttons , which is very lazy and i assume wouldn't be very good for your fingers if you do it all the time. I mean they have invented wireless controllers for play station 3 but what use is that if your not playing with them, then all they will do is get lost and then if you are playing with them, then you are obviously going to be in front of the screen so why do they need to be wireless? Its not like your going to be playing from a different room seen as you wont be able to see the screen !

Another good thing about the Wii is it is different! There are so many things like play station 3 out in the market now. There is play station 1 , play station 2 , xbox , xbox 360 and Nintendo family edition. But there is nothing like the Wii. To be honest , maybe your preference is play station 3 rather than the Wii , but all in all, I think the Wii has a lot more plus sides than the play station 3 has.

Thanks.

Video game reviews: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) – Part 2

After being delayed two times, Nintendo has finally released their most anticipated game for the first quarter of 2008. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment of this video game series which places Nintendo's original characters in battles, however, in this sequel two third party developers have joined in on the action.

This game has received good reviews all over the world, and sold over 1.4 million copies each in Japan and America according to Wikipedia. Does this game really live up to all the hype, and could it possibily live up to the magic Nintendo created in past games of the series?

Either way lets just skip all the talk and get started on the good, the bad, and the ugly. Being one of the greatest games on ther Wii, people assume that this game isn't all that impressive, however fans of the series would beg to differ.

Pros

After trying several game play modes in this game, I didn't finding hardly anything bad about the game. Nintendo has once again created a masterpiece that will be remembered for years to come. What is so amazing about this game you ask? For the most part it's different, let me explain.

Even though it uses the characters most of has have come to know and love, the game play that you experience in Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of a kind. It's a fighting game but it bends the rules a bit, with more attention being set on knocking your opponent out of the ring. Nintendo offers gamers a good fun family gaming experience with this one folks, and I'm not even getting started yet.

There is thirty five playable characters, and several of those have the ability to morph, thus creating different play styles. Have to admit, I was very excited about Snake and Sonic being featured in this game, there were rumors that the creator of Metal Gear Solid begged Nintendo to feature Solid Snake in the game.

One of the best things about this game, is how you can use a Gamecube controller, a classic controller, a Wii remote, or a Nunchuk controller. This allows for four different controller configurations, it's impressive just how much detail Nintendo put into this game.

Have a Wi-Fi spot in your house? You can play Super Smash Bros. Brawl online verses up to four players at a time. You can even taunt other players, which is every funny I might add. You can even take screen-shots of other players match's, and play mini games while you wait to join a game.

Finally, the single player in this game is very extensive. It's called The Subspace

Online video game reviews: Darkside Arklight 2

I grew up on the "Old School" gaming, and i think that is why I actually liked Darside Arklight 2 brought to by Pi Eye Games, developers of Darkside Arklight 2, (www.pieyegames.com). Being all grown up now, I must say I am not really into video games with the exception of a few glances at the television screen, just to see what my boys mind' are being controlled by, but this game hooked me.

Darkside Arklight 2 had me wondering when I missed Darkside Arklight 1? Well that is OK, because now I will be playing this game enough to make up for part 1 and possibly a part 3 (Which I see on the horizon). It has a very familiar feel to it, somewhat like the old days of playing Asteroids on my old Atari system. It does not seem to be a very complex game but that is what makes it so appealing, the fact that anyone can play, and get good!

Now days, it is hard to find great video games of the past, they are all blood, dying, battle or convicts killing the good guys, it is very discouraging for the parent especially because it is essentially up to us (parents) to monitor what are kid's are watching on TV, playing on video games or listening to on their ipod's. Darkside Arklight 2 has the catchy name kid's love, but game content that parent's can love.

Now on the technical side of things, the graphics are phenomenal, the sound fantastic and the overall point system fabulous! To me, the difficulty level is clearly understood and is a great game for the "just starting out" gamer to even the experienced and seasoned gamer. The Lazer Pod, which destroys everything in its path is something I would love to have in my car, for all these Los Angeles drivers we have! But because that will never happen, I will settle for playing online as often as I can.

Darkside Arklight 2 is a definite for our game collection and we are eagerly waiting for Darkside Arklight 3, so get busy Pi Eye games, may the force be with you in completing this task! I truly believe they are on to something miaculous in the gaming world, so they get a big two thumbs up from me. It is refreshing to come across games that I don't mind my chldren playing but also games that they want to play, it is a win, win for all.

Top 10 hardest video games of all time

I've been playing video games almost my whole life and have come across my fair share of hard games. Here are a few I've encountered which have almost had me screaming with frustration!

1) Lara Croft : Angel of Darkness (PS2)

I played this game when I was young on the PS2 with a walkthrough book, (there weren't internet walkthroughs then), and STILL didn't manage to complete the game! God only knows how someone could get through this without expert help! For one thing, there is the lack of ammunition and weapons, Lara is usually left to beat up policemen with her bare fists, not easy when they are all heavily armed with firearms! Next, there's the never ending maze of backstreets/warehouses/derelic t apartments to find your way through, usually looking for something tiny which you'd need a magnifying glass to see without a big screen TV. I still haven't beaten this game and probably never will!

2) Prince of Persia - The Two Thrones (PS2)/Rival Swords (Wii)

The Sands of Time (The first ever Prince of Persia game) was, although brilliant for it's time, particularly easy. This is probably why after The Warrior Within, the second game, the game became EXTREMELY hard! The Two Thrones (or Rival Swords) begins with the Prince returning to his kingdom after defeating the Sand Queen, only to find it in ruins with buffalo-like creatures capturing the citizens and putting them in an arena with a giant mutant ... Thing. The prince finds himself fighting for survival in his land, all the time travelling to the palace to find 'The Vaseer'. He is faced with unbelievable boss battles and mind stretching puzzles. The slightest wrong move on your controller could send him plumetting to his death, this is one HARD game!

3) The Sims 2 (PC) WITHOUT CHEATS!

The Sims 2 is not an action game, more of a creative one. Basically, players have to build houses for their 'sims' and make lives for them with careers, children and alien invasions. Unfortunately, this is never an easy affair (when not using cheats) and without and undo or rewind button, players are left feeling frustrated and ready to put their fists through the computer screen!

4) New Super Mario Bros (DS)

Although this is a kids game, it isn't half hard! Like in the traditional game, cute little Mario has to battle his way through 8 different worlds, only this time there are several twists. Mario has two find three big stars in each level in order to move onto bonus games, and the stars are hidden quite well

Personal fitness 2009: Trends, equipment, new directions – Part 2

The economic collapse will have a profound impact on every aspect of our lives in 2009, including personal fitness trends. It's safe to say that there will more emphasis on bottom lines and less on waist lines .This will lead more of us to try and get fit on the cheap.

Not a Good Year Some

While many of us will hold on to that gym membership card until they pry our lifeless fingers off it, lower discretionary income will affect some sectors. This will be a very tough time to be a personal trainer or own a workout facility. Downsizing, layoffs, and foreclosures will make most of us forgo the gym and try to work off those pounds and that anxiety at home or on the neighborhood jogging track. The national weight loss and nutrition companies will also be pinched.

Active Gaming Will Take Off

As people stay home, this "cocooning "will encourage a fitness trend that started a few years ago. Active Gaming, also called "exergaming," takes the incredible popularity of computer console and online gaming and combines it with aerobic exercise.

Some of the most popular products in the Active Gaming category include: Wii, GameBike and Dance Dance Revolution.

As usual, the kids were the first to discover just how cool these products are. Now mom, dad and even grandparents are getting in on the deal. What drives this popularity? In the every case the equipment is connected to a gaming system and this system will only operate with physical exertion from the player. Lots of families have the gaming consoles and adding the additional equipment is inexpensive.

The Wii console system (about $250) has become the leader in the active gaming category. The premise is simple. Sports scenes are flashed on the screen and the players of the game have small controllers to enable them to participate in the game. Baseball, golf, bowling and more sports are all a part of the Wii console.

In the case of GameBike (home version $350), the player is seated on a modified stationary bicycle which is plugged in to a Sony Playstation or Xbox gaming console. The bike has a patented steering mechanism that allows the player to steer through the "chase" game on the screen. Plus, the faster the player pedals, the faster his character on the screen goes.

Dance Dance Revolution (from $50 to $1,500) which started as an arcade game will gain even more popularity . This game is basically a 3 foot by 3 foot square with sensors on each square. Using DDR software games, the player is challenged to follow

Is the lack of broadband connectivity really an issue for low

Although the Internet is a useful tool, a broadband connection is not a necessity, especially for the nation's lower income households. Using 56k dial-up or 112k ISDN, the vast majority of useful content on the Internet can still be accessed. Blogs, stock trading, shopping, e-mail, news, weather, forums, and on-line freelance writing websites can all be used with a non broadband modem with no problem. As long as low-income communities can access these key features, they won't be at a loss for Internet content.

In fact, there are only a couple of Internet activities that require a broadband connection, and none of them are preventing the country's poor from reaching the upper echelons of society:

1. 3D on-line gaming requires fast connection speeds to ensure instant communication and quick reflexes. This venue is largely irrelevant to the nation's lower wage-earners, since building a gaming computer costs thousands of dollars to begin with. Also, considering the number of offline games available for home cheaper home consoles like the Wii and XBox, on-line gaming is not exactly sorely missing from low income households.

2. High Definition Video streams can offer TV shows and other content, most of which can be purchased in stores or simply watched on television. These services are a luxury at best, just like twitch-action on-line gaming.

3. Torrent and Peer-to-peer file-shares allow computer users to share and download large files over the Internet. However, the majority of this activity is used to pirate software, movies, and games; the rest of the file-share bandwidth is used for pornography, and is also largely illegally pirated. If there's anything lower income communities need less, it's crime.

4. Just plain doing things faster: Broadband offers large speed increases of all Internet activity, but with the exception of the extravagant items listed above, this speed is not "necessary." Sure a blazing connection is nice, but there are tons of tools like FasterFox, Google Desktop, and various browser plug-ins that "cheat" one's browser into surfing the web faster, especially on narrow-band connections.

Taking advantage of many of these luxury services and buying the requisite equipment (such as 3D processors for gaming, or high-definition monitors to view the HD streaming video), are quite expensive. The last thing that those who have little wealth need to do is squander their funds on rapidly-depreciating computer accessories. These dollars would be better spent on college tuition, mortgage payments, or medical care.

So although broadband is a fun distraction, none of what it offers over dial-up should be a priority to the nation's economically disadvantaged. All of the "important" services available on the Internet can be accessed for next to nothing on a standard modem line. Everything else is either fluff, illegal, or expensive.

Personal fitness 2009: Trends, equipment, new directions – Part 1

When the calendar ticks over into a new year, the resolutions begin. Many resolutions revolve around health and fitness, but along with those resolutions come the excuses. "Exercise is boring." "A gym membership costs too much." The same old excuses about the same old resolutions.

Why not make 2009 different? Find something enjoyable and affordable, and stick with it. Whether you prefer to exercise at home or at the gym, here are some current fitness trends to consider.

>Exercising At Home<

In the current economy, paying for unused gym memberships is just not an option. Luckily, the available choices for exercising at home keep growing.

*Games

Yes, games. Wii Fit, Wii Sports and other fitness games aim to make exercise fun again. Enjoy a variety of exercise routines, play tennis or go bowling, all without leaving your home.

The Wii console ships with everything you need to get started; it includes a controller, a nunchuk, and a copy of Wii Sports. Wii Fit, bundled with the Wii balance board, is sold separately and includes many of your favorite exercise routines. Additional controllers and nunchuks are also available, so family and friends can join in the fitness fun.

The "Wii console package costs anywhere from $300 to $400, depending on the reseller. The Wii Fit bundle averages from $80 to $150. It's not cheap, but in the long run it's cheaper than an unused gym membership.

* Videos/Personalized Fitness

Exercise videos are hot again. But these are not your parent's workout tapes. Today you can create your own customized routines by downloading individual videos from your favorite trainers. Many trainers offer some videos free on their websites.

Other websites, like Fitness.com or Gimme20, offer memberships for personalized health and fitness information. Most also have community forums where you can share advice with others struggling with the same fitness issues you face. Some sites are free, while others offer a paid option. Check out the "Fitness Websites Directoryss to find fitness sites specializing in your preferred exercises.

* Kettlebells

This 300-year-old workout, developed by Russian strongmen, exploded onto the fitness scene in 2008. It's easy to see why. The workout is low-impact and efficient, offering cardio, strength and flexibility in one easy workout. Even better, once you learn the basic moves, you can

Cyber Monday Starcraft 2 Deal

Cyber Monday Starcraft 2 Deal: The very popular hard hitting, fast paced action game is one of the most sought after games by PC gamers all over the world.  It has earned it's own huge following and keeps growing by leaps and bounds.  Starcraft 2 keeps you on the edge of your sit.  Beautiful 3-D graphics and supports multi-player gaming.  Can't wait until I get mine this weekend!  See our Cyber Monday Starcraft 2 Deal below.

Cyber Monday Dance Star Mickey Deals

Cyber Monday Dance Star Mickey Deals: Grooving to 6 different songs with styles that include the sounds of Disco, Latin techno, and the Moonwalk. Dance Star Mickey is also loaded with interactive games that will have children and parents laughing and dancing together.  We decided to add this one to our website because our kids love it so much!  Great little bundle of fun for you and you kids.  See our Cyber Monday Dance Star Mickey Deals below.

Cyber Monday Playstation 3 Move Bundles

Cyber Monday Playstation 3 Move Bundles:  You can do so much with the PlayStation Move that this is such an incredible system.  The PlayStation Move takes your gaming experience to a whole new level. It supports CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R formats.  It's just and amazing gaming system and so much more!  To see all Playstation consoles for sale click this link-->>Playstation Consoles For Sale.  But, of course you came to see the Cyber Monday Playstation 3 Move Bundles below.

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Cyber Monday Wii Deals Red

Cyber Monday Wii Deals Red:  This Limited Edition console comes with Red Wii Console, Red Wii Remote Plus & Red Nunchuk, New Super Mario Brothers Video Game and the Wii Sports Video Game.  This is a Wii bundle that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else.  Since this is a limited edition, you won't be able to find them anymore very soon.  This will be one of the best prices you can find on this console.  Check it out below or click the link to see all-->>Wii Consoles for Sale.   Get your Cyber Monday Wii Deals Red right here!

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Nintendo Wii Console With Mario Kart Bundle Discounts

Nintendo Wii Console With Mario Kart Bundle Discounts:  Wii Mario Kart, One Wii Remote Plus controller, One Nunchuk controller, Sensor Bar, Standard composite cable, Power-cord Features Controls.  The familiarity of a TV remote, combined with motion-sensing technology makes for a seamless experience.  Games - Experience hundreds of games for the Wii console.  We're showing the black model below but, don't forget, you can also get in it in white.  So find the best Nintendo Wii Console With Mario Kart Bundle Discounts here!

Wii Fit Plus Holiday Bundle

Wii Fit Plus Holiday Bundle:  The great thing about the Wii Fit Plus is you can input the amount of time you want to spend on your workout or select an area for your personal improvement and the Wii Fit Plus will suggest a number of diverse activities for you to do.  For the first time, users can mix and match which strength and yoga activities they prefer on any given day. The seamless exercise flows make it easier than ever for you to maintain your daily workout routines.  You might be asked to run an obstacle course across a series of platforms, zoom across a beach on a Segway x2 Personal Transporter or flap their arms to help their hilarious chicken-suited characters aim for targets.  Whatever you choose, you can bet you'll have fun and stay in shape with this.  See our Wii Fit Plus Holiday Bundle below:

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Online video game reviews: Democracy 2

I'll admit I'm a bit of a video game fanatic. Not just any video games though, I'm not big on shoot em'ups and that nonsense. I like games where you have to think and strategize. In comes, Democracy 2, a game in which you get to run your own country. You get to decide policy and try to create your own little utopia. Oh brother did this sound like heaven to me!

I downloaded the trial version. Once the trial version was loaded I opened the game and viewed the instructions on how to play. The instructions are numerous and probably a bit too much. They are necessary though, don't think you can download the game and skip the "how-to"; it's just that they could do better with a tutorial that got you into game play a bit faster.

The game board itself is pretty busy. Quite naturally, there are a million things to consider when running a country and the game board of Democracy 2 tries to give you the whole million in the form of little circular disks that link to other circular disks. These disks represent areas of concern, like hospital overcrowding, taxes, crime, etc. Each disk represents these areas sort of like a traffic sign except it's not exactly as clear. As you hover over the disk the information on that disk will display as well as the links that issue has to other issues. Some of these issues are "hot" and are highlighted in red; they require the gamer's immediate attention. What you are able to do about these issues is governed by how much political capital you have.

Political capital is the real motivator of the game. There are many options available to correct problems or address issues, but if you don't have the political capital, you won't be able to implement your policy changes. How you gain capital is by turns, you start out with 14 points if you do not use these the next "turn" you'll gain another 14. The capital you gain comes from your ministers of which you have 7 they begin with 2 points capital each. There is an arrow icon at the top right of the screen which you'll need to select to take the next turn.

I think it's almost unfair to write a review of this game based on the trial version. I can tell you that the trial version did not make me want to buy this game, in fact just the opposite I wanted to immediately remove the game from my computer. The problems with the game are few but pretty critical. The trial version is entirely too short, ridiculously so in fact. In order to make policy changes one needs to

Cyber Monday Kinect Sensor With Kinect Adventures – Save $50

Cyber Monday Kinect Sensor With Kinect Adventures:  Save $50 dollars today only!  Gunstringer and Fruit Ninja included!  Kinect™ for Xbox 360® has games you can really get into.  For a limited time, so you can experience gaming like never before. A fully immersed experience with nothing between you and the game, now you can serve up justice with one bullet at a time with The Gunstringer and join the epic battle against the world’s most delicious produce in Fruit Ninja Kinect. With the Kinect for Xbox 360, there are no limits to the way you can play.  View the Cyber Monday Kinect Sensor with Kinect Adventures below.

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PSP 3000 Cyber Monday Sale – Save $30 Today Only!

PSP 3000 Cyber Monday Sale: The latest Playstation Portable revision, the PSP-3000, has everything the older PSPs had but now includes a built-in microphone, which lets you take advantage of voice features in some games as well as the PSP's built-in Skype functionality without having to use a headset.  Get it with the entertainment bundle or the sports bundle also!

The PSP-3000 PlayStation Portable offers a beautiful screen that is brighter than ever, giving you a multitude of entertainment options on the go. Play games, listen to music, connect to the Internet, watch movies, and do more, all in a sleek compact package that you can easily bring with you wherever you go.  Check out our PSP 3000 Cyber Monday sale here.

The PSP 3000 Cyber Monday sale of course, ends today!

Cyber Monday Wii Fit Plus Balance Boards

Cyber Monday Wii Fit Plus Balance Boards: The Wii Fit Plus Bundle includes the game software and the Wii Balance Board.  For the first time, users can mix and match which strength and yoga activities you prefer on a given day. The seamless exercise flows make it easier than ever for users to maintain their daily workout routines.  The range of games and customization options will make players want to play every day. They'll be having so much fun that your workouts will seem to fly by in no time at all.  Don't you want to get fit in a fun way?  This only comes around once a year!  Our Cyber Monday Wii Fit Plus Balance Boards.

Don't miss our Cyber Monday Wii Fit Plus Balance Boards sale!

Black Friday uDraw Deals

Black Friday uDraw Deals: The uDraw Tablet lets kids have hours of fun on the Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.  They don’t have to play any silly or violent games. Parents love how this drawing tablet lets kids get creative with their video game time. But don’t think that this isn’t something that people of all ages will love. Anyone who enjoys doodling or creating any type of art work will enjoy spending time playing with the uDraw Tablet.  Don't forget, it's available for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  Black Friday uDraw deals as you know, won't last long!

uDraw Wii Black Friday Deals are here.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Cyber Monday Sale

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Cyber Monday Sale:  This is such an amazing game!  We love it and play it over and over.  Live and breathe as Ezio, a legendary Master Assassin, in his enduring struggle against the powerful Templar order. He must journey into Italy’s greatest city, Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy. Defeating the corrupt tyrants entrenched there will require not only strength, but leadership, as Ezio commands an entire brotherhood of assassins who will rally to his side. Only by working together can the assassins defeat their mortal enemies and prevent the extinction of their order.  Get engrossed in this game because every twist and turn will have you wanting more.  Get it now...Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Cyber Monday Sale!

Top upcoming Nintendo Wii games – Part 1

The Wii has had a great year. It's dominating the market and only better can come. So what is next for that little white wonder console thats refusing to come to everyones homes?

#1-Mario Kart Wii

Yes I know its months off completion but how can you write on a Nintendo console without Mario Kart? It was the worlds worst kept secret up until E3 and since that first screen some intresting new info has popped up. The inclusion of bikes has been confirmed, but something that hasn't is the Jump Feather from the original SNES version. Some recently released screens have shown karters jumping large hights without any aid. It has not been confirmed, but do not be surprised by the inclusion if it comes to pass.

#2-Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Another Nintendo staple, Smash Bros. has been delivering constant updates through the Dojo website and one of the latest inclusions has pretty much blown everyones faces off. Literally, you no longer have a face. Sonic is in. Thats right, Marios largest rival, or at least largest rival as of 8 years ago (lets forget all that stuff that happened in between) is in. So for all you who have has restless nights dreaming of that fabled Sonic vs Mario battle, your prays have been well and truly answered.

3#-No More Heroes

Well this one is well and truly underwraps. Basically, what we know so far is the main characters name, the area he plays in, the fact that he has an awesome looking bike and an even awesomer looking sword, that he wants to kill lots of people and that one of the bosses has a missile launcher for a leg. All information that has been released is through small snippets of video from the creators, Goichi Suda, website. However, this has been named as the spiritual successor of the excellent but overlooked Gamecube title Killer7, so keep an eye on it.

4#-Star Wars: Force Unleashed

If you were disappointed by Lego Star Wars lack of real lightsaber movement then this should be one to snatch your interest. Said to be set somewhere between when Episode 3 finishes and Episode 4 begins, developer Krome Studios has promised full-on ish lightsaber movement. Recent information states that you will have only semi-control over the lightsaber, with scripted moves attatched to waggles of the remote, but its still one to keep an eye on.

5#-Wii Fit

Perhaps one of the most innovative titles set for the Wii, Wii fit is a game which is basically trying to reverse its main side effect-It will make you fit. Could this be the end to the timeless stereo-typing of gamers as basement dwelling, soda loving, 250 pound creatures of the dark? Will it lead to the eventual formation of a Nintendo SuperArmy of gamers who will take over the world in the name of Shigeru Miyamoto? Probably not. But it should be fun anyway.

Game reviews: Wii Sports – Part 1

Wii Sports was released in 2006 as a free game included when you brought a Nintendo Wii. It was intended as an easy to play game that anyone could pick up and play either on their own or with others. It is quite possibly the most easily recognisable Wii game around at the moment, with a large amount of new and old gamers having access to it.

The game allows you to use Miis, which have been created on the Wii console's Mii Channel, to play with as avatars, which gives the game a more personalised feel. There are five games on offer to play, each one is a simulation of a popular sport that everyone should recognise and know how to play even without instructions.

The five games are Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, Golf and Boxing. Each game uses a combination of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck, or just the Wii Remote of its own. The games are played in a similar way to real life, for example to play tennis the player will swing the Wii Remote like a tennis racket to hit the ball, the sensor bar will pick up the movement and relay the action on screen.

Each game can be played with multiple players; some can be played with only one Wii Remote between all the players, while others need at least two Wii Remotes to play successfully. Bowling and Golf are the only two which can be played as a four player game with only one Wii Remote, so long as the Wii Remote is passed around during play. The other three require the use of two controllers.

Each time the player completes a game they are rewarded with a certain number of points based on performance. These points raise the player's level and raise the difficulty of a game based on how well the player is doing. This is done gently with a smooth learning curve which increases difficulty gradually rather than abruptly.

There are special Training and Fitness modes available which allow the player to practise their skills and find out how fit they are by completing certain tests. The Training mode allows the player to practise playing the games and it focuses on improving player's accuracy and skill within each game by giving them different challenges to complete. The Fitness mode assesses how fit the player is by choosing three tests for the player to complete and then assessing the player's fitness level based on the results of the test. The Fitness test can only be taken once a day for each Mii.

Cyber Monday Vtech V Reader

Cyber Monday Vtech V Reader:  As you can tell by this website, we focus mainly on the Wii and Xbox.  But, we do run across certain products that we find that we feel should be included and this is one of them.  This product is exceptional in helping your child learn. They come in different colors including pink!  We have included a basic Vtech reader below but, to see all available e-readers...click this link->>Cyber Monday Vtech V Reader.

With the holiday's upon us, wouldn't it be nice to get a great price on the Vtech V Reader for your child today?

Cyber Monday Nintendo DS Lite Sale

Cyber Monday Nintendo DS Lite Sale:  Well, it's the holiday season again and we were searching for some DS Lite sales and found some nice ones!  Below you see the Blue one but you will find them in all colors and we'll provide a link below as well. For those, especially parents need to know that the DS Lite doesn't just play DS games,  it also features an additional port for Game Boy Advance Game Paks!  Sweet...to see all of them, click this link-->> Cyber Monday Nintendo DS Lite Sale.

Have fun and I hope you find all your needs this Cyber Monday!

Video game reviews: EA Playground (Nintendo Wii)

EA Playground is a new and innovative game for the Nintendo Wii. The game is based around a typical school-going character, whom you must select before beginning the game. The basic concept of the game is to roam the school yard as your chosen character, looking for certain games and challenges, hosted by your classmates, as well the game's very own currency; collectible bags of marbles, which in turn can be used to pay for "stickers" which are placed into a sticker album once earned, and can be traded amongst your classmates throughout the playing area.

The games and challenges you complete also reward you with bags of marbles, depending on your performance in that specific game, i.e beating the current champion. Playing the games and beating challenges eventually allows you to progress through the previously locked gates, into the next part of the school yard, where you will find new challenges and games, and, you guessed it, more bags of marbles scattered around the game's many nooks and crannies. The game has a real competitive factor about it, in that you and your friends can get totally immersed in beating each other's records and accomplishments etc. however you may find that the slight lack of games and variation within the games may bore you within a while.

If you are someone who enjoyed games such as Wii Play and Mario Galaxy, then the chances are that you will enjoy this one also, due to Wii Play's array of mini-games, and Mario Galaxy's weird but wonderful, fun concept.

The lovely animation and friendly vibes you get from playing this game is one of the areas this game really excels in, and herein lies one of it's main focuses- a fun and user-friendly playing environment to supply the whole family with some wacky Wii excitement, EA style. The downside to this is the rather annoying "language" of the in-game characters, in addition to the seemingly constant, endless playing of the background music.

The game's good points do out-number the game's bad points, and this title gets a 7.5, bordering 8 out of 10 for me, purely because of it's fun based gameplay and the solid feel to it, unlike some games that feel they have been rushed. Presentation is good, with well made environments and physics, audio fits the game's genre and gameplay, even if it is mind-numbingly tedious at times, and the controls on the Wiimote are simple and easy to adjust to. Yes the game has it's flaws, but these don't stop the game being an absolute blast for fans of this genre. Overall, a fine addition to my collection of Nintendo Wii games, and I'm sure a fine addition to yours.

Is the investment in the Wii a worthwhile one? – Part 5

The Wii has become a powerhouse in the video game industry. Stores can't keep them in stock. Not only are they relatively cheap, but the Wii is completely different from any other gaming system out there. The motion control is a truly amazing addition to the gaming world.

However, deciding whether or not you should go out and buy a Wii could be a difficult decision. It really depends on one major factor: how much of a "gamer" you consider yourself. Are you a hardcore gamer that spends every moment you can playing video games? Or are you a more casual gamer? This is very important to know when deciding if a Wii is the correct gaming console for you.

Hardcore gamers will be more disappointed with the Wii. It has some good games, such as Mario Galaxy and Wii Sports. However, there are few games that will hold a hardcore gamers interest. It also has little online that would interest a dedicated video game enthusiast. Sure, the Wii-Mote is inventive and fun, but there are more big name titles on the PS3 or X-Box 360. Even still, I believe the Wii could eventually give hardcore gamers more depth to their games. There are several accessories that could make the Wii a better experience for you. The Wii Fit board could bring a whole new level to video games once it is released. It can sense your weight and how you are standing on the board. This could (theoretically) be used to move your characters around in a game.

Casual gamers, on the other hand, will love the Wii. It is good for little kids and lots of fun at parties. There are lots of games that are built for a family style atmosphere. The controls are generally easy to use. The Wii is directed at a more casual gaming base, so expect many more games like Mario Party. This has a lot of different mini-games that can keep a group of people entertained for hours. I have even heard of some nursing homes getting Wii's for seniors to play.

Hopefully this has helped you decide if a Wii is for you. Even if you decide not to buy one, I hope that you will play it at least once. It is a lot of fun. The Wii has a lot of great features that anyone can enjoy.

Cyber Monday Amazon Video Game Deals

Cyber Monday Amazon Video Game Deals:  Well, as we all know...one of the best shopping places online to get some great deals on video games is Amazon.  Video games for the ever popular Nintendo Wii, DS, Xbox 360, PS3 and others are always in high demand during the holiday season.  But, for the online shopping world Cyber Monday is one of the best times to find even better deals.  You'll find the most popular games and even the best new releases.  Amazon is even one of the best places to pre-order the newest video game releases!  To see all the best deals just click this link-->>Best Video Game Deals or chose some below.  Either way, you'll find some of the best Cyber Monday Amazon Video Game Deals at where else but Amazon.

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Cyber Monday Call Of Duty Black Ops Deal

Cyber Monday Call Of Duty Black Ops Deal:  Based and inspired by the experiences of real Black Ops soldiers of the time, the missions of the Call of Duty Black ops take the player gaming experience to a whole new level.   Taking you to a wide variety of settings, ranging from snowbound mountain strongholds in historical Soviet held territories, to the jungles and urban settings of Vietnam War era South East Asia. Through it all, care has been taken to maintain the traditional essence of Call of Duty style combat, while also introducing new types of player action that add to the game-play experience. Additional features include co-op, versus and team-based multi-player options, new vehicles like the SR-71 Blackbird and lethal new weapons such as explosive-tipped crossbows.  Get the best Cyber Monday Call of Duty Black Ops deal here!

Cyber Monday Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle

Get our Cyber Monday Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle Xbox 360 Console: Bring the Star Wars characters you know and love into your living room with this custom R2-D2-themed Xbox 360 console with custom sounds.   For all you Star Wars fans...because you deserve the best!  Cyber Monday Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle is you ticket to gaming fun!

Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Cyber Monday Deal

Get Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Cyber Monday Deal here.  The next chapter in the highly anticipated Elder Scrolls saga arrives from the makers of the 2006 and 2008 Games of the Year, Bethesda Game Studios. Skyrim re-imagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.  Available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in standard or limited addition...your choice!  The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Cyber Monday Deal will run out soon!

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Product Description

Time passes really fast when you are playing this game. The first six hours went by in the blink of an eye yesterday ... my character is at level 10 and I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of anything. If you like these kinds of games, you will be hooked because Bethesda has managed to create something which really nails it on every level.  Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Cyber Monday deal.

Perspectives on game consoles – Part 1

Even now as the holiday season winds to a close, I still get bombarded with the million question routine churned out by frantic parents trying to placate their demanding children: "Which video game console is the BEST?" This of course, is a silly question in some ways, because comparing consoles to one another is like comparing apples to oranges to bananas. Each of them offers a unique entertainment experience to fit your different entertainment needs. What you may see as the best console out there may all depend on what kind of experience you are looking for. Let's take a look at the three biggest players in the gaming market, and the current and next-gen gaming consoles which are available for you to buy.

Let's start with the classic that everyone is familiar with, Nintendo. Who could forget the nostalgia of their very first Nintendo Entertainment system, ready to offer you hours of Mario, Link, Donkey Kong and much, much more. Nintendo has grown up since it's arcade beginnings, moving from 2D to 3D with the N64, and improving upon that with the current-gen GameCube. If you are looking for family-friendly fun with lots of classic nostalgia games for kids of all ages, then the GameCube is it. This is the only console upon which you will find Mario games of any type (except, of course, for Nintendo's handheld systems) as well as the Legend of Zelda, and Metroid Prime. Nintendo is well-known for putting their consoles and games through extensive testing and retesting, ensuring that you have a console which is hardy enough to stand being dropped by your toddler, as well as ensuring that your games will run virtually problem-free. In addition, if you are looking for a console which offers a good deal of games which are appropriate for younger children, the library of E and T rated games dwarfs the few titles with an M rating. This console is quickly becoming harder to find new, as Nintendo is slowing down production now that the Wii has been released, but you can still find this console used (and sometimes new) at your local video game store.

Moving on to Nintendo's "next-gen" console, you have the Nintendo Wii. Not truly considered a next-gen console due to the fact that the console does not display in high definition the way the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 do, this little console still has a lot of punch packed in it's sleek white casing. The Wii's hook is that it offers new game interactivity through wireless controllers unlike any the

Punch Out Wii On Sale

Punch Out Wii on sale.  Well, after being gone out of existence for about 15 years the game, Punch Out by Wii is back!  Another great thing is that everyone's favorite little underdog  from the 1980's is back, Little Mac.  But, there will be the usual fighting favorites like Glass Joe, King Hippo as well as the trainer Doc Louis.  Comes in 3-D (cel-shaded) and just as hilarious as before.  Check out Punch Out Wii below or click here to see all games for the Wii. -->>Wii Games On Sale.

So if your looking to get a great deal for the Punch Out Wii, get it right here!

Video game reviews: Crimson Alive (PC)

"Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter" is a game that has been around for at least a few good years. It is a 2D fighting game exclusively for the PC.

However, only a handful of people including myself know about the game. One would ask: Why do only few know about such a game? To answer that question, Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter is known as a "doujin soft" title. Doujin softs are relatively underground works created by groups of game and anime hobbyists known as "doujins."

Most people outside of Asia

may not know about these doujins let alone doujin soft titles. Doujins and doujin softs are very popular in Japan and South Korea. South Korea

is nearly close to rivaling Japan

on a competitive level in regards to video games. So far, these doujins look to be the future of Japan's video game industry. Perhaps other countries may follow suit after Japan

and South Korea. There are plenty of doujin soft games that are in fact fighting games let alone 2D fighting games. As a person who enjoys fighting games let alone 2D fighting games, I had to check out those doujin soft fighting games as soon as I got my laptop.

There is one game that had gotten my attention. It is called "Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter." In a sense, this game feels like I am playing one of the "King of Fighters" games. However, it seems to be a more magic based than a beat up style of game play.

Still, I had plenty of fun playing Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter.

For a doujin soft game, Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter has more than decent game play. It plays better than many 2D fighting games I had come across years ago. I do wish a game like Crimson Alive would be ported to the home gaming consoles.

However, it seems unlikely that it will ever happen.

So far, everything seems good. But, the character select screen could use some working on. The backgrounds are well done for a doujin soft game.

Perhaps the background stages are better than the background stages in many of the other 2D fighting games I came across. Being a doujin soft alone makes Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter a rarity. There is another reason that this game should be considered a rarity: almost all of the characters are female. Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter has sixteen characters total. Fourteen of the characters are female.

I do have to add that the characters do seem to be well done for a doujin soft game. There is little to no sloppiness in regards to the character designs. The people behind Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter have done a good job with the character concepts and designs. With sixteen characters to choose from, there is definite replay value present. There seems to be a storyline with Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter. However, the text is all in Japanese. Even if you cannot read in Japanese, Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter is still a game title worth checking out.

The flow of the game play is smooth and clean. There seems to be no lag for the most part in the game. Everything about Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter flows very smoothly together. It is a very decent game that should be ported to a home gaming console. Again, that is easier said than done. If you like fighting games and you have a PC, Crimson Alive: Extreme Encounter is a game title worth checking out. But, it is easier said than done to fight a copy of it.

You may have to search high and low for a copy of the game.

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