Middle Age Gamer

Videogames and Kids: How Young Is Too Young? | GeekDad | Wired.com

2011-06-28T02:02:00.000-07:00

Videogames and Kids: How Young Is Too Young? | GeekDad | Wired.com

Smarter. Faster. Better.

2010-09-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is not the first time a study has suggested positive effects of playing video games. This study has some serious merit. Play Xbox with your kids and give them an advantage in life. It can´t hurt unless you screw up as a parent.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/09/gamer-decisions/

Lara "Family Fun" Croft - Guardian of Light

2010-09-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

Once in a while a game that's fun for the whole family shows up. One of these is Lara Croft - Guardian of Light downloadable game for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Lara Croft is the strong buxom vixen from the Tomb Raider series. Angelina Jolie played her in two movie adaptations of the games including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Lara has been compared to Sigourney Weaver's character Ripley in the Alien movies as a positive female hero.

The game plays as a combination of Dungeon Crawler, Plat-former, and Puzzle game with a strong cooperative element for two players.

Even though it contains elements that can be scary for 4-6 year olds, it works great with kids from 7 and up. The co-op component is great for siblings or friends to play together and learn to work together. It's even a fun game for parents to play, with each other or with the kids.

The controls are simple, the puzzles are not too hard, and the graphics are beautiful. At $10 it's a steal with over 6 hours of game play.

If you are still hesitant, watch this video and start having fun as a family!

Orbs! Give me Orbs!

2010-05-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

The first Crackdown (which had a Halo 3 MP Beta key on it) was very good! I bought the game for the Halo 3 Beta but I quickly found that it was a very good game on its own right. After some playing, both I and my wife were dreaming about orbs, that increased your abilities. It was fun and addictive.

Crackdown 2 is on the horizon now and we can't wait to play it.

"Get that Orb, Agent!" - Will do!

Video Games | Crackdown 2 | Episode 3: Toy Box HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Xbox Live is dead. Long live Xbox Live!

2010-04-15T00:38:00.000-07:00

Today the online service for the original Xbox is shut down. It was a milestone in gaming history.

To honor this historical day, please see the video.

Video Games | Halo 2 | Multiplayer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Red Dead Redemption redefines online multi-player.

2010-04-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

Can't wait to try it out.

Get your free avatar Modern Warfare 2 Night Vision goggles.

2010-04-03T01:41:00.000-07:00

Get your free avatar clothing here. Valid until April 4th.

This ain't your grandpa's game!

2010-04-03T01:18:00.000-07:00

Rockstar studios, of GTA fame, has set their sights on the wild west. I may be your grandpa's time, but it sure ain't your grandpa's game.

Halo goes Bollywood!

2010-04-02T00:02:00.001-07:00

One of the best April Fools jokes this year.

Halo Movie Series - Debut Trailer

2,000 Bucks, 400 Buttons: 10 Steel Battalion Soldiers Square Off at PAX | GameLife | Wired.com

2010-03-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

Happy memories. Ahhh... Those were the days.

2,000 Bucks, 400 Buttons: 10 Steel Battalion Soldiers Square Off at PAX | GameLife | Wired.com

Modern Warfare 2 kicks Lady GaGa's ass!

2010-03-27T01:07:00.000-07:00

Nothing! I mean NOTHING!, sold better than Modern Warfare 2 in 2009. Gaming rulez!

Modern Warfare 2 Bigger than Lady Gaga and Transformers Combined - Modern warfare 2 - Kotaku

Xbox 360 gets USB support.

2010-03-27T00:43:00.000-07:00

Finally! On April 6th, Xbox 360 will start to support regular USB memory flash drives. Since it's release, one has been forced to use proprietary (read "expensive!") memory units with Xbox 360. Even Microsoft has to bow to the power of consumer wishes at times.

USB Memory Support for the Xbox 360 coming April 6th - Xbox Live's Major Nelson

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier live action promo

2010-03-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

A new installment of Tom Clancy's popular Ghost Recon series is on the horizon. "Future Soldier" will sneak up on you. This is a live action promo in the spirit of Halo ODST. Enjoy!

More Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Videos

ESA hightlights Online gaming technology as important.

2010-03-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Modern Online gaming technology is the future for ESA.

Game design a la Sid

2010-03-25T01:16:00.000-07:00

The Civilization series is one of the best game IP's around. If you never tried it, I can highly recommend it. Even my god-kids love to watch us play Civilization Revolution. Here's the first (of six) video of the creator Sid Meier discussing Game Design.

Video Games | Civilization V | GDC 10: Sid Meier Keynote Part I

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Video game sex that's sexy, not sophomoric - Citizen Gamer- msnbc.com

2010-02-26T23:03:00.000-08:00

Sex in games. What's it all about?

A good read to get some balance on the hysterical reporting about romantic encounters in games.

Video game sex that's sexy, not sophomoric - Citizen Gamer- msnbc.com

21st-Century Shooters Are No Country for Old Men | GameLife | Wired.com

2010-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

The pitfalls of being a middle age gamer.

21st-Century Shooters Are No Country for Old Men | GameLife | Wired.com

Xbox LIVE Marketplace | Chime

2010-02-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

Chime is a nice little game for only 400 MS Points ($5). 60% goes to children's charities. A very enjoyable and relaxing puzzle/music game to play while doing something good.

Click the link to download.

Xbox LIVE Marketplace | Chime

Big brains for video games - Cosmic Log - msnbc.com

2010-01-20T23:40:00.000-08:00

Video gaming helps scientists understand our brain.

Big brains for video games - Cosmic Log - msnbc.com

Develop Jury: Natal's promise | Game development | Features by Develop

2010-01-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

Natal is the name of Microsoft's new input device. It shows a lot of promise but what can we really expect from it. Here's the scoop from developers.

Develop Jury: Natal's promise | Game development | Features by Develop

Watching TV. Oh the Horror!

2010-01-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life throws you curved balls.

If this is such a case or not, I'll leave unsaid, but it is a strange situation we find ourselves in. We just moved into a furnished apartment with a TV from the previous century. Probably not even from the last decade of that century. It refuses to show colors using the A/V connector for my Xbox 360.

As a result, my wife and I are forced to actually watch TV on the TV. Oh the Horror! I've forgotten how bad broadcast TV was. With everything available on demand, I think back on how it was in the days before gaming & internet. Interactivity and on-demand is the only way to roll.

The shipping company that are the guardians of our own TV called today and told us it would only be a few more days until it arrives. That's a very good thing. I don't think I could survive broadcast TV for much longer.

I want his job! Bridging the generation gap.

2009-05-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hoping for this to be a great game that 40 somethings can play with their teens. Bridging the generation gap.

And how cool would it be to have his job? I want it!

If you like music, play Rock Band 2 with your children.

2008-07-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

Music has always been difficult between parents and children. The Generation Gap has a tendency to show itself here. But with Rock Band 2, you get a chance to play music with your children which spans from the 60's to current day.

I have compiled a play list, where you can preview all the songs that comes with the game. 100's of more songs are downloadable for a small fee.

Enjoy!

The complete set list can be found here: http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/07/15/e308-rock-band-2-set-list-song-transfer-under-5/

Parents - Never trust a news story about "scary" games.

2008-07-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

Again it has come to my attention that a news team has reported on absurdities regarding kids and gaming.

This time, it was a story saying that children supposedly earned game points for nude pictures of themselves. After digging deeper, this turned out to be as stupid and silly as all the other "news" stories that tries to scare parents. No pedophiles here.

http://kotaku.com/5030079/tv-station-check-with-detective-for-facts-on-pedophile-story

Parents - Beware of stories about sex & child exploitation in news stories. They are 99.99% sure to be false. Like the story about nudity in the role playing game (RPG) named "Mass Effect" for the PC and Xbox 360.

Remember - All games carries a rating, just as movies do. If the game has a big "M", for mature, on it, don't let your 12 year old play it. At least not alone.

I'll write another post about this topic during the week.

Kotaku Loves Me!

2008-07-26T23:47:00.000-07:00

And now for something completely different....

I sent Kotaku (www.kotaku.com) a tip about a strange answer from Sony's PS3 boss of a strange question. It is still one of the most read posts at Kotaku. And if you didn't know, my gamertag is Mordochai. You can read my Xbox's own blog by clicking on the links to the right.

Here is the article they wrote, including the translation I sent them.

http://kotaku.com/5028976/xbox-360-exclusive-or-bullet-to-the-head-kaz-picks-bullet-to-the-head

Have a great gaming day!