Video Games

Who Was the First Person to Make a Video Game

2008-05-16T21:03:00.001-07:00

The absolute earliest and first game to be played on some type of a cathode ray tube, and use some type of computer, was a missile simulator type game played on circular screen that looked much like the old radar screens used during World War II. This game was created by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann in 1947. The creation of this game was significant because it marks the beginning of a new age of cathode ray tube and what they can be used for. Up until this point any display like this was simply used as something to be seen. With this game a player could look at it and make changes to what happened on it. It was interactive!

In 1952, what many consider to be the first graphical game was created by A.S.Douglas and it was a tic-tac-toe game called OXO. Over the course of the next two decades between the 1950's and 1960's a variety of other rudimentary games started to make appearances with the use of large computers that were tube based. One of the most notable was the game Tennis for two which was created by William Higinbotham in 1958. This game was played on an oscilloscope display.

Video games start to become more sophisticated and take on more realism in the 60's and the first game to do this was a game called Space War. It was created for a Digital Equipment Corporation computer and it was two spaceships (players) that engaged in a shootout on a starry background. One of the significant things about this game was that the ships were in a gravity well that affected how they moved and how the player had to operate them. This game has been recreated and copied in many different arcade and home versions like Galaxy Wars and in variations like Asteroids.

The First Publicly Released Game

The first game released to the mass public was called Computer Space. It was based on the Space War game and it was a coin operated arcade style game created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was released in 1971. And in 1972 they released the arcade game Pong which was a big success. These games were the beginnings of the Atari Company.

Video Games Move onto the home Television Set

The very first console video game system that could be played on a television set at home was the Magnavox Odyssey. It was designed by Ralph Baer and it was first released to the public in 1972 and It only met with limited success. In 1975 the real revolution in video games for the home began with the release of the home version of Pong by Atari. Atari landed an exclusive contract for 175,000 units with Sears who would market it and sell It in their stores. The game was a smash success for the 1975 Christmas season. One of little thought about revolutions about this game was that all the discrete wiring was designed into a single chip which was the most advanced consumer electronics chip ever made until then. This opened up a whole new world of computer games.

Video games have had an interesting history with a lot of different people contributing to their success. They have come a long way and there are no doubt many more interesting and exciting developments to come.

Want to Make Video Games?: make-video-games.com- Creative resources for making video games for free

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Chess Sets - A Description Of The Origin And Types Of Pieces

2008-03-18T04:15:00.001-07:00

Chess is an abstract strategy board game played on a square board of eight rows (called ranks) and eight columns (called files). There are sixty four squares of two alternating colors, usually black and white. There are 32 pieces in all; sixteen of them are black, and sixteen are white. Each set of sixteen has six types of pieces: one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and eight Pawns.

Chess pieces used for play are usually tall figurines. Pieces of the Staunton set are the standard design. The height of the king should be between 85 mm and 105 mm. The other pieces should be in proportion to the king. The size of the squares on the board is based on the King and should be approximately 1.25-1.3 times the diameter of the base of the King.

Each piece in a chess set represents a sector of medieval life. Pawns represent peasants. At that time the peasants were considered unimportant to people in power, and hence Pawns are the weakest pieces in the game of chess. They are used primarily as bait to set up an aggressive endgame. Rooks or Castles represent home and sanctuary. Knights represent soldiers who, at that time, were held in high esteem, but not as much as the church or the royal family. Bishops represent priests and are considered more valuable than Knights. The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board, and the King is the one that must be protected at all costs; otherwise the game is lost.

The quality of chess sets vary from cheap plastic ones to expensive, handmade works of art. While many players are content to play chess on a regular board with plastic pieces, others prefer unique chess sets. A variety of different materials are used such as glass, ivory, marble, wood, bone or a composite. Some chess sets are small in size or have magnetic pieces that are convenient for travel.

Natural white wooden pieces of a chess set are usually made of boxwood or sometimes maple. The black pieces in natural wooden sets are made of dark wood such as rosewood, ebony, red sandalwood or walnut.

On the computer, chess pieces are often 2-D symbols on a 2-D board. However, there are some programs with 3-D graphics engines that show the pieces more realistically.

Learn chess opening moves and other chess tips for beginners and experts that will bring your game to a whole new level at http://www.chessmovespro.com

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Chess Rules - Learn The Rules Of The Road

2008-03-18T04:14:00.001-07:00

In chess, rules play a very important part in making sure the game is both engaging and fairly played. The game is popular across the globe, and the rules are also of a global nature; they need to be uniformly followed regardless of where the game is played.

The basics are simple and designed to make the game one of strategy and wile rather than knowledge. No doubt some skill is required, but one also needs a degree of intelligence in order to anticipate the opponent's moves and plan counter moves effectively.

In the modern version of chess, the rules specify that the chessboard should be an 8x8 board consisting of alternating black and white squares. The board has a total of sixty four squares to accommodate the 32 chess pieces (16 pieces to a player). The player with the white pieces moves first: "Smoke before fire".

The rules are also set up to determine the way in which each of the different pieces will move across the board. The different pieces move in their own unique styles and directions. The Rook moves any number of vacant spaces vertically or horizontally. The Bishop moves any number of vacant spaces diagonally. The Queen can move any number of blocks diagonally, horizontally or vertically. The King moves only one square horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Only the Knight is allowed to jump over occupied squares. The Knight has a different pattern of movement than the other pieces, moving two squares horizontally and one square vertically. This means that each time a Knight moves, it lands on a square that is different in color from the one it started on. Pawns can move forward one vacant square. This rule is relaxed to two moves at a time if it happens to be the first move of the game.

The flow of the game is determined by the requirements. An attacking piece must try and capture an opposing piece. The attacking piece eliminates an enemy piece as the game proceeds. The King cannot be captured but can only be 'checked'. A King is said to be 'checked' when he finds himself trapped among enemy players. If the trap is such that there is no way out, the King is said to be checkmated. The player whose King is trapped in a checkmate is the loser.

Chess rules do not require a game to always end as a victory or loss. If there seems to be no way to end the game, it is also possible for it to be a draw, or stalemate. A player can also resign his move, thereby handing a victory to his or her opponent.

Learn more about the rules of chess and other chess tips for beginners and experts alike. Bring your game to a whole new level at http://www.chessmovespro.com

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History of Chess - A Timeless Game

2008-03-18T04:13:00.001-07:00

Chess is one of the most popular board games in the world today. It involves two players, and requires strategizing and tactical planning. The game of chess is not a modern invention, and there is a good deal of controversy among chess historians regarding the true time and place of the emergence of chess. Many countries claim to have invented it. However, most historians trace its origins back to northern India or Afghanistan sometime around 600 AD. The most common theory is that the form of chess we play today evolved from a game called 'Chaturanga', which was played in ancient India. Since the Arabic, Persian, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish words for chess are derived from Chaturanga, it is the most accepted view that chess originated in India. However, another theory claims that chess evolved from a game of 'Xiangqi' that existed in China in the 2nd century BC.

Regardless of its origin, chess eventually spread all over the world. In so doing, it took on regional terms. When it entered the Islamic countries, the names of the chess pieces were retained in their Persian form, but the name of the game itself became 'Shatranj'. When the game was introduced to Europe, chess terms were replaced by English words; the 'Shah' became 'King', the 'Begum' became 'Queen', for example.

The entrance of chess into Europe was marked by the enhancement of the powers of the 'Queen' piece. Early on in European chess, the pieces had very limited movement. The Bishop could move forward only by jumping two steps diagonally, and the Queen could move only one step forward diagonally. Pawns could move just one space at a time during the first move instead of the customary two steps on the first move that we see today. There was no castling, either. By the late 15th century, the modern rules for the basic moves of the pieces had been added--Pawns could move two squares on their first move, Bishops could move as they do nowadays, and the Queen became the most powerful of all the pieces. The current rules were finalized in the early 19th century.

For more information about chess strategies and playing tips visit http://www.chessmovespro.com

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World of Warcraft Hunter Pets - The Ravager

2008-03-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hunters can be very picky about the pets they choose. If you've gotten your hands on our hunters guide we give you a full run-down of the best and not-so-good choices when it comes to actual pet abilities. Now some people may very well like pets that are not as effective statistically, and that's fine. You should use what you like, but when you look at the numbers, there are simply some pets which really shine in certain areas.

Most hunters will use a cat. Cats are one of only two pets which get a 10% bonus to damage. Cats are also easy to feed and learn a most of the best pet skills. You can't really go wrong with a cat, especially if you are a Beast Mastery specialization hunter. A cat will do more damage than any other pet you can have - except one.

We want to put up for your consideration the Ravager. Before the Burning Crusade expansion, cats ruled DPS, but now they have a serious rival. Ravagers look cool and have the potential to do more damage than cats. Possibly the only drawback to a Ravager instead of a cat is that they don't get the prowl skill, but that may not be a big deal to you - especially on a PVE server.

Why are Ravagers at the top of the DPS pile? They get to use the really wicked ability Gore. Gore is an instant cast ability that uses 15 focus, and works a lot like claw (which we prefer over bite - check out our hunter guide for all the details). Even though Gore does similar base damage to claw, it has a 50% chance to do DOUBLE damage. When you average that out, it means that Gore will do 125 damage in the same amount of time as claw will do 100. When you stack the 50% chance at double damage with beast mastery hunter skills like frenzy for the critical hit bonuses, it can get seriously high.

Ravagers have a little more armor than cats, but lower health. They only eat meat and raw meat, and can learn Bite, cower, Growl, Dash, and Gore. Gore is a great skill only used by boars and ravagers. Unfortunately, for Horde players, a ravager can be a real challenge to tame before level 62 especially on PVP servers. The other problem with gore is that there are no known mobs from which to learn gore 5 or 6. So you're stuck with Gore 4 until you get to blasted lands at level 48. Also Gore 3 is only learned from the named mob Bellygrub in Redridge Mountains; and he can be a load to handle at level 24. Overall, gore is the best offensive pet skill to have, but for horde characters, you might not want to consider a ravager until you get to outlands. Even for alliance, for 20-40 levels, your main pet attack skill is going to be way off the pace. Boosting stamina through pet training is also more expensive as far as training points than boosting armor. So we normally give pets with more stamina a better score than pets with higher armor stats.

All of that being said - it could be argued that ravagers have the ability to deal more damage than any other pet in the game. If you can be a little patient and wait for one until outlands, you might consider one if you go Beast Master. To save focus and use the really wicked DPS skill, gore, teach this guy Gore, Growl and Dash. Gore is instant cast with no cooldown, so if he gets a few double damage hits in a row, it can really be a killer. We're not sure if giving up prowl is worth the added dps and extra points spent on stamina, but on PVE servers it may be a winner.

Gavin Garrett is one of those nerdy World of Warcraft players who forsakes a normal life in favor of a life within a virtual game. When he returns to the "real world", he posts really great World of Warcraft tips and tricks on his blog, Dominate Your Server.

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Commodore 64 Coming to the Virtual Console

2008-03-03T20:40:00.000-08:00

It all started with five systems, the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and CD, and Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis. Then, SNK's Neo Geo made their presence felt. Now another former gaming giant is set to put their stamp on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. It comes in the form of the best selling personal computer of all time, the Commodore 64. The Commodore 64 debuted in 1982 as an 8-bit home computer and featured over 4,000 video games. However, there is a catch. As of now, Commodore 64 will only be available on the European Virtual Console.

This is a move that has taken nearly two years to accomplish. In 2006, British Publisher System 3 purchased Epyx, the game developers that created most of Commodore 64's video games. Their intent on the purpose was to re-release the games on the Nintendo DS, PSP, and most importantly, the Virtual Console. The CEO of Commodore Gaming also began working with Nintendo of Europe to try and secure Commodore 64's place on the Virtual Console.

Among the first titles from Commodore 64 which will be made available on Virtual Console are International Karate and Uridium. Commodore 64 games will also cost the same as Nintendo Entertainment System games at 500 Wii Points. Some other famous games from the era of Commodore 64 include California Games, 4th and Inches, Skate or Die, and many arcade ports like Donkey Kong, Breakout, 1942, Bubble Bobble, etc.

While it is currently only slated for release on the European Virtual Console, there is no evidence that the Commodore 64 will not find its way to North America. As mentioned before, the system is still the best selling personal computer of all time and has created many classics. It was perhaps the longest running video game system in history lasting from 1982 to 1994. It began the 8-bit era years before Nintendo got into the home console market and successful sales in Europe is sure to see the Commodore 64 make it's way overseas. Hopefully that is the case, as there are many classic games that gamers never had a chance to play and enjoy.

Mikus is a nintendo advocate and runs a wii site that allows members to share friend codes at our general message boards with other members.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mikus_Schmidt

Master the Gaming Industry With Training From Video Game Design Schools

2008-03-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

The video game industry is flourishing in today's world of computers, and there is a great demand for professionals with skills earned from video game design schools. Imagine yourself in a well-paid career that combines your creative skills, computer skills and artistic skills into one exciting job! That dream can become a reality with good training in video game design.

If you are looking to become a master in the video gaming industry, you can quickly learn all the essentials needed to qualify for employment. Typically, courses will cover original conception and production, analytical skills development, software applications, video game design and testing, all aspects of 3D modeling, animation, CAD, 2D design, applied game theories, storyboarding, graphic design, interactive writing, and lots more.

The field covers both art and computer science, and there are several degree options. Game design schools usually offer the option of Associate Degree or Bachelor degree in Graphic Art or Computer Sciences. Some individual colleges offer master degrees, depending on the specific school and the goals of the student.

The field of game design encompasses many areas of both private and public business. For example, publishers of educational software are looking for fresh new artists to fill the ever-growing demand for game software developers and designers who can create interactive, learning games for computers.

A degree program in can give you all the skills and experience you need to compete in today's job market. The career outlook is exceptional for those with a solid computer education, with numerous exciting positions available all across the country. You could soon earn between $35,000 to $75,000 a year, and enjoying a career that you truly love!

If you would like to learn to be a video game designer you can find good computer design schools on our website and submit a request for more information. You will soon have everything you need to take that first step toward a lifelong career.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. and ArticleSourcePlus.com. Find Video Game Design Schools, as well as Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

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2008-02-21T22:50:00.000-08:00

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PlayStation 3: Why Buy This Gaming Console

2008-02-18T16:44:00.000-08:00

Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of gaming consoles today. Compared to other consoles, Sony's gaming consoles are integrated with the latest cutting edge technology in graphics and sound, which will give you and your family high quality home entertainment.

Sony's line of PlayStation is one of the most successful gaming consoles in the market. In fact, it is so successful that many people all over the world prefer PlayStation gaming consoles than other different gaming consoles developed by other companies.

Just imagine a gaming console with a wide library of popular games with realistic graphics and sound that will virtually take you in the game and make you feel as if you are the character and not just playing the game itself. If you played a PlayStation before, you know how entertaining it is and you also know what kind of benefits that PlayStation gaming consoles can contribute to your home entertainment systems.

Today, Sony will be officially releasing their much-anticipated PlayStation 3 on November 2006 in Japan, United States, and in Canada in that order. PlayStation 3 promises to deliver high-quality gaming experience for everyone in the world. With the latest graphics chip installed and with the best processor available for game consoles, PlayStation 3 will definitely give you and your family quality entertainment.

Although the sleek design of the PlayStation 3 is purely for aesthetics purposes, you can never deny the fact that the outer shell design will look good with your home entertainment system. PlayStation 3 also has Bluetooth wireless controllers that you can use for maximum comfort and enjoyment while you play the game.

PlayStation 3 can also be integrated with Wi-Fi technology that will enable you to play online PlayStation 3 games with different people all over the world. Because of this, you will be able to play with your own customized character online and fight against other people from all over the world or make new friends in the virtual community where you can go on cooperative missions.

There are other accessories that you can benefit from PlayStation 3. It has an upgradeable hard disk, and it will also be integrated with the Blu-ray drive. Also, PlayStation 3 will also be integrated with USB ports and the HDMI. With an HDMI feature, you will be able to play games on your High Definition TV with superior quality.

The Blu-ray drive is an advanced disc format that will be able to hold data five times more than that of a DVD. The Blu-ray drive will be able to play various disc media formats like your old PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games, your audio CDs, your DVDs and others. This means that you will be getting more aside from a game console. The PlayStation 3 will be able to play your DVD movies and it will also be able to play your audio CDs.

Now that you have several reasons why you should buy Sony PlayStation 3 instead of the other leading gaming consoles available in the market presently, you should also know that the PlayStation 3 is a highly anticipated gaming console today. You should expect that many people will be lining up to buy PlayStation 3 all over the world and this why you should also consider preordering a PlayStation 3 before it is even released in the market.

By preordering your own PlayStation 3, you can be sure that you will own a PlayStation 3 upon the official release of this gaming console on November 2006 in the United States, and in Canada. Buy PlayStation 3 now by preordering it online or by preordering it on your nearest Sony PlayStation 3 retail outlets.

PlayStation 3 vs. Xbox 360: Choosing the Best

2008-02-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

Gaming consoles are one of the best entertainment tools available and many people buy one for their own home. In fact, gaming consoles are very popular today that every release of a new kind of gaming console, stores always run out of stock.

However, there are also different kinds of gaming consoles available in the market today that claims to be the best. These companies claim that they guarantee that with their gaming console, you will have the ultimate gaming experience. Because of this, people tend to get confused on which gaming console they should buy.

Two examples of companies that manufacture gaming consoles that are always competing is Sony and Microsoft. The upcoming Sony PlayStation 3 and the newly released Microsoft Xbox 360 are two of the most popular gaming consoles available today. Both companies claim that their gaming console offers the best quality gaming experience that you will ever have.

So, in order to end all the confusion, here are some facts about these two different gaming consoles and with this information, you can choose which gaming console is right for you.

The Sony PlayStation 3 is the third in the PlayStation series and is expecting great success upon its release on November 2006 in Japan, United States, and in Canada. PlayStation 3 is integrated with the latest and unique technology in a gaming console. It has features like the Blu-ray drive that is not found in other gaming consoles available in the market today. The Blu-ray drive is one of the latest disc drives available presently. What makes Blu-ray special is it has a much larger capacity to store data, meaning it will allow game developers to show their creativity and add detailing effects to make the game more realistic than ever before.

The PlayStation 3 gaming console can also be equipped with a Wi-Fi. This technology will enable you to connect to the Internet wirelessly and it will be able to give you the capability to play online PlayStation 3 games along with millions of players worldwide. Think of this as a virtual community where you can make friends with someone halfway around the world.

PlayStation 3 also has Bluetooth wireless controllers available. This means that it can definitely let you have a more enjoyable experience when you play a PlayStation game. With PlayStation 3, you can also upgrade the hard disk.

PlayStation 3 also has the backward compatibility feature which allows you to play your old PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games in your new PlayStation 3 gaming console.

Xbox 360 also offers one of the best features in a gaming console. Microsoft has thought all about the needs of consumers in a gaming console. Because of this, they developed and manufactured the Xbox 360 gaming console system that virtually has everything that you need in a gaming console system. It has wireless controllers, upgradeable hard drive, Xbox Live headset to let you chat with your friends when playing Xbox 360 online games, WiFi adapter and can also be integrated with the Xbox Live Vision.

As you can see, both gaming console system are closely matched except for the Blu-ray technology that PlayStation 3 has. If you want a gaming console that offers high definition graphics, you should opt for PlayStation 3. With the Blu-ray technology and advanced HDMI technology, you will be able to have the best gaming experience of your life.

Wii predicted to win 2008 sales race

2008-02-05T09:24:00.000-08:00

By James Sherwood [More by this author]

5th February 2008 12:15 GMT

Gaming megapublisher Electronic Arts officially predicts that Nintendo's Wii will be the highest selling gaming console in North America and Europe.

According to EA’s estimates, a combined total of between 12-14m Wiis will be sold in the two regions during 2008. This gives the console’s sales figures a significant lead over the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which EA believes will sell between 9.5–11.5m and 6-8m respectively.

However, Europe is where Microsoft’s Xbox 360 sales will really be tested. EA expects just 1.5-2.5m gamers to fork out their cash for an Xbox 360, whereas the publisher believes around 5-6m people will splash some cash on a PS3. The old-school PS2 is the real loser worldwide though, because EA has predicted that Sony will only shift a measly 3.9-4.9m units during 2008.

Recent sales figures have already shown that Nintendo shipped 13.2m Wiis worldwide by the end of September 2007, just slightly less than the 13.4m Xbox 360s sold by the same date.

Nintendo also looks set to take first place in the race to sell the most units of portable consoles worldwide. EA believes the company’s DS will sell around 14-16m units, whilst Sony’s rival PlayStation Portable (PSP) will only sell between 6-8m. However, sales of the slim’n’light PSP could be boosted by Sony’s addition of Skype, through a recent firmware update.

5 of the Most Violent Video Games

2008-01-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

5. Mortal Kombat

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

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

4. Carmageddon

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

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

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

3. Thrill Kill

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

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

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

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

2. Postal 2

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

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

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

1. Manhunt

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

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

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

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Brown

US Video Game Sales Soar To Record 17.9 Billion Dollars - Healthy or Not

2008-01-29T16:43:00.001-08:00

Wow! Isn't that great...17.9 billion dollars? It's amazing. I just read about this recently. It's a sign of our high-tech times. It's a sign that the video gaming industry is alive and well and will keep going strong for a long time. Nintendo and its Wii, Sony and its PS2, PS3 and Microsoft's XBOX 360 and its top video game Halo 3 have created a video game sales goldmine. Both the young and middle-aged gobble up these video games as soon as they come out and park themselves in front of their high def televisions for hours on end until they become masters of the game.

However, that last sentence is also what medical doctors are trying to warn parents and kids about. Why? Simply put, our kids and young adults do not exercise or get enough physical activity any longer. They come home from school or work and sit in front of the T.V. playing these video games until late into the night. To make matters worse, the diets of children and young adults these days are terrible. The diets are full of processed foods containing large amounts of sugar and bad fats with and provide no nutritional value to the human body.

The affects of the combination of the Video Game Athlete and very poor diets are now showing up:

Obesity - both in children and young adults. Childhood obesity is at the greatest level ever and increasing at alarming rates.
High blood pressure
Insulin resistance
Diabetes and pre-diabetes. This is most alarming according to doctors today. Young children are showing signs of insulin resistance, diabetes and high blood pressure...characteristics only seen in middle-aged and older adults in the past.
The high statistics of these characteristics are being called an epidemic by medical professionals.

It's not to say that everyone who plays video games is fat and diabetic. However, look around you and see what's going on and pay close attention to the news. Weight gain and obesity are major problems for our young kids today. So, although it's great news for the gaming industry and the economy, there is a dark cloud to this business bright spot. It's up to us parents who have young kids to learn about childhood obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. It's up to us to get our kids to exercise and keep them active. If we don't do this, there will be an upcoming young generation with heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments at young ages never seen before in our history.

Modifying eating habits, exercise and nutritional education can allow for the very healthy Video Game Athlete...and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! But, we just want to make sure this athlete lives past the age of 50...no joke.

Start learning about proper nutrition and proper eating habits now. Win the war on weight gain, obesity and bodyfat, especially that stubborn tummy fat. Put your body into Fat Burning Mode! For a great source on how to do this, see:

Easy Weight Loss Diet Plan

http://www.squidoo.com/EasyWeightLossDietPlan

Mason Grae is a big believer in properly changing eating habits to promote weight loss, improved blood sugar control, lower blood pressure and improved overall health. Education is key, so that the "fad diet" effect, which many times ends in failure, can be avoided.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mason_Grae

Xbox Elite - The Whirlwind of Thrill and Excitement

2008-01-19T21:55:00.001-08:00

This latest gaming console for the pioneer brand- Microsoft is bundled with exciting features. It is an innovative gaming console that promises an enthralling gaming experience to the people who love games. The Xbox offers great entertainment with the facility for online and offline gaming. The system comes with a high performance multimedia player that can play videos and music. The games in the Xbox are built on high resolution and with the help of the Xbox emulator you can enjoy all your favourite games.

The Xbox comes with a dashboard interface that helps the users to navigate through the various options in the games by using a remote control. The Xbox is adorned with advanced multimedia capabilities which let you enjoy great music right on your gaming device. You can view all your favourite videos and pictures and play movies on your Xbox Elite. So you can have all the fun with your Xbox and you do not need another media player.

This gaming system lets you exhibit your skills with the Xbox live service through which you can compete with various gamers across the world. You can easily download exciting games and a variety of content. The various Demos are also available and you can learn the tricks and strategies of the game with it. You can download music videos, TV shows and movies. If you want a joyful ride, full of suspense and thrill then switch to the gaming Console. The Xbox is a Pandora box of thrill, excitement and entertainment. The various games like BEE movie game, Halo3 and Mass Effect will offer you great entertainment. If you love a fast- paced and adventurous game, then play the Need for Speed Pro. If you are a movie lover then challenge your friends with Scene it- Lights, Camera, Action. The Mass Effect will simply awe you with a high suspense story driven science fiction game that comes with awe inspiring visuals.

The Xbox Elite will simply give you the most enthralling experience full of adventure. So start gaming now.

Adam Caitlin is expert author of Telecommunication industry. Who writes on mobile phones and xbox elite

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Caitlin

Wow Leveling Guide Facts And Info

2008-01-19T21:54:00.001-08:00

The alternative to months of grueling, annoying, and uncertain game play. How many battles does it take you to even move the exp. bar? How many hours does it take you to get to the next level? Reaching level 70, is the ultimate goal of world of warcraft. Its not fun to see people doing it better and faster then yourself, especially if some of those people are personal acquaintances. (who wont show, or tell how they do it, cause their arrogant/egotistical.... well, you probably see where I'm going)

*FACT: Every person that plays wow pays $15 a month to play. If a person plays all year, they in fact pay $180 a year. If a person is willing to pay $15/month or $180/yr., then why not a one time $35 fee for a wow leveling guide, that will save you 7 weeks of grueling battles.*

Another Monumental moment a wow player seeks is when he/she obtains a Epic Mount. An epic ground mount really helps with both grinding and questing- the faster you get somewhere, the sooner you can start earning Experience Points. An epic flying mount is even better, reducing the time traveling even further. I utilize my flying epic mount to fly to areas with ore, mine the ore, bring it back to the auction house, and just wait for buyers. I make money even when I'm not playing. It can take weeks to earn enough gold to get your mount if you are not maxed out at level 70.

*INFO: When you get to level 70, making gold is at its easiest. At that point people are flying around to specific locations to fight specific enemies, that yield them the most gold, and rare items/weapons. Brian Kopps wow leveling guide shows you step-by-step how to get to level 70 in 10 days. His wow leveling guide thrives on the principal of quests, which not only make the game more enjoyable, but level your character at maximum speed.

When playing a game, such as wow, you want it to be fun. Well, I know I do, a game is a form of entertainment. I love to play wow because it is fun, challenging, something I can do with friends, and a place to release. A mythical journey, evil beasts to sleigh, and mountains of gold to be had, to make me master of my warcraft. (A bit corny, the actual trailer does a lil better job then i just did)

FACT: People actually pay someone(game consultants) else to go into their wow account at level up their character/characters for them.

1-70 Cost= $556.00

60-70 Cost= $239.00

I hope this article has helped you realize the multiple benefits of owning a Wow Leveling Guide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Noonan

Video Games - Why Are Movie Licensed Video Games So Bad

2008-01-19T21:51:00.000-08:00

After playing The Golden Compass we all had to wonder here--why are movie games so terrible? Sure, there are exceptions. Spider Man was great, for example. However the vast majority of liscenced movie games are low-quality shovelware that are often less fun than just throwing the disc around in a game of frisbee. Why is that, and is there any hope for change?

Some things don't look good. The Golden Compass, for instance, reeks of being pushed out of the door in order to meet a strict deadline. It ends abruptly, but almost blessedly so because the concepts of the game are so shoehorned in that it's not very fun to play. The people who made the game are the ones responsible for Earthworm Jim and other hilariously fun games, so why couldn't this deliver?

As Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute. People buy with recognition, not with quality, especially seeing as you can't really inspect a game's quality sitting on the shelf. Parents often want to buy their kids something recognizable that they like and get on with their day--and kids love anything with their favorite characters on it. Unfortunately this has been exploited quite a bit, leaving kids to blissfully (or not!) play games simply because their favorite cartoon face is featured in it.

However there is hope on the horizon. Gaming is gaining in popularity, and soon the parents themselves might have a better idea for quality. Also, as machines get more powerful and easier to develop, writing tedious details of code might be less of a concern and more resources can be devoted to designing a solid game. Even with the most powerful systems out now, there are still a lot of limitations but we might see the increased power of future generations go more toward making development easier so that the games can be better designed, much like recent web technology has gone from stuttering text-and-small-icon only web pages in the early 90s to interactive experiences with video and real-time response as of late

There is hope that in the future there will be less bad video games based off of licenses as the development cycles can shorten, but keep in mind that better technology still leads to badly done websites--so they'll never go away, but we can all hope that it makes things better!

For more on video gaming, visit http://gamer-revolution.net to read about Mass Multiplayer Online Games like World of Warcraft or fun single player console games like Super Mario Galaxy and discussion on the social impacts of gaming.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rose_Basile

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Playstation 3 FAQ

2007-12-31T23:38:00.001-08:00

The release of the original Gran Turismo game for the first Playstation made great waves all over the gaming community. For so long, the PC has been the domain for most of these racing simulations with console gamers having little or no option for their racing needs. Some games like Motor Toon Grand Prix were exciting but just wasn't promising enough for fans of racing games.

After Gran Turismo was launched in 1997 in Japan, and in 1998 in both US and Europe, the game was a seller. It has certainly went beyond anything racing games had been before and because it has been made available for console gaming, it is something new altogether. And not forgetting to mention that you can tune your car to your own specifications, but there's always something for ordinary racing fans as there is also an arcade mode for this game. Get suited for the coming of Gran Turismo 5, with GT5 Prologue giving you a taste of what to expect from the full title.

Since GT5 won't be out until sometime next year, you are sure to find that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is worth all your gaming time. For this game, you also have options to tune your car in exact specifications, depending on your preference. This drove fans to purchase the game, totalling to a 50 million copies sold worldwide for Gran Turismo and its sequels. But don't take the GT5 Prologue lightly, it has got more to offer than most full racing games.

Before the Gran Turismo 5 will be released next year, GT5 Prologue will enable fans to have a little taste of what the full game will look and feel like. And these cars are not a bunch of trash either, with such racing giants as Ferrari and Lotus sports cars, what better choice can you have? For this one, you do not have the full roster of all the cars and tracks available in the full title but this game has got enough fun features to keep you occupied.

Son'y partnership with Polyphony Digital, which is known as the premier videogame designer, ensures that fans will have utmost fun racing in these tracks. If you think that offline gaming is too restricting and if you wish to expand your competition a bit further, you can take advantage of the GT5 Prologue Online Mode. So long as you have a broadband connection, you can join in on the online racing fun which is able to support up to 16 players. This may be a good time to test you and your friends' racing skills. Having earned a reputation for becoming one of the world's premier game designers in the gaming community, you expect Polyphony Digital to do the same for GT5 Prologue.

Just like in an offline version of the game, you can also use the Garage mode through the Playstation Network. While in this mode, you'd be able to customize your car's hydraulics, engine settings, brake and suspension, tires, and many more. Now, you can change your car settings so long as you think it will help your car run its best during the race. It can be quite a difficult task to reach the top of the rankings, but working your way their can be a great way to spend your gaming time.

So, as you gear up for the race make sure you use the Garage mode to help you get started. By doing this, you can customize your car's hydraulics, engine settings, brake and suspension, and tires. It has also got a Calendar that enables you to check racing schedules, as well as predicted weather for those upcoming races.

Beyond all this astounding racing features, you also have some other stuffs just to keep things more interesting. This will enable you to view the action clearly via the point of view of a real racer, and see other cars disappear behind you as you run past them.

With the features of GT5 Prologue, fans are surely raring to get their hands on the game and have a sneak preview into the full Gran Turismo 5 game.

With the features of GT5 Prologue, fans are surely raring to get their hands on the game and have a sneak preview into the full Gran Turismo 5 game. So, until the Gran Turismo 5 is officially released in 2008, enjoy yourself with GT5 Prologue!

Samual writes about Gran Turismo 5 on the Sony PS3 for the website APi. Gran Turismo 5 Playstation 3 Cheats are available as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samual_Ennis

There's Value In Purchasing Used Video Games

2007-12-31T23:31:00.000-08:00

In general, there is one thing that separates the video game industry from all other entertainment industries. Based on the title of this article, take a guess on what that might be? Right, the cost! Let's face it, video games are expensive. Look no further than the release of the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii as an indication of this. Not only that, but sales prices have actually increased over the cost of video game consoles the previous generation.

The Nintendo Wii may have the benefit of the doubt here, but there's no denying the increase of prices for both the Microsoft and Sony consoles. We're talking about investments here. Typically, people that want to be entertained are not looking forward to taking out a bank loan just to do so. Unfortunately, these high price tags aren't limited to console hardware. In fact, even the software that's available for each console can cost upwards of sixty dollars or more. Pretty crazy, I know! This is where the true value of purchasing used games come in.

The great thing about used games is that it's not difficult to find them for very cheap prices. Over the last 5 years, the library of used games has increased quite a bit. Taking note of this increase, it should not be difficult to find a game in particular that you may be looking for. From personal experience, I've found games of virtually every genre. You may remember a game that you really wanted to play, but simply didn't have the budget or whatever the case may be, to purchase that title. Head on over to your local game store, and see if you can find it in the used section. Chances are, you'll also find it for heck of a lot cheaper.

There are a lot of places that sell used video games. Some of these places include retailers like Blockbuster, Micro Play, EB Games, etc. - Virtually every game related retailer carries them. You may find deals along the lines of purchasing two titles for the price of one. In my case, I purchased two games I never got the chance to play, for ten bucks - Yes, ten dollars! There may be other deals along the lines of buying two titles, and getting the second one half-price. Again, it all depends on where you shop. Generally speaking though, it's not hard at all to find games for cheap, and in some cases (I've personally had many cases like this), really cheap.

It's a great feeling. You walk into your local Blockbuster, and "boom", your hit with this intense view of all these games you've always wanted to play, and for really low prices. Games you forgot that you wanted to play, and now you can. In the video game world, you may sometimes hear this word, "hidden gems." Essentially games that have been given great reviews, but somehow didn't catch the attention of the general public. Now here's another reason to go back and look for those titles.

Some people may wonder about the quality of the games. In my case, I'm usually given a thirty-day money back guarantee. Basically, if within those thirty days something is wrong with my game, I have the option of returning it. I've purchased a ton of used titles, and had only one incident where I had to return it. So I would suspect, based on personal experience, that the titles you end up purchasing should be working fine. With the rise of increased game sales, which includes prices for both hardware and software, there has never been a better time to take a look at the used-games section at your local video game retailer. You may just find the game you've always wanted to play. Good luck!

Andre Garcia loves video games and has been involved with the game industry for many years. People that enjoy playing video games can learn if it's actually possible to get a job as a video game tester and be paid for it. For all your latest video game news and more, visit: Your Gaming Source

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_Garcia

World Of Warcraft - Using Hacks And Exploits To Make Gold

2007-12-13T21:10:00.000-08:00

First off, let me make it clear that you shouldn't use hacks or exploits in WoW, or your account is going to get banned. But for honest players who have been around for a while, it is difficult not to notice hackers. There are many cheaters who play the game under many accounts in order to mine gold.

If you have been playing for a while then you have probably seen blatant cheating going on at least once. So let's look at some of the different hacks and cheats that exist.

Basic Exploits:

Simple exploits are errors in programming that players can take advantage of to do something that they would not normally be able to use. You might be able to find an exploit to go places you could not normally go, or to perform some kind of feat. Exploits like this do not require any programming knowledge to take advantage of and many players just stumble across them. They are often fixed in patches by Blizzard.

Basic Cheating:

This goes a little further than using exploits. With cheating, the player goes out of their way to do something that can get them banned, and a level of programming knowledge is required to do this. For Blizzard, cheats are harder to get rid of than simple exploits. They will ban any account they find is using a cheat, but it is difficult to detect unless the player is really raking up a huge amount of gold. Cheats are commonly abused by players and are often available to download online.

Outright Hacking:

This is the most advanced way to manipulate the game and make gold. A hack involves rebuilding the game for the players liking, so that they can do things they could never normally do. The most damaging hacks can actually allow a player to sell items they do not actually possess, or unlocking things for their profession. Hacks can also do things like load the game without any graphics or allow players to wall hack and more. These are easily detected by Blizzard, and you can definitely get your account banned if you try things like this.

Because all of the three methods will undoubtedly get your account banned if Blizzard finds out what you are doing, it is not recommended that you try any of them. Also, the game is much more secure than it was when it first came out in late 2004, and so exploits are much harder to come by. It is recommended that you stick with buying gold or investing in a strategy guide and doing it legitimately.

Want a list of the best WoW strategy guides and gold sellers on the planet?

Get it at WoW Gold Tips.

Dave Latimer runs WoW Gold Secrets. He has played World of Warcraft since it was first released in November 2004.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Latimer

Runescape Summoning Skill

2007-12-13T21:08:00.001-08:00

The new Runescape summoning skill is due to be released in January 2008 with much excitement. The developers are not yet giving away all the information about this highly anticipated skill until its release in January but they are giving us clues as to what the skill will involve.

It seems as though you will need life runes and eggs from birds nests to summon different animals to help you in combat and non- combat tasks. The types of animals that can be summoned is not yet known.

It would be nice to be able to summon animals to help defeat other monsters in the game. I wonder how long the summoning will last. Will there be a time limit to how long your animal can be summoned or will you be able to put it away after you use it to let it recharge? The price for these summoning eggs will surely be very high in the beginning when all of the rich Runescapers will surely pay top dollar to level their skill first.

This will be good though for the woodcutter but The price for logs will probably drop because everyone will want to sell their logs at the same time and when this happens there are always bargains to be found. I am still not sure how the life runes will be made. I bet the developers will tell us soon. There are two more development diaries which will be released by the developers of this exciting new skill before its release in January.

http://runescape-summoning-skill.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Walter_Diener

How To Play UMD Games From Your Memory Stick

2007-12-13T20:55:00.001-08:00

Let us first discuss the terms that we will be using in this article. First is UMD - When Sony released the PlayStation Portable, they also unleashed a new, proprietary media format called the universal media disc (UMD). Sony created a protection system that uses a unique ID for each disc (using 128-bit encryption) and the ID of the PSP itself. Second is ISO - (.iso) is a disk image of an ISO 9660 file system. ISO 9660 is an international standard originally devised for storing data on CD-ROM. More loosely, it refers to any optical disc image, even a UDF image. As is typical for disc images, in addition to the data files that are contained in the ISO image, it also contains all the filesystem metadata, including boot code, structures, and attributes. All of this information is contained in a single file. These properties make it an attractive alternative to physical media for the distribution of software that requires this additional information as it is simple to retrieve over the Internet.

PSP games are expensive, that's why playing UMD games from memory stick is much preferred than buying games. All you need is a memory stick large enough to store games and of course a PSP. Here's a list of instructions on how to do it:

1. First you are going to need an ISO file of the game you want to play. You can download all the latest games from many sites, most will charge you a one time fee and then you can download as many as you wish forever. All you need to do is to spend some time searching in the internet.

2. You'll need a small program that will run the game from your memory stick, you can download it from psp-hacks it is called PSP RunUMD UMD Emulator v0.8C. (This is a homebrew application and may not run on PSP with firmware version higher than 1.50) Download it and put it onto your memory stick. Follow the instructions that came with the file and put it in the exact folder it says and make sure that you have the correct configuration:

CPU/Bus speed :333/166 MHz (may vary depending on game to be played) ISO emulation mode :Load RunUMD Disctype ISO :game Disctype UMD :game Updater icon :remove Use boot.bin :off Regioncode override :off Regioncode game :regionfree Regioncode Video :regionfree Regioncode audio :regionfree Flash0 emulation :off Flash1 emulation :off

3. You'll have to create a folder called ISO; this is where your psp games will go. Connect your PSP to your PC and drag and drop the files into the ISO folder. Now switch on the PSP and select the PSP RunUMD UMD Emulator v0.8C from the memory stick. Once the program is running you should see the games you have in the ISO folder. Just select it to start playing.

This is just one of the steps that you could follow in playing games from your memory stick. There are other programs like RunUMD out there, all you need to do is some reading on how it works. Just follow them and it will work out fine. If not, you could always refer to the internet for help.

Jordan Michael writes on a variety of subjects and recommends http://pspblenderpspdownloads.blogspot.com for more information on How to play UMD games from your Memory Stick.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Michael

How to Play Pinch Hitter 2

2007-12-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

If you are a baseball lover, there is a positively addicting online flash game available called Pinch Hitter 2. Once you start in with this and other free online games and flash games you will not want to quit.

The rules for Pinch Hitter 2 are quite straightforward. The game is played entirely with the mouse for controls. You begin the game with three batters. Ten balls are pitched to your batters. If you strike out or are caught, you lose one of your batters. On the other hand, if you hit a home run, you will be pitched one extra ball. Points are awarded, and when you lose a batter your score is dropped by half. There is a pitcher and outfielders, and the outfielders can be a little sneaky, so be on the watch for odd catches they make.

You can adjust your batter's position in relation to home plate by using the mouse to move the batter closer to the base or farther away. You can also use the mouse to move the bat higher or lower. There are three levels of play: the Sandlot, moving up to Little League and finishing with Major League. Along with the levels, there are 9 tasks that must be completed in order to advance and eventually win.

There are several strategy tips that might help you win at Pinch Hitter 2. One idea is to hit the ball using the end of the bat; it tends to make the ball go farther and can even result in a home run. Another suggestion is to hit the ball as late as possible, so you have the maximum time to adjust to any of the pitcher's quirks that he might use to throw your swing off. It has also been suggested that at the highest levels of play, you might want to consider getting your batter up close to the plate and get in a short shot. This should put a player on first base, after which your batter can step back and hit the next ball hard with the end of the bat to send your player home.

Batting strategies are fairly important in this fun game. On the screen you will see a transparent white shadow rectangle that represents your swing, and which can be manipulated by your mouse to adjust your batter's position. You can take your mouse and adjust your batter's swing so that the white box is halfway between the beginning of the infield grass and the dirt. If you are struggling hitting the ball when you are getting started playing this game, this tip will likely help you tremendously.

Give this enormously fun free online game a try, and you will be hooked.

Jonathon Blocker spends his free time free online games and flash games. In particular, he likes action games. His favorite Free Internet games include Pinch Hitter 2 and street fighter. In this article he describes his game strategies for many free online games including Pinch Hitter 2.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Blocker

Rock Band Video Game - Rock Band vs Guitar Hero - Who Wins

2007-12-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

As everyone knows by now, Rock Band Video Game is out and taking the nation by storm. At least for those who have been able to get their hands on the game thus far. Well, the question that everyone has been dying to have answered follows. Rock Band Video Game vs Guitar Hero ... who wins?

MTV's Boston-based Harmonix thrilled players of the music/rhythm genre when they first came out with their Guitar Hero game. It was so unlike anything that was then available. It was so popular that there have been two subsequent versions, with the latest version just released as Guitar Hero 3.

Well, Harmonix has now gone and outdone themselves with their latest creation, Rock Band the game. Developers wanted to not just come up with another game: they wanted to come up with a way for people to actually play music ... and boy, did they!

Guitar Hero originally came with only a guitar player option, but a slew of tracks to play. It has taken this third version for Guitar Hero developers to finally get around to offering a drum kit. Something that already comes standard with every Rock Band game. Rock Band does another "one upper" by not only including the guitar; it also comes with a microphone kit.

If you were to do a side by side comparison, there are special features each of these games offer. Guitar Hero may offer more songs to shred with the guitar right now (a bit over seventy titles at last count), but Rock Band will be adding new tracks every week. Rock Band also has a better quality soundtrack than Guitar Hero and even though Rock Band video game costs a bit more, it just blows the door off Guitar Hero in overall capabilities. Its multi-player feature looks to be a bit more challenging (and fun) than Guitar Hero's battle mode which pits a player against just the computer. There is also a Tour Mode for Rock Band being set up to run online that Guitar Hero just can't compare with.

There was an actual "Cyber Battle of the Bands" held between both these games at this year's EA gaming convention. The final conclusion, after a four song play-off was that Guitar Hero 3 was hard put just playing catch up to the newest contender on the video gaming block: Rock Band won, hands down!

The ultimate "Battle of the Bands" will actually be played out in the retail arena. With the upcoming holidays, it should be interesting to see if Rock Band continues to outdo Guitar Hero.

Want to find out more about Rock Band Video Game vs Guitar Hero? James provides much more detailed information including new Rock Band game video clips and resources of where to find this hard to find game. Visit his site, Rock Band The Game and rock your world. You can also find info here at at Rock Band Video Game.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Hodges

Download Wii Games - Where To Download Games For Nintendo Wii

2007-11-26T17:18:00.000-08:00

The popularity of the new Wii console has led a lot of us to wonder if we can download Wii games. A quick search online turns up lots of sites offering Wii game downloads and talking about the possibility of getting these games. However, it can be hard to tell which sites are reliable, safe from viruses, and provide quality games.

A good Wii download site will offer both older games and new releases. The Wii's support for classic Nintendo games means that you have the ability to download your old favorites, as well as the flashiest new games. If you want to download Wii games, look for a site that offers a good variety. Don't give your information or money to any site you don't trust, or that feels shady. Stick to well designed sites that won't sell your information or fill your computer with malware.

Generally, you'll find that there are two different kinds of sites on the web offering Wii game downloads. Some charge a price per file download. Others allow you access to an unlimited number of games for a flat fee. Which you choose will depend on how many games you need. If you want to download Wii games extensively, an unlimited site will be your best choice. If you are just looking for that one special game you can't find anywhere else, however, paying by the download will be cheaper.

To download Wii games, some sites may require you to download special software. This software will either connect to the site's main server, or to other users of the site, allowing you to download the Wii games you want. Remember, to play downloaded games on your computer, you'll also have to be able to find an emulator that operates the way the Nintendo console would.

If you want to download Wii games, it's easy to find a place that offers them. However, choosing where you want to download from can be a little bit harder. Look carefully at all the available sites offering games for download before you pick one. You could be downloading the latest Wii games, or your old favorites, within a few minutes of registering.

For a list of the top 3 Nintendo Wii download sites check out

Download-Wii-Games.com

Steve Somerton writes informative articles on various subjects including Download Wii Games - Where To Download Games For Nintendo Wii? You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Somerton

Looking To Buy A Wii? Where To Find A Wii System

2007-11-26T17:15:00.000-08:00

Trying to buy a Wii for the holidays? It's going to be rough going. Nintendo did not manufacture more systems in anticipation of the holiday crunch, and the Nintendo Wii turned out to be such a popular item, that stores everywhere are running out.

If you are trying to find out where to buy a Wii, the best place is always online. Sellers from just about anywhere can offer Wii game systems at competitive prices, and you have a choice of more sellers than at your local mall. You can buy a Wii online and receive it within a day or two. These are new Nintendo Wii game systems, in the box, many times with receipts or with return policies.

Figuring out where to buy a Wii online can be confusing though. Many buyers are reluctant to purchase online because they don't want to be ripped off. Here are some quick tips to make sure you buy a Wii online safely, and aren't disappointed for the holidays:

- Use a well-known auction service like eBay. Don't shop through an unknown channel.

- Use a reliable payment service, like PayPal. PayPal is owned by eBay, and has excellent buyer protection programs if you pay using them. If you can use a credit card or bank account through PayPal, you are better protected than if you mail a check or money order. Most sellers ship faster too for online payment. If the seller does not come through, you will at least get you money back.

- Buy a Wii system from a seller with a high rating, and with several hundred sales under the belt at least. On eBay you can see seller feedback from other buyers, you can see approximately how many items they've sold (by the feedback count) and there are rankings according to how much positive feedback the seller has. PowerSellers are eBay merchants who sell thousands each month, and are also very reliable.

- Compare prices for sold systems. You can see prices for closed auctions on eBay so you know what the systems are going for. Generally, prices will be a little cheaper than you'll find in retail stores.

- Make sure the item you are bidding on has all the accessories and pieces you want. Does it have all the controllers, software, and cables? Is it "new in box"? Do you need a single system, or a bundle, with two controllers and nunchucks?

- Buy from a seller with a cash-back return policy. If your system doesn't measure up, you want to have the choice to get a refund.

- Ask questions before bidding. Get your answer before bidding so you don't win an auction you didn't want to win.

Use these special tips to make sure you buy a Nintendo Wii system you or your family is looking for this holiday season!

Sue Calhoun writes on gaming topics for online and offline publications. Find a huge selection of Nintendo Wii system online at http://wii.my-sale-site.com/where-to-buy-a-wii.html

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