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January 01, 2008
Got game? Some of the best games of 2007.
As the token gaming mom at BlogHer, I would be remiss if I did not list for you some of the top games of 2007. (The list is not nearly complete and will vary depending on who you talk to, but this is my top ten mix and match games of 2007 for your gaming pleasure.)
Gamers. Gaming families. We can be quite a picky lot. We tell friends and family that we love receiving all things gaming but when we open that box and see something somewhat akin to Pong circa 1972, we grumble. I want you people to be in the know. Besides, many of you may have received gift cards or cash and what better way to spend those than on games? (None for this gaming mom!)
So before we ring in 2008, let's see the games you want to have. *Note: These games range in ratings from Everyone to Mature. You must be the judge of what games you and your family can and should have in your home. (See my guide to ESRB ratings here.)
Are you ready to jump into the gaming world with me? Let's go!
1. Wii Boogie: If you were lucky enough to score a Wii, a big hit with families is Wii Boogie. It is rated E for Everyone and the average price is $59.99. For the hours of fun you will have, it is worth it! Family night, anyone?
2. Super Mario Galaxy: Again, you Wii-ers, here is a game that the kids love and, personally, I am failing miserably at but am still hanging in there. Super Mario Galaxy Rated E for Everyone. The average price is $49.99. Your kids will adore you for it!
3. Wario World Smooth Moves: Our last Wii game to represent is Wario World Smooth Moves. Sticking to the traditional WarioWare style of play, players can use 20 unique applications of the Wii Remote to chop barrels, turn levers, run races and more. It is rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and older. The average price is $49.99.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass: This game is for the Nintendo DS. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass offers new challenges for fans of the series and an easy-to-grasp introduction for gamers new to The Legend of Zelda. The single-player adventure will have Zelda veterans and newcomers alike engrossed by the story as they move through the game with the stylus. The ability to replay again and again with these winner-take-all matches is virtually endless. It is rated E for Everyone. The average price is $34.99.
5. Guitar Hero 3: This is one of those great games that crosses many gaming platforms. It comes for the Wii, X-Box 360 and the , PlayStation 2, PlayStation3 and Macintosh, Windows Vista / XP. It is rated T for Teen. The prices vary. It really depends on whether or not you go with a bundle or the game alone if you already have a guitar. The Wii bundle runs around $149.99. The X-Box 360 starts at $59.99 (the game bundle averages about $112.99) The PS2 starts at $49.99. The PS3 bundle averages $86.99. The Windows version runs about $74.99. Again, these prices are average. You will find some cheaper and some more expensive.
6. Rock Band: This awesome rock out game is for the PS2, PS3 and X-Box 360. Let your inner rocker be set free as you jam out with this game. Major record labels and leading music publishers have signed on to provide unrivaled access to master recordings and legendary rock artists - from punk, metal and alternative to classic and southern rock - including many master recordings from legendary artists, including acts like Metallica, Bon Jovi, Stone Temple Pilots and the Ramones! It is rated T for Teen. Prices run from $49.99 to $290.00. (Yes, I know that is a huge jump. You have options!)
7. Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction: This epic adventure will introduce new characters, new weapons, and all-new worlds for Ratchet & Clank to explore. It is for the PS2 or PS3. It is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and older. The average price is $59.99.
8. Crysis: This game is for Windows XP / Vista. From the makers of Far Cry, Crysis offers FPS fans the best-looking, most highly-evolving gameplay, requiring the player to use adaptive tactics and total customization of weapons and armor to survive in dynamic, hostile environments. It is rated M for Mature. This is not a game for the kiddos, people. But does it rock nevertheless? YES it does! The average price is $49.99. Not a light hearted game, but if you love first person shooter games, this is one that has been long awaited by many.
9. Halo 3: Now, I have to admit this one is one of my favorite first person shooter games out there. (And, yes, I even have the Halo edition of the X-Box 360 console.) "Halo 3 is the third game in the Halo Trilogy and the thrilling conclusion to the events begun in Halo: Combat Evolved. Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax." Now that is game, people! It is rated M for Mature. (Again, not for the kiddos.) The average price is $59.99.
10. Bioshock: This game was rated number one on many gamers lists. We have it and it was worth the cost and the anticipation of waiting for it. It comes for both the PC and the X-Box 360. There is great action, first person shooting and a bit RPG thrown in for fun. It is rated M for Mature. Put the kids to bed (or set them up on their Wii) and have fun! Great action! The average price for this game is $59.99.
Though the list is far from complete and are in no particular order other than their ESRB rating, it can give you a hint at what gamers were doing this year. Now, seeing as my all time favorite MMORPG (massive mult-player online role playing game)came out in January of 2007, I have to add it to my list. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. Oh the hours I have played. Oh the fun I have had. Oh the Horde I have killed. I am not officially adding it to the list because, well, you should know about it already. Own it. Love it. Live it. Or at least that is what this gaming mom does when she has that very brief window where her computer is her own and she has time to game.
For more blogs on gaming visit these sites:
bits, bytes, pixels and sprites
Joystiq
The Adventuress
Now, I am off to wrestle at least one of my gaming consoles from the kids and Game In the New Year!
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Jennifer also blogs at Mommy Needs Coffee, Mommybloggers and here at Aggroqueen.
Posted by Jenn @ 03:58 PM
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January 17, 2007
Things that make you go hmmmm
Since I was tagged by the awesome Big Red Kitty (which means someone is actually reading this besides the few I have paid), I am going to do a *gasp* meme. BUT it will help you get to know the queen behind the aggro. Ready? (I'm supposed to reveal five (5) things you don't know about me.)
5. I have absolutely no sense of direction. At all. In life or in games. I can wander around passing the same landmarks over and over and still have no idea which way to go. It really is sad. (And makes gaming really hard. Do not suggest a map. That is not helpful!)
4. When it comes to video games of the past, i could rock the world with Centipede. I own it. (And now that I am old(er) and we have an arcade machine at home, I never play. Go figure.)
3. I used to love all amusement park rides. All of the: Spin me, whirl me, flip me upside down and everything was awesome. I would just continue to go back for more. Now that I am old(er), I vomit. Yep, it is true. My equilibrium is so off I can get sick on a merry go round in the mall. Sad sad sad.
2. I used to love math. Love it. Something about having all of those blanks and being able to figure it out. Algebra was my favorite. Until 8th grade when I was in honors advanced algebra and my teacher told me the last 6 weeks of school that she wasn't sure I was "getting it" so she pulled me out of Algebra and put me in honors math. I never got over it and until this day I freeze up and hate math with a passion. A Passion.
1. I love World of Warcraft now. Do NOT tell. I mean it. They have not won. They haven't!
Now, it is my turn to tag someone(s). I tag Colleen at Burgee Blogs, playgirlz and The Adventuress. Thanks my fellow gamers!
Posted by Jenn @ 04:19 PM
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January 15, 2007
An Open (love) letter to the creators of World of Warcraft
Dear (beloved) Creators of World of Warcraft,
How could you? How could make fall in love with playing WoW and do it in a way in which the timing is such that I didn't realize I was in love until it was too late to order my copy of the Burning Crusade Collector's Edition? I mean, you hooked me up with the CE edition of WoW when I was still such a noob. You even sent me the key to my heart anytime-- t-shirts! And after months of alpha testing and beta testing I discover I won't be able to have a collector's edition of BC. Oh, Blizzard, what have you done to me? Why did you not warn me about the shortage or CE's? Why did you not prepare me and let me know that even though when we found each other I could never understand it, but one day I would want a CE and should pre-order it? Why? Whyyyyyyyyyy?
I weep.
How can I live without my vanity pet? And knowing there is a new one coming? How can I look over at just a regular expansion pack edition without anyone's signature? Was this part of the plan? Are you breaking up with me? Please don't break up with me. Or is this your way of saying you want to see other players? So soon? I mean, I thought we had something special. You know, the whole "we will make you ours" type of relationship we had going? Remember how you said I amuse you? Is the magic gone?
Is the the fact I haven't mooned you yet? I will! I name all of my characters something "moon" related. That's for you, my friends. All for you.
And now, on the eve of the BC release, I weep that I was not indoctrinated into your cult sooner. If I had only known.
If I had only known.
But I still love you. I didn't want to. I tried not to. But we are helpless as to what our heart feels. You had me at "vanity pet."
Begrudgingly yours,
Jenn
ps- When is the next expansion pack coming out? What's next? Can I put my name on the waiting list NOW?! I mean to avoid this heartbreak between us.
tags: gaming, Burning Crusade, world of warcraft, Blizzard
You made me love you
I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it
You made me love you
and all the time you knew it
I guess you always knew it.
You made me happy sometimes, you made me glad
But there were times, Dear, you made me feel so bad
You made me sigh for, I didn't want to tell you
I didn't want to tell you
I want some love that's true, yes I do, deed I do, you know I do
Give me, give me, give me what I cry for
you know you got the brand of kisses that I'd die for
You know you made me love you
Posted by Jenn @ 06:45 PM
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December 16, 2006
Alt-a-holic or not, I am rolling again
Thanks so much for all of your advice on Marama and what to do with her. Right now, thanks to the help of my teen/tween and possibly my dog, I am stuck in a place that I have no idea how I got there or how to leave. (I asked for their help. My bad.) I have quests that I have no idea where I picked them up or how to accomplish them. (Again, my bad for not paying attention.) And now, she just sits in her lost little town far from the safety of Teldrassil. I will return to her, but for now, she shall sleep it off while I gather new characters to..well, enjoy.
I started a hunter. YES, I KNOW you are saying I told you so. Hey, I like having a pet do my dirty work. What can I say? I am also going to start a priest. Because, well, I am trying to work with this freaking casters and spell making voodoo magic guys, but I just really like beating the crap out of people. Warrior perhaps? Anyway, I am trying as many as I can to see what I like best and then taking that one to 60.
Before I am 60.
I hope.
Posted by Jenn @ 05:22 PM
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October 31, 2006
Halloween hijinx afoot in World of Warcraft
I absolutely love that the people at Blizzard have a good sense of humor. It is what drove me to try the game in the first place. I must admit, I am going to seriously miss the Trick or Treating in the game. Sometimes, sad as it may sound, I would actually play that extra hour just to see what my next "trick" would be. (The tricks were way more fun than the treats!) Here are a few of the screenshots I got with some of the tricks played on me.
Marama was turned into a Ninja:
(Notice the big bucket to the right of her on the left of your screen? Great place to "bob for apples" as food. They thought of everything!)
But by far, my favorite is what they did to my hunter in Burning Crusade. Here she is pictured with her pet and Mini Diablo. I am pretty sure she could scare the pants off you for Halloween if they showed up at your door!
(This screen shot is from the Exodor in Burning Crusade. Isn't it gorgeous? Of course, it is one huge frickin' maze in there, so I get lost every time I go in there, but I am figuring it out. Slowly. Very slowly!)
And finally, here is my female hunter turned undead, doing the dance of the undead in the Inn in the Exodor.
See? This is fun! I am totally going to miss this fun side part of the game.
I wonder if they will turn people into turkeys for US's Thanksgiving? Now that would be funny to see a bunch of turkeys in battle!
(More screen shots of other Halloween things they did in the extended entry. Thanks Blizzard!)
Here is my character after being turned into a BUSTY pirate. (And people are complaining that the Blood Elf doesn't look right and isn't in propotion? Are they kidding me??)
No. Look closer.
And, finally, the Tauren Mask that I got slapped on my face. Toooo funny!
I will post more as I play throughout the day and get things slapped on me. It has been fun. I think it should be something they keep. A little random thing you can get to keep things...uhhh...interesting when not taking it TOO seriously.
tags: World of Warcraft, The World of Warcraft Burning Crusade, Burning Crusade Beta testing, Blizzard, Halloween
Posted by Jenn @ 09:35 AM
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August 18, 2006
"M" is for Map. "T" is for Thanks for Nothing!
When playing World of Warcraft, there is a handy little feature that one should know about. Especially people like me who become so very lost playing any kind of game (PC, PS2, Gameboy...it doesn't matter) because I forget where I came from or how to get back there. I have no sense of direction in games. (Or in life for that matter, but we are not discussing that right now.)
This little feature that would be Oh So Handy back at say LEVEL ONE, is that if you hit "M" it brings up a MAP. As in a way to navigate your way around this god-forsaken land. As in I wouldn't have had to get lost, stay only on the very marked roads and never, ever stray from the roads for more than a few steps lest I become lost.
However, at level 9 they tell me.....
"M" is for Map.
Gee, thanks. That would have been helpful NINE LEVELS AGO, guys!
tags: gaming, parenting, world of warcraft
Posted by Jenn @ 07:37 PM
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