Fun and games for a snowy day (Love Lines)

By Bruce A. Love

I am snowbound as I write this column and very disappointed that I won’t get to play racquetball after work. In fact, the icy weather conditions have isolated me from all direct human contact. However, this won’t stop me from having a little fun!

Even when we are all alone and the snow and ice are piled up so high that we cannot get outside, we can still play games if we have an Internet connection. Admittedly, online games will not give us the same workout as an hour of racquetball, but if you are longing for competition and some socializing, you might want to visit one of the online gaming websites and have some fun. My favorite game site is Pogo.com. There, I can play with friends and family who may be hundreds, even thousands, of miles away. I like to play either backgammon or bowling, or hone my cribbage skills by playing against “robots.” If these games do not interest you, maybe you would like to try checkers, chess, hangman, dominoes, hearts, bridge, or any of the dozens of other games that Pogo offers. Most Pogo games are accessible after filling out the free registration form. Players may even chat online with their opponents and make new virtual friends.

If you happen to get snowbound with friends and have some of the latest video games, you are really in luck! My daughter and her friends enjoy Dance Dance Revolution (“DDR”) and Guitar Hero. Both of these games connect to your TV. DDR (by Konami) is played on a dance pad with four arrow panels, which are pressed using the player's feet in response to arrows that appear on the television screen. The arrows are synchronized to the beat of a chosen song. Of all the video games I have come across, this one is most likely to give you a real workout!

With Guitar Hero, (by Harmonix Music Systems) players use a guitar-shaped peripheral to simulate the playing of rock music as notes on the screen scroll towards them. The players press fret buttons and simultaneously hit a strum bar, and can even use a whammy bar. The player that completes the song with the fewest mistakes wins! Be forewarned, however, this game has nothing to do with any ability to play a real guitar. Also, neither DDR nor Guitar Hero are intended for the rhythmically challenged.

Our entire family especially enjoys playing baseball, tennis and bowling with Nintendo’s Wii. Players use handheld remotes and go through motions similar to those they would use in the real sport. Graphical representations of each player and their actions are displayed on TV. These on-screen characters, called Mii can be created to look remarkably similar to the players they are representing (try making your Wii Mii at miieditor.com). Be careful however; my wife learned the hard way that breakables should be moved away from the area of play. Even my mother enjoys Wii bowling with friends in her retirement community. From what I hear, Mom is almost ready for the pros!

Being snowbound can be fun. With online games and home video games, nobody ever has to be alone!

Love Lines

Love Lines is a blog for business and technology discussion.
Many of the entries are columns written by Bruce or Kären Love.
Click on "Comments" or any title below to post comments on any entry.

Fun and games for a snowy day

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About

Love Lines

Love Lines is a blog for business and technology discussion. Many of the entries are columns written by Bruce or Kären Love. Click on "Comments" or any title below to post comments on any entry.

Fun and games for a snowy day

Search

About

Love Lines is a blog for business and technology discussion.
Many of the entries are columns written by Bruce or Kären Love.
Click on "Comments" or any title below to post comments on any entry.