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Fun – the essence of life, the reason for living – to have a great time, and if playing games is a way to have fun, then I’ll be playing for a long while longer. Computers and console gaming has grown massively over the past ten years, with technology moving on at an incredible rate – we can now play games that are so realistic that soon it’ll be hard to tell if you’re watch the television, or playing a video game. Is this a good thing? Well as long as it’s entertainment, and generally, it is, then it can’t be anything but a good thing. Gaming has grown so much that it’s now the most popular form of entertainment ahead of movies and music, and yet it still doesn’t seem to get the reputation it deserves – far more credit & respect is given to film directors than to game producers, but maybe one day Yu Suzuki, Shigeru Miyamoto, Yuji Naka, the maestros at Polyphony Digital – responsible for a certain newly released racing game, and the rest of the gaming cream will be given the recognition that they actually deserve. This people are nothing short of geniuses, and I respect them for making great games.
Gaming is taking over our wallets, but in general it hasn’t risen with inflation – console prices as new are still around the same price as they used to be, only we’re getting a great deal more now for our sterling’s worth. The latest home console, the PlayStation 2 offers excellent value, at just £299.99 at launch (now £30 less), it’s the same price, or less than, how much the original PlayStation was when it first was released – and with PS2 you get a much more advanced machine, an integrated DVD player and of course it doubles up as a superb CD playing system – offering fantastically clear sound. There will be two new consoles heading our way within 10months, in the form of the giant sized Microsoft X Box and Nintendo’s peculiar looking Game Cube, they’re expected to sell at around £270 and £170 respectively – near enough. Naturally they will offer advances in technology from the last machine, and so gaming is always progressing – graphically and originality wise.
So what are your choices? You can get a PS2 now for £270, with games at £40 or less, pick up the now dated looking PlayStation 1 for £80, go for the Sega Dreamcast – it’s got full internet readiness and is probably the best value machine at just under £100, or of course you could go for the N64 which will set you back about £50. Handheld consoles are usually cheaper, but the GBC (game boy colour) is now around £50, as the new Game Boy Advance – the 32bit miniature marvel – is priced at £80. So generally, buy what you can afford – don’t go over the top with your spending, get the most from the games you buy, and I would strongly recommend buying from a trustworthy retailer, like Special Reserve.
Gaming is becoming more than just wasting a couple of hours away in front of a television, holding a joy pad and playing on a game because you’re so bored out of your brain that you’ve resorted to playing something, oh no – we’re now playing computer games because they’re the most appealing thing to do – not because we’re bored! Well, they’re a great way to spend time, and it’s not just about the games anymore. Gaming is a fun and active way of socialising, it can help you learn more about other cultures and societies – playing games made in Japan, made in the USA – we’re getting the most incredible insight into the lives and worlds of the gaming creators – a whole new world is being opened up and is available for all to experience, and in my view? That’s a damn good thing.
Those who play games aren’t just ”nerds and geeks“ anymore, yes sure you get some shifty looking characters around, and the occasional Sega Rally 2 enthusiast who never leaves the arcade machine, usually the really good Japanese people, but now everyone can play – yes, you and me – regular looking people – we’re all playing games because they’re just so great, well most of them are. So why doesn’t gaming get the limelight it should? In Japan, the home of electronics, gizmos and most importantly, gaming, the designers, producers and gaming companies are considered in a much higher place – almost worshipped even for their ability to make such incredibly fantastic games and consoles. In Europe and the it seems as though music gets the most attention, as we generally do have the best musicians and DJs around – excluding Germany of course, they’re not great musically. In the USA, with Hollywood, it’s movies that receive the most attention – but the most buzzing industry overall is that of gaming, so let’s all go to Japan and experience the electronic atmosphere that our long distant cousins have had all to their selves!
There are many superb games, it’d be wrong of me just to name a few must have titles, it all depends on the console or consoles that you own, but let me just say (No? Tough I’m going to say it anyway) that gaming has moved on leaps and bounds since the commodore and Atari days – although classics like Tetris and Lemmings, nibbles (reincarnated as Snake on mobile phones) and the very best wave of first generation games are still being played, re-released and played some more. Genres have been invented, abolished, recreated again – with games being described as “genre defying” now and again – when you see these words, it means you must buy this game!
Why do we play games? The very same reason we watch films, listen to music – it’s entertainment, it has, can, does and will enrich your life, but don’t get too carried away – don’t lock yourself in a cupboard playing for hours upon hours on end – it’s not that healthy, if you’re addicted to a game then limit yourself – only play for an hour each day or so, don’t go over the top, it could damage your health – but generally, gaming does not make psycho killers – it doesn’t lead to maniac driving on the roads – if anything it helps prevents this – people can unleash their fury brought on from everyday life and pressures, and sit back and partake in a tournament of a fighting or shooting game, racing around a grand prix circuit – backwards, knocking everyone off so that you’ve won – we’ve all done this right? Brilliant. Set the rules, bend the rules, or even do away with the rules completely – games vary so much between each other – some are super realistic, and some are just sublimely insane.
You pay your money, you play your game and you stay happy. Gaming a bad thing in society? Don’t make me laugh! Roll on Virtual Reality and walking simulators – wacky times ahead people, enjoy today.
Thanks for reading – what’s your view?
Gaming is taking over our wallets, but in general it hasn’t risen with inflation – console prices as new are still around the same price as they used to be, only we’re getting a great deal more now for our sterling’s worth. The latest home console, the PlayStation 2 offers excellent value, at just £299.99 at launch (now £30 less), it’s the same price, or less than, how much the original PlayStation was when it first was released – and with PS2 you get a much more advanced machine, an integrated DVD player and of course it doubles up as a superb CD playing system – offering fantastically clear sound. There will be two new consoles heading our way within 10months, in the form of the giant sized Microsoft X Box and Nintendo’s peculiar looking Game Cube, they’re expected to sell at around £270 and £170 respectively – near enough. Naturally they will offer advances in technology from the last machine, and so gaming is always progressing – graphically and originality wise.
So what are your choices? You can get a PS2 now for £270, with games at £40 or less, pick up the now dated looking PlayStation 1 for £80, go for the Sega Dreamcast – it’s got full internet readiness and is probably the best value machine at just under £100, or of course you could go for the N64 which will set you back about £50. Handheld consoles are usually cheaper, but the GBC (game boy colour) is now around £50, as the new Game Boy Advance – the 32bit miniature marvel – is priced at £80. So generally, buy what you can afford – don’t go over the top with your spending, get the most from the games you buy, and I would strongly recommend buying from a trustworthy retailer, like Special Reserve.
Gaming is becoming more than just wasting a couple of hours away in front of a television, holding a joy pad and playing on a game because you’re so bored out of your brain that you’ve resorted to playing something, oh no – we’re now playing computer games because they’re the most appealing thing to do – not because we’re bored! Well, they’re a great way to spend time, and it’s not just about the games anymore. Gaming is a fun and active way of socialising, it can help you learn more about other cultures and societies – playing games made in Japan, made in the USA – we’re getting the most incredible insight into the lives and worlds of the gaming creators – a whole new world is being opened up and is available for all to experience, and in my view? That’s a damn good thing.
Those who play games aren’t just ”nerds and geeks“ anymore, yes sure you get some shifty looking characters around, and the occasional Sega Rally 2 enthusiast who never leaves the arcade machine, usually the really good Japanese people, but now everyone can play – yes, you and me – regular looking people – we’re all playing games because they’re just so great, well most of them are. So why doesn’t gaming get the limelight it should? In Japan, the home of electronics, gizmos and most importantly, gaming, the designers, producers and gaming companies are considered in a much higher place – almost worshipped even for their ability to make such incredibly fantastic games and consoles. In Europe and the it seems as though music gets the most attention, as we generally do have the best musicians and DJs around – excluding Germany of course, they’re not great musically. In the USA, with Hollywood, it’s movies that receive the most attention – but the most buzzing industry overall is that of gaming, so let’s all go to Japan and experience the electronic atmosphere that our long distant cousins have had all to their selves!
There are many superb games, it’d be wrong of me just to name a few must have titles, it all depends on the console or consoles that you own, but let me just say (No? Tough I’m going to say it anyway) that gaming has moved on leaps and bounds since the commodore and Atari days – although classics like Tetris and Lemmings, nibbles (reincarnated as Snake on mobile phones) and the very best wave of first generation games are still being played, re-released and played some more. Genres have been invented, abolished, recreated again – with games being described as “genre defying” now and again – when you see these words, it means you must buy this game!
Why do we play games? The very same reason we watch films, listen to music – it’s entertainment, it has, can, does and will enrich your life, but don’t get too carried away – don’t lock yourself in a cupboard playing for hours upon hours on end – it’s not that healthy, if you’re addicted to a game then limit yourself – only play for an hour each day or so, don’t go over the top, it could damage your health – but generally, gaming does not make psycho killers – it doesn’t lead to maniac driving on the roads – if anything it helps prevents this – people can unleash their fury brought on from everyday life and pressures, and sit back and partake in a tournament of a fighting or shooting game, racing around a grand prix circuit – backwards, knocking everyone off so that you’ve won – we’ve all done this right? Brilliant. Set the rules, bend the rules, or even do away with the rules completely – games vary so much between each other – some are super realistic, and some are just sublimely insane.
You pay your money, you play your game and you stay happy. Gaming a bad thing in society? Don’t make me laugh! Roll on Virtual Reality and walking simulators – wacky times ahead people, enjoy today.
Thanks for reading – what’s your view?
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er huh??? There goes my Gad attemot of the day!
Gaming has been seen as antisocial, nerdy, geeky etc... and I suppose that stereotype still sticks. Things are improving, society is now finally starting to see that games can enrich our lives...and can be just as enjoyable if not more so than videos.
However it will take a big game to break the mould and get the attention of the public as a whole, it will happen its just a matter of time that game will allow users from around the world to interact with each other in real time while retaining the elements that have always made games exciting, notably Fantasy elements.
Im looking forward to the day where I can play a game with all my old friends who have now moved far away, and in some way recapture the magic that I felt when I went exploring forests and the like with friends when I was younger.
However it will take a big game to break the mould and get the attention of the public as a whole, it will happen its just a matter of time that game will allow users from around the world to interact with each other in real time while retaining the elements that have always made games exciting, notably Fantasy elements.
Im looking forward to the day where I can play a game with all my old friends who have now moved far away, and in some way recapture the magic that I felt when I went exploring forests and the like with friends when I was younger.
Page: