Killerguides Aion Leveling & Strategy Guide Review

If you're a Aion fan like myself, no doubt you're leveling the same way I used to: slowly. Even though I had plenty of experience from other MMORPG games, Aion was unlike most of them: for me it was a big and unknown new world for which I didn't have much patience or time to explore. Fortunately, that changed soon after I found out about this great Aion Strategy Guide.

The unofficial Aion Strategy Guide was written by one of the authors on a famous MMORPG guides website. They are renown for publishing amazing guides for all kinds of games, and fortunately someone there is a huge Aion fan and wrote this amazing guide. I was mostly interested in a leveling guide, and soon found out it's really good. All quests are covered and explained in details so I didn't have to look up the information anywhere else, and even though I found a couple of mistakes it didn't matter, because it was fixed in an update which came only a few days later. Being such a dynamic game with new stuff added all the time, it's good to have a constantly updated guide which includes the latest changes.

In addition to the leveling guide found inside, you also get more guides such a an equipment guide, listing pretty much all equipment in game and ranking it for each class, a kinah guide showing you some really cool tips and tricks for making kinah in Aion, as well as a few other guides, most notable being a professions guide, Stigma guides and class guides. There's plenty of info for every player regardless of their play style or chosen class, since everything is covered. I like the kinah guide the most, since I hate grinding monsters endlessly for money -- although there's plenty of farming locations to maximize your profits that way too.

I was really surprised by the quality of this Aion guide and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It helped me learn the game much faster and maximize my character with the best gear and skills in just a few weeks of casual playing. It's a valuable resource for any player and you should always have it next to you when you enter the world of Aion.

by Nick K.

Create a Virtual Pet

Pets are great companions in real life, and this popularity has led to them becoming more and more popular in the virtual world with games allowing users to create virtual pets. When it comes to creating your virtual friend there are almost endless possibilities to the kind of pet you can make, and the interactions you can have with your new friend.

There are a number of services offering virtual pet games, either based on internet websites or downloadable to your computer desktop. When it comes to desktop services, you will need to find a website offering free or paid games that you can install onto your computer. There are a number of different freeware games available to choose from.

You can also sign up to a website in order to create your pet. The great news is that some of the most popular websites are completely free. Not only will you be able to interact with your pet and play games, but you can also chat with other users of the site and their own pets. Most virtual pets websites will also have a virtual world to explore, and points to earn as you complete challenges.

When it comes to choosing the right game for you there are benefits of either. A downloadable game can let you create a virtual pet without being connected to the internet, and it can keep you company on your desktop. However, the community element of virtual pet websites is hard to beat. The good news is that there is huge choice when it comes to making your pet!

by Joel Bartel

Virtual Puppy Games

Virtual puppy games are a great way to get hold of a virtual pet. They let you play with and take care of your pet, either on the internet or with a game downloaded to your computer - which is a great way to spend time for adults and children!

When it comes to adopting your first virtual puppy you'll first need to choose the animal you want. Most puppy games will come with a number of breeds to choose from, and you may even be able to customize the way they look such as the color of your coat. Once you've entered the relevant details, you can either download your pet or carry on playing the game online.

Each puppy game will have different controls, so take a look at the instructions to see just what you can do with your new pet. This can include feeding it when it gets hungry, teaching it new tricks, letting it play with other virtual pets and much more. You'll also get to see your new puppy grow up and change over time after you keep looking after it.

If you want to find virtual puppy games then there are a number of free ones available online. This will allow you to interact with other virtual puppies and those who own them. This can be great fun, especially when it comes to completing challenges and watch as your puppy grows into a big dog! You can even adopt more puppies in the future if you want.

by Joel Bartel

MMORPG Aion Beta Test Review

When I first heard about the game Aion, I was excited for it to come out. That's been nearly a year and finally the game is in the closed beta stage. I was able to check it out for the second beta testing event and so far, I'm pretty happy with what I see.

Aion is a visually stunning massively multiplayer online RPG where you ascend to divinity and fight in an epic celestial war. At level 9 you "ascend" and get a quest to get your wings. This quest basically takes you to level 10. This is as far as I got in the beta but it definitely caught my interest.

Getting to 10 wasn't difficult as there are plenty of quests and they are fairly easy to do. If you're confused about anything, there is a great waypoint and map system that shows you exactly where to go. Even with the noob areas crowded, it wasn't too difficult to find quest mobs and items (although you do find the occasionally jerk who tries to "steal" things from you in their rush to get one step ahead of someone else).

My biggest complaint is that the 4-day event didn't last long enough for me to check out everything. I wanted to try other classes and explore other areas but I will have to wait for the next beta for that. The appearance of the game is fabulous and it doesn't have high demands for minimum requirements, making it a good choice for people who can't play other games because their computers are too old/weak.

It does have a Guild Wars look and feel to the characters but the UI and controls are all pretty simple to figure out which is always a plus.

I love being able to beta test games, especially those that I have been looking forward to for some time. It is important to remember though that beta is not exactly how the game will turn out. I remember the beta of WoW was much different than what WoW is today. There are also often bugs and glitches when playing a beta so if you check out Aion (or some other game) for yourself, keep this in mind when playing.

Lisa Mason is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles and the author of How to Earn a Living Writing for the Internet as well as two poetry anthologies and a how-to poetry book. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. by Lisa A. Mason

Adopt A Pet Game

We all love with pets, which is why 'adopt a pet game' websites have become extremely popular. These are virtual pets that you create from scratch, after which you care for them their entire lives. Along the way you'll find a number of free, fun games for you and your pet to play together.

The easiest way to get started with your virtual pet is by using a website service. There are many of these free services available, all you need to do is register with your email address then follow the website instructions. They will guide you on the process of creating your first virtual pet, from choosing its name to the type of animal you want and even the color of its fur!

Once you have created your pet you can start performing simple tasks, like making sure it has enough food, to more complicated tasks, including building your pets home or teaching it tricks. On most pet service websites you'll need to pass certain tasks in order to earn virtual currency, by which you'll be able to pay for everything your pet needs.

The best thing about using a free online adopt a pet game is that, not only will you be able to interact with your pet, but you'll also be able to meet other users of the website. You can make new friends, create groups, or even get your pets to interact! There are many of these free pet services available, so get online and sign up for your pet today!

by Joel Bartel

Plants Vs Zombies - Tips and Tricks 2

Survival Endless is a mode unlocked after the clearing of the adventure mode. It is the last mission in the survival series and like its namesake, it is endless, as in you play until your brains get eaten. It is a challenge for gamers to last as long as possible.

Important stuff about the survival endless mode:

1. For the first few stages, build a lot of sunflowers and the bare minimum needed defenses. This is to accumulate sun power so that in the latter stages of the game, you can quickly remedy any holes in your defense lines.

2. Cob cannons are invaluable. Although they occupy two spaces, they are really important when you get to a level where the AI just spam Gargantuars. The thing about it is that it is a pain to aim them manually.

3. Don't bother with Gatling peas with Touchwood. It can get you through a certain number of stages but the setup is not impenetrable and will be overran when tougher enemies appear and be swarmed under the pressure.

4. Keep an eye of your sun power. It really sucks when you have no sun power to replenish your used traps like spikerocks or to use instant kill plants. Stick to tip number 1 to have enough sun power to last you through. Build twin sunflowers asap.

5. Keep in mind that for upgrade plants, it will cost more sun power to build every consecutive plant. This is why choosing what type of upgrade plants is needed is so important in survival endless.

This is simply meant to be a tip section for the survival endless mode. For a detailed guide, do refer to gamefaqs. Good luck and have fun! Ciao

by Zj Lim

Adopt a Free Virtual Pet

We all love pets, but unfortunately we aren't all in the right position to own one. The best alternative is to adopt a free virtual pet - and though it isn't quite like the real thing, it can provide hours of fun teaching your pet tricks, naming it and taking care of it. Virtual pets are something that both adults and children alike will enjoy.

Adopting a pet is extremely easy on a website. You will need to register with a valid email address and then login to adopt a pet. There are usually a large number of virtual pets to choose from, and you won't need to download anything in order to play with it. You will probably also get to interact with other virtual pet owners, explore your pet's home and earn points that you can spend on your pet and other items. This social interactivity is fantastic for young children and adults.

You can also choose to play a virtual pet game that is either downloaded or installed to your computer via CD-ROM. There are now many free versions of these games available, and they will often have more complicated and excited game play than those virtual pets based completely online. Just have a search on some freeware games resources and there should be a number of games to choose from.

Whatever way you like to play, adopt a virtual pet and you will be provided with hours of fun. Best of all, these games are easy to find and very fun. You can download a virtual dog, cat, horse, camel, pig or any other creature you can think of!

by Joel Bartel

Interactive Desktop Pets

Interactive desktop pets have become more and more popular in recent years. These are simply computerized pets, downloaded or installed from a CD to your computer, left there to keep you company throughout the day!

When it comes to finding a desktop pet game there are many of these available for free online. Simply do a search for freeware of shareware games on the internet and you will find a variety of pet games, waiting for you to download. You can read up on the features of these games and check out what kind of pets will be available before you download them.

Your next option when it comes to virtual pets is to buy a game. While there are many free options available, buying a game means that you will have a lot more functionality when it comes to interacting with your desktop pet. All games should allow you to perform basic functions to look after your pet, but buying a game means you will also have a whole world to explore, and more exciting pets to create. Do a little research before buying a game to see what others think of it. This will ensure you get a game that you will really enjoy.

Interactive desktop pets have been popular games for many years now. Many adults and children enjoy the interaction they get with these little creatures, taking care of them all day, and playing games with them. Just see what's available by doing an online search or browsing your favorite games store.

by Joel Bartel

Airplane Games - Flight Simulators Are Here to Stay

There is probably no other gaming niche that has grown as fast as the niche of airplane games in the last decade or so. The 9/11 bombings and a couple of other factors have actually led to a rise of people wanting to get a first hand feel of flying an aircraft. Aircraft combat games have also seen an upswing in demand in the last 5 odd years.

One of the main reasons for a sudden surge in demand of airplane games is the fact that animations and graphic designing firms are now better equipped to give the user the exact Graphical Interface, as it is in an aircraft. Exponential proliferation and up-gradation of hardware, introduction of dedicated graphics cards, sound drivers and a whole lot of gaming equipment has further resulted in an increase in the demand for airplane games.

Pilot wings, Ace Combat and Sky Odyssey are some of the most commonly played and popular airplane games to have surfaces in the last decade. Ace Combat was also one of the first airplane games to imbibe the combat feature, wherein two fighter planes could seek and destroy each other and dog fight, just as it happens in a real life war-like situation.

Technology has come a long way since Ace Combat was first launched on PS I. Internet based flight simulators and virtual flight schools are the "in-thing" these days. Airplane games on the internet today empower you to create your own virtual air carriers, launch your own services, fly a variety of planes ranging from cargo planes to Boeings and fighter jets. With the kind of speed at which airplane games are growing, there certainly lies an exciting future ahead of us and it would be really interesting to follow the trajectory of this industry over the next one decade or so.

Finally you must remember that a decent flight simulator gives you the feeling that you are actually flying. I have found that the only way you can get this real life flying feeling is by all the extra details in the software.

I have found a software package that offers the real life cockpit controls, sloping runways, thousands of airports and freedom to fly anywhere in the world. this all helps to add to the realism and actually put you in the Pilots Seat.

To see more information on the latest and greatest flight simulators available you should check out my page: Quality Flight Simulator Software.

Rest assured, I have tested out nearly every Flight Sim on the market today, and I have found one which I can personally recommend. Stop wasting your money and time on disappointing flight simulators. I have put them all through the test and after hundreds of hours flying I have finally found a winner and I can guarantee it will be the closest you will get to a Real Life Flying experience without actually leaving your house. George Cayley Independent Reviewer

Dress Up Games For People Who Love Fashion

If you have a passion for fashion and want to stay up on the latest styles than online dress up games are perfect for you. You can find a world of fashion fun right on your computer.

If you want to be part of our fashion obsessed society you need to know what the latest styles are. You are probably busy with work, your family and taking care of your home but you can still stay on top of the fashion trends and learn to dress in the latest styles. Fashion dress up games are a great way to see what the new trends are and experiment with them without spending a fortune on clothes you may not even like.

Fashion dress up games let you make over your favorite celebrities and see how you would do as a stylist. Have you always wanted to see Brittney in a long evening gown looking elegant? You can dress her like that with fashion dress up games. How about putting a stunning blue dress on the lovely Selma to show off her gorgeous figure? You can change the look of any celebrity and apply your own personal fashion sense to their style. The list of celebrities you can dress is a mile long so no matter who your favorite signer or actor you can find them at an online dress up game and give them a makeover all created by you.

Online dress up games let you explore your creative side and show your unique fashion sense. You can see the most stylish clothes available and dress up virtual dolls in them to see how they look. It is a lot cheaper than buying the clothes yourself and finding out they don't look good and you don't even have to leave your house to explore the world of fashion with online dress up games.

There are hundreds and hundreds of online dress up games online that can be located with a simple search for "dress up games". You can try a few different ones until you find the dress up game that appeals to you the most and that gives you the best outlet for your creativity. You are sure to find something perfect for you.

It is fun and easy to give a virtual doll a stylish makeover and it can give you ideas to use in the real world. You can have access to the latest styles with online dress up games. Let your fashion creativity out and play online dress up games.

Vlad Stivenson

Make Up Games, Dress Up Games and Barbie - Fun For All Ages

Barbie has been around since the late 1950's and was an immediate success loved by people of all ages. The company that created Barbie, Mattel, now offers a wide variety of clothing choices, accessory choices and things like jewelry and shoes for the Barbie dolls. There are also new dolls like the male doll, Ken, and the teen doll, Skipper. You can find Barbie playhouses, play kitchens with a Barbie theme and even decorations and furniture with a Barbie theme.

Barbie has gone from being just a doll to being an online phenomenon as well. There are many online Barbie games that let you play dress up with Barbie. People of all ages enjoy these games. You can get Barbie dolled up in fancy clothes for a wedding or prom or in work clothes for her nursing shift or for a casual date with Ken.

You can even use cultural clothing from other places around the world to create interesting and unique looks for Barbie. You can change the hair on Barbie in some of the games. This is a way to learn about the styles and cultures around the world while having fun.

Online Barbie games are not limited to make up and dress up games. You can play more complex games where you and Barbie try to solve a mystery with other Barbie characters in a variety of different situations from underwater adventures with sea creatures of all kinds to tropical beach adventures. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to Barbie games.

The games where you dress up Barbie and change her hair and make up still remain the favorites among younger girls who find it fun to experiment with fashion and play pretend on the computer by making up stories to go with the outfits the pick for Barbie. They can pretend to be grown up like their parents while playing these games. For adults it is more about challenging your mind to come up with the best outfits and it is also a fun way to relax and a good stress relief activity.

by Vlad Stivenson

Adopt a Virtual Baby Online

Virtual pets have always been very popular, but now it's becoming more and more common to adopt a virtual baby online. This is a baby that you will look after just like a real life baby. You'll play with it, feed it, give it toys and, most importantly of all, provide it with a nice home.

When it comes to adopting your own baby on the internet you'll first need to find a website that offers the service. The good news is that more and more sites now have virtual babies to adopt for free. All it takes is a few minutes to sign up, and to do this you'll need an email address and to enter a few personal details such as your name and address.

Next you will need to choose the baby to adopt. You will be given a number of different options, after which you should enter the name and gender of your baby. It really is that quick - you now have your very own virtual baby to take care of! You are going to have to log back into the site regularly in order to make sure that your baby always stays looked after and happy. Some websites will allow you to download a program so you don't have to log in to the website all the time.

Many websites that allow you to adopt a virtual baby online will also let you show off your baby on sites like FaceBook or MySpace, helping you to get your friends involved so you can all watch each other's progress.

by Joel Bartel

Xbox 360 3 Red Light Error - Fix the Deadly Red Rings of Death - Saved

Xbox 360 is a video game console that is capable of playing many multimedia games in it. The specialty about the Xbox 360 is that its hardware capability is compared to that of a personnel computer. The Xbox 360 hardware function is similar to that of the function of a PC motherboard and the only difference is that, these devices are specially used for gaming. The Xbox 360 is a product from Microsoft Corporation. Previously Microsoft has introduced the normal Xbox in the market and later came on with the Xbox 360 in the year 2005. The Xbox 360 is an advanced with rich set of features when compared with that of the ordinary Xbox. When introduced in the market, the Xbox 360 was rated as the best console in the market when compared with the competitor's product like the Sony's Playstation 2 and the Nintendo's Wii.

RED LIGHT ERRORS

Recently many users have complained about the hardware failures. The main complaint is about the overheating of the console and the frequent occurrence of the red light in the power ring area. The power ring is nothing but a ring made up of LED lights surrounding the power button that glows in green and red color to inform the users about the status of the hardware.

REASON

The problem for the red light in the power ring is found to be overheating of the motherboard. As a result, the graphical processing unit gets overheated which may lead to the failure of the console. Though there are many red light errors, they are simple errors and can be solved easily as the error messages are all user friendly and they exactly pin point where the error has occurred. But, in case of three red light error it is very difficult to find where the error has occurred. The Three Red Light error is also popularly known as the "Red Rings of Death" or RRoD.

SOLUTION

The only possible way to solve the three red light error is by providing an addition cooling system to the consoles hardware. Thought the inter coolers are present, they themselves cause the problem of overheating by means of large power supply through the motherboard circuits and damaging the chip components. Now, by removing the X clamps from the motherboard we can provide enough cooling from the external environment and thus the internal temperature is greatly reduced.

This method can be done on our own by means of simple tools and no sophisticated tools are required to perform the repair work. To make the repair work much easier, there are some videos tutorials available in the internet using which you can repair your console very easily in just an hour. This method of repairing the console is more economical and time saving when compared to that of giving the console to the service centre which will take 4 to 8 weeks. Moreover, they won't repair modded consoles at any cost.

Removing X Clamps is one way of repairing your console. There are many ways in which your console can be fixed. For example, red light error occurs even due to poor connections. You can fix this by making the connections in place. Your console may also be experiencing any small problems like this which do not required much expertise and time to fix the console. These techniques are also explained well in the repair videos.

Xbox 360 Repair Video Tutorials Repair your Xbox 360 by watching the videos online and fix your Xbox 360 now. This is the most recommended way of fixing your Xbox 360 by the Xbox gamers around the world. You can fix your Xbox in just one hour from now and start playing the games again. Save over $100 and also your valuable time. Just by using your household tools you can fix your Xbox and it's pretty simple. Just give me ten minutes and I will show you how to fix your Xbox now. by David D Johnson

Video Game Tester Jobs - 7 Simple Steps Towards Getting Hired As a Video Game Tester

Video Game tester jobs are highly sought after by those of us who love playing video games. What gamer wouldn't love to play and test games for a living? But if you have never worked in the video game industry, landing your first game testing job can seem a bit intimidating. What skills are needed? Where does one apply? What should be put on one's resume? What about interview preparation? Don't fret - we all have to start somewhere, and if you are determined to start a video game tester career, there is a simple, yet highly successful process that anyone can use to make it happen.

By following this 7 step process, you will land your first game testing job. This process is what we have discovered to be the most bullet-proof method of landing your first game tester job, as well as for starting a career as a video game tester.

Getting Hired as a Video Game Tester in Seven Simple Steps

First, you simply must enjoy playing games. Many people think being a games tester would just be an easy job, but without a sincere passion for gaming, just showing up for a paycheck simply doesn't work. If you don't sincerely love playing video games, then when the time to ship the game draws close, and everyone is putting in long hours to find all those remaining bugs in the game being tested, you won't be enjoying yourself.

Second, learn that video games are software, and should be tested as such. Learn how to test the game as software, not simply a game. Discovered bugs aren't simply a problem with the game play; they are most likely code bugs in the software. Learn the fundamentals of software testing, and you will find a lot more bugs, and soon become the leading bug finder on your team. This will make you a rockstar game tester, and the jobs will come to you as your reputation as a video game tester grows.

Third, don't limit yourself to testing only one gaming platform or company. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo are the big three, but if you limit yourself to only one of those, you limit the game tester jobs and opportunities that are available to you. Learn to use the PC as a gaming platform if you don't already, and you will rapidly increase your video game tester job opportunities.

Fourth, acquire some game testing experience before building your resume. There are numerous video game beta tester opportunities that are free to apply for, and although they are unpaid, you will gain valuable experience.

Fifth, learn a few things about the video game industry. Having a basic understanding of what it takes to design, market and ship a game will impress potential employers to no end, and put you way ahead of the pack of ordinary game testers.

Sixth, determine which company or companies you would like to work for. Many jobs are on-site, meaning you will have to live or work where the actual company is, but many companies will hire people to test their games at home, on their own systems, so your geographic location doesn't have to be an obstacle.

Seventh, after following the first 6 steps, it will be time to build your resume and cover letter. You will now be able to really showcase your passion for video games, as well as show your potential employer you know something about game testing. This will give you a significant advantage against other entry-level game testers, and insures you will be hired for your first video game tester job!

Jonathon Halston has been testing video games for a living for almost 12 years. After starting out doing contract video game tester gigs, he soon became a full-time Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company, and still tests and plays games every chance he has. He is dedicated towards helping others get started in the career that has been so rewarding for him, and delights in seeing others achieve their dreams. by Jonathon Halston

The Greatest RPG of All Time!

Crowning a game as the best RPG game ever made is no easy feat. There are so many things to consider. Is it fun? Has it survived the test of time? What innovations did it bring to the genre? Does the game get old or boring? I considered these, along with a few other questions as I made my list of possible candidates.

My possible candidates were as follows, The Elderscrolls III Morrowind, Crono Trigger, Pokemon Red/Blue, Final Fantasy VII. I was able to rank them from 4-1 following my criteria.

4) Pokemon Red/Blue. By shear undeniable popularity, this game must be on the list. 2 weeks after this game hit the streets every preteen and teenager was catching them all. With its wonderful mix of violence and cute critters the game captured the hearts of many children. The game was its own world filled with monsters one could catch and train, who wouldn't like that?

3) Final Fantasy VII. This is one of the defining games of the RPG genre and a ground breaking game for the gaming world. Not only did this game set forth a new standard for RPG's but it integrated fantastic characters and character development. By the end, the gamer feels a connection with the characters that is not often found in most games.

2) Crono Trigger. A game with more twist and turns then an Indy car race. The game uses time travel to show the gamer the importance of small and seemingly unimportant events. The cast of characters are wildly diverse and interesting. The game uses a time based strategy which works great with the great variety of foes in the world.

1) The Elderscrolls III Morrowind. This is by far the greatest RPG ever made for a few reasons. The PC version is still releasing mods, which means people love playing it so much they are still designing new levels, characters, and quests. The game is completely open. There are no rules to Morrowind. If you want to go out and murder every single character in the game YOU CAN (you better hope that you are tougher then that 5000 year old wizard). If you want to steal from every shop, kill every cop, become a werewolf, become a vampire, become the most power wizard in the world and kill gods you can. The game also has a wonderful world of humanoids and monsters like cat people and lizard men. Morrowind's complete freedom makes it the best RPG ever created.

On a side note, Morrowind is one of the most frustrating, challenging, complicated games I have ever played. I am still blown away by the complexity of the game. The most important part and hardest part is character creation, which is right at the beginning. If you do buy this game and try it out go on line and look for Morrowind help, there is no shame in getting help for this game, it is extremely hard but also extremely rewarding. Enjoy.

by Esteban Escobar

Beta Gaming Testers Review - Get Paid to Play Games Online

Can you really learn how to get paid to play games online using the Beta Gaming Testers system? If you already have experience about earning money with online game testing and know where to look for new games to test, you should already be aware of most of the stuff T. Dub talks about in this guide.

With so many websites and strategy guides that claim to be able to teach you what you need to know to become a professional video game tester, how do you know which is the right source of information that you can trust? By reading and following the instructions in this ebook, Beta Gaming Testers, I have been able to learn the best career route for getting paid as a game tester.

1. The Reality of Making a Living with Video Games Testing

T. Dub reveals many secrets and the reality of making a living as a professional video game tester, and warns that not everyone will find this career path suitable. He outlines the optimal career path for any aspiring game tester to achieve the most profit and fun at the same time.

Having read and applied his techniques, I must admit that T. Dub certainly knows a lot about the video game testing industry as he had been down that path before. He reveals the potential pitfalls that gamers will encounter during their career. I would say that this guide is only recommended for those who are very serious about this gaming testing career path since it requires a certain degree of commitment to succeed.

2. What I Have Learned in T. Dub's Beta Gaming Testers Guide

I have learned the career paths that I can choose in this field of professional video game testing and what I need to show hiring managers when I apply for this job. It has made it much easier for me to secure positions as a game tester.

by John Viq

Madcatz Street Fighter FightPad Review

Released as an alternative to standard controllers and a cheaper alternative to joysticks, the Madcatz Street Fighter IV FightPad in conjunction with the release of the most anticipated fighting games this year was available to buy on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 formats.

The main feature of the pad is its Directional-Pad (d-pad). It's a floating d-pad, which feels closer to a joystick than a traditional Nintendo d-pad. The d-pad is modeled on the very usable floating d-pad of the Sega Saturn controllers. The input, overall, is accurate. Inaccurate input is rare, but, at times, can input 'up' instead of 'diagonal-right' or 'diagonal-left'. The d-pad was very stiff when I first received the controller and it did require breaking in the controller with a lot of sessions to make the d-pad as fluid and loose as possible for input.

There are six face buttons (inspired again by the Sega Saturn controller): the standard four face buttons as on the official controllers and the addition of two buttons (the right-bumper and right-trigger on the Xbox 360, and right-1 and right-2 on the Playstation 3). There are two shoulder buttons and the triggers are removed. The face buttons are smooth and are the perfect size; they don't feel too big or too small. As you'd expect, the spacing of the six face buttons is tight, but not enough to keep pressing the wrong input after you've got used to the controller. The shoulder buttons are wider than the equivalents on the two formats.

The shape of the controller is inspired again by the Sega Saturn pad. The top part of the controller is plastic and is painted in a Street Fighter character of your preference from the three available in European retailers, Ryu, Ken and Chun-Li (Blanka and Akuma are also available, but only in American retailers - US Xbox 360 controllers work on PAL consoles but I can't verify if US PS3 controllers work on PAL consoles). At the side and the back of the controller there is a soft and smooth surface for grip and comfort. The controller is very comfortable to hold, and fatigue or discomfort is not an issue during longer sessions.

Extras on the controllers consists of a turbo function and a switch which changes input on the d-pad from either right analogue-stick, d-pad, or left analogue-stick. The only difference between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the FightPad is that the PS3 version is wireless and the Xbox 360 version is wired. The reason is that Microsoft won't release the frequency, of which wireless controllers communicate with the console, to third-party manufacturers. Therefore, the PS3 version has a little extra weight accounting for the batteries than the Xbox 360 version.

The usability of the controller is limited. Because of its solitary and single directional-input, it can't be played with all games as efficiently as the standard official controllers can. The two games it's efficient for require accurate directional input and this controller is useful for any game of that type - including most 2D or retro/arcade games. The first game is, of course, Street Fighter IV, and the controller improves the accuracy of input over the standard controllers; though, if you're willing to shell out money for a controller to play SFIV, you may just buy the superior joysticks as a better alternative. The second game is surprisingly Pro Evolution Soccer: there are two problems in that you lose the ability to manually pass the ball and one of the shoulder buttons is taken by the fact that the strategy action isn't mappable such as other actions like shoot, et cetera, but the d-pad is incredibly superior over both the PS3 and Xbox 360 version.

The Madcatz Street Fighter IV FightPad controller is of high quality. The d-pad is excellent and accurate, and buttons easy and smooth to use. It's comfortable to hold. The only negative aspect of the controller is its limited usability for games, but if you want a superior controller to the standard official controllers to play SFIV (and don't want to shell out any more to buy a joystick), PES or any of your old arcade games, the FightPad is the perfect choice.

by Gerard M. Comerford

Mario Games

When I think of what to write about Mario games, I can't help but think about just how much they actually define a new kind of culture driven by groups of people who are motivated to a certain degree by self-fulfillment, nostalgia, and a desire to experience something old being made new. They do this by using their talents to accomplish their dream of creating new games with the help of an old friend who is constantly and faithfully being made new with the passing of time and the development of new gaming technology. We live in a time when Mario games are no longer confined merely to consoles and cartridges but can now be found anywhere there is an Internet connection and can be created by anyone motivated enough to learn even the basics of game design or computer programming.

Today, many gamers take advantage of existing graphics, sprites, and game engines to put there own twist on their favorite games and game concepts. Of course, you will find varying styles and quality depending on the preference and skill of your respective gamer/developer, and while this gaming format does not guarantee that you will always find the best game play, it allows many to live out their dream of becoming a developer.

These developers publish Web sites (and you're probably on one now) that archive their Mario games and the games of other developers, making all Mario games available to the Internet community at the click of a mouse. The production of these Web sites results in a twofold opportunity: on one side, the developer gets a sense of fulfillment from knowing that a relatively large group of people will experience his work; on the other side, that group of people will get that fuzzy nostalgic feeling and experience the old being made new before their very eyes.

The Mario games that are being developed for the Web are all 2-D games that emulate the graphics from the original Donkey Kong to the New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS, borrowing sprites from such games with similar game play, but you can also find much different game play/modes. Of course, you have the classic side-scroll games, but you also have puzzles and novelty games, timed games and endless games, and Mario games in which you have infinite chances to achieve ultimate victory.

People do what they want when they make these games. There are games where Mario and Luigi have guns, and other games are holiday themed. Some add blood and have Mario or Luigi's head fall off when they die, and some replace Mario with Sonic the Hedgehog. There are also games that emulate other classics and replace the original sprites and templates with Mario ones, making them in most respects Mario games.

For the most part, you will see all the original themes when playing these Mario games: Mario universe good guys fighting Mario universe bad guys with the same classic Mario universe variations on clouds, bushes, coins, pipes, blocks, hills, trees, and castles as props and backgrounds. All in all, this is a good thing. Granted that not all of these games are going to be great or even good, it is worth while even if you only have a slight interest in Mario games to play them when you get a chance. Get a little taste of the culture that springs from an icon that is almost 30 years old and continues to grow and shape the imaginations of millions and millions of gamers and game developers around the world. And when you do it, have fun!

To play some of these fun Mario Games check out SuperMarioBrothers.org

by Dundee Phelpshmead

Thinking Of Hiring A Private Investigator? Read This First!

Thinking Of Hiring A Private Investigator? Read This First!

From time to time we all are going to need people search information. Maybe you’ve lost track of an old friend and the only thing you have to go on is an outdated phone number from a few years ago. Or you might be curious about strange numbers appearing your family cell phone bill. Or maybe you’re just tired of the prank calls late at night.

To get answers, you may be tempted to hire a private investigator, but you don’t have to. There is a more affordable solution to your problem – ReversePhoneDetective.com.

Why Turn To A PI?

Private investigators were once the only option you had when you needed hard-to-find information. Ordinary folks had no way of accessing the databases that we can so easily access today. Most of us had no idea what a reverse lookup was or why it would ever be useful. Today, things have changed and private investigators are going the way of the dinosaur.

One of the bad things about hiring a private investigator is that you are essentially going to be paying this person three times what is necessary. First, you’re going to be paying because they know WHERE to get the information you need. Second, you’ll end up paying a fee to cover ACCESS of the databases. Third, you’ll pay for the TIME they spent working on your case.

In the end, you’ll be paying this private investigator hundreds – maybe even thousands - of dollars for doing what you could do for a fraction of the cost.

Save Your Money with ReversePhoneDetective.com

The same databases private investigators use to get information are available for you to use. There’s nothing secret or special about them; they’re right there on the Internet at ReversePhoneDetective.com. That means now you have the same knowledge as private investigations about how to find people through phone numbers.

Sure, you’ll have to spend a couple of minutes registering, entering the phone number, and waiting for the results, but you probably won’t be sending yourself a bill. Even if you did, the time you’ll spend completing one of these searches is nothing compared to all of the time you’d spend filling in your private investigator about the case details.

The one thing you will still need to do is pay the fee required for accessing Reverse Phone Detective’s massive database of information. And since you were going to be paying a much larger fee anyway to the private investigator, you’ll still come out ahead - because instead of paying three times for the service, you’re only paying once.

In addition, because we give you access to advanced search tools like expanded people search databases, you’ll have more direct access to the information and tools you need. By cutting out the middleman, you’ll get your results faster and cheaper.

Before you consider hiring a PI, visit ReversePhoneDetective.com – you’ll be glad you did!

Click here to visit Reverse Phone Detective now!

Bean Bag Toss Games - Re-Innovating the Fun

Many children of today are not cognizant with bean bag toss games. It would require enthusiasm and effort on your part to ensure that this nice little outdoor activity of yore becomes known to the kids of today. The game is great as it combines the advantages of several other games without partaking of their disadvantages. For instance, it is an open air game but leads to minimal strain on the players - meaning it is a hit among people of all ages.

Make washer toss games and bean bag toss games a part of your long weekends. Utilize your backyard if you are not in the mood of an outing. The bean bag toss game is quite similar to the cornhole or corn toss games. The difference between them is that the cornhole games utilize seeds of corn as stuffing, the bean bag toss games make use of poly-beads.

All you need is 8 bean bags made of duck cloth or cotton fabric and a couple of raised platforms which are placed at a distance of 27 feet from each other while playing the game. The platforms are usually made of plastic or wood with a 6-inch hole on its playing surface. The standard size of the playing surface is fixed as 24" x 48" or 24" x 36". The bean bags are filled with plastic pellets, with each of them weighing 14 to 16 ounces. The size of each pellet is usually 6" x 6".

Like in the washer toss games, 2 or 4 players form the teams and toss bean bags at the board. When there are 2 players, they both aim at same playing board. 4 players utilize 2 game boards kept some distance apart. The aim is to throw the bean bag directly into the hole on the playing board. Each team gets 4 throws per round.

The bean bag that goes into the hole is worth 3 points. If it just ends up on the board, it is worth 1 point. A bean bag that does not touch the platform is worth 0. The standard scoring method is to subtract the lower score from the higher score and use the difference as actual score. For instance, if the two teams score equal points, the net result is that they both get 0. The winner of the game is the team that scores 21 first.

In cases, when teams are unable to decide who will begin the game, usually a coin is flipped to make an unbiased decision. The team place higher in a round pitches first in the next round.

The washer toss games make use of washers instead of bean bags and these are tossed at the washer boards placed some distance away. The players try to aim the washer at any one of the three holes in the board. The scoring is similar to the bean bag toss games - the difference is that a score of 5, 3 and 1 points is given as the washer ends up in third (farthest), middle and first(nearest) holes respectively.

The game can act as a fun-filled complement to your usual weekend plans. If you are going on a picnic, you can carry along bean bag toss game in a bag and have unending fun with friends or family almost anywhere. It offers engaging gameplay without letting monotony take over. If you are interested in becoming a part of the contests and competitions in the game, American Cornhole Association could be of great help to you. The ACA decides official rules of the game and organizes regular tournaments to promote the game as a means of healthy sporting which fits in well with the modern lifestyle.

by

Dave Threadcraft

How To Find The Owner Of A Phone Number

How to Find the Owner of a Phone Number

If you’re getting prank calls or if you find a number on you caller identification that you don’t recognize, you probably want to find out who is behind that number. The good news is that finding the owner of a phone number is easier than you might think with Reverse Phone Detective!

As long as you have the area code and the seven digit number, you should be able to locate any number’s owner, if you know where to look.

Searching For That Number

Your first stop should be a free reverse phone number directory. Plenty of them are available on the Internet. At the site, you’ll enter the entire number including the area code and hit “Search.” If the number is a published land line, you should get the information you want, including the name of the owner and the entire address of the owner.

If you’re lucky enough to get results, then your search can stop there. In most cases, you’ll need to try a slightly different approach.

Usually, the reason you’ll run into problems is that the number belongs to a cell phone. Because there is no central database of cell phone numbers, free reverse phone directories cannot return information on those numbers. You also won’t be able to get information on landline numbers that are unlisted or non-published.

Don’t bother trying multiple reverse phone directories in order to find the owner of a phone number, either. Most use the same databases, so if you don’t score results at one then you won’t fare any better at another site.

Find a Phone Number Owner – With Reverse Phone Detective

Instead, you may have to use a paid site. For a reasonable fee, you can access all of the information you need about the owner of a phone number using Reverse Phone Detective. Our database gives you accurate, up-to-date information using both land line and cell phone searches.

Our exclusive database includes broad coverage of the entire United States – with better results than you’ll find at most other sites. We also give you free search assistance, access to expanded people search databases, and more.

In addition, we also give you a 100%, ironclad guarantee – if you don’t get results, you don’t pay. It’s a no-brainer!

To use Reverse Phone Detectives’ reverse lookup service, you will pay a fee which gives you an unlimited number of searches inside the members’ area, plus a premium full phone report. After you sign up, just enter the phone number you want to find, click “Search,” and you’ll have your information. It’s that easy!

Click here to visit Reverse Phone Detective now!

Upgrading Your Existing Corn Toss Game? Try Weather Resistant Cornhole Bags

The corn toss game is a lot of fun, and many people love to play it, but there's one problem with it - if you live in a humid climate or you like to play the game around water, the moisture can do damage to the bags and the board. While both are at risk, the bags get damaged by moisture much more easily and much faster than the board will.

Cornhole bags can also sustain damage from insects and critters like squirrels and raccoons, because these small animals are attracted to the corn that the bags are stuffed with. It's not a good thing to have to throw away your cornhole bags because something ate part of them, or because they got moldy and mildewy from the humid climate where you live.

Even if you take good care of the bags for your corn toss game they will still break down over time and have to be replaced, but there is a solution - weather resistant cornhole bags. These are the same size and weight as standard cornhole bags, so they meet all regulations. However, they are made with plastic pellets instead of corn, so they won't biodegrade. They also won't be harmed if they get wet, and there's nothing interesting about them when it comes to small animals wanting to eat them. You can buy weather resistant cornhole bags or you can make your own, whichever you want to do.

A lot of people do make their own cornhole bags - and sometimes the boards, too - because they're serious about the game and they know that making something like this is something fun that families can do together. There is a lot of reward to making your own bean bag toss bags, but buying them works, as well, especially if you're in a hurry, don't have a lot of free time, or don't feel comfortable making your own. The option is there, however, if you're ever so inclined to create your own weather resistant cornhole bags.

Whether you buy them or make them, they're a great idea, especially if you live in a humid climate. Even people who live in dry climates do well with them, though, since animals aren't interested in them. Any time you have food around, even corn in a small, tossable sack, there will be some animal or insect that will see it as a meal. Naturally, this is something that you'd generally like to avoid, and rather than fight off bugs, creatures, biodegration, and humidity, it makes a lot more sense to simply get weather resistant cornhole bags for your bean bag or corn toss game.

That way you won't have any more worries about the bags that you're using and they'll be ready for you whenever and wherever you decide that you want to play the corn toss game. It's hard to get any better than that, and it'll stop any chance of ruining a get-together or family outing due to damaged or degraded corn in the standard corn toss bags. The plastic pellets in the weather resistant cornhole bags will last much longer.

by

Dave Threadcraft

Five Card Game Ideas For a Small Group of Friends, Entertain Your Friends With Party Games

Learning how to play card games like spades and hearts are a great way to have fun when you only have a few people over instead of a big party. You still need to entertain your friends, so try inviting them over for a few games of cards. It's fun, there's competition and laughter, and best of all, you're getting to catch up on how their doing. There's also different card games for any number of players, so pick a new game and try it out with friends, you might be surprised how much fun you have!

Another idea would be to invite a certain amount of people over and have a tournament in the card game of your choice. Texas Hold'em is very popular but if you don't like that you could make teams of two and play a spades or hearts tournament. Start a Rummy tournament or even a one on one cribbage tournament. Playing any game with a slight twist in the rules can be very exciting. Try playing one on one solitaire where each person plays their own game and the first one to win gets a point. Play to 5 points. Or when you're playing a card game with multiple hands, have the winner of two hands in a row make a rule (can't use first names, no swearing, must hold the cards with the opposite hand etc.). If someone breaks a rule they lose a small amount of points. Make sure the rule is fun and goofy to create more laughter within the group.

That's just a few ideas to get your friends over and have some good cheap fun. Make sure to switch houses so that one person doesn't always get stuck being the host. Also try to play new games each week to keep the excitement. It's not as fun when everyone is down and dirty serious about the card game they're playing. The main idea is to keep the excitement!

by Chris G. Bell

Top 10 Best Pen and Paper RPG Games

Here is a list of the ten best pen and paper roleplaying games of all-time. Although there is no scientific way to prove the 'best RPG games' ever, this list takes into account the overall popularity of pen and paper roleplaying games since the industry was first created.

10 - Gamma World - It's a post-apocalyptic game, but not in the style of Mad Max. This game fit more into the style of a science fantasy game. You could play all sorts of random mutant creatures, in addition to playing people that were mostly normal.

9 - Vampire the Masquerade - Some may argue which is the best World of Darkness product. But Vampire the Masquerade was the game that put White Wolf on the map. Vampire the Masquerade has also become the number Live Action Roleplaying Game in the world. Go LARP'ers!

8 - RuneQuest - This game was considered as one of the 'Big Three' at some point. The big three being D&D, Traveller, and RuneQuest. It provided a different setting and system than other fantasy roleplaying games at the time.

7 - Champions - Although it may no longer be the most popular comic-themed roleplaying game ever, this game has been around a long time since it was first published in 1981. The game set the stage for many other comic book and super hero related roleplaying games.

6 - Tunnels & Trolls - Right after D&D was T&T. Tunnels & Trolls was the second roleplaying game ever created. The game was created as an alternate, and hopefully easier to play, version of Dungeons & Dragons.

5 - GURPs - The Generic Universal RolePlaying System is able to adapt itself to any game environment. Any setting you can think of has been created for the system. Its creator, Steve Jackson, is one of the most well-known game designers in the industry because of this game.

4 - Star Wars - Based on the movies carrying the same name, the Star Wars Roleplaying Game was first created by West End Games using the d6 system. Eventually it moved on to other companies and saw some play time under the d20 system, and then finally the Saga Edition. It is the premiere sci-fi, or space opera, themed roleplaying game due to George Lucas dominating the minds of nerds all over the world.

3 - Traveller - Not as famous as its other space opera buddy, Star Wars. This game, however, did come out as a roleplaying system before George Lucas's creation did. Traveller was first created in 1977 and has been going strong ever since. The game is definitely considered one of the 'original' RPGs.

2 - Call of Cthulhu - A unique entry into this list. This horror-based roleplaying game is based off of the works of H.P. Lovecraft. There really isn't a popular, comparable game out on the market now. Instead, different gaming companies have chosen to create Call of Cthulhu in a variety of different systems under a variety of different publishers.

1 - Dungeons & Dragons - The most famous pen and paper roleplaying game of all time. This fantasy game still dominates the market with all of its various incarnations, from the original D&D to 4th Edition. D&D creators Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson are legends in the industry, just as the game itself is.

Some people may disagree with the overall placement of some of these games. Others may ask why certain games are even on here. Why haven't other games been included, like Shadowrun, Robotech, Palladium Fantasy, Rifts, or many newer games? Well, they weren't. This list was created by veteran gamers and apparently they had a little nostalgia in them. So what do you think of the list of best RPG games ever?

About the author: Samuel Van Der Wall writes about roleplaying games, miniatures, gaming, and geek culture.

Difference in Choices of Games For Boys and Girls

Boys are seen to have a choice for more action oriented games or racing sort of games. Whereas the girls are seen to have their deepest fancy for the games which are more creative or innovative in nature. If you are looking for the answer to the question "Which are your favorite games?" from a boy, then may be the names of the games which will reach your ears would be something like Diaper Dash, Wandering Willows, Chicken attack deluxe, Clueless, Bite fight, 4 Wheel madness, Street racer, Motor cross, Dune buggy, Stunt Dirt Bike etc.

The same question asked to a girl might belch out an answer consisting the names of - Nautical Looks Barbie, Your dream boy, Funny horses, Asian fairy fashion, Pets time, Very charming girl, the sisters, Emo and Punk, Rock boy and gentle girl etc.

This particular difference in the choices of boys and girls relating to the online games lies in the basic fact- boys will always be boys. Anything that is exciting and full of the wine of life would not fail to attract them. That is the main reason why they did not fail to choose the exciting sort of games. Whereas the gentle natured and soft spoken girls would look for something that would be an expression of the soft and caring nature that they generally flaunt.

The extravagant nature of boys find expression in the action oriented online games that are especially tailor made keeping in view the needs and demand of their age. The rough and tough soldier acts or the dare devil moves which are designed as integral part of the war games do more than just ignite their passion for these games. If there is a spirit of adventure in the games that is enough to grab the attention of the boys.

Whereas girls would love to clothe an image with the color of their imagination. They would love to give vent to their culinary skills or the sense that is required to give the finest touch to a room décor. That is why the dress up kind of games catch their interest level so easily.

If you likeMiniclip and other free online games, you should consider visiting GamesZombie.com. Featuring Super Mario, Tower Defence, Tetris and more than 1200 other free online games, the website is updated daily - and well suited for kids. by Eric Andersen