Cheats999

You know, nobody likes a cheater. But when it comes to discovering video game cheats, "cheating" isn't what you're doing. I prefer to think of it as "discovering shortcuts, tips and tricks," or video game hints.

Video games have gotten so complex, since the days of Pong and PacMan, that the game authors have purposely thrown in some back doors and other shortcuts to aid the weary player. The problem is, most of these back doors are so well hidden that these same authors have to leak the game cheats or no one would ever find them on their own.

And it's not only the blood and guts video games that offer cheats. Take the perfectly bloodless "Finding Nemo" for the GameBoy Advanced. Who'd ever guess that there were at least six video game cheat codes hidden there?

Don't make the mistake of thinking that it's just the handhelds either. If you play a video game online, like XBox Live, for example, there are a whole slew of video game hints available.

Of course, video game cheat codes and game hints are sort of useless if you don't own any video games. And that's where video game web sites come in...

Any web site worth visiting will not only have video game reviews and cheats for you to peruse, but they will also have game walkthroughs. Video game walkthroughs differ from cheats in that they actually "walk you through" the process of achieving some goal. Video game cheats, on the other hand, are often cryptic one or two liners like "Enter xx312 in the password field."

There are different types of video game reviews. Each have their good and bad points. Professional video game reviews are typically written by paid reviewers who work for video game magazines. These are generally well-written, in depth, and definitely worth reading. The other most common writer of video game reviews are the actual end users. While an end user will generally have spent a great deal more time actually playing the various video games on the most popular video game systems,you'll often find that they are men and women of little words. It's not unusual to see a review that says "Wow! Kick Bu** man. I love it!" Now, that's probably actually saying quite a bit about a particular video game, but -- your mileage may vary.

The key point to remember is that you don't want to invest in a video game until at least a couple of people have taken the time to write a review of the game. Of course, if everyone took this advice then there wouldn't be any video game review on any game web sites, because everyone would be waiting for someone else to write the review.

Right up there with video game reviews are video game previews. A video game preview is a lot like a movie trailer. They bundle all of the really exciting parts together and give you a fast and furious glimpse hoping that you'll believe that the entire video game is actually as cool as the 90 seconds of video game previews that they let you get a peek at.

The video game industry is at a crossroads. With more and more people clicking the play game online switch, and video game systems like XBox Live and all of the XBox video games out there, it is quite possible that the days of jamming your joystick alone in your room are slated to become "back in the day." As more and more video game systems opt for Internet connectivity, you're likely to find that you never have to play video games alone again.

About the author:

James Homan is owner of xbox-cheats.org. His passion for tech and gaming canbe seen at xbox-cheats.org/cheats.html.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 08:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What we heard: Last February, leading third-party publisher Activision answered many Nintendo fans' prayers by revealing it was bringing the Guitar Hero franchise to the Wii and DS. Since then, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for the Wii has sold over 1.2 million copies in the US, adding over $110 million to the game's $490 million domestic take, roughly half of the franchise's billion-dollar worldwide haul.

But while the Wii owners are busy rocking out, DS players are wondering when they'll be able to take the popular rhythm game on the go. This month saw a possible answer to that question surface in the form of a January 19 filing with the USPTO. In it, Activision registered the title "Guitar Hero On Tour" for "computer game software and related instruction manual sold together as a unit." Given that the platform for said game is unspecified, speculation has sprouted that the game in question is the DS Guitar Hero--or a game comprised entirely of live recordings in front of concert hall audiences.

The official story: "You know we don't comment on rumors or speculation. Thanks for checking in though." -- An e-mail from a chipper-sounding Activision rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Likely not bogus. The filing is with the USPTO, which makes it not only officially but also legally binding. Considering that "On Tour" implies mobility, it stands to reason that the new game is the DS edition and not the latest in a series of console sequels--though an all-live-recording GH game is an appealing idea indeed.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Games have always played an integral part of man’s childhood. It started with sticks and stones and with time evolved into powerful mind stimulating games that could be played indoors. Not all children are physically capable of playing all kinds of outdoor games which they fantasize of. With imagination comes invention and with that the birth of video games, where one can sit at home and experience everything outside it.

In 1949, Ralph Beer got an idea to build a kind of game set into a television. It was eighteen years later that many actually worked on the idea to turn it into a reality. Willy Higinbotham designed a kind of tennis game which could be played on an oscilloscope. From then on many people started developing similar kind of video games. But what mattered more than just the people inventing it were the companies manufacturing these video games. The original companies who started mass scale production of these video games are Atari (an American company and one of the first), Sega (which became very successful in the field), Magnavox (a Phillips company) and Nintendo (one of the leading video games manufacturer). Soon a new era of video game technology started off with the invention of the Video game consoles. A video game console is a dedicated electronic device designed to play video games where the output is basically through a monitor of some kind like a television or computer screen. The main input device is a controller (like joysticks, paddles, light guns, steering wheels etc.). Video game consoles started of around 1972 onwards like that of Magnavox Odyssey, Coleco Telstar etc. soon getting upgraded to cartridge based 8-bit console systems like Atari 2600, Intellivision, Vectrex etc. which later developed into 16-bit systems like the Sega Nomad, Supervision, Phillips CD-I etc.

Then came the 32/64- bit consoles like the Wonderswan Color, Nintendo 64DD, Apple Pippin etc leading to the modern era of hand-held PDA technology based video game consoles developed by companies like Microsoft (the Microsoft Xbox -2001), Sega (Sega Dreamcast) and Sony (The Play station). Then is the present technology of modern portable video game consoles with in-built hard drives of which the most popular are the Microsoft Xbox-360 and the Sony Play stations.

The Sony Play station 2 (a predecessor to the Play station 3 set to be released in spring 2006) was first released on March 4th, 2000 in Japan. Soon it had become one of the most popular products becoming the most selling video game console of the present generation selling over 900,000 units in the first week itself. It successfully competed against the then Dreamcast technology though its ability to play DVDs. Though the Sony Play station 2 had inferior graphics as compared to the Microsoft Xbox- 360 but it has a wide collection of different kinds of games pertaining to various genres. In 2002 Sony launched the PS2 online adapter to compete with the upcoming online consoles developed by Microsoft. In September 2004, with the launch of the best selling game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Sony released a new smaller PS2 also later manufacture of better versions which were slimmer. The basic features of the Sony PS2 includes its ability to read both CDs and DVDs, its support of PS1 memory cards, USB and IEEE 1394 expansion also replacing its earlier version Dual shock controller with Dual Shock 2 controller with upgraded shoulder and D-pad buttons also upgrading software allowing faster playback and finer textures and better graphics for the Play station games. The Sony Play station 2 also has the feature of online gaming using the Network adaptor built into the SP2. The Sony PS2 also has released a Linux operating system version along with an Ethernet adaptor and also a free YaBasic interpreter on the bundled demo disk which allows simple programs to be created for the PS2 by the end-user. Also a port of NetBSD project is made available in the PS2. Also mp3 and Divx movies and homebrew programs running in consoles with a modchip installed can be viewed on the Sony Play station 2. Additional controllers, modem, DVD remote control, memory cards, antenna cables, component video accessories, headsets etc. are made available as additional hardware in the SP2.

The Microsoft Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s latest video game console released in November 2005. This piece of modern technology game console is all set to compete other such consoles such as the Dreamcast and the Sony Play stations including the Sony Play station 3 due to be released in spring 2006. The Xbox 360 has features which include a hard drive, online gaming support, headset, a wireless controller, Ethernet cable. Its hardware is based on an IBM power PC- based CPU and also a graphics processing unit equipped with 512 MB of RAM and also uses DVD-ROM support for game software. It comes at a modest $399.99. It has the ability to support up to four wireless controllers with USB support just like the Sony Play station 2 though it has wireless technology and green LEDs. This console comes with a detachable external hard disk drive allowing storage of games, movies, videos and just about everything. Additional hardware includes audio and video cables for extra support, a rechargeable battery pack, memory units, and universal media remote via IR etc. The DVD-ROM also supports other formats like the CD-ROMs, MP3 etc. The Xbox 360 has a 7.95 GB of storage available on the DVD though the upcoming consoles like the Sony Play station 3 will use about 25 to 50 GB Blu-Ray Discs. The Xbox 360 is totally portable just like the PS2 weighing a mere 3.5 kg. The X-Box 360 also comes with Media Center Extender capability and also opens up facilities of custom music plugged in with mp3 players; ipods etc. through USBs and has the additional feature of backward compatibility. While each console is struggling to keep up the competition with the others in the market, the Sony Play station and Microsoft Xbox 360 have emerged as the leading sellers in the video game consoles market. Comparing both the products is nearly impossible owing to their unique features compete each other in their own way. With Sony all set to release the Play station 3 in 2006 the question is as to who will rule the gaming market of the future?

While the Xbox 360 clearly has better graphics than the PS2, PS3 completely beats the Xbox when released with support of true 1080p displays though the Xbox HD media center extender clearly makes the Xbox 360 the master of digital media allowing external mp3 player connectivity for custom music while the PS3 has no feature as such. The Xbox is powered with a 3.2 GHz PowerPC with 3 dual-threaded processor cores while the PS3 has a 3.2 GHz Cell processor with 7 synergistic processor cores (not directly compared with the Xbox). While the clock speed of the Xbox is 500 MHz that of PS3 is 550 MHz. But the Xbox has video RAM of 512 MB RAM while PS3 comes with only 256 MB whereas the video memory bandwidth is almost the same. Then the Xbox comes with one 100 Mbps Ethernet port while the PS3 comes loaded with a 1 Gigabit Ethernet port. Cost wise the PS3 is aimed to hit the markets with a low price as compared to the Xbox 360 though it is expected that Microsoft would reduce their prices once PS3 is released to stay in the competition. So as far as graphics are concerned the Xbox comes loaded with ATI graphics core while the PS3 puts up a pretty decent competition with its NVIDIA graphics processor. Memory wise the Xbox beats the PS3 with its huge 512 MB of dedicated memory as compared to the PS3’s 256 MB of XDR memory. When it comes to the Networking part the Sony PS3 is all determined to maintain the top position with its built-in Ethernet adaptor which includes an 802.11 b/g wireless adaptor while the Xbox 360 includes only the adaptor while the wireless comes at an added extra price tag.

Overall it is nearly impossible to make a choice between these two fully loaded tech-gadgets of the Next Generation. Which of these will make it to the topmost position would only be decided since Sony released its Play station 3 in 2006.

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Posted by Bobbo Gus at 04:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you as a parent wondered what is going on with all these nasty and violent video games lately? Are you taken aback by some of the content your teenagers are playing with in their video games? Does it at least bother you a little bit?

Personally, I have often watched the Video Game reviews on G4 DirectTV Channel and have thought that some of the games were over the top [sex, blood and guts] but then again that is why they sell so well. And we have an entire group of kids blasting their Gangster Rap Music too, so there are issues everywhere. Certainly I am not one to single out an industry. But I do concur that it would be much better to have folks.

All things in moderation really; having impressionable minds of human children play destructive, sexual and violent games can be problematic, but since the species is problematic in those regards it stands to reason that some violence impressions can help with the balance and reality of the world we live in too. One parent recently stated in an online think tank on the subject;

“What is worse is that it teaches and reinforces that it is FUN to kill, maim, and inflict pain.”

Myself, I have noticed that those who like to kill things do indeed get a rush out of the taking of life, even from smashing a bug on a sidewalk or in hunting. In sports we teach thru a positive reward system [trappings of victory] that it is fun to inflict pain. So, the virtual reality extension of such perhaps simply encompasses another group of people, kids who were not big enough, agile enough, early uses of dexterity or athletically inclined to play football, a chance or outlet for any pent up aggression, which they had no escape for previously. Now then is that bad or good? Or is it being taken too far as the video games make such acts okay in the VR World and an impressionable mind, which is straddling the two worlds might or will develop a mindset that such violence is okay?

Maybe we as parents should perhaps put a little more emphasis on the subject matter that we allow our kids to have in their video games. Video games can become addictive and problematic for teens and it is the parent’s responsibility to see that these things do not get out of hand. Please consider all this in 2008.

Nice sites to visit... Memory Game World and Brain Teasers.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you are one of those video games aficionados currently addicted to shooter games or fighting playing games online, you are not alone. Games like “Fight Night 3” from Xbox 360 or perhaps the worldwide Xbox favorite “Halo 2”, that is still making history through the fun play of both national and International audiences through online multi-gaming experiences. Not only can you start having the excitement of playing it with your brother or friend back home, if you are in the states you can play with Canada, Pakistan, China, Australia, Brazil, Puerto Rico and many other places to shout “I beat you and I will beat you again”, “Wow you are really horrible, even my 10 years old brother can beat you with his eyes closed”, among many other adrenaline “Who is the boss” type of rush comments to a guy thousands of miles away from you.

Personally, one of the best games for Xbox 360 right now is “Fight Night 3”. That is if you are into the adrenaline mode and like to sweat when things are not going the way you like in one of those Roy Jones Jr vs. Oscar De La Hoya types of matches. In that video game you can choose from over twenty plus fighters and you get to re-live old time matches along with ESPN commentators, Madison Square Garden at your back and even pre-fight weight count rumbles. It does not get any better when you see our Oscar De La Hoya being beaten in a pre-fight weight certification area, and then you live when De La Hoya hammers and beat to the punch Joe Frazier and Ali. Not sure how that comes close in our reality world, however, I believe that is of interest to any boxing fan wishing to encounter and position themselves in matches where the differences are between 40-50 pounds between opponents. One of the most realistic developments through the game is when a fighter is delivered an uppercut upon being low on stamina and has a major cut in one of the eyes. You will hear the sound of the head currently having a 4th of July explosion while seeing all the ketchup spread all over the air in slow motion before the fighter gets KO to the floor. Some make call this game exciting and others see it just to violent even for grown ups.

Then there is Halo 2 still with a worldwide video games buzz. This game has been so successful that they are even in the final stages of finishing the production of the soon to be released “Halo 3”. If Xbox 360 console was hard to get even four month and even five months later after launch, I can’t imagine the best game ever to hit the Xbox market being re-released in a final version shortly. The beauty of this whole Xbox addiction remains through games like Halo and subsequent versions. Not only you get hooked one, two or three hours without having nothing to drink or eat, but time passes and immediately upon finishing or taking a break you think that you have only played 15 minutes.

Are games like these addictive or therapeutic? In my conclusion as a gaming fan and video games addict, it is both therapeutic and addictive at the same time. It is my believe that many of us mix positive therapy and addiction as equal words with the same definitions. In all, Xbox 360 games along with their many competitors will remain a force to a billion dollar market that should never stop growing. Games like Halo and Fight Night 3 are here to stay. Have fun while you have the fortune and time to enjoy them.

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Posted by Bobbo Gus at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As both Sony’s PS3 and Nintendo’s Wii will be released this month , you might be interested in purchasing shares of this relatively new company, GameStop (GME) on the basis of increasing sales and revenue from selling these systems. While such a deduction may make sense for a fruitful appetite of purchasing shares, there may be some limitations to the success you may enjoy.

As GameStop will be releasing earnings in about two weeks, there is much questioning in terms of how earnings will perform with these new systems coming out in a relatively short time. While these factors will not be directly observed in this quarter’s report, there is a high chance that an increase in consumer consumption on products GameStop sells will rise dramatically over the next few months. Already selling out of pre-orders for these revolutionary gaming consoles, with the strong support of games available for these systems, along with a high price retailed, for at least the PS3, loyal gamers, whether they can truthfully afford the system or not, will not be hesitant to immediately purchase their respective console as soon as they can. What that means is that a company like GameStop will seem a tremendous boost in fundamentals because of large sales and purchases. Already looking at margin increases over the past year after Microsoft’s Xbox 360 released, GameStop has produced over a 70% increase in revenue which includes doubling its operating income. If such fundamentals grew at such high levels just based on one system release, imagine how both Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PS3 will be beneficial to this company.

While such may be a valid argument, other investors may say that since GameStop does not support the same P/E ratio that competitors such as Best Buy have and is trading at a record high, such may lead to an overvalued equity ready for a drop. Looking at this data, if no new video gaming consoles or gaming revolutions were to be instated during this time, I would completely agree with the notion of taking some profit off the board. However, because of the amazing hype for these consoles and tremendous opportunity for a growing gaming demographic, such an upgrade will only have positive effects on the share price. To provide proof for this statement, when looking at how GameStop shares were affected by the launch of the Xbox 360, GameStop’s share price rose almost 40% during that time period which includes Christmas numbers, sparking a tremendous rise. Now that we have two consoles to be released, targeting two different demographics, investors should see the share price rise even further, creating new record highs.

In addition to this, I would arguable say that GameStop is not only a buy in the short term but a buy in the long run as well. As video games continue to gain popularity over the television and movie industries, companies like GameStop will flourish to consecutive record highs for possibly decades. While such growth may not be a yearly 40% increase such as the one previously examined, with the continued growth of this gaming sector, and the inevitable release of new gaming systems, even with a cautiously high price, I would absolutely label GameStop as a strong buy.

Danny Baray presents advice on all kinds of topics ranging from finance and investing to fitness to sports. For more information email him at dsiray@gmail.com, or to view other articles written by him visit Sony PS3 World!

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the age of Internet, E-Games is an irresistible attraction amongst all age groups. The desire to play games has turned children to be more techno savvy these days. E-Games are flexible and intuitive, it's easy to use so you can spend your time creating games instead of programming them.

You can increase business effectiveness by easily adding more motivation and challenge to your learning programs. With the advent of E-Learning, even Training Games are transforming. Indeed, because Computer Games and Arcades are commonplace, instructional games may be the perfect candidate for e-learning events.

Trainers understand the value of a good game for engaging participants in the learning process, whether as pre-course materials, self-teaching tools, or content reviews. Most games draw on traditional game-show styles such as Jeopardy, or popular boardgames, including Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly. The question-and-answer format of those games proves ideal for self-assessment and memory building. When played in groups, games promote teambuilding and team spirit. More importantly, games alleviate learners' anxiety about being evaluated.

A sophisticated programmed E-Game usually includes the following features:

· Easy, intuitive authoring interfaces.
· An array of different game types.
· Detailed Help files, sample games, and demonstrations.
· Cross-platform playback using the Flash web player.
· No messy software downloads or installation requirements.
· Options to create games from your web browser.
· You can choose from several skins for your games, including a custom skin that allows you to modify the colors.
· Full customization for any of the game types.
· Your own online Arcade system that allows you to group your games into custom multi-player arcades and invite players to compete.

The average age of an E-Game Player is 29 years and ninety two percent of all games are purchased by adults over the age of 18. 39% E-Game players are women. Computer and video game software sales grew 8% in 2003 to $ 7 billion in the following years and are expected to hike more. However, when compared to the movie industry this segment is still a small player.

In fiscal 2004, ended June 30, E-Games' sales rose 11% to $8 million, and profit increased 9%, to $1.7 million, from a year earlier. It did have a loss of $184,000 in its 2005 fiscal first quarter, after sales were hurt when Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reduced shelf space it allocates to low-price PC games, E-Games says.

Some very sought after E-Games are as follows:

1. AirXonix: This is a 3-dimensional remake of the Xonix game. In the Xonix game you have to control a device, which is moving over the playing field whilst several monster-balls are wandering inside. The objective is to isolate the balls away from as much spare playing field as possible.

2. Buzzing Cars: Buzzing Cars is a totally crazy racing game where you'll not only need to be fast but also smart. You must carry out various missions such as drive robots around, chase flying saucers, electrocute aliens and of course race against the clock. You can buy seven different cars with various properties. In every crash, the cars begin to lose parts, until eventually after enough is lost they completely fall apart.

3. Cross & Word Games: A compilation of three simple puzzle games previously released by E-Games in their early RomTech days. Crossword Mania is a set of 110 crossword puzzles and Word Search Mania has 222 word searches. Both of these pencil and paper to keyboard and monitor translations also have basic design tools for constructing your own puzzles. Word Connect Special Edition is a one board demo of a Scrabble clone where players try to form interlocking words on a board with lettered tiles.

4. Mahjongg Master: Enjoy the classic Chinese game of strategy with this full-featured version! You'll find 18 original tile sets -- everything from classic MahJongg tiles to all new designs! You can also choose from among 70 beautiful backgrounds including scenics, animals, textures, and much more. Plus great music, too! MahJongg Master is one of E-Games best-selling titles. There are millions of players around the world.

5. Marble Blast: In this arcade action game from independent publisher Garage Games, players take the control of marbles. The objective of the game is to race the marble through the 72 levels each containing moving platforms, dangerous hazards, sparkling treasures and power up enhancements, and complete it in record time.

6. Miniverse Minigolf: Two 9 hole mini golf courses for 1-4 players. One course is set on "Earth" and features putting through locations such as a construction site, a war zone, and a casino. The other course is set in space and includes a variety of science fiction obstacles like tele-porters and laser shields. Players can choose to control their putter by pushing or pulling the mouse and can select one of several different colors for their golf ball.

7. Pinball: E-Games' Pinball is a 3D pinball simulation with three tables. 3D acceleration is used for all sorts of realistic effects like table glass, light halos, shadows, reflections of the ball on the table, and more. Standard pinball game play applies; knock down targets to light up bonuses, which can be further increased by multipliers.

8. Word Search Mania: A computerized version of the standard pencil and paper word search. Word Search Mania is a collection of 222 assorted puzzles with a variety of strange topics in varying degrees of difficulty. It also contains a tool for building puzzles from your own lists of words.

This article is written by Andrew Slaterly for Game Cheat Zone which is a free online greetings card site containing free ecards for various occasions, events and emotions. The article is free and can be used by any webmaster on their website, provided they will keep the link intact with the article.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All Impact Players "In The Zone"

Enter "ZoneOut" as a user profile name, then select Practice mode. After the first play, all Impact Players will be "In The Zone".

Reggie Bush

Successfully complete Dynasty mode with USC to unlock Reggie Bush as a historic player.

Cheat mode

At the Pennant Collection screen, press Select, then enter one of the following codes to activate the corresponding cheat function:

1st and 15 pennant; opponent gains 15 yards for first down: THANKS

2004 All-Americans pennant (#273): FUMBLE

Blink pennant; ref spots ball short for opponent: FOR

Boing pennant; opponent drops passes more: REGISTERING

Crossed The Line pennant: TIBURON

Cuffed pennant (#206): EA SPORTS

Extra Credit pennant; 4 point interceptions, 3 point sacks: TOUCHDOWN

Free Play pennant; five downs: IMPACT

Get points when your player is injured (#211): HEISMAN

Improves catching ability for one game (#208): IN THE ZONE

Increase chance to break tackles for one game (#213): BREAK FREE

Increase DBs chance of jamming receiver at line of scrimmage (#227): DEFENSE

Increase opponent's fatigue for one game (#212): GAME TIME

Increase opponent's fumbles for one game (#205): WITH EA

Increase pass rush: TURNOVER

Increase wind in your direction on field goal attempts (#229): SIDELINE

Nike Magnigrip Gloves; increases chances of pass interception: HAND PICKED

Nike Pro Apparel; improves your quarterback's passing accuracy for one game: NO SWEAT

Nike Speed TD Shoes; increases your receivers chances of burning the coverage deep: LIGHT SPEED

Quarterback Dud pennant: ELITE 11

Check out Cheat Code Central's Cheat 999 for more cheat codes, hints, tips, tricks, and our review for the game. For tons more cheats, reviews, previews, and much more for PS2, Xbox, PC, Xbox 360, GameCube, PSP, DS, GBA, check out Cheat Code Central.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sometimes at night, while I sleep, I dream that I am the point guard on Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Other nights, I bat cleanup for the Chicago White Sox. If that isn’t busy enough, I still often find time to quarterback Jimmy Johnson’s Dallas Cowboys.
The bad thing about my dreams: they end.
By no means am I a professional athlete. Yet almost every night, I watch myself on TV draining three pointers, hitting towering home runs, and throwing sky scraping touchdown passes with the best in the game.
I realize all my sports dreams are make believe. I live for life’s little pleasures.
The tiny light at the end of my tunnel is thanks to today’s digital technology. I can become a professional athlete by creating myself in a video game.
I’m not the only person to do it, or to have ever done it.
Joffrey Lupul is a winger for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. In addition, he is also a featured athlete in EA Sports’ NHL 2004.
“I used to create my own player and try to make it look as much like me as possible,” said Lupul in an interview with John Gaudiosi of ESPN Gamer. “I guess now I won’t have to do that.”
Sports video games have been evolving since “Pong,” a tennis-like game where two players use long bars to defend their end of the screen from what vaguely resembles a ball. It debuted on the Atari game system in 1976. In 2003, the top-selling game of the year was EA Sports’ Madden NFL 2004, which sold over 1.3 million copies in its first week.
Unlike me, many athletes today do not need to create a digital image of themselves to be featured in a game. Today’s popular sports video games have the characteristics of all active players. Professionally licensed games even have players’ accurate height, weight, and hometown. The best games even feature individual trademarks of certain players, like Vince Carter’s classic double-handed sky point after a furious dunk, or Ichiro’s bailout first step as he swings at an inside pitch.
“When I was a little kid, everybody could do the same dunks and lay-ups,” said Jay Williams in an interview with Patrick Hruby of ESPN Gamer. Williams, formerly an NBA point guard, plays video games daily as a diversion from the rigors of rehabilitating his left leg following a 2003 motorcycle accident. “I remember last year, the game version of me was doing the same hand gestures I do.”
The NCAA prohibits endorsement by its amateur athletes, but that doesn’t mean collegiate athletes are less fortunate. All the player attributes are there, only the names are deleted to protect the unpaid.
Jason Colson is a 6’1”, 215 pound, sophomore tailback who proudly wears No. 24 at West Virginia University (WVU). In EA Sports’ NCAA Football 2005, his name has been changed to “HB #24,” but the height, weight, and class rank are all the same. When No. 24 steps into the backfield, the game player knows they are about to hand off to Mr. Colson.
“As a youngster, I never pictured myself being in a video game,” said Colson. “It’s cool playing as yourself.”
Today’s younger athletes have grown up in the video game generation. All of them have memories of playing games as kids and teens. Many still play.
“One of my favorite game players growing up was Terrell Davis in the Madden games,” remembers Kay-Jay Harris, another WVU tailback you can find in NCAA Football ’05, starring as “HB #1.” “[Davis] never looked like he was running that fast, yet no one could catch him. Our running styles are similar.”
Most athletes play video games the way most gamers play: as entertainment, for fun. In WVU’s football player lounge, a PlayStation2 (PS2) is plugged in next to the team TV. Several players take the games they play on the screen as serious as the games they play on the field.
Ray Lewis, whose spastic pre-game dances and primal, near death-causing hits on the field make him one of the most intimidating players in the NFL, is also known to be one of the most competitive video game players in the league. Lewis hates to lose at anything he does. Thanks to his competitiveness on the field and in front of the screen, Lewis became the first defensive player to be chosen as cover man for the 2005 installment of EA’s Madden NFL series in August.
Video game popularity with athletes has soared because of the free time they have in the off-season.
“[Games are] relaxing. It’s pure entertainment. This is the way you kill four, five hours,” Lewis said in an interview with Matt Wong of ESPN Gamer. “You have your boys over, you have your kids over, and you have a big tournament. We might have three TVs going.”
“I played [EA Sports’] MVP Baseball 2004 all summer long, and Rasheed Marshall and I played MarioKart on [Ninetendo] Gamecube for a week straight,” said Harris. “I could play games like that all day, 10 straight.”
Games are clearly the best cure for the off-season blues, but many athletes see the benefits video games have as recruiting tools.
“Video games can be a positive influence for younger kids, who might not have started skating yet,” said Minnesota Wild center Pierre-Marc Bouchard, in an interview with Gaudiosi. “If you get into the realism of the video games, kids might try street hockey and eventually graduate to the rink.”
The National Hockey League has been entrenched in a lockout since Sept. 16. With no end in sight, holding the interest of young fans will be crucial to its future. While it seems possible that the entire 2004-2005 season could be cancelled, fans can still find excitement by turning on their PS2.

“It’s tough to replicate the battles along the boards in video games,” said Eric Staal in an interview with Gaudiosi. Staal plays center for the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. “But if kids don’t know anything about hockey, [video games] are fun to play because it’s up and down action and scoring goals.”
Microsoft’s Xbox, PS2, and GameCube allow sports to be played year round. Fans can get their fix at any time of the year with a simple flip switch. Indeed, they are simulated, but the World Series can go on in the dead of winter, and hockey games can hit the ice in the scorch of summer.
For athletes, video games can help them stay entertained, or distracted, when they aren’t on the field.
For future athletes, gaming consoles provide the ultimate first step to falling in love with a sport.
Video games allow all who play to live outside themselves. Armchair quarterbacks become heroes. On the field quarterbacks get the opportunity to dominate their most hated rivals. Everyone can live out dreams in cyber world they never could on the field.

About The Author


Alex DeMarko, Marketing Intern

Advanced Internet (gamecheats00004.com)

Public Relations Major at North Virginia University (Assasins Creed)

jwayne3@yahoo.com

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