My Girlfriend Is Now an XBOX Widow

I have been a bit of a gamer for as long as I can remember. I'm talking far back... back to the 80's and a Commodore 64 that required a long wait for the mere loading of games off of a floppy disk (remember those?) or much worse, from a cassette tape. In the 90s I would go over to my friends' houses to play the original Nintendo until I one-upped them with a Super Nintendo that I got for Christmas from my parents. That was later pushed aside by the first console I ever bought for myself; the coveted Nintendo 64. In the year 2000, the world survived the millennium bug and the Playstation 2 was released. There was just no way I could go without having one of those! Then Microsoft jumped on board and began production of the XBOX so it was adios PS2. The next logical progression from there was the Xbox 360...and that brings us up to date.

I had only had the Xbox 360 a year and a half when it showed ill fated signs of the dreaded 'red ring of death'! For those who are not in the know, that basically meant your XBOX was experiencing a general error and that if it turned out to be irreparable and out of warranty then it meant saying bye-bye to your gaming console. Unfortunately, my console was among those considered not worthy of a repair. I had been playing it less and less, and just decided to retire it. I didn't really make a big deal out of it; I was more concerned about watching movies on the console than playing games on it. Besides, considering the time and money I've spent on consoles over the years, it was probably for the best.

Everything was going just great. I was busy with work and I had met a great new girl so video games were really the last thing on my mind. I had a few friends that had started playing Battlefield III online and told me that I should get involved and be a part of their platoon. But that was not enough to change my mind. It wasn't until I saw a trailer for Skyrim at the cinema that I knew I might be in a bit of trouble. At first I thought it was just a movie trailer, and then I saw the "now on Xbox 360" message at the bottom of the viewing screen. I was overwhelmed! Even my girlfriend, who was sitting next to me at the time, said "Wow that looks epic". What else could I do except take the plunge and purchase a new console? I went down to my local gaming store during the week, bought an Xbox 360, a few games including Battlefield III and Skyrim, a nice headset for chatting with my friends, and an XBOX Live subscription. It was a fair sized bundle which cost me nearly a thousand dollars but it was totally worth it! Or so I thought?

I warned my partner that this might be last time she would see me for a few months. She thought that I was joking and at the time I thought I was joking too, but after some time passed, I actually started to worry. I would occasionally check the clock which is located on the menu of the console, and discover I had spent the entire day doing nothing but play games to level up! I tried to convince myself it was justifiable; I told myself, "hey you work hard, you did go to the gym to work out a little this week, so you should not feel guilty about some game time." But then I considered what I could have accomplished elsewhere in the same amount of time and it actually made me feel a little depressed. I could have done a little more work, something that I actually get paid for? I could have used the time to produce new content for my blog. But, there I was, with nothing to show for all that time spent but some Skyrim dragon bones, and a rank of sergeant in Battlefield III.

Apart from being unproductive I also realised that I was neglecting more important things. If I were halfway through a new level, I would neglect doing necessary chores so I could play on in the game. I would also miss out on catch up time with my friends thanks to staying up so late playing games the night before, leaving me too tired or without any desire to go anywhere. But worst of all I wasn't giving my partner the time and attention that she deserved. I am fortunate in that my girlfriend enjoys playing games too; while I battle Skyrim dragons, she fiddles around with her Sims characters. But I realized how awful I had behaved when she needed a favor or something; little things like taking out the trash or helping with dinner or something, I would place the game above everything else, even tho I could have paused it at any time.

The Solution

In moderation, gaming is a great way to relieve stress. It gives you a chance to leave real life behind for a while and be the marine, the dragon slayer, the hero. There are no deadlines, no meetings, and no office politics. The big keyword is 'moderation'. How much time in front of your games is too much time? The answer to that depends on your unique situation. If you are involved in a relationship, then how much time you should spend gaming should be discussed with your partner. You have to compromise and arrive at a solution that is acceptable for everyone involved. How about playing just a few times a week for a few hours at a time? If you play games with your friends online, maybe have a night designated for games with your mates and make sure your partner knows about it in advance. Your partner must understand that your game playing time is important to you; it helps you unwind and destress. But you can still let them know you care about and appreciate them with a night out occasionally or spending one on one time with them.

For most of us playing games is just a hobby like woodworking or stamp collecting but for others a gaming addiction can be a serious problem. How do you know if you are a gaming addict? If you respond with a "yes" to any of the following questions, you might have a bigger gaming problem than you realise.

When you aren't playing games are you still constantly thinking about them?Do you need to spend more time playing games to get the same level of satisfaction you used to from just a few hours?It is a challenge for you to put down the game controller?Do you become agitated and irritable when you are unable to play games?Do you lie to you friends and family about the time you spend playing games?

Fortunately there is help available. You can start by talking with friends and family, but if that is uncomfortable for you, there are actually clinics and centres that offer assistance similar to that for alcohol or drug abuse. Many times, playing games is simply a way to avoid dealing and coping with other problems.

We have all been in a rut, locked in a pattern of circumstances that we can't seem to get out of. Sometimes, those circumstances change by themselves, but more often we need to take action to ensure that we don't become stuck in a rut. We aim to help you get out of a rut knowing they can affect any facet of life.

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The Adventurous Tarzan Games

Tarzan is a fictional character who has been brought up by a family of apes. The story is set in the 19th century, and survivors of a drowning ship land in the forests of Africa. The surviving couple has a young son, and they construct a tree house to shelter themselves. But unfortunately a leopardess attacks the couple and kills them. The sole survivor, the infant is then rescued by a young female gorilla, which adopts him and names him Tarzan.

Many games featuring Tarzan have been developed and these interesting games will provide you hours of fun.

The games allow you to control Tarzan using the number keys on the keyboard and some additional features can be used via the space bar.

Adventure Tarzan games feature Tarzan in the middle of the jungle and you must guide him through the jungle. The player is given three lives and you lose a life if Tarzan falls into the water or gets eaten by some animal. The health status of Tarzan is also shown by a bar, which grows shorter each time Tarzan gets hurt.

Tarzan puzzles are fun and you get a list of items which you need to find on the screen. The items are subtly hidden and require concentration, in order to find them all within the given time.

In some games, Tarzan is given a simple weapon like a boomerang with which to defend himself while completing his adventure. Collect objects like fruits to get bonus points and kill all the enemies you encounter.

Other Tarzan games have interesting puzzles, like jigsaw puzzles, and you are given the pieces which you must arrange correctly in order to obtain the original picture.

Coloring games are also there and these are suitable even for young children. You are given a plain picture and can transform it using the different colors available. Many characters from the Tarzan cartoon are given and you can choose your favorite one and bring it to life.

Lots of other exciting Tarzan games are also available and you can have a battle with the leopard which killed Tarzan's parents. Kick and punch and unleash your fury to win the game.

Dress-up games are very cool and you can check out Tarzan in different avatars. Some games also allow you to dress up other characters of the cartoon. And you can spend hours trying out different hairstyles, clothes and accessories.

We provide the best info about Tarzan games.
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More Games With Mahjong

Mahjong Titans is a very simple kind of Mahjong Solitaire that can be played by a single individual.

A player can select from six different layouts available and these include: Spider, crab, cat, turtle, dragon, and fortress. Every layout has a different difficulty level, so choose a layout based on your experience in playing the game.

The aim of the game is simple; to remove pairs of identical tiles from the board. In order to win the game not a single tile must remain on the board.

A game of Mahjong Titans can be easily played with a little experience. This game helps in improving your analytical thinking as the player must plan his moves and play according to the plan. Playing the game haphazardly, results in a deadlock, without further moves. In order to avoid this, the player must think of the next moves he can make.

In order to clear a pair of tiles from the board, you must match one tile with another identical tile. Some games allow you to ask the computer for a hint. Once you get the hint, which is shown by two identical tiles which flash, you can proceed. But be careful, as the move suggested by the computer may not be the best move you can make and in some cases, asking for a hint causes you to lose points. Only a few games allow you to ask for a hint without deduction of points and in such games you can continue playing, even if you don't want to use your mind, by asking for hints.

Some games also permit you to save the game and resume playing later when you are free. In this way you can complete your game whenever its convenient for you.

You can also customize the game based on your preference, like you can change the background, the sound effect and other things.

This game is suitable for all age groups because of the simple rules it has. It requires strategic and analytic thinking on the part of the player.

Several benefits of Mahjong have been proven from research. Mahjong has been linked with slowing down the aging process and a significant improvement has been observed in patients suffering from dementia. It sharpens the cognitive abilities and accelerates the development of cognitive skills in children.

One has to make calculated moves and decision-making skills are also sharpened. It also helps in improving a person's memory.

We provide the best info about mahjong titans. For further details please visit the provided link.

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Experience Fun, Excitement and Adventure With a Motocross Game

Motocross offers thrill and adventure to all those who love motor cycle sports. This sport originated in the Great Britain. In the beginning off road racing motorcycles were used and these didn't differ a lot when compared to regular motorcycles. Initially rigid frames were used for the motorcycles and then suspensions started being used in the 1930s, though the swinging fork suspension didn't appear until the 50s.Yamaha is the first company which came up with a bike specially designed for motocross.

Major competitions are held for motocross and other sports have also been derived from it. Supermoto, freestyle, supercross and sidecars are just a few of them.

The Swedish Motocross Champion Torsten Hallman, organized an exhibition of motorcycles and introduced this sport to the USA in 1966. And slowly Americans started winning titles in this European dominated field.

A lot of brands are now competing in motocross and these include the Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki to name just a few. All of them have their own unique technology which they use in competing in the race. As newer technologies are appearing in the market, the sport is dominated by different motorcycle manufacturers and this influences the winning factor heavily. As modern technology is being incorporated into these bikes, the comfort and thrill that can be enjoyed by the riders is even greater.

With the advent of the internet, users can also participate in this sport online and this is suitable for game buffs and those who cannot meet the physical exertion that this sport demands. Many websites allow their users to play the game online, using a flash player, and so without the need to download the game on your computer. The player can select different outfits and play the game, and the bike can be controlled using your keyboard. Once the player passes a level, he can advance to the next level; users must exercise a degree of composure in order to complete the required laps to proceed to the next level. If the player completes a level, he can unlock a special bike and enjoy a better riding experience.

Players also have the option of choosing from the many variations available. Some games allow users to select different kinds of bikes with additional features and powerful engines. Users can select the bike based on the track they choose, different tracks are available to players, like dirt tracks or sand tracks, and the selected bike is more suitable to run in the specific environment and offers better performance and thus more enjoyment for the users.

Players can also perform a number of neat tricks and stunts and they also have an option of selecting different characters as the rider of the bike. Female as well as male characters are present, and in addition to this, mutant characters, dinosaurs, elves and other mystical creatures can also be selected as the riders of your bike.

Players can get strained after playing for long hours with maximum concentration, so it's always best to choose a comfortable position and play in a relaxed manner so that you can enjoy the game and not suffer from any adverse effects.

We provide the best info about motocross game. For further details please visit the provided link.

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Enjoying What Tank Games Have to Offer

Gaming has emerged as one of the leading applications on computers. Persons who love gaming have in the recent past found themselves with quite an array to choose from. One of the best game-plays that one would want to play is the tank games. This game, like many others, has various sub-types from which one can choose to play. Most tank games involve shooting and destroying of opponents tanks. They require the player to take into consideration various factors including speed of wind, terrain of game play, characters, and weapons knowledge. The player should also know when a weapon upgrade is required. Upgrade involves purchasing of sophisticated weapons which include items like teleports, repair equipment and air assistance.

So, what makes them interesting?

Generally, there are a number of features that make this game one everyone would wish to play. A few of these features are described below:

1. The main aim of playing the game is to find enjoyment. This is guaranteed with tank games. As one navigates through the terrains and encounters the enemy, one cannot help but feel excited at how interesting it is to finish off the enemies or to be finished when one least expects.

2. Other than enjoyment, is adventure? The terrains, deserts, forests as well as the mountainous landscape, gives one an idea of what it takes to be in a battle field. Additionally, as one moves from one level to another, they encounter new things and as such go through an adventure worth the time.

3. The challenge is also one of the things that make the game interesting to play. Most tank games offer an opportunity to define the kind of challenge one wants to encounter. One can choose the number and types of opponents to activate. As levels go up, more and more tough challenges are encountered giving one a sense of achievement upon completion of a level.

4. The appearance is also one of the interesting features one may want to encounter. With tank games, one is able to select the color of the tank to use and hence generate the kind of view they like.

Generally, these are just amongst the few things that will make one enjoy tank games to the extreme. Those who have not tried it, are no doubt missing something that could make them feel relaxed and happy. Generally, the games are the ideal challenge one may want to ward off boredom.

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