Sunday, December 31, 2006

Virtual NES Delivers Amazing Retro Freenis


vNES is an online Nintendo Entertainment System emulator with a staggering number of games available. I don't see how I am going to be able to pull myself away from this amazing free gaming goodness. I've played emulators before, but I like that this one is online. I needed to download a Java update to get it to work, which I found here.

Via Joystiq, which presents the vNES as a good way to demo games you might be considering for the Wii Virtual Console. I have mixed feelings about the VC, mainly because I think it is overpriced, but I do have five games on it already. More thoughts about that later.

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Friday, December 29, 2006

Friday Freenis: Best Of 2006

Don't take my word for it. Take Jay is Games word for it. That kickin free games site has a best-of-the-year feature with lots of gaming goodness. If, like me, you gotta be at work today, make sure the boss isn't looking and try some out. You can even vote for your favorites. Explore and be happy.

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Thursday, December 28, 2006

First Post FROM The Wii


The Wii's new web browser launched on the day I left town (and my Wii) for Christmas. I'm back now, and exploring the browser. I'm making this blog post from my Wii, in fact.

Typing with the Wii remote takes a long time. I've also had the browser freeze up twice, both times at gmail. Still, browsing the web from the Wii is a fun novelty for now. Time will tell if it is useful.

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Friday, December 22, 2006

I'm Happy Because Of The Squid (Not Christmas)

I'm travelling for Christmas, so postings might be a bit sparse. But in the airport this morning I saw on the waiting-lounge TV that scientists in Japan pulled a live giant squid to the surface. I felt excited and awed by the world in a way that I have become increasingly out of touch with as an adult.

Last year, the same Japanese scientists took pictures of a live giant squid at close to one kilometer below the surface. I thought that was exciting. Here, the many-tentacled creature is right at the surface! See for yourself here.

Unfortunately, it died soon after it was captured.

[UPDATE: Here's some video from Japanese news--note the stirring music.]

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Xbox 360 And The Deal That Brought It Into My Life


Check out the white-on-black console porn. On top is my newest addition, the Xbox 360. Sometimes I feel guilty about being such a giant consumer, but the itch is finally scratched (y'all knew I was joking before, right?). I know some friends are uncomprehending, but I was a good boy and waited until I got a nice deal on this. The wife has been very patient. Maybe I love her even a little bit more. There's a lesson for you, ladies: Don't be like this guy's chick (who is apparently making her beau shed a truly amazing game collection in order to buy her a gaudy hunk of compressed carbon).

Anyway, if you are interested in getting a $100 rebate on the 360, expand this mofo.

Here's reason 1,023,657 why I love the web: I never would have snagged a 360 for 25% off without it. First, I see this post at joystiq for a rebate offer if you buy a 360 at Micro Center. I think, $100 off is a pretty great deal, especially considering that I had told myself early on that I'd wait for a price drop before getting one. But then I think, what's Micro Center? I've never heard of this store. So again, internet to the rescue. Checking out the store's site reveals that there is a location out on Strong Island. I check the Long Island Railroad's schedule (online, natch) and discover it is a half hour trip. Better yet, Google maps shows me that the store is less than a mile from the train station. A $10 round-trip ticket and two hours later, I'm back in Queens, spraying Locust blood in Gears of War.

How did we function without the web?

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Friday, December 15, 2006

Friday Freenis: Goldbergian

Nerds: recall dominoes. Recall the game Mousetrap.

Do you know Rube Goldberg? Do you like little parts working together? Then you'll like Armadillo Run. You can play some tutorial stages and free levels if you download a demo. It's fun.

[via boingboing]

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Thursday, December 14, 2006

Guitar Hero Zonks Tiger Zumaya

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Tigers pitcher Joel Zumaya injured his arm by playing Guitar Hero. His injuries kept him from playing in this year's ALCS.

The Tigers asked Zumaya to stop playing the video game, and he did. Zumaya then pitched pain-free during the World Series, and went 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three appearances.
Umm... Good thing that problem got solved and Tiger pitching returned to form for the World Series.

I've played my share of Guitar Hero, yet apart from occasional, very slight soreness in my fingers on my left (fretting) hand, I've had no pains or problems. Now, with the Wii, it's a different story. My right arm is still recovering from a frenzied Wii Sports session on Monday.

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