Going Broke Playing Games? You Don’t Have To And Here’s How

If you haven’t looked at the cost of new computer or video games and gaming systems as a whole recently, you might be in for a shock. Today’s games and gaming systems can run from a meager $30 all the way to a whopping four hundred dollars or more. To a loving mother of a game obsessed teenager, the costs can be astronomical and nothing short of frightening. Fortunately the cost of buying quality computer or video games (including the systems that they run on) can be significantly reduced once you know what to do and where to look.

One alternative to funding a gaming pursuit with a second mortgage is to “go old.” By “going old,” we mean buying last month’s or year’s games and game systems. If you could admit the one truth that we all know, but never readily face, you could literally save hundreds of dollars in an instant. This truth is that unless you’re a millionaire, none of us can afford to buy the latest toy on the market. The ugly fact behind that truth is that within a relatively short amount of time (say, 60-90 days?), that latest toy will be replaced with a new and improved system, which consequently, grants access to what was wanted in the first place – at half the price! So go old and have a little patience. Within about three to four months, you will have made a tremendous saving.

When it comes to computer gaming, you could also come out better by upgrading games rather then an entire computer. It can take anywhere from a year or more for a gaming company to release a new version and chances are, the upgrade doesn’t require new hardware – it just requires a new payment. Remember, the gaming industry can’t really keep up with the computer industry either (no one can), so there’s no reason to panic or worry. Concentrate on keeping your game current rather than your system. Only in rare instances, such as if your computer is archaic to begin with, will you need to upgrade your hardware. Shop wisely and you can catch a new soundcard, joystick, or graphics card on sale. But if you have a high gigahertz processor and Direct X 9 installed, you’ll do fine for quite a while.

Here’s a whopper of an idea and one that probably won’t take as much of an effort to convince younglings to do as you might think. But to curb the costs of gaming, perhaps a group of families could pitch in and share the finances together. Depending on the number in a group, the cost of a new gaming system – and 5 or 6 of the most popular games – could diminish to 20% or more of their original costs.

And since gaming consoles are getting smaller and smaller, there’s no reason why a group of families couldn’t band together and trade gaming space within their homes every week or two. This way the kids in the neighborhood can enjoy one or two of the new systems on the market that they could never otherwise afford, and they can enjoy them without their parents having to shoulder the burden of funding them alone.

Seeing that kids generally play games together anyway, a group effort of this sort satisfies game cravings at a significantly reduced cost and it keeps everyone happy.

February 27, 2009 · Filed Under Computer Games and Systems

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Sizing Mountain Bikes

Along with giving you a better selection and expert advice, bike shop personnel can you help you get fitted to the right size bike. You can get the bike either too big or too small, which will cause your enjoyment to suffer. Follow the tips below, and you’ll have the perfect fit for your mountain bike.

Standover height
When you check the fitting yourself, the first thing you want to check is the inseam clearance, or the standover height. You want to have plenty of room between yourself and the top tube when you come to a stop. There should be around four to six inches of clearance from the top of your inseam to the top of the top tube.

Leg and feet position
There’s a nifty formula for determining the leg position for riding a mountain bike. When riding a mountain bike, the terrain constantly changes, raising you off the seat constantly, sometimes just slightly, other times completely off.

Therefore, you’ll need to sit your saddle slightly lower than you would on any other type of bike. Be sure you take this slightly lower seat height position into effect when you factor the size of the frame.

Riding compartment
The next thing you’ll want to check is the rider compartment layout (the distance between the saddle and the handlebars). Once the proper leg extension has been determined, be sure the handlebar is one to two inches below the height of the saddle. You should never have the handlebars higher than the seat, unless there is some type of upper body problem.

Dual suspension bikes
With suspension being at both ends, you’ll want your weight more in the middle of the bike so that your weight is distributed evenly between the front and rear suspension units, thus allowing the front and rear suspension to work as a unit.

This can be done quite easily by using either a higher or shorter stem to raise the hand height, which will in turn move the upper body up and the weight towards the rear. The increase in rise shouldn’t be no more than two inches, then the decrease in reach shouldn’t be any more than two inches.

Test ride
Once you have taken all of these steps into account, go out and test drive the bike. Make sure you wear a helmet, even if you are going to be testing for a brief period of time. Be sure that the tires are set to the right pressure, and the shop has adjusted the bike for you properly.

You should have a shop employee observe your body position and ride height while riding, to determine is any further adjustments need to be made. Ride the bike around for a bit to get used to its handling and new equipment. Start off slowly, then give the bike a bit of time to present its personality.

After a few minutes, you might notice that something isn’t working correctly or just doesn’t feel right in general. If this happens, go back to the shop and have the problem corrected before you rule out the bike.

The more you ride bikes, the easier it will be to tell the difference in the ride types. Keep in mind, it may take months and even years to appreciate the way a bike handles. Talk to those who ride, and ask them if they ride the bikes they sell. This way, you’ll learn more about the mountain bikes you love so much!

February 27, 2009 · Filed Under Mountain Biking

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What’s Up With Nintendo DS? A Guide of What’s Available for the Nintendo DS System

If you’re looking for a game system that comes with a butt-load of inexpensive games, you come to the right place. No other gaming system on the market today hosts as many games at such low prices as the handheld NintendoDS System. Nor does any other gaming system on the market cater to such a young audience.

More appropriate for young gamers than teens or adults, NintendoDS games bring back the SuperMario flavor that we’ve all come to love. Pokemon is still as strong as ever with this system as well, however we’ve noticed a few new games (and types of games) thrown into the mix too.

This article describes some of the accessories and games available for this particular sytem that everyone can enjoy.

The NintendoDS System. This isn’t your regular GameBoy system of yesteryear. The new NintendoDS System has a high-powered flat, folding handheld gaming device complete with bright color touch screen technology – all available for only $129.99.

NintendoDS Accessories. Like the games that this system plays, its accessories are just as plentiful – fully appreciated by the serious gamer on the go. You can get a $14.99 headset for those quiet moments, and sport your system in a small $9.99 Duo game case, $9.99 ultimate leather case, or $17.99 G-Pak for quick trips or for storage. For $29.99, you can stock up on a multitude of accessories encased in a convenient player pack or settle for quick emergency fixes with the $14.99 value kit. Recharging is a breeze on a $9.99 glow deck.

NintendoDS Games. Looking for games? We’ve separated this part of our guide into two sections: one for children and one for adults. Use caution when purchasing NintendoDS games for players under 18 years of age.

FOR CHILDREN:

Pokemon: Perls $34.99
Pokemon: Diamond $34.99
Pokemon: leaf Green $19.99
Pokemon: Fire Red: $19.99
Pokemon: Emerald: $34.99
Pokemon Ranger $34.99
Pokemon: Mystery Dungeon Blue $34.99
Pokemon: Mystery Dungeon Red $34.99
Yoshie’s Island DS $34.99
Wario: master of Disguise $34.99
Big Brain Academy $19.99
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day $19.99
Nintendogs: Dalmatian & Friends $34.99
Custom Robo Arena $34.99
Diddy Kong Racing DS $ 34.99
Kirby Squeak Squad $4.99
Mario Hoops 3 on 3 $34.99
Mario Kart DS $34.99
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis $34.99
New Super Mario Bros. $34.99
Cats $29.99
Horsez $29.99
Dogz $29.99
Settlers II $29.99
Lost in Blue 2 $29.99
Spectrobes $ 29.99
SNK vs. Capcon Card Fighters $29.99
Purr Pals $29.99
Cooking Mama $19.99

COMING SOON:
Diner Dash
Pony Friends
Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru
Super Collapse 3

NOTE: Harukanaru’s fighting style in the new version of Dragon Ball Z for NintendoDS differs from the style in its 2005 predecessor. In Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru, players battle using the turn-base action formula.

FOR ADULTS:

COMING SOON:
Touch the Dead

NOTE: Touch of the Dead is rated M for Mature Audiences, and exhibits the arcade shooter style. Please remember to follow the guidelines set by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) when buying games for children under the age of 18. Here’s a handy reference to what the ratings mean:

C = Appropriate for Early childhood
E = Appropriate for Everyone
E 10+ = Appropriate for Everyone aged 10 and older
T = Appropriate for Teens
M = Appropriate for Mature Adults

February 27, 2009 · Filed Under Computer Games and Systems