ICandee's Top Five: Christmas Strikes Back

Any true gamer knows that it's not always just about the games. There's a whole gaming subculture just waiting to crawl inside your head, squeeze your brain and ooze out of your ear like a ceti eel. Sure you could get games and points cards for Christmas but where's the fun in that?

I think you know where I'm going with this...

That's right...It's time for another...

ICandee's Top Five: Gimme Gimme Gimme!

1. Master Chief cufflinks from CufflinkConnection



2. Ms Pac-Man and pellet rings from little pretties by Rachel Pfeffer



3. Super Mario/Duck Hunt clock from 8-Bit Memory



4. Heartless hat from Armada Anime



5. Pet Metroid Larve from Phenocryst Miniatures



See? I call this: "gaming while not gaming" and it is awesome. And yes, you may buy me one of each, you thoughtful thing you!

Happy shopping (and gaming!)

ICandee's Top Five: Games Halloween Style

I ain't afraid of no ghosts! Wait...yes I am.

Anyone who has kept up with this ole blog of mine knows that me and scary games do not mix. I don't care how crappy the graphics are or how stupid the story is, I do not like being scared. Period. Funny enough, I enjoy watching other people play scary games...a video game voyeur if you will. And yes, I realize what a wussy I am so don't bother pointing that out. :P So since it's Halloween I thought I'd list the Top Five scary games I will never ever play but love dearly anyway. Wait, a Top Five? Yikes, I have not done a Five in forever so let's get it on:

ICandee's Top Five: Scary Games That Scare Me and I Will Never Play Them But They're Still Kinda Cool

1. Bioshock



This is the one game that makes me ashamed to be a scary game wuss, I love this game so much! I think this game has the best atmosphere, the best music and sound but alas...too many creepy things jumping out at me and no friendly A.I. to send in the room ahead me to see if it's safe to go in.

2. Resident Evil 4



I watched my boss (at the time) play through this game three or four times and it creeped me out every time. Part of it was the seemingly average zombie-like people that would starting running at you out of nowhere, part of it was blowing someone's head off and having some possessed plant shoot out of their neck holes and part of it was how stupid Ashley kept getting herself killed. Then there were the freaky burlap chainsaw people. Yikes.

3. Silent Hill



I don't care which one you pick from this series, walking around an alledgely abandoned anything makes you wish Scooby Doo and the gang would walk around the corner with some old guy in a mask and make it all go away. The monsters in this series is what does it. Ewwwwww...

4. Fatal Frame



I admit it, this is a game about being in a house with a camera and it only took about 10-15 minutes and the first ghost going past for me to say, "I'm done!" and off it went back to the person I borrowed it from...done and done!

5. Perfect Dark Zero



Come on, the game that was suppose to be the app killer at the 360 launch was scary and you know it. It almost made me resort to playing Madden for Pete's sake! Just thinking about this game gives me the shivers...

So there you have it. Now I know I can't be the only one that can't hold her fear. What are your scariest games?

Happy Halloween everyone!

ICandee's Top Five: Christmas Edition

Still need some last minute gifts for the gamer in your life? Target out of the DS? No Wii's to be found? The only edition of Rock Band you can find is for the PS3? Well fear not, my friends! I have gathered the finest in last minute gamer gifts that are guaranteed to be available in stores! And here they are (in no particular order)-*ahem*

ICandee's Top Five: Last Minute Gamer Gift Edition

1. Wii Points Card: If you know someone lucky enough to have been able to actually find a Wii this holiday season, why not buy them a points card for the Virtual Console? Or if you know someone who really really wants a Wii for Christmas and you also know they're not getting one, get them a points card and make them open that first. They'll think their next present is a Wii and you'll have the pleasure of pointing and laughing when they start crying.

2. XBox Live Subscription (the year one, don't be a cheapskate and get the 3 month one jackass): If they don't already have XBox Live, this is a great gift! And if they do have Live...well, who doesn't like saving $50.00 bucks? Woo hoo, free year of Live!


3. Game Stop Gift Certificate: Let's face it, with the exception of a Play N Trade here and there, Game Stop is all we've got as they push forward in their plan to annihilate every "mom and pop" game store in their path. So just give in and get your gamer a gift certificate from Game Stop. Nothing says "I love you and stuff but I'm too lazy to really put any thought into a gift and this way you can get what you want and I don't have to hear your bitching" like a gift card, yes?

4. XBox Live Points: With all the downloadable content for games like Rock Band and Beautiful Katamari your gamer is going to be truly grateful that, thanks to you, they only need to spend $60.00 bucks on a game since you're picking up the rest of the tab by buying them a points card. (oh yeah, they can get movies and stuff too I guess).

And last but certainly not least: *drumroll*

5. PS3: Let's face it, finding a PS3 this holiday season is like shooting fish in a barrel.

Don't forget to check back for ICandee's Review of Everything 2007-coming soon!

ICandee's Top Five: Retro Games Edition

My new favorite website: retrojunk.com. Why is it my new favorite site? Because at 30 years old I am already retro and apparently this is where my childhood has gone to die (or be fondly remembered, whatever). But what makes this site really great is that they have a commercials section: woo hoo! Nothing better than cheesy commercials from days of yore...ahhhh, smell the moldy smell of materialism...Therefore, please to enjoy

ICandee's Top Five: Retro Video Game Commercials

1. Super Mario Bros 2 (NES)-I realize that for Mario purists this game was a travesty, but my brother had this game and I do remember loving it (I could choose to play as Princess Peach!!):

2. Ms. Pac-Man (Atari 2600)-Oh yeah baby, this was craptacular! My favorite part of this commercial however is the "Ethel Merman" Ms. Pac-Man singing "Don't you know, I'm more than Pac-Man with a bow!".

3. Atari's "Buy One Get One Free" campaign-Ah valley girls...where would the 80's be without you? This commercial makes me mortified to have grown up in the 80's and yes, I did talk like this sometimes...God help me, I did...

4. The Legend of Zelda (NES)-Best part of this commercial: "Whoa, nice graphics!". The rapping nerd is a nice touch too though. "Your parents help you hook it up!"

5. Nintendo Power Glove (NES)-Ah yes...the power glove...I guess we can't laugh too loud, Nintendo did change it to a remote like shape years later...

 

And there you have it, my top 5 video game commercials: retro style. Ever notice that video game commercials these days aren't really directed at kids anymore? I'd like to leave you with this last gem from the good 'ole days...A Super Mario Bros 3 cartoon entitled "Kootie Pie Rocks" wherein Princess Peach goes to see her favorite music group...Milli Vanilli.

OK, now I'm off to see if all of my E3 goodies are done downloading yet. If everyone could pause their downloads so that mine may finish, I would greatly appreciate it.

ICandee's Top Five: I've Been Playing! Edition

Well with RuFfNeCk the Fiance moving in last weekend, there's been practically no time for gaming, much less blogging. /end excuse

But that was then, now that he's here we can get on with the gaming! (Especially since he brought a PS3 and Wii with him, woo hoo!) So here's the June 1st Edition of my Top Five:

ICandee's Top Five: What I Been Playing Edition

1. Ninja Gaiden Sigma (demo on PS3): I never played the original but this looks good. I like button mashing which served me well until I got to the Boss. Oh well, still fun. (of course, it's last-gen-Xbox-now-next-gen-PS3-duh-huh fun but whatever...)

2. Mad Tracks (demo on XBLA): How cute is this game? I've only played the demo on XBLA but I really enjoyed it. I had the most fun with the "dodge the ball" game. Had I the points, I would have bought it. :P

3. Resistance Fall of Man (PS3): OK, I didn't play this so much as watch RuFfNeCk play it but I got the general gist. Looks pretty good although I was expecting better but the weapons are cool and it had a very Call of Duty feel to it in my most humble opinion.

4. Halo 3 beta (Xbox 360 via Crackdown): OK, again, didn't play this myself but I had a house full of guys last weekend and they played the tar out of it. Very fun to watch and I love watching good Halo players play. There's something about watching someone running, picking up weapons, strafing and getting the kill in virutally one fluid movement that fascinates me. But I think the best part was some guy sending me a friend request (thinking that I personally was the one that schooled him in a few matches) and then sending me a picture of what I'm assuming he hopes I believe to be his torso. Classy...I of course declined the friend invite...

5. Shadowrun (Xbox 360): You know, it's never a good sign when no one reviews your game when it comes out. WTF? But I had seen the game being played and it intrigued me. The difficulty came in when RuFfNeCk and I couldn't decide whether to share one copy or buy two. Our sensible sides won out and we got only one. This game is a lot of fun. I quite enjoy teleporting around and that shotty is powerful as all get out, in your face AI bot for jerks! I may just venture into the unwashed masses to play this one as I'm not sure anyone else I know is getting it. (Might be nice for IGN to review the 360 version instead of wasting time bitching that they can't hook up the PC version) But I guess that's moot anyway since I already have it and I'm liking it. Up yours reviewers that don't review!

ICandee's Top Five: Comfort Games Edition

I was watching a cooking show the other day that was making "comfort food". You know, those particular dishes that always give you that "at home" kind of comfortable feeling. Down here in the South, that would probably mean chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and buttermilk biscuits. *yum* Comfort food can be anything in my opinion, it's all about whatever gives you the feeling that all is right with the world...

Which got me thinking about certain video games that give me that same feeling. I have a lot of "favorite" games but there are a select few that I always go to for that "comfort" feeling. Happy or sad, whether I have 5 minutes to get some gaming in or hours to play, these are my "go to" games where I get that sense of comfort and relaxation. So without further ado, I'm proud to present...

ICandee's Top Five: Comfort Games Edition

1. Fable (Xbox): Being the first game I ever played on the Xbox, I still have fond memories of this game. Beyond that however, there's some solace to be had in running from forest to forest, killing everything in your path just to gain enough experience for the level up you need or playing blackjack for hours and hours just to be able to afford that sweet sweet Solus Greatsword...oh baby...

2. We Love Katamari (PS2): I'm a rabid fan of the Katamari games anyway but We Love Katamari really got it right. This is one of those games that is always played whenever I need a shot of cuteness or in the mood to try and get 1,000 paper cranes in one shot. Even though you're on a timer, this game has always been a laid back treasure for me.

3. G.R.A.W. Online Co-op (Xbox 360): I'm sure by now it's well know that I adore G.R.A.W. but co-op is really where my heart lies (lay? lies? whatever...) There's no better feeling than "us against the world" in co-op. A lot of games have this feature and they all do it pretty well but I always get that comforted feeling when we launch into a G.R.A.W. co-op mission. I still laugh whenever there's a team kill (and no one's let me forget that I can be the worst offender) or when the lone wolf of the tribe runs off and bites the dust 3 seconds into the mission. And I still yell at the screen for a team mate to "watch out behind you!!!" when I'm waiting in the dead lobby. It's one of those online times where it's not always frantic but it sure is a lot of fun.

4. Viva Pinata (Xbox 360): Although this game has a habit of getting hectic at times, there's always that one moment (for me it's usually the time between night and day when my sherbats are going to sleep and my cinnamonkeys are waking up) where everything is serene and soft cutesy music plays in the background. Everyone's getting along, all your plants are watered and there are no sour pinatas to be seen. The perfect time to take a cleansing breath...right before a stupid syrupent tries eating your mousemallow...again.

5. Animal Crossing (Nintendo DS): Some games have fishing in them but none have captured that actual "all the time in the world to fish my little heart out" feeling like Animal Crossing. Other than trying to time yourself to meet specific events, you have the freedom to spend your days doing whatever you want. There's no missions to get done, no one to escort and no boss to battle. It's the one place where you can literally spend the day doing whatever you want. Make friends, write letters, dig for fossils, fish, make constellations or clothes, shop, plant...Play for 2 seconds, play for 2 days, play for 2 weeks...It's your world and you're in charge...

And in the end, isn't that a part of why we play video games in the first place?

ICandee's Top Five: Excuses Edition

Alright, alright, I haven't updated in a while. But I have a note from my mom excusing me from writing an entry in the last few days. In fact there are 5 good reasons I have not updated in a while, therefore may I present:

ICandee's Top Five Excuses For Not Posting a Blog Entry Recently

1. Texas Hold 'Em: This (!free!) Arcade game has been occupying what little time I've been on Live. I think it has something to do with the addictive quality of losing all your imaginary money. Reminds me of olden days when I would lose all my money in Monopoly but somehow the game still wouldn't end.

2. Blockbuster Online: I recently joined this online DVD rental club thing and let me tell you, if you join you will be frantically adding movies to your queue and watching them at light speed so that you can return them to get the next movies in said queue. Watching all those movies takes time that I would otherwise be on Live or writing for this here blog. I've been adding older movies to my queue for the most part, trying to remember ones I liked and/or scared the crap out of me when I was younger, i.e.-Freaky Friday (the good Jodie Foster version they used to show in school), Shag (filmed in Myrtle Beach where I used to go every year as a kid) and the Secret of NIMH which I still find horribly creepy. Which brings me to my next excuse...

3. Xanadu: OK, I remember seeing this movie on television when I was a kid so I decided to get it from Blockbuster Online. All I could remember about it was that Olivia Newton-John was in it and some guy rollerskates. Now that I've seen it again after all these years, all I can say is...actually there are no words. No wait, here's some words: Rollerskating, Michael Beck (who played the too cute leader of The Warriors) rollerskates and wears short-shorts while sporting a Farrah-do, Gene Kelly also rollerskates in this movie but in a tux (no short-shorts) and the most amazing end-of-movie number I've ever seen in my life (which includes: rollerskating, singing, dancing, costume changes and creepy 80's clothes and make up).

4. The Simpsons-Season Eight and Labor Day Visitors: Sorry, but when there's a new Simpsons season released on DVD, that's at least a week of watching every episode, then watching them again with commentary. (I am not ashamed, don't you judge me!) Plus, RuFfNeCk and Sean80 are coming down to spend Labor Day weekend here so I've been frantically trying to get my house in order. Yikes!

And last but not least:

5. Death Sucks: My grandmother died this past Thursday. I went to her funeral Saturday...Don't really have much to add about that.

So there you have it! ICandee's Top Fives Excuses For Not Posting In My Blog Recently or whatever the title of this thing is...yeesh...To help make up for it, here's that picture of Bob Ross again, he makes anyone feel better!


I'm off to make my rounds and see what y'all have been up to while I've been "away". Game on everyone!

ICandee's Top Five: Blog Edition

I decided it was time for another Top Five entry and here it is: my current top five blogs. Now, I know here at Spaces we have many many many many many many excellent blogs and if this were a Top 100 Blog List, everyone I visit here on a regular basis would be on it. But this is a Top Five (I don't make the rules you know) so I've picked 2 well known industry blogs, one news blog, one Spaces blog and one blog that isn't a blog at all. These are 5 blog-ish type sites that I make a point to visit almost every day. Welcome to the madness...

ICandee's Top Five Blogs

1. Tim Schafer at Double Fine: This blog is technically a "news" area for the company that brought you Psychonauts, written by the man that brought you Grim Fandango. But I must say that Tim Schafer continues to make me laugh out loud and sometimes even cry in uncontrollable guffaws while reading his news blog. I check for updates every day.

2. Jay at The FNG-Spot: Jay has a really well rounded blog including gaming news, his own adventures in life and gaming and a lot of top secret information on products coming out for various consoles. Sometimes I visit just to see what his gamer score has risen to over any given day. :P It also helps that he is a truly nice guy. Yay Jay!

3. Matthew at Tech News and Blues: This is a news site done in blog format that includes anything techie right down to computers, movie reviews and commentaries on the game industry. Matthew and the gang over at Tech News and Blues always seem to have their finger on the pulse of what's currently going on and there's always something interesting to read over there. They also have podcasts available for your listening pleasure.

4. CliffyB at cliffyb.com: If you don't know who Cliffy B is, you need to leave right now...no wait, come back! I always really enjoy reading the blogs of industry people, mainly because these are the people that give us Bottom Feeders our fix (read: games) and it's nice to know what goes on in their heads...sometimes. It also gives you the feeling that they're just like us...sort of. Cliffy B (who brought us Unreal and will be bringing on the Gears soon, woo hoo!) is a gamer that makes games. His blog is an interesting mix of what's going on in the industry, what he's working on, what he's playing and he even provides advice on getting into the industry.

5. Gordon Frohman at Concerned: OK, this isn't a blog but for anyone that has played Half Life 2 or knows anything about the game, they need to be a regular reader of this comic.

ICandee's Top Five: You Tube Edition

In lieu of any actual gaming, I decided to post entries involving my Top Fives. In this first edition I want to share some of my favorite You Tube videos. Instead of embedding them, I've listed the links for you. Most are older and you've probably seen them a million times but like an episode of The Simpsons, they never really get old, yes?

1. How To Talk Smack Over Xbox Live
This one is so well done. It's a spoof on those old 50's educational films they used to show in schools. This video is about smack talking using Halo 2. Very funny!

2. Marble Blast Level 60 in Under a Minute
I've seen this one more than a dozen times and it still amazes me. I can't even finish this one with no time limit, much less getting it done under par (which is 3:30), much less getting it done in less than a minute. I bow to thee oh Gaming One!

3. Napoleon Dynamite meets Halo
This one has been floating around a lot lately but it's still worth another look. Basically this one uses Halo to recreate the bike scene in Napoleon Dynamite using the Napoleon audio from the movie. I'm a big Napoleon fan so I enjoy this one quite a bit.

4. Let the Console War Begin
There was only one thing worth watching during G4's "coverage" of this year's E3 and this segment is it. Funniest representation of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo to date in my mind.

5. The Daily Show on Congress and Video Games
I just caught this today. John Stewart's hit on Congress and the current political climate of video games. Classic!

And there you have it! My current Top Five Favorite You Tube videos. If any of you have any other gaming You Tube favorites, let me know!