• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

buttonmashing

Mashing buttons since 1984

  • News
  • Featured Articles
  • Game Reviews
  • Weekend Gaming
  • Archives
  • About Us
    • Contact

Asides

A Year of Achievements

February 25, 2013 by Will 1 Comment

365 Day StreakLast night, I completed the goal I set out for myself last year – to score at least one achievement per day.

Looking back at it, I’m not so sure that was time well spent.

I know there are plenty of gamers out there that put absolutely no stock in Microsoft’s reward system (or in any of the many copycats that followed in the years since its introduction), but I happen to like earning them. There is something about the little dopamine hit every time that ding sounded.

Was, actually. It was fun. When I started last February, it was supposed to be for a month. Maybe two. Before I knew it, I wouldn’t stop forcing myself to get another one each day until I finished out the year. Game time wasn’t about enjoying myself anymore; it was more like a job. Instead of smiling when the alert popped up, I would sigh “finally” under my breath and immediately save and quit in fear of popping a second one in the same session. This behavior ruined story-heavy games like The Walking Dead and caused me to spend more time with mobile games on my Windows Phone.

Even though I know how much this is messing with my favorite pastime, after meeting that year-long goal last night I started heavily considering going for another year.

So, this is it. I’m going to bed tonight without getting another achievement.  Once I break this hobby-wrecking habit, I’ll be able to actually resume having fun with my games and those achievements will finally have meaning again.

Wait… wasn’t 2012 a leap year?

Filed Under: Asides, Gaming

Guile’s Theme

January 13, 2013 by Tony Leave a Comment

With a little Beethoven:

(Because why not on a Sunday afternoon?)

Filed Under: Asides

Gaming on the Cheap

March 2, 2011 by Tony Leave a Comment

Most of this might not be new to you, but it’s a good refresher: Gaming Without Breaking the Bank

Filed Under: Asides

Call of Duty controlled using Kinect and Wii controllers

January 13, 2011 by Tony Leave a Comment

Impressive. Most impressive: Call of Duty controlled using Kinect and Wii controllers.

Filed Under: Asides

Just for laughs

January 11, 2011 by Tony Leave a Comment

Just for laughs: Dot Dot Dot. (Has a little “How is babby formed?” vibe).

Sometimes those user-generated reviews never get the treatment they deserve. Sometimes (like now) they do.

Filed Under: Asides

2009 Games

January 4, 2011 by Will 3 Comments

In picking my 2010 FGOTY, I realized just how many games I still play that were released in 2009! Forza Motorsport 3, Borderlands and Assassin’s Creed 2 top my list. Am I the only one?

Filed Under: Asides

The Nintendo 3DS

January 2, 2011 by Tony 5 Comments

Will this impact your decision to get the new 3DS?

Kids younger than 6 who play the 3-D games may have the growth of their eyes stunted, the company said in a statement on its Japanese website.

Filed Under: Asides, Gaming

Education Gaming: Mission U.S.

December 7, 2010 by Tony Leave a Comment

Education Gaming: Mission U.S. This looks cool:

Entirely free and web-based, Mission US puts you in the shoes of a teenage boy in Boston just before the American Revolution. You have to complete a variety of tasks around the city while meeting people and making choices that affect the outcome of the game.

It’s the 21st century version of The Oregon Trail. Only this time kids might actually learn something.

Filed Under: Asides, Gaming Tagged With: Educational

Excellent News

September 20, 2010 by Tony 1 Comment

Excellent News:

The King of Kong Has Returned

It’s an ongoing war that has captured our attention for many years. For the third time this year, the Donkey Kong world record has been broken with an outstanding 1,064,500 points, set by none other than the legendary underdog of Twin Galaxies himself, Steve Wiebe.

Filed Under: Asides, Gaming Tagged With: Donkey Kong, King of Kong, Steve Wiebe

The Greatest Racing Tracks

August 18, 2010 by Tony Leave a Comment

Here’s a YouTube goldmine of The 50 Greatest Video Game Race Tracks.

The list includes Rainbow Road (Mario Kart), which was designed by Satan, so I have one quibble with this list, but if you’re a fan of races games this will be a trip down memory lane.

Filed Under: Asides, Gaming Tagged With: Racing Games

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

The Buttonmashing Podcast!

 

Loading Comments...