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Addictive Games-

It's happened before. It'll happen again. At some point in your history of video game playing, you will encounter at least one addictive game. Most RPGs have a tendency to be addictive. Allow me to tell you that I kept Chrono Trigger FIVE DAYS past it's return date, just because I wanted to beat it. And I did the same with Breath Of Fire 2. However, RPGs tend to be addictive no more once you beat them. However, there are games that just are addictive. Very addictive. For all of you who seem stumped about what game could possibly so addictive that you would actually have WITHDRAWAL from not playing it. One perfect (flawless even) is non-other, than the GOD OF ADDICTIVE GAMES... TETRIS! How you ask? Tetris: horrible graphics, crap for sound, and the stupidest objective ever! But, somehow ... you can't stop playing! Let us delve into the topic.

Some Russian bastard programmer created a little game title Tetris. When introduced to America, it started an epidemic. Tetrisazation (becoming addicted to Tetris) seemed to be commonplace. Even my mother (who absolutely HATES video games) couldn't put it down. I had to use a crow bar to pry her away from my Nintendo! All things considered, the game is horrible in terms of graphics, sound, and objective. WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES IT SO ADDICTIVE? Personally I don't know. I was never Tetrisized.

Let us look at new comer, Pokemon. Join Ash Ketchum on his quest to become the world's greatest Pokemon trainer. Search all over the world to collect and train little monsters called Pokemon. Boasting with incredibly bad graphics and sound, and a storyline so stupid it makes we wanna vomit, this overnight GameBoy sensation is to addictive to put down. Along with a TV show that is just as stupid, I think that all the sucky qualities of this game just suck you right in. For some reason, I feel it necessary to collect all 150 Pokemon. Must ... play... Pokemon!

Let us look at another addictive game. Lemmings. Like all these games, the graphics are horrible, the sound bites (but the music is OK, and catchy too!), and the storyline/objective is rather stupid too. Based off a real animal, lemmings are little rodents the live in Iceland or somewhere like that, every few years, when the population is a little overbearing, a huge mass of lemmings start a migration. This migration used to take them over an ice shelf that no longer exists. Thousands of lemmings die due do their lack of intelligence. In Lemmings, you must assign skills to Lemmings to prevent them from certain doom and make them reach a goal. So addictive that I suffered from lack of sleep. Not only that, the higher levels are frustrating as hell! You may go bald just from playing this game and ripping out your hair! AND YOU CAN'T STOP PLAYING IT!

They are out there. And you never know when they might strike next! Until then, be careful. These hell spawn will eat away at hours of your life. AVOID THEM IF CHERISH YOUR SOCIAL LIFE! You have been warned!

-Lord Davis Jan. 19, 1999