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Dear Parents: Don't Smash The Game Consoles... and Here's Why! + Pinball FX Table Showcase: Garfield Pinball

I just want to say that for the most part... parents aren't going to damage their kid's game consoles. Consoles aren't cheap, but it didn't stop someone from smashing their son's Xbox because they caught him playing it at 12am on a school night. Their son didn't want to talk to them after that, and they wanted him to understand why it was his fault, but... that's the wrong play to make here. Before considering such a thing, know that there are other options to prevent them from playing the console.


You can take the Xbox controller, which takes away their ability to play.

You can take away the power cord, which takes away their ability to power it on.

You can take away the console, which takes away the unit and the ability to play it.

You can take remove the cord from their TV if they have one in the room, and let's say it has the Samsung Game Hub or it's a Fire TV with Luna on it (which allows them to play without consoles).

You have plenty of options that eliminate the need to replace the console, the apology, and the potential rift it may cause. I know you're the parent and they need to understand when they're doing wrong, but if it's that harsh, it's showcasing violence as the answer over strategic punishment.

They can lose one of the things mentioned above for 1 day of no gaming. Get caught again, 1 week no gaming. Caught again, 2 weeks of no gaming. Caught again, 1 month of no gaming (follow up with a month from that point on), and let them know the reason why... because you don't want them lacking sleep and being unable to focus to do their best in school, not to mention their health, attitude, etc.

This podcast episode breaks down what happens with a lack of sleep, and you'd be surprised. 

So consider taking a route that makes a positive impact, delivers a better understanding of the reasons why, and showcases a great example of how to approach these situations that doesn't require violence.

I wanted to mention this because while they did play the console at an unacceptable time, it was the wrong move to try and get them to understand why violence was their fault even if it's unjustified.


Imagine them walking away with that notion and applying it to their relationship with their significant other and their children, especially if they truly believe that they're doing the right thing because you taught them that. That would suck. 

So... I hope this helps more than a few parents out there. Enjoy your kids, be creative with your solutions, and... I wish you the best. By the way, if they have a console, that's also an opportunity to get in some family fun gaming. Cheers!



Pinball FX Showcase: Garfield Pinball


Garfield Pinball

Feast your way through mounds of lasagna to score big in Garfield Pinball!

Dig up bones with Odie, woo Arlene, fight the alarm clock, and find Pooky the teddy bear to reach Feast Frenzy, all for a perfect feline day of eating and sleeping.

Table features

  • Help Garfield order pizzas, put lasagnas in the oven, or get rid of pesky mice to start the many multiball modes
  • Woo Arlene and collect flowers for growing awards
  • Garfield needs his sleep! Turn the lights off and gather more time so the alarm clock doesn't wake him
  • It's TV Time! Garfield wants to sit in front of the TV all day -- keep him entertained
  • Dig up bones with Odie, but watch out for the Vicious Dog
  • Get frenetic scores in the Feeding Frenzy wizard mode


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Top Audiences Last Week + A Free Game!

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MIDNIGHT GHOST HUNT IS A GHOSTLY MULTIPLAYER HIDE-AND-SEEK GAME (In Early Access!

Lying in wait across a series of cursed locations, relentless spirits stalk the halls. Assigned to eliminate them are the Ghost Hunters, armed to the teeth with the ghoul-busting tech to banish them to another realm! Play both Ghost and Hunter in a chaotic 4v4 struggle between the living and the dead.

TONGUE-IN-CHEEK HIDE-AND-SEEK

As a Ghost, conceal yourself inside seemingly harmless pieces of furniture to evade preying Hunters… but when their backs are turned, turn the environment against them with telekinetic bombardment. No chair, lamp, or grandfather clock is innocent in this hijinks-heavy frenzy.

MIDNIGHT MAYHEM

The fun isn’t over yet...when the clock strikes twelve, the witching hour begins, and the Hunters become the Hunted. The tables turn and Ghosts become supercharged, giving Hunters a limited amount of time to survive their vengeful wrath.

MURDEROUS 4v4 MULTIPLAYER

Play together and communicate with your team and ensure a triumphant victory, giving each other pointers on the paths enemies tend to tread. Create synergies with your team's abilities to outthink and outwit your opponents.

HARNESS SUPERNATURAL ABILITIES

The restrictions of reality don’t apply to Ghosts, of course. Claim your supernatural powers, which include turning invisible, causing furniture to float, and conjuring a dangerous Ghostly miasma. Ghosts can even hide in plain sight by masquerading as Hunter’s doppelgänger!
Ghostly Perks include avoiding traps with Untrappable, seeing nearby Hunters through walls with Perception, and extending possess range with Ghostly Reach.

ARMED AND READY

Hunters must choose their weapons from a full range of hi-tech gadgets designed to cast out Ghosts from our plane of existence. Detect ghostly presences with the Spectrophone, Radar, and Pathfinder, capture them with a Trap, and suck up their spectral remains with the Vacuum – or just blast them to smithereens with the Spectral Cannon, sledgehammers, harpoons, salt-spewing shotguns, and more.
Hunters can also select Perks to give them a special boost. Choose from Lightweight’s extra burst of speed, Healing Aura’s health-replenishing capabilities, and many more powers to get ahead of the game.




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Skullcandy Jib True 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds... Reviewed!

The Skullcandy Jib True 2 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds are a great option if you're looking for a pair of super affordable, decent-performing Bluetooth earbuds. Let's review!

The Skullcandy Jib True 2 has a 33-hour battery life with the help of the charging case, so you can keep them charged on the go. They're also tolerable to wear and sound great for the price but don't go expecting top-tier quality here or you're setting yourself up to be disappointed.

The Tile app is great, but how messed up is it that the cheapest earbuds have this feature and more expensive ones don't? This feature alone makes this a great deal to get for someone like my girlfriend because she loses earbuds all the time, and the controls are simple enough to play/pause and skip.

These headphones are IPX4 sweat and water-resistant, so consider them for walking. You have 3 pairs of ear tips ranging from Large to Small and with luck, you can keep them in your ears for more than just a power walk. The charging cable that comes with the Jib True 2 is micro-USB, so don't expect to use one of the USB-Cs you have laying around. The Bluetooth version is 5.2 but I wish the range was better, I can walk out of the room to the kitchen and things get choppy. My room is like 20 steps from the kitchen, but if you keep your phone nearby, you're good.

The 6mm driver gives decent audio, but this is on the lower end of diameters so you can forget about the deep bass of the bigger drivers. Sorry Mario, but the clear high-quality audio is in another pair of earbuds. The Frequency Response of the earbuds is listed as 20Hz - 20KHz, but don't look at this as something set in stone that sounds just like another pair of earbuds. You have to actually listen to them for yourself. For me, the mids are good, the highs are cool, and the lows are okay. Everything I mentioned is cool for the price, and the controls are simple.

In the box:

Jib True 2 Wireless Earbuds

Charging Case

Ear Gels (S, M, L)

Micro-USB Charging Cable

1-Year Limited Warranty

User Guide


Overall, I can't really complain about these headphones aside from the constant reminder to recharge when the battery is low. The battery life makes that a rare experience unless you use them for a long stretch of time. The current price is low enough to make this a no-brainer purchase at $24.99 ($39.99 on the official Skullcandy site), and the Tile app is useful to prevent your investment from being lost.


Build Quality 3

Sound 3

In the box + Features 5

Price 5

4 out of 5 Cool Points


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The Wreck: A Story Worth Experiencing

 

I didn't know what to expect when I started playing The Wreck, but I was pleasantly surprised. The game is a visual novel about sisterhood, motherhood, grief, and survival, but it's also a game that shows me how much I love smooth animation. The intentional stop-motion-like animations in this game have a certain charm but I didn't like the lackluster animations during conversations. If we're communicating most of the time in this game, the characters should be able to move their mouths.

It reminds me of Life is Strange because you can alter the present, relieve the past, and it has a respectable storyline that involves the aftermath of what a car wreck can bring. This indie adventure game is available now, so If you're looking for a story that isn't traditional in games, check out The Wreck.




游戏开始！
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