Tips for finding gifts for gamers under $50

Having a husband who is an avid gamer can be a bit of a challenge, especially when you have a family. My husband loves his video games and when Christmas or his birthday roll around, buying him the perfect game can be somewhat difficult.

Games, especially new ones, can range anywhere from $39.99 to $59.99. Sure, when it was just the two of us and we both had jobs, buying video games was like second nature. We didn't have a budget to worry about or about any other mouths to feed besides our own. Now, however, we have a growing family. We have one daughter and another on the way. Buying video games has since stopped, unless, of course, a special occassion such as a birthday or Christmas rolls around. That is when the bargain shopper in me comes out with full force.

Here are a few tips as well as places you can go to get the best deals on video games as well as gamer products:

1) E-bay! I cannot say enough about this site. E-bay offers an array of games as well as gamer products. Some can be extremely expensive, but if you look carefully, you can always find that hidden gem. I have a seller whom I often purchase games from. For example, I bought a brand new "Gears of War" for X-box 360 at the price of $15.99. It was unused, unopened and it cost about $40 less than the original price. Talk about a steal!

2) Another place I have found to be a great place to buy games are video game stores! I purchased a game from "Gamestop". It was used, but they allowed me to view the game and to check out it's condition before I purchased it. They even vaccume sealed the box and removed the price tag for me and it looked as though it were brand new! The game was $9.99. It's original retail price was $39.99.

3) Now I don't know if all malls have a place similar to this one, but in the malls around where I am from, there are small booths set up where you can trade used video games for new ones, as well as receive money. I have received top dollar for my games at these booths and I have been able to purchase many other things, not just games, but game accessories as well with the money I received. It's something to look into if you have a huge lot of video games that you've already completed and don't plan on playing again.

4) The flea market! We have a HUGE flea market where I live and that is the absolute best place to go when you want to purchase games as well as game accessories. They often sell games at a much lower cost and they don't tax you.

Last but not least...

5) Craigslist! There are many people on Craiglist.com who have games or accessories they no longer use or have gotten as gifts, but they already have it. I have done many transactions through Craigslist, and just like e-bay, you have to be patient and eventually, you will find that gem. The great thing about this too is the people are often willing to bargain with you.

These are just a few places that I turn to when I need to buy the perfect gaming gift for my husband. He has hundreds of games and most of them cost us less than $50 by using the places I described above. Grant it, not all of these places will work for everyone, but they're worth a try. Good Luck and Happy Gaming to you all!

Video games can help children learn to read

People underestimate the power of video games. I am a teenager and you would not believe how many times I have read or heard video games are bad for kids. You would not believe how many things I have learned from video games. Granted many games in the action line of games, like first-person shooters and racing games are useless in learning anything besides quick reactions and hand-eye coordination, but what of the real-time strategy games or sim games?

I played Sim City 4 for about two months straight, and can see how things are related dealing with municipal entities. I played Age of Empire 2, and I learned about middle ages history. I am not saying that the missions were how they really happened, but I did learn that Joan of Arc was betrayed due to jealousy and sold out to the Burgundians and later the English. I have still not been taught that in high school.

Another effect of online games is the social skills you can learn. Personally I am a very shy person, but that doesn't stop me from going online playing some games and making friends. Why is this possible? Because the people sitting across on the other end of the connection don't know me. They can't judge me the first time I pop up in-game.

So, for anybody who says video games are just wastes of money, I have to say no they aren't. The right ones can teach you many school subjects and the ones that don't teach you skills like hand-eye coordination, social skills, etc. Video games can be very beneficial to anyone who takes the time. (Except World of Warcraft. Seriously that game will steal your soul.)

Best free game sites on the web

There are a large number of free game sites on the web, and these cover a variety of game types. Free web-based games range from simple platform games, through strategy and puzzle games, all the way up to MMORPG's and others. Below I will share with you a couple of my favourite sites. And at the end of the article I will list all the links so that they are easy to locate.

Firstly, if you like sudoku or kakuro puzzles, then these two sites are the best I've found. Websudoku (http://www.websudoku.com) has a lrge number of sudoku puzzles which are graded into 4 difficulty levels. There are a number of options that can be changed as well to make it easier or more difficult. An added bonus is that the site tracks your times and will keep an average at each difficulty. Kakuro.com (http://www.kakuro.com) puts up a new kakuro puzzle daily. Even though there is only one puzzle per day, I like this site because of the ease of use for the puzzle itself.

Next up are the sites containing games that are great for spending 10 minutes up to a couple of hours playing. These sites get new games on an almost daily basis, although there does tend to be some overlap, with the same games showing up on both sites. MoFunZone (http://www.mofunzone.com) and Bubblebox (http://www.bubblebox.com) do a great job of finding new free games and collecting them in one place. Another great site for spending some time is Miniclip (http://www.miniclip.com). Just be warned, a quick ten minute trip to these sites can result in hours going past.

If you would far rather play against human opposition, there are two sites I would recommend. Tactics Arena Online (http://www.tacticsarena.com) is a chess type game. Players have a set number of pieces, each with different abilities and stats and take turns to move and attack. While you can pay a monthly subscription at TAO, which gives you access to additional pieces, it is not necessary to enjoy the game.

The second online game is based on the collectible card game genre. Clint Urban Rivals (http://www.urban-rivals.com) combines the ease of online play with the desire to collect all the available cards, or build the strongest deck. There are a number of daily tournaments, as well as a specific game mode called ELO, which places restrictions on the composition of your deck.

If you are looking for a more strategic game involving empire building and conquest, the I would recommend Tribal Wars (http://www.tribalwars.net). This game probably takes you 5 to ten minutes every couple of hours but involves more diplomacy than anything else I have seen. Players get to improve their villages and recruit soldiers which are used to attack other villages and to defend. Tribes can be joined and these are great for mutual defense and combined attacks. If you try it and don't enjoy it, there are a number of banner ads on the site that will take you to a large variety of other online games.

So there you have it. A selection of my favourite free games sites. so try them out and have fun.

As promised, the list is given below.

http://www.websudoku.com
http://www.kakuro.com
http://www.mofunzone.com
http://www.bubblebox.com
http://www.miniclip.com
http://www.tacticsarena.com
http://www.urban-rivals.com
http://www.tribalwars.net

Assessing the Activision Blizzard merger

This merger between two very well known companies is merely a strategic good move in the struggle to beat the current largest video game company Electronic Arts (EA). Neither Activsion or Blizzard have what it takes on their own to take up that fight, but now some time in 2008 when they merge together they will most likely already be bigger than EA. I must admit I was a bit surprised while reading this because this is a merge between two already big and acknowledged companies which makes this very unlike the normal merger where one small company merge into a big one. A lot of the games I play come from one of these two which gives me a strong relationship with them both and I could actually see this merger benefiting the gamers.

There is no doubt that any gamer or even person in generally that has missed games like World of Warcraft or Guitar Hero must have been living in a cave the last years. World of Warcraft is the most popular game in the world at the moment and has over 10 million subscribers. And the Guitar Hero series has been skyrocketing the last years with people rocking out with plastic guitars in their living room. There is no doubt that people don't care that the rock experience have been stripped down to its underpants as long as the crowd and the music is still there. I am sure both World of Warcraft and the Guitar Hero series will generate income for Activision Blizzard in many years ahead giving the company money to develop new good games.

With a income that will consist of more digits than my phone number there is no doubt they will have enough money to aim high. They will be the leading company in the business and with that comes great responsibility in pumping out new and original games as well as keeping old series alive. I know for a fact that Blizzard is already working on a new MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) that is not World of Warcraft and that will be interesting. Beside that I just generally reckon there will be a lot of quality games to come from this company.

A thing Activision can bring to Blizzard is the expertise of console games. While Blizzard has mainly focused on releasing games for computer I am almost sure that a lot of Blizzard titles might be brought to the consoles with Activisions help. I heard speculations of such things as World of Warcraft eventually being released on consoles, but those are just rumors so I wouldn't get my hopes up. But with Activsion in the picture it is definitely possible. It will for sure help Blizzard reach out to a whole new market, which they have only partially tried before.

The merger between Activsion and Blizzard can end up as one of the best things that have hit the gaming industry in a long time. It has the potential to be a very strong company with way better economics than any other in the gaming business. Even EA can't compete with the income of these two companies combined. We gamers might be in for some interesting years. These two companies will definitely go well together as they both have different strengths and weaknesses. In the short run the effect of the merger might not be so visible, but in the long run we might see some very positive effects.

Playing online games for relaxation and escape

Mmorpgs, or massively multiplayer online role-playing games, are a craze that has swept the nation for years. Mmorpgs are generally computer games in which you create a character, customize and design their stats and fight monsters/other players while leveling your character up. Obviously the higher level you are the more powerful you are.

There's two types of Mmorpgs, free ones and subscribed ones. Free Mmorpgs are absolutely free, but generally the graphics are lower quality, the world in which the game takes place in isn't expanded and new things aren't integrated as often. Subscribed Mmorpgs on the other hand are always expanding, adding new items, monsters, quests, cities, maps, dungeons and so on and so forth. However, subscribed Mmorpgs can get quite costly. Sometimes you not only have to pay the subscriber fee to play, but you also have to buy the program (and its expansion packs) in order to install it on your computer.

What is the point of playing an online game? Well the most obvious goal is to become a high leveled character. However, lots of players aim to be fabulously wealthy, collect rare items, obtain better armor and on many Mmorpgs there is an online war'. The war (which is called different names by different games) gives players an opportunity to band together and fight other players. If they win they are rewarded for their efforts.

So why play a Mmorpg? Initially they are a lot of fun. Sometimes family and friends will play together to keep in touch. Creating a character and leveling it is a lot of fun, especially as you specialize and customize them, making them more powerful and earning more money. Once you get a nicely leveled character you can set out with a party and hunt bosses, who will drop rare items after being killed.

More over you can make some great friends on Mmorpgs. Experienced players are generally pretty willing to help out new players if nicely asked. A Mmorpg is fun to play, like any video game. Plus the world the Mmorpg takes place in will constantly change. As previously mentioned the surrounds, items, NPCs (Non playable characters) and more will be upgraded, switched and changed in order to keep things exciting.

There are several downsides of Mmorpgs though. Technically there is no point to them. The basic goal is to get a high leveled character, which in turn makes leveling really one of the sole reason to play. That grind can be something of a fun sucker, which inevitably is the reason why people stop playing. In order to combat that boredom, new parts of the game are frequently released.

Strangely Mmorpgs are also easy to become addicted to, probably because there is no clear ending point unlike other video games. There are stories of people forsaking their real lives in order to continue playing a Mmorpg. Honestly, that can't happen if you're playing an expensive Mmorpg. You NEED a job in order to finance this costly program. But, no matter what game you play boundaries are needed. When starting a new character it is easy to play for hours on end because you level so quickly. Because of this it is important to keep track of how much time you're really spending online.

Also, online drama is literately inescapable. There is always going to be one group of people that really don't like another group of people. Additionally there are terrible people like Player Killers (people who lure other players to their death) Bots (People who create programs that will level their character while they are away from the computer. This gives them a high leveled character with no work on their part) and just mean spirited people in general. However, the kind and generous people on Mmorpgs greatly outweigh the rude people. While there is online drama it's exactly that, drama. None of it really means anything, and it is relatively easy to stay out of it provided you don't gossip and bring it down upon yourself.

And finally, another downside of playing Mmorpgs is the stereotype. Instantly when a mmorpg is mentioned most people picture extreme nerds who never leave their houses, have no job, live with their mother, wear pocket protectors and are obsessive compulsive about their video games. It isn't like that at all. Millions of normal people play Mmorpgs, socializing and acting like normal people. The Stereotype is literately gone, but people still picture it because it's what has been ingrained on their minds.

Mmorpgs are fun computer video games that easily provide entertainment for hours upon end. They are pleasant to play, a new experience and highly adaptable. They may not be for everyone, but they are a fun computer game that millions of people enjoy.

Favorite fictional female action hero

The greatest female action hero, in my mind, spends her time exploring the depths of alien planets. She spins through the air, her whirling body a buzzsaw that cuts enemies into a thousand pieces. She swings from energy beams over vast chasms filled with lava. Or spikes. Or acid. She has a badass power suit and won't hesitate in using it to kick your ass.

She fights a giant brain at the end of some of her greatest adventures, for pity's sake. That's classy.

I speak, of course, of Samus Aran.

The bounty hunting blond beauty of the Metroid games has always been a favorite of mine. Her merits are all the more impressive given that her games have all been hosted by Nintendo, whose games typically feature stereotypically dim-witted young lasses.

Not as much anymore, mind you, but in its infancy Nintendo had more damsels in distress than they had games that were actually beatable. (But that's another can of worms, one I'll refrain from popping open.)

Samus hasn't evolved much in her time on the Nintendo. And you know what? That's fine with me. She never fit the stereotypes. Samus has always been a living weapon, even back in the days where she sported green hair rather than blond. Her take-no-crap, silent attitude suits me just fine.

And I think that's her ultimate strength. Samus is silent. In the games she almost never has a voice. Rather, she lets her actions do all the talking for her. She doesn't negotiate with terrorists, she powers up her energy cannon and blows their faces off. The universe needs saving, so you'd better get the hell out of her way.

Best of all about Samus, however (and they've changed this a bit recently, to my dismay), her character isn't defined by her looks. Too many female leads are defined by their beauty. Samus steers away from that convention by remaining in her power suit most of the time. Sure, she's nice to look at underneath the plate armor, but you aren't that disappointed if you don't see her outside of it.

It's the time spent inside that counts. Her occasional emergences into the light of day are just a pleasant bonus.

5 Problem areas for dribbling in youth basketball

Dribbling and passing are the two skills that make basketball the great game it is. Without these abilities, the game would be a slow, boring activity. Youth players often struggle with dribbling successfully which leads to frustration for the players and coach. By identifying these five problem areas, coaches can help players develop good skills and increase their enjoyment and skill in basketball.

Dribbling is one of those skills that looks easy but can be very demanding. Young players are impatient and attempt to move ahead of their learning progress. Before becoming proficient in dribbling they want to shoot, shoot, shoot. Being able to dribble alone in the driveway is a start and should be encouraged by all coaches. Players need to practice slowly at first, using both hands equally. There are thousands of ball handling drills to utilize on your own. It's when the young player faces the defense that makes them realize they have a lot of work to do.

Here are 5 problem areas for dribbling in Youth basketball:

1. Players try to do too much too fast. Dribbling takes time and patience. Just to bounce the ball up and down off the concrete consistently take a concentrated effort.

2. Only one hand, usually the right hand, is developed. The one handed dribbler gets by in 3rd or 4th grade but eventually catches up with them. Both hands need to be equally developed at an early age.

3. Dribble with the fingertips not the palm. Fingertip control can be developed over time. Young dribblers should lightly tap the ball with fingertips to start. As they progress, they can dribble harder and higher. Most young players begin as palm dribblers because they are not properly taught or attempt to progress to quickly.

4. Looking at the ball with head down. This is natural for a young player to look at the ball as they learn to dribble. When team play begins, a player with their head down while dribbling will not be able to see open teammates or pass to them.

5. Stance. A young player usually stands upright as they dribble. They need to be taught to bend at the knees and assume an athletic stance. This will keep the ball closer to the ground, requiring less control. This will also help them protect the ball from other players trying to steal the ball from them.

Why soccer is not so popular in the US as elsewhere

Living in the United States is living in seasons. You see as Americans we tend to switch from one season to another. We do not have a certain season or sport which we hold dear to our hearts. We have our Baseball season, our Basketball season, our Football season, our Hockey season, and now our Soccer season.

In Europe and Latin America and for the most part of the World we hold Soccer as the only sport worthy of our chants and our enjoyment. Soccer is one of the oldest games but it has never changed throughout the years as like the sports here in the United States. You see we play Soccer not because we are getting paid millions, but rather because we love to play. Some of the soccer players get more money than most of the athletes here in the U.S. but when the Cup comes around, no one plays according to how they get pay. We play for the moment of holding a cup in which it will state that you are the best. The World Cup is not something that players get millions more and more; no it's juts about which country is the best of the World. In the United States though we live with Greed and if we don't get pay according to what my agent says I should get pay than I will not play. Greed is the main sport here in the U.S. If you don't make more than the other person, than you don't deserve to play for that team or you will not perform as good because you are not getting paid what you think you deserve. How about playing for the love of the sport? Fans we moved from one venue to another according to what season it is.

Today is Baseball, tomorrow is Football. Soccer remains the same one sport one enjoyment. Sure look at Europe and all the different sports that they have one being Rugby which is pretty big in Europe and other countries, yet Soccer remains the main sport. For Soccer to be popular here in the U.S. we would have to start all over again because to enjoy soccer you must be born with it and not with how much money you can make. Soccer has no greed but love, and if you watch a soccer game from Europe you will see the difference between the fans here and the fans who really loved the sport. Soccer is not popular here in the U.S. for the sole purpose that we don't have a sport which stands out and is enjoyed not by the amount the athletes make but rather because it comes from our hearts as soccer is. Soccer can and most likely be very popular now that we are bringing the super stars from Europe that were in their prime once there, but no longer are, yet here they still are consider a sensation because we have not seen them played since they were little like some of us have.