Life has become more fast-faced and gaming is no different. Young and old alike are trying out their hand on video games as we are now in the digital age. For those who can’t spend hours and hours completing their favourite RPG or that epic flat-form game; the industry introduced the mini-games. Arcade style games usually covered by hand-held systems designed to be short and simple for the non-avid gamer. They had recently become popular especially for girls. Here are some of the prominent categories of mini-games:

The puzzle games: These are the type of games to test your intelligence. They became the modern day puzzles you usually solve on you Sunday paper. These kinds of games are especially popular with more mature people as this is something they can relate to and makes them feel smart. Video game puzzles are designed to be less boring than their paper counterparts offering story-lines and further interactivity as any typical video game will do. Some of the prominent games for this genre are the Professor Layton series, Brain Age, Buzz! series and the classic Minesweeper.

The creative games: These games tap on your artistic side. They require you create things in order to move on. They are really fun to play with because you will never know what will come up next and make you feel all artsy. These games are a sure-fire way to kill time. Some of the genre’s flagships are Okami, Scribblenauts and Art Academy.

The simulation games: Games that simulate real life activities; whether it be your dream job, taking care of dozens or pets or simple mediocre chores. Video games make everything more fun that is why kids would rather do things virtually rather than fulfil it in real life. Mentionable games from this genre are Cooking Mama, Petz, Harvest Moon, Mariokart, Ace Attorney and Trauma Center.

The rhythm games: For those who have a flair for music these games certainly appeal. Listening to fancy tunes while mashing buttons, can certainly be a load of fun for hours. Playing these types of games can certainly bring out the inner rock star or DJ in you. Prominent games today are Rockband, Guitar Hero, DJ Max and Project Diva.

The nonsense games: Let’s just say these are the “unclassified” games. There are a mixture of various genres and can simply be plain weird. They are usually cartoony and laced with loads of humor. They present very easy puzzle games and creative areas that will tickle your common sense when you have time to kill. Nothing beats Warrioware Inc. on this one. Other mentionable are Plants vs. Zombies, Oddworld, Kirby and Rayman Raving Rabbid.

Do a quick search on google on why you should date a gamer and you’d be bombarded with reasons why you should NOT. Gamers have a bad rep about being bad lovers. No, it’s not really about the sex. It’s about not having time for our partners. We are always portrayed as the selfish bastards who would readily cancel a date for another hour or two of Starcraft. We’re always the bad guys, always the inconsiderate ones.

It’s time we remedy this blasphemy.

Reason #1: We make awesome dates

a PVZ date? no?

Gamers have the tendency to put their imagination in everything. Because we spend a lot of time playing games, contrary to what other people think we don’t see the world as mundane or boring, we actually see it as our own personal playground. Every single date is an adventure. We’re usually game (yes I just had to) for anything. In fact, we’re so game (yes I had to do it again) we think of the most creative, silly and unique ways to go on a date.

Reason #2: We are low maintenance

beer! monopoly! beeropoly!

To complement the previous reason, as much as we enjoy going out on dates, we’re pretty much fine with just staying in, ordering pizza and just, well… playing a game or going on movie marathons. Regardless whether we’re having a date outside or inside the house, we find ways to make it awesome. Although it is nice to be treated somewhere fancy, we have no qualms with just having beer and playing monopoly at home.

Reason #3: We know our machines

Don't worry sweetie, I GOT THIS!

We won’t nag you about fixing our computer. Chances are we already know how to fix our system (and yours too!) We know what HDMI cables are, what GeForce is and the difference between HD space and RAM. And even if we don’t know exactly what it is, we are not afraid to learn. Even the most casual of gamers have a working knowledge of their system. We won’t wake you up in the middle of the night because we can’t connect to the internet.

Reason #4: We are thoughtful

thank you honey I've ALWAYS wanted a Death Ray!

When we give gifts, we don’t just give gifts for the heck of it. A stuffed bear? A bouquet of roses? No, that’s just too easy. We want to give you a gift that truly means something to you. We search and investigate about what you really want. For us, gift-giving is a challenge. We don’t take it for granted. There’s that one gift out there that would draw out the best response from you and we, being gamers, take on that challenge like a Final Fantasy mission.

Reason #5: We are prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse

we come prepared!

We are not just prepared to destroy the traditionally slow undead, we are also prepared for fast zombies, Jockeys, Spitters, Boomers, Chargers… yes, all those late night Left 4 Dead sessions will save our asses. Once a Zombie Apocalypse breaks out (and come on, we all know it’s going to happen really soon) you will need someone experienced to fight with you. We’re the best ones to have by your side. Not only do we know how to deal with every kind of zombie imaginable, our experience in co-op will make us a valuable ally. You won’t die with us around.

Reason #6: We don’t give up easily

now how to solve this...

No matter what kind of problems we’re facing, we always, always find a way to make things work. If something isn’t going as planned, we look for alternatives and other buttons to push. Blame it on the frustrating hours playing Lufia 2 on the SNES. A gamer will always find a way to solve a problem. We won’t give up on you.

Reason #7: We are not clingy

halp?

Gamers recognize the value of alone time. We respect your privacy and don’t intrude with your affairs. We are neither possessive nor jealous. You want to go out with your friends late at night? Okay, sure. We don’t demand that you give up your whole life for us, we’re happy with what we can get. We don’t demand that you’re at our beck and call 24/7.

Reason #8: We can be your fanboy/fangirl

fangirls nuuu!

Have you seen all those PS3/XBOX fan wars? Well… gamers are devoted, passionate and extremely loyal, almost to a fault. When we like something, like really like something, we go all out. We will admire you and support you in whatever you do and you can bet your socks that we will defend you to the death.

Reason #9: We don’t mind waiting

take your time honey!

Aside from the fact that we’re so used to staring at a loading screen, making us patient little buggers, gamers usually have at least one portable gaming device. So, you’re going to take 2 hours more to get ready for our date? Okay, that’s good. We can level up while waiting. It’s a win-win situation.

Reason #10: We are heroes

I will save you!

All gamers are heroes. Even the ones who like to play the bad guy. Deep inside, we are all hard wired to save the world and save you from harm. Hey, if an Italian plumber can go through dungeon after dungeon to save an elusive princess, we as gamers can go through anything and do anything just to be with you. Sing with me now… I am a man who will fight for your honor, I’ll be the hero you’ve been dreaming of~

Gamers are keepers. You can introduce us to your mom and she’ll tell you how nice we are. Of course this list is about WHY you should date a gamer. HOW to date a gamer is another story altogether. Should I make a post about it? Hmm…

We all love Plants VS Zombies, right? On top of that, we all love the backup dancer-summoning, faux-moonwalking Dancing Zombie, right? His resemblance to a certain pop icon is certainly the reason this particularly enemy is endearing, isn’t it? Well, spend as much time as you can defending your lawn from him.

Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing much of him in future version of Popcap’s wildly popular undead-busting, tower defense game/agriculture simulator. According to a report from GamesRadar, the estate of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson has objected to the appearance (whether tribute or parody) of the Dancing Zombie. Sad, really, because he was one of the more interesting foes you could face in PvZ. You had to be a little more clever to take him out and his minions who look like they’ve been summoned straight out of the ’80s.

[source] – GamesRadar

Name: Joan C. Ison
Age: 21
Birthday: Feb. 11
Occupation: Marketing Product officer
Game Alias/es:

• Sigrid
• Diazame Ecuné
• Naoj0nfire
• Kunying

Game/s Played

Online / PC:

• Ragnarok Online (Chaos, Sarah & Fenrir Servers)
• Dance Battle Audition
• O2 Jam 
• Granado Espada
• Counter Strike
• Battle Realms

Offline / PC:

• Grandia II
• Torchlight
• Plants vs. Zombies
• Bejeweled
• Jojo’s Fashion (lol)

Play Station/ PSP/ Nintendo Console:

• Final Fantasy VII to X
• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Tomba
• Pacman
• Tekken
• Crash Bandicoot saga
• Super Mario
• Battle City
• Thousand Arms
• DJ Max Portable
• Rockband
• Cooking Mama
• Patapon 1 & 2
• Loco Roco 1 & 2
• God of War

Game/s currently playing

• DJ Max Portable
• Rockband
• Cooking Mama
• Torchlight
• O2 Jam (Offline)

What’s your main game?

• Granado Espada, the overall appeal of the of the game really got me hooked into playing it. I was very active within the game community which made me stick to it more and I became active for the love of the game than i have ever been in any other games i’ve played.

How did you start playing video games?

• My first ever gaming console was a NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) , the Family computer released early 90’s. J

What was your first game?

• Aside from the Tetris in the first ever edition of Gameboy, I used to play Super Mario World in NES. I also had this airship-like game which I forgot what it’s called. I also had The Lion king game and NBA Jam 1993 (Hizzzoon faaaayyrr!XD).

Your proudest gaming moment?

• First was when my guild Dragoons of Fenrir (Ragnarok Online) joined this big tournament in Taft (hosted by LU! Of course) and it was the boss-hunt kind of event where 5 of my team mates fought summoned MVP’s in the PVP room. We won and got ourselves a +7 ice pick (which was one of the rarest and most in-demand items more than Solar God Helm during that time).

Second was when my team in Granado Espada won a Scene & Heard week for our Machinima entry during one of IAH & E-game’s big events.

Game Affiliations:

• Dragoons of Fenrir – Ragnarok Online
• Club Exodus (for a brief period of time) – Dance Battle Audition

Preferred Game Genre: (mmorpg, fps, rpg, action, etc.)

• Role Playing Games –I find them much more entertaining, challenging and less boring because it will keep you playing to know how the story ends. Downside of it, it requires much my attention and time so I really get addicted to it to the point my brain works at night—playing. @_@

Preferred Gaming Platform: (PC, consoles or handeld)

• PC platforms has always been my first choice for gaming. It’s a non-passive addiction that keeps on evolving.

If you were given a choice for a free console what would you choose from the three? Wii, Ps3 or Xbox360?

• I’d go for PS3. I’ve always been a PlayStation fan and having this 3^rd edition would be fulfilling all the more. I’d also get to play GoW3 for all it’s worth!!!

How about if you were given a free handheld what would you choose? Nintendo DS or PSP?

• Like I said, I’m a PS fan so I go for PSP— And make it the 2000 edition.

Are you more of an online or offline gamer?

• Online allows me to interact and expand my social skills at the same time.

Let’s say you were given the choice to change the world into one of the games you played before, what game would it be?:

• The best game that could probably do this is the ever classic and evolving Super Mario and Bro’s game series. The game has been around since 1985 and the merchandise has been tried, tested, distributed and has embedded its name in the world of gaming. It’s an enjoyable game for every age and isn’t a bore no matter how many Goomba’s you step on. XD

If you can change yourself into one of the many heroines in any game, who would you change into?

• The girl game character I would probably best portray is Ling Xiaoyu from Tekken. Not only because she’s my favorite Tekken character but because most of her characteristics are the same as mine. She’s free spirited, happy-go-lucky and if she wants to be serious, she will be serious. She’s one impossible character to dislike and she’s both attractive and strong *cough*, loves amusement parks and has a sidekick Panda! …Who doesn’t want that right? XD

So you wake up one day and find out that it’s the start of the zombie invasion. You are stuck in your room at the 20th floor of a once packed High-rise. Your food supply would only last you about three days, what do you do?

• Eat all the food and get all fat and puffy for those god-forsaken zombies. I’m effin’ scared of them and I don’t even have a gun in the choices above to defend myself! =))

What are your other hobbies aside from gaming?

• I’m into photography, cosplaying (or modeling for that matter), blogging and dancing.

Why do you think pinay gamers rock?

• We girl gamers are a breath of air for all those hardcore (or not) male gamers. We add excitement and zest in your endless quest for power leveling, PvP and someone to accompany you during your reign in Guild Wars. We are a REQUIREMENT in your game… that’s why there are female characters, “chicksilogs” and need to socialize. =P

What’s your message to all the gamers out there?

• Who ever said gaming is man’s world? ;P