For The Weekenders: The Geekend….

Sometimes, people do so much running around, it’s nice to just chill out in your own den. With friends. And snacks. Maybe some beer. And a video game. Or three.

This upcoming weekend I thought I’d share with you all some games from the vault – 3 video games to be precise that have you using more than just your thumbs. Come on, let’s make it a low key weekend, and enjoy…

There’s nothing like a good DJ at a party or a venue – a great time in any building is 30% people, 25% atmosphere, and 45% music. I’ve reiterated this in numerous For The Weekenders articles before.

DJing is a shit ton of fun. I did it a few years back and knew not to mention socialized with many of like mind. A few months ago I finally made the decision to give DJ Hero a spin. Pun intended.

All in all it’s a pretty cool game. Though not precisely what DJing is all about (what Guitar Hero related game is, really), the bottom line is it makes for an excellent time when you’re just having a chill time with good friends.

Set yourself up with two turntables (they’re so inexpensive now) and away you go – the instructions are simple, controls easy, and all it takes is an ear for music and good hand eye coordination, then you’re good to go.

It has a pretty cool feature where if you get tired you can just hold down a button and it’ll “spin itself” so to speak – still playing the track you were on to perfection while you’re at the mini bar reloading on American Honey and playing some shot roulette (long story). For those times when you wanna be the party goer and the DJ…DJ Hero’s there to help…

Alright it’s high time to get up off your bum and move around some. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been a fan of extreme sports and video games. Snowboarding, Sandboarding, Surfing, Racing, the list goes on and on.

When Tony Hawk first came out with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, I was one excited kid, probably more excited than the day I got my first ever skateboard…and when he came up with the brilliant idea to take skateboarding games to a whole new level with Tony Hawk Ride, it was like I was that same little kid all over again.

I know, this game has been out for practically ages now – but it still deserves recognition.

A lot of people say this game is hard – I beg to differ. A lot of people say this game doesn’t work properly – again, I beg to differ. First off, the whole reason why noone can seem to ge the controller going, is simply because of the fact that whoever wrote up the user manual fucked up pretty bad in explaining things.

The “skateboard” (which kind of reminds me of the hover board on Back to The Future II) has a sleep function, and instead of taking the batteries in and out to get it going, you merely have to hold down the PS button on the side of it for a hell of a long time – about ten seconds – and you’re good to go.

In terms of getting your character to actually go, that’s simple too – as long as you’re playing like you’re actually skateboarding – standing there lifelessly isn’t going to help your character pop that kickflip anymore than if you were to sit there and not move your thumbs.

The game itself is great for a workout – the first time I played it, I was sweating exactly how I would if I were actually at the park skateboarding. Every trick you pull you have to make the movements as if you’re actually doing it – it’s a great core and lower back exercise, so it’s something good for

A) if weather isn’t letting you skateboard and –

B) if you feel like getting a workout but don’t want it to feel like…working out.

Tony Hawk Ride is also multi-player – so go ahead and have fun watching your friends try and “bust a move” too.

But let’s say you’re really, really not into those kind of simulation games and you want the real deal. That’s cool – I’m like that too sometimes. Fortunately, Rocksmith can help fulfill that gnawing desire for authenticity.

It also gives you a good excuse to go and pick up that REAL guitar you’ve been drooling over in the display window for the past two months.

Yeah. No plastic guitars here. Billy Talent would be proud. What can I say, the game actually teaches you how to play guitar, instead of just following along to some random colored buttons and insane (not to mention non-existent) fret patterns.

Think of Rocksmith as an educational tool, more than a game. It has a really great A.I. function that creates an instruction course tailored for you and no one else. It tracks your movements, your progress, knows when you start getting a certain section of a song down-pact, then increases difficulty accordingly.

It’s like, if [insert your favorite guitarist’s name here] came to your house and said “hey, let’s play a few sets – go easy, be cool, and try and keep up.” It’s casual like that…cool.

It lets you pick the songs you like, play them, play them, and play them until you master them. It feeds a passion in the most constructive, and awesome way I’ve seen any video game since Gran Turismo 3 and 4 do…

…and the best part? When you decide to get up and leave the room – your den, your living room, your bedroom – the knowledge comes with you, and you can play that same piece anywhere, anytime.

Do something fun for you this weekend.

As always…

Stay Awesome.

– Rego