Posts filed under 'games'
The Apple iPad has finally launched in the UK after a long wait for gadget lovers. Eager customers started queuing outside apple stores yesterday afternoon, waiting throughout the night to ensure they got their hands on the gadget. The doors of many stores opened at 8:00 this morning, creating much excitement amongst the crowds. Some customers, however, could have an even longer wait after iPad suppliers warned that there are a limited number of iPads available and this limited supply could last until September. The iPad will cost up to £699 in the UK for a top of the range version. There are 3500 applications available to buy or download for free, including the popular app called Stuck, you can also download videos, books, newspapers and music on the go.
May 28th, 2010
Nintendo have announced that they will launch the new Nintendo DSi XL in March this year. The hand held consol will be a bigger version of the DSi consol and will feature two 4.2 inch LCD screens.
The DSi XL, has been designed due to customer demand and will come in two colours, wine red and chocolate brown. According to the Times Online Robert Saunders of Nintendo said:
We find that families like to play games together huddled around one console, and the smaller screen was making that difficult. The new screen also brings a level of detail to the graphics that has never been seen before.
The Telegraph reported that it will come pre-loaded with two games, including Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1. If you find the Nintendo DS too small then this DS could be ideal for you.
January 21st, 2010
It is that time of the year again when people set off on their family holidays and with the credit crunch hitting us hard, more and more people are staying in the UK.
The BBC are reporting that the camping industry is enjoying an unprecedented surge in popularity as people look for cheaper holiday alternatives. People have less disposable income due to the increase in the costs of basic foods, petrol and the increase in interest rates. The weak pound is also putting people off travelling abroad as it is worth 20% less than a year ago.
Our seaside resorts are also seeing a big rise in bookings with Brighton up 70%, Bournemouth 20% and Eastbourne 66%, according to The Guardian.
So with more people setting off on long drives to their UK holiday destination, how do you keep the children entertained and arrive as relaxed as possible. Well stress-free car insurance company swiftcover.comhave come up with some car games that should keep the whole family entertained:
The Name Game - The first player names a town in the UK and the following player names a town beginning with the last letter of that name, e.g. London -> Norwich.
Guessing Game - Players pick a famous person and other contestants have to find out who the person is by asking a series of yes/no questions.
Description Game - You need to divide into two teams. Each person writes down a couple of names/objects on small pieces of paper, folds them up and places them in a hat/container where they are all mixed up. Players then pick out a paper and have 30 seconds to describe, without using proper nouns, the object/person.
Memory Game - Player 1 starts a sentence including a noun beginning with the first letter of the alphabet. Player 2 then has to extend that sentence and include a noun beginning with the second letter of the alphabet, etc. The game can be made simpler by being put in list form e.g. ‘Yesterday at the beach I saw a sea anemone, a banana boat, a single cloud’ etc.
Spot the Car Game - The children pick a colour/brand of car or type of vehicle and have to spot a given number of that object.
Who’s Next Door? - When stuck in a traffic jam make up stories about the person/people in the car stuck next to you. Give them names, professions, ages, destinations etc.
Number Plate Maths - Children add/divide/multiply/subtract the numbers on number plates.
Map Reading - Give children the road map so they can follow the journey, or make up a trip and let them plan it for you.
Car Cricket - Make a list of different car brands and accord them all different scores depending on how common/rare they are. Children then add up the points of all the cars they see, and the child with the highest score wins.
Bizz Buzz - Players count from 1-100 (or whatever number they choose), naming numbers alternately. Whenever a number comes up that is divisible by two numbers of your choice (e.g. 3 and 5) the player must say ‘Bizz’ or ‘Buzz’. E.g. 1,2,Bizz,4,Buzz,Bizz,7,8,Bizz,Buzz.
And of course for the younger children there is also eye spy. What other car games would you recommend?
August 20th, 2008
As a parent I am all to aware of the problem parents have in helping their children to be happy with who they are and how they look. The perfect image portrayed in magazines, newspapers and online of the Celebrity often makes children feel very insecure about themselves. I was shocked to read over the weekend that a new ‘virtual fashion game’ had been launched targeting girls between the ages of 9 and 16 called Miss Bimbo. The aim of the website is for girls to create a Bimbo that is ‘the coolest, richest and most famous bimbo in the world’.
Players can choose where to live, what job to do, shop for the latest fashions, become a socialite, date a famous hottie and even resort to plastic surgery and diet pills. It is free to register but apparently you buy ‘dollars’ to spend on your character by texting at £1.50 a text.
It amazes me that such a website can be launched. It clearly plays on the desire of young girls to be famous and encourages them to take diet pills and have plastic surgery in order to be the best. As adults we can differentiate between what’s online and the real world but children can’t do this so easily. Dee Dawson, the medical director of Rhodes Farm Clinic, treats girls from the tender age of 8 who are suffering from eating disorders. He was commented in The Times Online as saying “This is as lethal as pro-anorexia websites. A lot of children will get caught up with the extremely damaging and appalling messages.”
Mr Dawson isn’t the only one to be outraged. Many of the national newspapers has picked up on this new website and I am sure that there will be lots of debates on this over the next couple of weeks but in the meantime, this is definitely one of those websites that I will be blocking on my home PC. Will you?
March 25th, 2008
I never expect too much from Christmas Crackers - a half-decent joke would be one thing, a half-decent gift another, and of course I rarely get them anyway as no matter whether I am pulling a cracker with a younger more excitable family member or a wily old timer, they always seem to want to win that little bit more - even if means grabbing the cracker about half-way up, or examining where the snap is before electing which way round to hold it. My fun then comes from trying to guess the answer to the corny jokes. This year I may cheat myself a little bit and gen up on these Christmas Cracker jokes in advance: here’s 50 of the best - or worst, depending on your point of view!
Here’s a sample to get you in the mood:
Q: What do they sing at a snowman’s birthday party? A: Freeze a jolly good fellow!
If you’re feeling particularly keen - you can even make your own crackers too!
December 18th, 2007
It seems that this year’s ‘Most Wanted’ present - or at least ‘Most Wanted But Hard to Find’ present is the Nintendo Wii. This is the games console that famously comes with a wireless controller that lets you simulate playing golf or tennis by waving it like you were swinging your club or racket. From the reports in the media, there are going to be a lot of disappointed children - and adults too - who don’t get their Wii for Christmas. One article suggests that the shortage is a deliberate ploy by Nintendo so that parents buy the software games now and then are committed to buying the hardware (the games console itself) later. This seems too far fetched to me: I’ll bet that any child old enough to want a Wii will not be impressed by a couple of games in boxes that they can’t play until some unspecified future date.
Anyway, if you are still on the hunt for a Wii, then you could do worse than visit this clever website. You just leave the site open and every 60 seconds it crawls though webistes of a wide range of retailers and pops up a message telling where if anywhere a Wii is available as new stocks are added online. Just be sure to check the delivery dates when you order if you really need it in time for Christmas!
December 17th, 2007
Julian Worricker – a BBC Radio 5 Live presenter has taken a 6-month sabbatical to travel the world. Interestingly, one of the first of his observations on cultural differences is about the differences in rules for pool (as in the billiard-type game). He notes the main one is about whether or not you get one or two shots after a foul shot by your opponent. I know of at least 3 others that have caused trouble and strife in bars whether in Barnet, Budapest or Bangkok so for any other intrepid travellers, my tip is always sort out before you begin:
1) Whether after the cue ball is accidentally pocketed the opponent can go forward and backward from the baulk-line or just forward. (I say both ways)
2) Whether when shooting for the 8-ball, you have to nominate the pocket you intend to put the ball into – and thus whether you lose if it ends up in another pocket, instead of winning anyway. (I say any pocket is fine)
3) Whether you have to shoot for your balls in sequence 1-7 or 9-15 before attempting to pot the black. (I say this is ridiculous - any ball is fine).
4) Whether if you are carrying two shots and then end up on the black, you continue to have two shots, or, at this stage, just the one. (I’m happy to allow just one)
And finally one I always like to establish - brimming with confidence at the start of a game – whether or not I have the right to stay at the table if I win.
Feel free to disagree with me, but I know the rules I learned are the best - even if they are not the rules pubs seem to allow probably to speed up games and thus make more money from the tables.
October 19th, 2007
With half-term on the horizon, many people will be thinking of things to do with the children. Having recently tried ten-pin bowling with my kids - and quickly learned a few things:
- small children trying to pick up heavy bowling balls can be dangerous - mind those toes!
- you really do need to get the side rails up so their bowling balls don’t all slide off to the side
- it might be more diplomatic to let your children win, but its hard to resist the opportunity to smack all the pins down!
- it can be quite expensive unless you take your children during school-term time and in fact during school-time too
To remedy this expense aspect I have recently been playing on a free online ten-pin bowling game - and I think it is almost as good as the real bowling experience itself. Just follow the link below and see what score you can get - you’ll have to top 149 to beat the best score round these parts, but I would say anything over 100 is okay.
Worth noting that this game has proved to be a big hit in my household with everyone aged 3 to 30+ all enjoying it. Easy to play, totally free, great fun and ideal in case it gets a bit too wet and cold to go out over half-term.
Fee l free to let us know the best score you can get - and if you can beat 149 then send in a screen grab and we’ll post it up and honour you!
October 17th, 2007
