Freemium, Flintstones, and Family Guy

Regular readers here know of my addiction to Simpsons Tapped Out, but that's not the only freemium game of that type out there, nor is it the only one I'm playing. I'm talking about two other animated series, one an inspiration and the other a frenemy of "The Simpsons," yeah, I'm talking about "The Flintstones" and "Family Guy."

The "Family Guy" game, officially and sarcastically (keeping with the spirit of the show) called Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff. In the plot of the game, the show is cancelled and a battle between Peter Griffin and Ernie the Giant Chicken (never knew he had a name until I looked it up for this post) destroys the town of Quahog. Much like Tapped Out, you are tasked with rebuilding the town.

To its credit, it's easier to get 'stuff' in this game than others, but I actually found myself bored after a while. Sarcasm only works in small doses, it's like spending more than a day at Universal. Later versions have the Star Trek Next Gen characters and actors involved, so maybe a return trip to Quahog might be in order.

The Flintstones hold a bit more power over me as I continue to play that one. Officially called The Flintstones: Bring Back Bedrock, it is just like the other two freemium games, only with the hangings of that cartoon. Bedrock has been destroyed by a meteor shower (a little close for comfort) and Fred and company have to put it back together. Some of it is fun, and some not so fun, I really just want to get Dino. One thing for sure, it's addictive. Either way, I'll still return to my first love, Tapped Out.

The Ghost of Portal

I hate Q. You know, Q from "Star Trek The Next Generation." Or more accurately I hate John de Lancie, who provides the voice that annoys in the game Quantum Conundrum.

More than a year ago, maybe two, when I discovered what a great place for customer service the Marlton Game Stop was (sadly, it's gone now), I asked for a gift recommendation for The Bride, who at the time was well immersed in Portal. I wanted something like Portal for when she finally finished Portal. A game that was not yet out was suggested - Quantum Conundrum.

The game never came out. At least that I know of. I looked and asked and asked and looked, but for the most part no one else had heard of it. Imagine my surprise when it showed up as a download from the PlayStation Store. It was quickly purchased and brought to the attention of The Bride. Happy way late Christmas/Birthday/whatever present. She took to it, like, well, like The Bride to Portal.

In the game John de Lancie voices Professor Fitz Quadwrangle, who much like like GLaDOS in Portal, never shuts up. It's to the point of madness, and it's not even about cake this time. The professor's house has become a maze of alternate dimensions, and you the player, his nephew, have to navigate your way through the house, with the help of his clueless disembodied voice, until the house and the professor are all back in the same right dimension.

Quantum Conundrum is a puzzle game, so it infuriates me almost as much as de Lancie's voice annoys me. I can't play it, but The Bride loves it, so I can't complain.

The Secret History of Star Raiders

Back in the stone age days of the Atari 2600, when it was the videogame system, there was one game that stood out away from the rest, and not for any good reasons. That was Star Raiders.

Everyone had Star Raiders, but I don't think anyone liked it, or even played it. Ninety-nine percent of all Atari games used either a joystick or a paddle controller, but not Star Raiders. It had a big number pad controller with a phone cord like cord. As an oddity it stood out, and as I said, I didn't know anyone who played it, maybe because it was a bit difficult to play or to understand how to play. My Atari is long ago stored away, and I'm not digging it up any time soon to check it out - so forget that noise.

But the facts are of course that Star Raiders predates the Atari 2600, and goes back to the Atari 400 and 800, and the Atari 8-bit family of games. Yeah, this is one of the ancestors. Star Raiders may have been crippled by the limiting graphics of the 2600, or at least that's what my computer geek friends tell me. I have also been told that it was the precursor to later games that I have enjoyed like Starmaster and the Star Trek arcade game, and even Wing Commander. The original SR even borrowed itself from Trek, Star Wars, and even Battlestar Galactica in its own designs. Man, I wish I remembered this game better, or at least played it.

Now imagine my surprise when I saw Star Raiders listed as a free download at the PlayStation Store. I downloaded it but only remembering it vaguely from childhood I didn't play right away. After learning more about it, I was eager to play and jumped right to it.

Wow, the visuals are something else, but man, the controller directions are among the most complicated I have seen so far for the PS3. Steering was insane, but the format was eerily similar to favorite games like those mentioned above, Starmaster and Star Trek. It was very cool. I will have to learn more. I'm sure it will be worth it. And I actually feel a little bad I didn't put more time in with the 2600 version.

Still Old, and Still Not a Gamer

I launched this blog a couple weeks back and my good friend Terry helped promote it in various places, and I thank him for that, he's a good guy.  He also brought up that I might be delusional in that I'm not the only forty-something who's not a hardcore gamer.  I'm sure that's absolutely true, but I'll tell you, it doesn't feel like it. 

I am a nerd, and a geek.  I have serious nerd/geek cred.  You're not going to trip me up on any kind of comic book trivia - I challenge you.  As a matter of fact, I think I could give Mark Waid or Kurt Busiek or Bob Rozakis a run for their money.  Yeah, I am that damn good.  I know my geek pop culture too, the movies, the television, the books, the role-playing games.  I am as at home at a Doctor Who convention, a Star Trek convention, Gen Con or even San Diego as I am on my sofa.  I know my stuff.  But. 

When the conversation turns to gaming, electronic gaming, I am lost.  I might as well be your mother-in-law, you know what I mean?  I want to watch "Attack of the Show" and get all the references, ya know?  I don't know thing one about World of Warcraft, I have never gotten through even the first Super Mario Bros., and, I confess, although it's been in my home for weeks now - I still don't know how to turn the PlayStation 3 on yet. 

It's not cool to be left out of the conversation like that, especially if the previous topic was comics and I was ruling.  I don't want to look confused while y'all talk about Portal and Lego Batman and why the DS is better than the Xbox (or vice versa).  I want to be in the conversation, I want to learn, I want to live.  I am prepared to become a gamer, I'm ready for this. 

Now can someone tell me how to turn this thing on please?