Life On Replay

But NOT real life, thank heavens...

Someone who's heard me sing along to the radio got me a present - a 'Sims 3' game, with a bonus package consisting of the essence of singer Katy Perry.

(and I said)...Wait..What?



I had to laugh; this 'Showtime' edition lets you create a mini-you and have him/her blunder through a KP style career track that starts you out busking on the street for coins and may let you into 'superstardom'.

But if your mini-you doesn't succeed?..
...there's infinite do-overs, whew!

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Definitely a more certain outcome than the lives of the characters in Ken Griswold's award-winning novel 'Replay' - where a few select people must randomly re-live portions of their past lives.

I re-read it recently, and their choices make it painfully clear that decisions must be made, and that you can't avoid all of life's uncertainties.

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Here's a few bits of one guy's Sims lives:

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As for me?...
I've yet to unwrap my Katy Perry simlife.

Maybe I'm not ready for all those colorful choices?

For TT's 'Life Uncertainties' day
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Catapulting Cows and Coconuts

aka Playing with your food, SpamALot style:

1. To begin, pick your side, the English, or ze French!
2. Use the mouse cursor to drag ammo to the catapult
3. Aim by sliding the object at the catapult up and back.
4. Then release your mouse button to launch. Good Luck!

Click the pic to start SpamALot, the game!

*Its like Angry Birds, but with cows ;-)

hint: Get {killer bunnies!} with a Spam product code.
Just click the upper right 'scroll' marked 'unlock weapons'

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Or, if you're the more cerebral type,
click pic below to go to the Spam Museum!

"The museum features 16,500 square feet of SPAM® artifacts, history and fun—and all for free! Yes, that’s right— it’s free admission to check out vintage advertising, answer SPAM® trivia, try your hand at canning SPAM® products, stock up on collectible SPAM® memorabilia, and learn about all the SPAM® products."

Spam artifacts? Ew. Hope they're really, really old so they'll be dry by the time I visit...
Have a great weekend!

for TT's 'spam' day
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Escape The Cursed Room

Sounds like our average work day lament, eh? Its a breezy day, the sun is shining and we're stuck indoors. Don't mind it so much in the winter, but today I'd like to get out of this room.

But lucky for us, escape is now possible!

'Escape the Cursed Room' is a sequel to 'The Grudge', a point-n-click adventure / escape game. In this (free) online game, you are locked in a room and you try to escape the room by finding items and solving puzzles.

So, want to escape a bit right now?
Just click the image above and you'll go there.

Have Fun!

*And then please come back and tell me.
Because I've never gotten out.

Oh no, I might still be there!...

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fyi:

Never played a game like this before?...
Below is a quick & colorful walk-thru for the
'Escape The Bathroom' game. (has spoilers)
( other games @ EscapeGames24)
No, I couldn't get out of this bathroom without help.
Wait, that sounds pathetic doesn't it?...
But hey, I consider that fly part cheating!

For TT's 'Escape' day
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Boffo Bout of Blokus

Rediscovered this little gem just in time for ThemeThursday's 'game day'.

The only rule? Your color pieces may only touch your same color ones on the corners.

` Blokus, shown on iPad


Plus, you can test-drive it. (opens in new window) On their page go to the lower right and pick 'Play As A Guest' option. Blokus Online

And look, even a bird-brain can play: {30 sec, new window}

So in just a bit, you'll be a Boffo Blokus Blogger.

Just like Lucy and ...

Have Fun, TTers!
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Tuper Tario Tros

Super Mario Brothers meet Tetris

If you like those two games then you'll have fun with this. Use the spacebar to toggle between 'Mario' mode and 'Tetris' mode. You'll be making points either way, as you help Mario travel to the castle.

fyi: This little version is just two levels long, so you'll be able to finish it without spending all day. (thank heavens)

You can play Tuper Tario Tros here online.
Thanks! to kongregate.com & SwingSwingSubmarine.com

Here's someone working on level 1:

Like those old SNES games, but shorter, thank God.

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Not to brag but lets just say I did much better on this game than on that other mini Tetris game...

Ta da! ... that was fun.

First Person Tetris

New twist on an old game: You look at the screen and realize that this '1st person tetris' has your active piece always in dead center.

So how do you add each new piece in? You must use the spacebar to 'rotate the screen'. Then when the pile slides to the center to meet its newest piece it all fits together. Easy, right?...

Well, lets just say my High Score is Not-So-High.

So, when it snows again,
or when you have insomnia...
stay indoors for a bit and
go play online here:

FirstPersonTetris.com

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eta: one guy's video of his attempt:

Food, Star, or Trek

Yes, I confess. I saw it.
Four of us went, only one a 'Trek' fan.
All liked it, despite the red goo.

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The Trib Trek Quiz:

Its 15 names, and you must guess whether each is a Nat'l Public Radio star, or a food additive, or a Star Trek alien.

=> Chicago Trib Trek Quiz

* Lets just say I scored less than 90%.
I blame the funny typo in the first Q...

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Funny because both stars seem uneasy.
The interviewer is a Super-Trekkie...

Half of a Giraffe

Competitive Taxidermy... who knew?

St. Charles, MO held the Taxidermy World Championship, and among all the deer, fish & birds they had these:


Bambi being fed by a disembodied arm.



A curiously cheerful shark chasing seals.



But the image that had me say 'why?' was this one,
one half of a giraffe, suspended in midair?



It never occured to me that people even hunt them... at 19 feet tall you couldn't brag that it was tough to spot, now could you? Would you put this beast on-tilt in your house?

source, w/slideshow: Riverfront Times

Famous Faces

Anyone here look familiar?...

Actually, the image above is part of a visual puzzle from the FBI.
When you click this Famous Faces link you go to a color photo of 40 faces that are in some way related to the FBI, and your job is to guess who is who. Hint: #39 is a not a Conehead from SNL.

But the FBI does have a sense of humor...

... there are 3 'FBI agents' from TV shows in it.

*click image at top to see just the answer page

Pick Your Party

A computer game based on the new 'Party Down' show?
* This Starz show has only been on the air for a month!

According to the promo, this game has:

Beautiful Hollywood Party Locations!
A Mix Of Different Time Management Styles!
Fend Off The Paparazzi To Keep Guests Happy!
Chat With The Stars!

The show is fun, hopefully the game is too.

Anyone tried it? Any reviews?...

Download the game: Party Down, the game
Watch Party Down the show online.

Food Frolic

_{hey, if TC can do reruns in mid-play, so can I, after all...}
Continuing my TC game, I finished Level #1. I made a sausage & pork sandwich, with a bit of tomato. TomC: 'Tomato & Basil go well together - Great Dish!' Padma:'The Tomato really worked for me.'
First Tom and now Padma exclaim about my Tomatoes?!
- Gail should be jealous.

The last part had me make three canapes, and the only 'meat' that appeared on the protein shelf was scallops. I can take a hint so I made a cuke and scallop pairing that also got me 5-stars from the judges.
TomC:'You really took a lot of risks with that dish.'
Saved from elimination! Ha! maybe TC really is 'Top (s)Callop'.

Finally, here's a video (not mine) showing the 'cooking'.
fyi: red shelf = meat, green = vege, yellow = flavorings

PC Top Chef

Not 'Politically Correct', but 'Personal Computer'...screenshot of virtual 'me' - just before my first quickfire.
*btw players can click that cleaver to SKIP (chop! chop!) a section...

As you might've guessed, Santa gave me 'TC The Game'. And I just finished my 'test drive'... stopped by a computer error. Windows Virtual Memory wasn't quite ready for the graphics load, which is hilarious since the graphics are minimal at best. Static images slide across the screen, but there's zero actual animation, at least in level one. In fact, every time I chopped (cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, veal) all items were drawn as onions!

Onto the gameplay itself. Be prepared to click your fingers raw - faster chopping = higher score. I survived the first quickfire (and got 2700 points!) for making a 'sweet salad' by sliding images of tomato and cucumber, with a bit of basil, to the cook surface and clicking away. (I also added raspberries and mango which turned into a fruit smear on the plate.) And you know what virtual judge Tom C said about it? ''I didn't expect you to use the Tomato, but it worked.'' Um, Tom?... without that exotic tomato my 'salad' would've consisted solely of cucumbers.

No wonder they don't do salads on Top Chef, The Show.

Follow this link to Baltimore Snacker's TC game post.

Don't Cry Out Loud

Unless, of course, you're on a Japanese Game Show.
This past week they dressed the contestants up like giant babies.
Which is quite appropo if you've seen this bunch of 'winners'...
Here's an Ep1 50 sec clip - until I can find the 'baby' one it'll do:

Stuck Up

'You look funny stuck on a wall'...
then again, so does everyone. Evidence above is from tonight's episode of 'I Survived A Japanese Game Show'. You bounce onto a wall trying to match the shapes, while wearing a velcro suit. The outlines started out simple, and got more complicated by round 3. Too bad Darcy flunked out - I was so hoping they'd both do well so we'd get to see the 'advanced' round cutouts... maybe next game.

A Wii-ner for Top Chef?

There's a brand new chef coming in July.
*Chef motto* 'Where there's a 'Wii' there's a way'?

Just read a review for the new Wii chef game:
''Order Up'' ...follows one eager chef on a journey to reach the top of the culinary food chain.'

Sound familiar? - Keep reading:

'test your multitasking skills and push your ability to stay calm under pressure... in the ruthless world of culinary arts – a place where your enemies take the form of rodents, impatient patrons, heath inspectors and food critics.'

Rodents & Critics? - Its Judge's Table!

'You become aware of the Fortified Chef Competition, which will soon be making its way to town... move up the ranks of the culinary world and become a top chef.'

Fortified chefs? - Its the Glad room!

'...mini-game challenges spice up the gameplay. We are told many mini-game challenges will present themselves throughout'

Whoa, it includes Quickfires!

'...master Mexican, Italian, and ultimately French cuisine'

No 'Asian'? - No Lisa or Dale then?

'...manage your time between cook top stations including the grill, range, cutting board and other areas. A simple meal requires more diligence than you might expect... easier to ruin if left unattended.

Oops, sounds like Lisa is there.

'...12 kitchen assistants, all with their own strengths & weaknesses. Will you hire the guy who is a pro on the grill,(Dale?) or the less talented individual whose quips keep guests entertained (Spike!) long enough to compensate... culminating in the ultimate challenge – the Fortified Chef Competition.'

Now imagining an animated TC finale...
starring a drunken Spike, Dale and Lisa!?

*Don't own a Wii, but I'd love to hear if you try it!

'Order Up's release date is scheduled for July 22 '08.
(Sorry, no idea how much it is, or the controls, etc)
The Game Informer review (opens in new window)