3. Comic Books: I’m sure that when many of you think of Comics, you think of the Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons. Regardless, comic books have been around a lot longer than video games and the medium is still insanely popular today. Marvel and DC still being some of the best and you can find just about anything interesting to check out on the shelf of a comic book store or hobby shop. While this does, in a bit of an underhanded way, encourage reading, the art is still damn awesome to check out. Sincerely though, I don’t know how many of you exactly liked Marvel Ultimate Alliance, but apparently there were enough to warrant a sequel. In the meantime, there have also been games like Batman: Arkham Asylum, which if you didn’t know is also based on a comic book and an incredible one at that. For those non-believers that aren’t convinced by the following of comic books, I kindly refer you to Comic-Con and subsequently ask you to change your tune. If you get the opportunity, go ahead and check them out. You may not turn into a collector with a massive library of comics, but you just might find one that sticks with you for years to come.
2. Tabletop Games: In between playing video games as a kid, I dabbled in playing Dungeons and Dragons quite frequently. As the years went on, my friends and I grew up a bit and put it aside for a while. I still very occasionally play, but have since gotten into games like Warhammer 40,000, Warmachine and Flames of War while still playing Magic: The Gathering to this day. Yes, video games offer a parallel experience that is relatively similar to what you’d expect playing a tabletop game. However, the social aspect of sitting across from someone and rolling the dice while laughing and carrying on a conversation is a decidedly great social experience that, as I’ve previously said, is a bit lacking in what can be offered by Xbox Live. Oddly enough, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Risk are all board games that have made their way to Xbox Live. Being the great games they are, they have a bit of a following. But, in the end, there are times when a controller in hand just can’t compete with playing a game in person, even if that means you have to buy more than one bottle of soda and one large pizza.
1. Dating: Yep, I went there. I am not talking about going out on a blind date or anything awkward and weird like that. I’m talking about when you have a nice, understanding girlfriend who is kind enough to sit, watching you play video games for hours on end because you have a deadline for a review. Or better yet, she plays the games with you, even if she may not get it at first. Trust me, if you have a girl who will at least give it a shot, count yourself in a lucky relative minority. I could easily tie this one in with going to the movies or photography, but if you’ve taken anything away from this at all, you’ll understand I’m preaching variety and social interaction. Not to sound stereotypical, but be nice and take your girlfriend out for a nice, civilized evening. Girls, if you play all the time and neglect your boyfriend, take him to a car show or some film preferably starring a big-name actor kicking profuse amounts of ass (I hear Michael Bay’s next film, Explosions is very well done). But this being one of the more intimate social experiences people can enjoy, it’s one of the reasons I recommend it most. Sometimes it is better to walk away from the controller, console and television – even if you just need to double-check what color your significant other’s eyes are – because when your 360 decides, on some off chance, to spit the Red Ring of Death on you, it’s always nice to know that there is an amicable alternative. Right?
So, I hope that I’ve given you some decidedly good ideas so that when spring is just around the corner, you’ll be excited to get back outside and enjoy the sunshine for a bit. Life is short and you should play hard, not just when it comes to video games. Every aspect of life is meant to be lived to the fullest and at the end of day; we can’t take our Gamerscore with us, can we? So learn something new or just experience different, even if it’s picking an apple off a tree or visiting a petting zoo. Just don’t let the Emus bite or spit on you. Until then, stay warm for what’s left of this winter and keep looking forward to spring and everything there is to enjoy. That is until summer rolls around and the mosquitoes force you back inside and onto Xbox LIVE.
