As I noted in my review, Kingdom Hearts III is a fantastic game. But it's certainly not without its weird moments...

If you like playing alone, there are many games where it is just facing the mobs, mini-bosses, side quests, and main bosses. It is a lot of fun, and when you play a game well, or you really enjoy the gameplay, it is hard to imagine a day when you didn’t love the game. As you play more, you learn more about how to play online securely, the details that you shouldn’t share, and how to remain anonymous. And eventually, you might find yourself safely ensconced in a guild, team or just enjoying playing the same game with the same people regularly. 

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Co-ops and multiple players bring a more social aspect to any game. And it is pretty cool chilling with your friends, catching up and then, of course, destroying either each other or the opposition in a game. 

There are some games that are hailed as the best two-player board games, console, and PC games. 

If you enjoy video games, then you know how important it is to get the perfect computer accessories. If you want to be fully immersed in the experience of gaming, you have to remove yourself from the external environment.

There are many different ways to do this. Comfort has to be your top priority if you want to experience your videogame lifestyle fully. You need to make sure you purchase the ideal mouse that fits your hand shape and the type of gaming that you do. 

You absolutely need a high-resolution monitor so that you can stand the right distance away from your screen and see all the details that you need. And that there is no denying that the ultimate gaming chair will make a huge difference in your overall experience.

The Ideal Mouse

When you begin to research the best ergonomic mouse for your gaming activities, you’ll be amazed at the variations that you find. You can have different sizes, types, and shapes. You can get a mouse that has a cable or is Bluetooth connected or has a laser. 

Gamification is a major trend in education. Educators realize that if they don’t do something to engage the students on a higher level, they lose their influence and authority as teachers. They have to keep things fun for the learners!

Many teachers and parents are still afraid of games, though. They believe that the students get distracted and addicted. What most of them don’t realize is that with the introduction of educative games, the students can process and retain information more effectively. They develop important skills that boost their capacity to learn. 

Even if they get consumed by the gaming process, what’s the worst thing that could happen? They might get interested in taking game development courses online and turning their passion into a career. That’s not bad at all.

Thank you Quarto Group for sending us this book!

This is a book that teaches Fortnite players how to become a pro at the game. It teaches players the art of speed building, how to build a good base, the best strategies, and much more.

This book tells the readers about emotes. It shows what they look like, and when to use them. It also talks about a lot of epic things that happened in the history of Fortnite: Battle Royale. It will explain you many ways that you can bend the rules. It tells you that you can play the game however you want to play the game, so that you can have fun as well as everyone else who is playing with you.

The only problem with this book is that it is outdated. Fortnite is one of those games that changes or has something added or removed every few weeks, so that makes this book incorrect in some of the things that it says in it. When this book was made, it was season 7. As of this review, season 10 just came out. It is a little more up to date than the first book (the 100% Unofficial Fortnite Essential Guide), which was made in season 5. Other than that, the book is great.

I think that any Fortnite players that want to become a pro (probably all of them) should read this book. If they just want to become a master builder, then this book would help them. If they just want to know how to properly raid an enemy base, they are covered. This book covers stuff from battle tactics to just organizing your inventory. This book is very useful, but I still think that you should read the first book before reading this one, that the first one covers the basics, while this one contains more advanced things.

You have likely played some type of game today on one of your many various digital devices.  From games like Angry Birds to Call of Duty, video gaming is a mainstream part of today’s culture.  

However, playing video games for extended amounts of time can cause physical damage to your body.  Your eye health, in particular, should be your main concern.  

Take a few moments to read through some of the most common ways in which excess gaming can affect your eyesight, and go forth with new knowledge. 

Problems focusing

Focusing on words you see on a piece of paper is much different than what your eyes go through when you play video games for hours.  Your eyes are used to focusing in on one depth and angle to read and write, but gaming requires much more from your vision.  

Thank you Materia Collective for sending us this digital album to review!

Kingdom Heartbeats features ten electronically remixed tracks from the popular Kingdom Hearts franchise. This album has been produced by Roborob and features some excellent vocals in some of the tracks.

The album begins with a nearly two minute shorter version of the intro song: Simple and Clean. Though the original tracks fall under the electronic dance music category, these remixes kick it up a notch. Tension Rising from Kingdom Hearts II is the second song and the remix amplifies it but stays true to the original battle music. The 13th Struggle from Kingdom Hearts 2 has also been tweaked for this album and it too sounds true to form and is nicely done.

Most of the tracks are from Kingdom Hearts 2 and Sora’s Theme has not been neglected. You’ll find a longer and tweaked version on this album. I have no idea what the Japanese singers are saying in the song Passion, but it sounds great. The menu music Dearly Beloved is so beautiful and should have been left alone. Although the remix is good, I still prefer the original.

Kingdom Hearts 3 gets some representation with Face My Fears. After that opening song, the first game is re-visited with some enhanced theme music from Traverse Town. Kingdom Hearts 2 takes the spotlight again with the upbeat battle music, Sinister Sundown. The album concludes with a much faster and dubstep version of one of my favorite tracks, This Is Halloween. Although interesting, I still prefer the original version.

The top 10 or top 20 of anything can be a highly subjective rating. Even when the rating depends on goals scored or blocked, passes completed or assists made, there is still the simple matter of likability. Some players, no matter how good they may be technically, just aren’t popular because they’re a horses behind.

A perfect example of this is Megan Rapinoe. Although she led the U.S. Women’s Team to a championship in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, her extreme attitude turned a lot of people off. Even if you agreed with everything she said, the way she said it was too ugly for most people to put up with. She needs to be reminded that FIFA is not the League of War where the object is to utterly destroy the other side.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association

Voting is going on right now for the top spots and will continue until August 19, 2019, for the Best FIFA Men's and Women's Players and Coaches. The awards will be given out once all the votes have been tallied and the results published. If you’re looking for more information on the best FIFA 20 Players altogether you can follow the link for a complete rundown of them and their stats. Be aware though that the stats given are temporary at this point and still subject to change.

One of the great things about FIFA is its openness to both men and women players. In the United States, for instance, the NFL is only open to male players. While there are certainly females involved in the game, they’re relegated to the sidelines as cheerleaders. They’re pretty and lots of fun to look at, but they’re not in the game.

In FIFA, women are definitely in the game. Returning to our previous example of Megan Rapinoe, whatever you may think of her, good or bad, there is no arguing the fact that she is in the game. She’s not on the sidelines in any way, shape, or form. She is one of the best women players in the world and she and her team won the championship fair and square.

Ever since their invention, games have been seen as only a tool for entertainment. But, plenty of research and case studies have shown that games can be beneficial in many ways. Of course, the benefits will depend greatly on the game choice, as well as the time the person spends playing them. Even so, games can definitely lead to good things like good behavior, boosted critical thinking skills, etc.

In fact, this goes so far that there are currently scientifically proven advantages of playing games. According to research, games can increase memory capacity, provide pain relief, help dyslexic kids with reading, help limit trauma, etc.

That being said, it is about time that we all learn how to use games to our benefit. When it comes to students and behavior, here are the ways the good game can yield positive results.

1.  Students Can Learn While Playing

When a student plays teaching games, these games can help them understand the new concepts, learn new skills, and use their knowledge in practice. Games are a known way of boosting fresh knowledge, which is why they are so widely encouraged in the world of education.

Based on the choice of a game, students can learn quite a lot by playing. With the right approach and some quality educational games, teachers can create an interesting and inspiring teaching atmosphere. When you add some versatility to the study process, students are more likely to feel motivated to learn.

Thank you The Quarto Group for sending us this book to review!

This book is a guide to Fortnite players who had just started playing the game. It provides lots of tips and tricks to help you survive a good amount of time in a match. If you don't already know, Fortnite is a Battle Royale game, so the tips that this book gives are very nice to know when you are being attacked by another player.

This book is very useful, but it is also very outdated. When this book was made, it was in season 5 of the game. As of this review, it is in season 10. That does matter a lot, because the creators of Fortnite have removed and added some weapons and features since then.

This book helps you decide what gaming platform you want to play Fortnite on, learn the controls, helps you decide if you want to play Battle Royale or Save the World mode, and so much more. It tells you what to do when you encounter another player, stumble into a build battle, and how to use your weapons and conserve your ammo. It tells you what building materials to use, their advantages and disadvantages, and also what every item and weapon can do. It provides a description of a weapon, how easy or hard it is to find, and where to find them. It also tells you how to build a base and how to invade other bases as well. It also describes each location and tells the reader how many players usually land at that location.

I think that this book is very useful and whenever I play Fortnite: Battle Royale I use these techniques and I use the hints and tips that it gives me. There is also another book like this one called the 100% Unofficial Fortnite Pro Guide. If you read this one and use it, then you should also read the Pro Guide.

 Are your kids into Xbox One? Then maybe you are looking for games suitable for young players. Here is the selection of the best Xbox One games for kids in 2019.

Top Five Best Xbox One Games For Kids In 2019

If your child loves your new Xbox One, don't you hurry to ban them from playing. There is a massive choice of best Xbox One games, which are suitable for young children. These games will help your child to delve into an exciting fantasy world and wind down. 

1. Spyro Trilogy

All kids love dragons. Especially those which breathe fire and burn things. So, the Spyro Trilogy will be a perfect adventure for your child. This bright and fun game will let your child explore realms, solve puzzles and test their skills at completing various missions. Don't forget to install a parental control app to manage screen time of your kiddo.

Author: Brett Weiss
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
Hardcover book
464 full-color pages
Over 375 games covered
MSRP: $49.99

Thank you Schiffer Publishing for sending us this book to review!

As I mentioned in my SNES Omnibus Volume 1 review, I was blessed to grow up as video games did, and played tons of Atari, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and got my Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in what was probably early high school. Based on the release date of Super Mario All-Stars as mentioned in this book, I believe it was 1993.

This book celebrates this generation of gaming by devoting one or two pages to each and every game in the SNES library. This volume covers every game in alphabetical order, starting with ‘Natsume Championship Wrestling’ and ending with ‘Zoop’. I highly recommend you check out Volume 1, as well as this one.

The gaming world is one of the most popular industries among today’s internet users and technology savvies. Video games are extremely fun and engaging and can take you to a completely different universe.

It is extremely interesting to observe how the graphic design and the functionalities of video games have changed over the last decade. From classic popular games like Pac-Man or Super Mario which used to thrive among gaming enthusiasts many years ago, to VR games. Thanks to technological advancements and the rise of machine learning, game developers have been empowered to create games that take players into an exciting digital world. These days, video games have evolved so much to the point where they offer a complex digital world with a multitude of possibilities for gaming enthusiasts.  

With the developments in the gaming industry, people are spending more and more time on video games, especially when there are thousands of video games out there and thousands more are created every year. Thus, the increasing demand for video game localizations. But, expanding into international markets would require a great deal of effort, particularly if you are an indie game developer. Budget wise, is it feasible to market your product into different languages?

Fret not, there are affordable options to localize your game. You can certainly minimize your spending if you target specific markets that essentially speak the same language—this would be a good start. You can also collaborate with a good translation and localization agency and ask for advice on how to cut back the costs of your game translation and localization needs. This is something most consumers are forgetting, you can always ask them to configure the service in such a way that it would turn into a win-win scenario. With this in mind, it would certainly be wise to localize your game or you might suffer embarrassing setbacks that might affect the playability of your game altogether (this is specifically true for games that are highly dependent on dialogue).

And of course everyone can remember the phenomenal video game translation fail of Zero Wing’s opening cut scene, “all your base are belong to us”, an improper translation turned meme that has entered legendary status, it all worked out for Sega at the time but nowadays mistranslations are just annoying. To avoid these embarrassing mistakes, one must certainly consider game localization services in order to ensure that your game projects its intended meaning. You would not want a twelve year old kid laughing at your blood, sweat and tears would you?

Gaming has certainly evolved over the last decade.  Kids don’t use their consoles solely for gaming anymore.  An extensive interconnected network of millions of gamers is available for playing any time of the day or night.  

You can talk, text, send emails, send pictures, watch streaming movies/television, play games, and more from the access granted through one gaming console.  This means that parents have a heightened sense of danger, and must pay closer attention to what their kids are doing.  

Make use of the parental controls

Get to know your child’s preferred console.  All modern gaming consoles come equipped with the option of parental controls.  

Dig into the specific options you have for your child’s platform, and set them to your liking.  Here is where you can place a password on purchases from the online game stores, and keep your kids from blowing money without permission. 

Thank you Quarry Books for sending us a review copy!

Minecraft Life Hacks Lab for Kids is a book that teaches kids some things about communication skills, building self-confidence, and much more. It has some stuff to do and build in Minecraft, and some stuff to do in real life.

There are two chapters: Life Hacks: Acquiring Skills and Life Hacks: Applying Skills to Projects. Chapter one teaches children skills (hence the name) like emotional empathy, problem solving, and much more. Chapter two teaches children ways to use those skills. For example, you would make an animated movie in real life, as well as a short film in Minecraft.

This book has twenty-four labs (twelve in each chapter), which are things that you can do. In every chapter, there are 6 in game labs, and 6 labs to do in real life. Most of the things that you have to do in real life have something to do with what you do in-game. As an example, you had to draw a map of a house, and then building the house you drew in Minecraft. It made you build your character as well, and it had you fill it with positive messages to gain self-confidence. A lot of the things you do in Minecraft relate to the real world. It makes you build a farm, but the farm has to be the same style of farm that you can find in the real world. It also had you build a democracy, which was interesting. My favorite thing to do was building a roller coaster that described me. I put lots of work into it, and it turned out very well.

Overall, this book was fun to work on and I loved building some of the things, and then testing to see if they work, and then fixing them if they don't work correctly. The only thing it had wrong was the estimated time that it takes to build something. The book said it would take one to two hours to do something, but I was able to do it in ten to fifteen minutes. Other than that, the book is great and I think that lots of people who enjoy Minecraft should read it and use it as well.

One of the most worrying things about being a gamer in 2019 is the deluge of stereotypes that the gamer community finds itself battling against. Let’s face it, video games (and the people who play them) are no stranger to controversy. From political outcry over violent games like Mortal Kombat and Duke Nukem to the frankly abysmal display of behavior in “Gamergate”, there’s a lot to reinforce the stereotype that so many gamers rail against. No matter how old, well educated and morally centered we may get, no matter how much we may read the Bible and try and lead lives that exemplify Christian values we can still find ourselves tarred with the “stereotypical gamer” brush. The popular image of an antisocial, basement dwelling and aggressively male teenager living out violent or misogynistic fantasies through their games is, tragically, one which still pervades in our popular culture today.

This is such a shame as many of us are far from this stereotype. We are nice, socially well adjusted, morally and spiritually sound people. Some of us may see gaming alone as a way to let off steam after a busy and stressful work day. But we also enjoy playing fun and wholesome games with friends and family.

With this in mind, we’re going to look at some fun and wholesome games that everyone in your family and friendship group can enjoy! We’re going to look at a wide range of games so that no matter what your hardware or personal preferences you’ll find something that you, your friends and your family will enjoy playing...

VR Games

It’s little wonder than the average age of a gamer is 33. They were coming to age just as video games really began to take off, and once they were on the hook, it was unlikely that they were going to stop. After all, games have just continued to get better and better, and in many ways, they’re “better” for people than watching TV shows and movies, which are passive experiences. When it comes to gaming, they’re involved every step of the way. Studies have shown that gaming can also have a positive impact on teenagers, especially older teenagers, as it develops their cognitive abilities, and, despite what people think, their social skills too -- they’re rarely playing by themselves, after all.

If you’ve got a teenager of your own, or are indeed a teenager yourself, then take read below, where we outline some of the best types of games for this age bracket. 

All Things Sport

It’s true that children should be spending more time in the outdoors than they currently do. It seems like when we were younger, we were always outside -- but times have changed. Even though crime is lower than what it was in decades past (it’s practically at an all-time low), perception of crime has gone up. And that’s what counts to parents. So if teenagers aren’t able to go out and play sports with their friends anymore, then they should at least be able to play them at home (and also with their friends). Get your child the latest soccer, basketball, or NFL game, and you’ll be keeping your child interested in sport, and they’ll be more likely to play when they’re older.

Games played on a surface or board with counters or pieces are made to move around that board which contains some pre-marked areas according to some rules are known as board games.

Board games are of different types and have various genres. They have been quite popular among youngsters. Such games are often entertained in Evening or House parties. Board Games Land provides detailed information on such games.

Board games cover a wide range; beginning from basic childhood games such as Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly to thought-provoking games such as Chess to adult games such as Splendor, Dixit, etc. Thus board games are made eligible and entertaining for all ages. Apart from just fun board games do carry other values too and the majors are given below:

1. Fun value

Playing board games brings forth fun and lightheartedness amongst the sordid realities of life. It helps avoid boredom and act as a means to cut off time.

Between Earth and Sky (Music from "Chrono Trigger")
By Julia Henderson
Published by: Materia Collective
Julia Henderson: Producer, Arranger, Lyricist, Vocals, Mix Engineer
Alejandro Hernández: Mastering Engineer
Lorenzo de Sequera: Album Art

Thank you Materia Collective for sending us this album on MP3 to review!

Chrono Trigger is one of those rare games that actually deserves all of the unbridled praise that it gets. It was also a capstone on the total domination by the 1990s Squaresoft during the Super Nintendo era of RPGs, and is an absolute classic still worth playing today. One of the many ways in which Chrono Trigger excelled was in its music.

It's funny; during this era, Nobuo Uematsu was king of the Final Fantasy music empire, and while he did contribute to Chrono Trigger's soundtrack, the majority of the truly memorable tracks came not from him, but from Yasunori Mitsuda's excellent compositions. It is from these that Julia Henderson takes her inspiration in the development of this album.

It is only six tracks, and just over twenty-three and a half minutes long. Thankfully, the price is quite reasonable at only $5 on Bandcamp; at that price, it's well worth it.

Perfecting your translation and language skills needn't be a bore. With the right approach, it can even be fun! Video games offer a terrific opportunity to hone your proficiency in another tongue while taking part in some healthy competition. Additionally, there are so many genres to choose from and devices to use for gaming that nearly anyone can find something to capture their interest. When you find something that you enjoy, playing it in order to practise your second language will hardly seem like learning at all.

What Are the Advantages of Video Game Translation?

Aside from the obvious reason that improving your video game translation prowess will give you a competitive edge, there is another reason to take part in this enriching experience.

Both the gaming and translation industries are growing by leaps and bounds. The market for video games is expected to be worth around 90 billion dollars by 2020. Further, annual spending on professional translation services is expected to reach over 56 billion dollars by 2021. If you have ever considered a career in mobile and video game translation or even app translation, there has never been a better time than now.

Understanding Video Game Localization