GeekSugar

Baby Mama Reminds Me Everyone Loves Karaoke Revolution

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I managed to sneak in a screening of Baby Mama this weekend and was reminded that Karaoke Revolution is a universal crowd pleaser. Without giving away any pivotal plot points of the movie I can reveal that Amy Poehler's character, the not-so-worldly Angie who Tina Fey's character Kate hires to carry her baby, spends ample time in Kate's apartment sharpening her Karaoke Revolution skills. The habit annoys Kate at first but eventually brings the two together when they join forces for a wicked "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" performance.

To find out why I thought it was such a funny scene, read more.

Tina Fey's character "masters" the game by singing in an awful voice, but completely on key. It's pure, painful karaoke entertainment at its best. According to the video game cheat code experts, you can master the game by singing the right songs. Apparently, "More Than a Feeling" gets you five platinum records for five songs, while "What Is Love" gets you 10 platinum records for 10 songs. I'm no cheater, but karaoke can get pretty competitive . . .

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Let Video Games Shape You Up in 2009!

GeekSugar — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:30:47 -0800

Since losing weight is number one on FitSugar's New Year's Resolution poll, I wanted to be here for you to tell you that it doesn't have to be all gyms and stinky lockers. Getting in shape can be fun - just turn on your video game console! Check out my guide to getting fit with gadgets in 2009. Source

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Geeky Bachelorette Parties - Ideas and Inspiration

GeekSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 10:45:44 -0700

Yes, it's still Wedding Season, and if your mailbox full of invites is any indication, it's going to be a busy summer filled with fittings, dinners and my personal favorite, bachelorette parties. While we all know geeky bride and groom cakes are all the rage, word is geeky bachelorette parties are on the rise as well. No, you aren't required to wear your geekiest tee shirt, or bring your laptop, but many video-game-loving ladiez opt to plan video game tournaments, karaoke festivals and Dance Dance Revolution competitions - mixed with a few cocktails and yummy treats of course!

For my guide to making your bachelorette party (or your BFF's party) a little more geeky (and a lot more fun), read more

Video Game Competitions: Plan a night filled with girlie cocktails, food and a good old fashioned video game competition. If you are renting a hotel room or in a foreign space make sure you plan ahead and have enough room for Dance Dance Revolution (trust me it gets a little wild) and wii sports because both will help you burn off all those drinks.

Karaoke: If there's no fantastically cheesy karaoke bar in your city or town (you know the kind where you think "gosh, a bachelorette party would be perfect here!") and you don't own a karaoke machine, consider getting a nifty karaoke program like Singstar or Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol for your video game console. If neither of those work, your local video game store will have an option for your console, trust me, they're a hit.

Not An American Idol? Karaoke Instead

GeekSugar — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:39:07 -0800

Japanese video game maker Konami Digital Entertainment has released a Karaoke game that will have you busting out with your Human League impressions daily. Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol works when you plug it into your Sony PlayStation.

The game lets you sing along to 40 new songs, including hits from the show, and compete from auditions to performances on center stage in your quest to become the next American Idol. My favorite part is, after you sing you can be critiqued by digital versions of the American Idol judges.

You can customize your character, or use the EyeToy USB Camera (for PlayStation 2) to put yourself into the game. I'm not an American Idol fan, but I could do karaoke all day long. Get Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol for $39.82.

Dance Dance Revolution Helps Combat Obesity in Kids?

GeekSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 07:00:39 -0700

Wired Magazine recently suggested we throw in our gym passes and start up our video consoles for some active gaming, and this week, the New York Times is reporting some schools are using the popular Dance Dance Revolution game to combat childhood obesity. In fact, while some video games have gotten a bad reputation for contributing to the expanding waistlines of the nation’s children, at least several hundred schools in at least 10 states are now using Dance Dance Revolution, or D.D.R., as a regular part of their physical education curriculum. read more Here's more:

Based on current plans, more than 1,500 schools are expected to be using the game by the end of the decade. Born nine years ago in the arcades of Japan, D.D.R. has become a small craze among a generation of young Americans who appear less enamored of traditional team sports than their parents were and more amenable to the personal pursuits enabled by modern technology.

Incorporating D.D.R. into gym class is part of a general shift in physical education, with school districts de-emphasizing traditional sports in favor of less competitive activities.

The trend started after a recent study found that children playing Dance Dance Revolution expended significantly more energy than children watching television and playing traditional video games.

For those of you that aren't in the DDR fanclub yet, I describe it as "karaoke for dancing." The game includes a floormat with built in sensors, which is hooked up to your TV and gaming console. As a song plays, arrows point in one of four directions and the player jumps/dances on them to the beat. You can play by yourself, or with a partner, but either way the movement is similar to doing a ton of jumping jacks and running in place. In fact, if Wired's predictions are correct, 1 hour of Dance Dance Revolution can burn up to 900 calories.

I'll admit, earlier this year my boyfriend's 11-year-old niece Polly challenged me to a DDR competition and within about 10 minutes I was sweating like crazy and afraid I was going to pass out. Let's just say she has a lot more practice than me.

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Get Your Game On: February Releases

GeekSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:02:14 -0800

**New Video Game Releases (February 2008)**
Why You'll Love It	Console/Price	Release Date
Devil May Cry 4 - In this fourth installment of Capcom's uber popular series, you play newcomer Nero as you hunt demons, natch.	PS3, XBox 360, $59.99	Available now. Purchase it online.
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore - If you didn't make it to this year's auditions, at least you can keep up with the competition in this Idol-tastic karaoke game.	PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, $39.99-$69.99	Out now. Purchase it online.
Jumper - Based on the upcoming movie starring Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson, you play as a "Jumper" who can teleport anywhere in the world at any time. Sweet!	PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, $39.99 - $59.99	Coming Feb 14th.
The Experiment - In this PC game, you are using security monitors to help guide a woman to safety through an old grounded ship where she is being held captive.	PC, $29.99	Available Feb 15th.
Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None - In this adaptation of the best selling novel, you and 10 other guests must find your way through an estate, trying to stay alive while you search for an unseen serial killer.	Wii, PC, $29.99	Get it Feb 25th.
Patapon - If you liked Loco Roco, you'll love this rhythm based action game for your PSP. A totally cute, totally crazy 2D platformer that will keep you entertained for hours.	PSP, $19.99	Out Feb 26th.