My reviews for the Wii and Xbox 360 versions of Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! went up on GameSpot today. I asked for a family-friendly multiplayer game to try out over the Thanksgiving break, and in that sense, Scene It was a good choice. It was a difficult game to review, though. Until now, Scene It has been an Xbox 360 exclusive. To bring the game to multiple platforms, it’s obvious that this version was developed for the Wii and then half-heartedly ported to the 360 and the Wii. Unlike previous games in the series, this one lacks online play, leaderboards, and avatar support. It also has a streamlined visual style that makes the game move a bit faster, but also makes it look like the art design was given about 5 minutes of consideration. It’s still good family fun (and your only option on the Wii), but there are better versions of the same series available for less money.
Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! Reviews
December 7, 2009
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Reviews, Video Games | Tagged: gamespot, scene it? | 
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Posted by brianfishman
Dr. Mario with Lyrics
November 14, 2009Dr. Mario has always been one of my favorite puzzle games. The formula never changes much, and it isn’t a particularly complex game, but it’s enjoyable enough that I keep going back to it for a few minutes every now and then. A couple of YouTube users collaborated on a hilarious video where they put lyrics to the Dr. Mario theme song. I just thought I’d share.
Leave a Comment » | Humor, Video Games | Tagged: dr mario, youtube | Permalink
Posted by brianfishman
Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure Review
November 13, 2009My review for Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure went up on GameSpot today. It’s a fairly standard update to a classic franchise with the obligatory audio and visual upgrades. Local cooperative play is a nice addition, and the game goes a long way toward correcting the problems of recent remake efforts like Rainbow Islands: Evolution (PSP) and Rainbow Islands: Revolution (Nintendo DS), but the lack of some important features make it feel stuck in the past. If you’re a fan of the series looking for some nostalgia (because, let’s face it, there are no new fans of Rainbow Islands), you’ll probably find something to like. Otherwise, stick with Bubble Bobble Neo.
Leave a Comment » | Reviews, Video Games | Tagged: gamespot, rainbow islands, rainbow islands towering adventure | Permalink
Posted by brianfishman
Getting Discouraged
October 21, 2009At various points in your medical education, you reach a point where you have to ask yourself whether or not all your effort has been or will be worth it. Most of the time, you tell yourself that everything you’ve done up until this point has been a step in the right direction that will ultimately get you to your career in medicine. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to keep your head above water and reassure yourself of what you know to be true.
You’re away from family and friends, and you spend any time you have outside of the classroom inside of a library. There will be some exams where, regardless of how hard you study or how much you think you know, you’ll do poorly. It’s discouraging, because you begin to feel like nothing you do to prepare has any effect on the outcome. You begin to resent the professors for writing ridiculous questions, your classmates for somehow outperforming you, or your friends outside of medical school who are busy starting their own families instead of wasting four more years and another $150,000-$200,000 after college.
I have plenty of things to look forward to at the end of my second year. I’m getting married in May, and I start clinical rotations in June. I’ll actually be getting hands-on experience with real patients instead of pretending to treat actors with fake medical problems. I’ll be leaving Pennsylvania and moving in with my wife to a brand new house.
But when you’re stuck inside every weekend preparing for a 2-3 hour exam every Monday morning, it’s difficult to think that far ahead. You start getting run down, tired of treading water and going through the motions. I know that it will be worth it in a few years when I’m starting a family and doing what I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. It’s just that right now, all I can remember is that I should be studying instead of typing this.
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Posted by brianfishman
Children’s Miracle Network Gameroom Giveaway
September 12, 2009It’s always nice when I get to post about the positive effects video games can have on people. It’s even nicer when I can post about video games having a positive effect on the medical community.
Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children’s hospitals. To date, it has raised over $3.4 billion through mostly individual donations. Microsoft has partnered with the charity to provide three Children’s Miracle Network pediatric hospitals an “Ultimate Gameroom experience.”
From now until October 16, you can visit the gameroom giveaway site to vote for your favorite hospital to receive a gameroom upgrade. You get 10 votes per day, and each time you vote you’re entered to win a free Xbox 360 console. And while you’re at it, take a look at Child’s Play. It’s another video game charity that donates games to pediatric hospitals for patients to play while they’re recovering. Last year, I donated Lego Star Wars to Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, Ohio. It doesn’t seem like much, but giving a kid something else to think about and enjoy while they’re in the hospital can really help improve their morale. It’s encouraging to see the video game and medical communities come together for good causes like these.
4 Comments | Charity, Video Games | Tagged: child's play, children's miracle network, lego star wars, microsoft | Permalink
Posted by brianfishman
