The Casual Hardcore. No, you don't have leprosy.

Everybody stop.



Good new blog? Maybe. This odd situation is all too common. I am: The Casual Hardcore Gamer. You may be saying "Not possible, do not read" but do carry on. You may just be one too. Signs of the casual hardcore are as follows.

1. You get all the best games. Used. Why get the hot new game when you can get last months for 20$ less
?

2. RPGs both frighten and seduce you. So loooong. STORY. It can drag. LEVELING. Occasionally confusing stat management. STAT MANAGEMENT. Yeah, I always buy them too.

3. You're alright at CoD MW2. You can hit things, but the phrase "Check your covers and corners" confuses you. Hey, at least I can go 8 - 9.

4. YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF FINISHING GAM ES. Except Chrono Trigger and anything Mario related. Almost done CoD: WaW though. On hardened. Oh yeah. You wish you had those skillz0rz.

5. You own a Wii. (optional)

6. Only good turn based strategy game is Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes.

Are you guilty of 2 of those? Oh yeah. You're among our ranks. By the way, this is all subjective. You could call Jim Sterling "hardcore". You could also call a platypus hardcore. It's all in your opinion. If you pwn nubz at Mario Kart Wii, go ahead and saying you're hardcore. Just get the fuck out of my blog. Still with me on the casual hardcore deal? Cool.

Now choose a side, nub. I bet you'd just love to be hardcore, or gaming embarrasses you. If it's the second, also get the fuck out. I'm giving tips on how to roll with the cool kids. Like Jim Sterling.


Go go gadget NAME DROPPING TO FIT IN

Read a healthy mix of 2 parts Dtoid and 1 part IGN. They're not that bad. Actually. Their opinions kinda suck, but hell, that's fine. Nice long reviews. With that cocktail, you'll have all the news you need t pretend you care about the "in" games.

"Oh yeah, Shadow Complex. So good. Go buy it."

See? It's almost as if I know what I'm talking about.

Play some more fucking games. It's that easy. Borrow them. Boost your gamerscore, son. Get some more trophies. Not only are you gaining valuable XP points in the Cool section, but you may actually learn what things like "clipping" mean. I do now.

Awesome. Good job. You're cool now. Go do something cool. Play BioShock. Download an XBLA game (Castle Crashers, so good.), chat up a clerk at an independant game store. You might get a bit of sass, but it'll grow on you. You're well on your way to being hardcore, Padawan. As am I.

Go easy on me, it's my first time.