I honestly think I ate too much. Sure I've said that before after eating a bit more than usual but the excess Thanksgiving dinner I gorged on still beckoned me today. I have enough food in my kitchen to feed the whole neighborhood. Custard pies. Pumpkin pies. Turkey. Ham. Deviled eggs. Cream potatoes with gravy. Collard greens. Pernil ( a heavenly Spanish delicatessen ), arroz con pollo, platanos, and a even more is bursting out of my fridge and kitchen counter. I've eaten myself into Jabba the Hut status. I can't move from my couch. I'm like a beached whale by the shore. I had to tell my wife to get my laptop so I can do this very post. Dear lord, help me.

Lets get this rotation of games started. Some minor changes due to the accommodating of hosts not being available for the holidays and a prior game's DLC droppage.


8PM EST: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Host: Santanaclaus89 (PSN: Moosehole)

Yeah, Marvel vs Capcom 2 is being played still. Why? Cause its fun that's why. That and I love kicking people's ass with Jill Valentine's Tyrant super! Moose will be ready to throw down, will you? Join us and see who will be the first to utter the words " This game is cheap/broken" first.


9PM EST: Borderlands Host: Me (PSN:k0wb0y-b33b0p )

If you haven't traded this game in yet ( and if you have...you're plum loco ) the DLC just dropped and it has a pretty big island for you to explore. Did I mention it's zombie infected and kicks major ass? No? Well I just did. Join me as I wade through the landscape looking for a new guns and new loot. They got fucking Were-scags man.

After that its none other than evil Activision's evil game...


10PM EST: Modern Warfare 2 Host: Santanaclaus89 (PSN: Moosehole)

We wrap up the night with MW2. Moose is hosting again and he's looking for some devil dogs to roll with. Come join us and see if fellow Dtoider AJ will nuke some random teams at the last minute, that thinks they're winning, over and over and over again. That shit never gets old.

Well the games have been set, the hosts will be hosting, all we need is a bevy of alcohol and you. We'll be waiting. Now if I can just roll off this couch and crawl to the bathroom...

[ Blogger's note: Seeing as I will be extremely busy the next few days with family, friends and belated shopping, I thought to post this earlier rather than possibly never. ]

When I was much younger, beardless and ignorant, I never got Thanksgiving. Oh sure, I knew what it was supposed to entail yet all I could piece together from it in my mind was the gathering of family members not seen since last Thanksgiving and the gorging of food. That and the time mark that when it was over, Christmas, the real deal holiday with presents, was around the corner. All my untrained eye saw back then were the typical bickering that would eventually blossom here and there amongst my family, the squeezing of cheeks from aunts, and my dad coaxing me to play the guitar as he sang rather badly in Spanish. Being Puerto Rican, the watching of football games on TV were nonexistent, as we considered real football soccer so the eating of food and indulging in alcohol were at the forefront of our holiday activities.

Highlights of Thanksgiving then were my cousins and I sneaking the occasional game of Street Fighter in my room before we were nabbed and corralled grudgingly back into the den with everybody else, eating Flan, and having to drink some Coquito, a Spanish alcohol mixed drink that my dad would allow for the holidays, with the rest of the men. But really that was about it for me. I used to feel a rush of relief when it was all over and everybody was gone. Lets go Christmas already. I wanted presents, I wanted the pageantry of it with the sparkling lights, decorative tinsel, and even the retarded music that accompanied it. I always thought my most cherished memories would be of Christmas.

As it turns out, it wasn't past Christmases that I remember vividly now but prior Thanksgivings. Looking back now, it was those times with the many members of my family and friends that resonate. The time when my cousin snuck into my dad's bar and got drunk off of rum puking his guts out in front of everybody, the time when playing outside I ran my bike into my grandfather's van, the booming drunken laughter of everybody and yes, the bickering that would erupt and even my dad singing badly. I never realized then what all I had to give thanks for ( being a spoiled brat ) but I do now. It's your family, your friends, and the good health that is giving you yet another day to laugh, love, play...to live.

Older, slightly more wiser, I appreciate more Thanksgiving and while younger I knew what it all entailed, giving thanks to the many blessings you have, I savor the day now as much as that taste of Coquito and that extra helping of Flan I had way back when. Here's wishing you all here have a great and blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends. And if you happen to sneak out to your room and boot up SFIV on your gaming console, who knows you may find me online just long enough for few fights before my wife will corral my old ass back into the den.

Before I begin this little rant, I would like to state a few things. Thing number one: I am a proud Wii owner that has never regretted his decision to actually purchase his little waggle box. I have played quite a few games that only happened on the Wii. From No More Heroes to Zack & Wiki to the many quality first party affairs, the little system that could, who did, is still a mainstay in my gaming circle. Not only that but I have been a very vocal defender of Nintendo's latest console, to the point that I have been called a Jonathan Holmes Nintendo Disciple, a rare title given only to the most adamant Wii loyalists. So take this not as a deep criticism or a referendum on the Wii but on Capcom.

Thing number two: I am a fighting game fanatic. What that entails is simply I love fighting games. Where others may enjoy different genres of gaming like RPGs, or the latest FPS filled to the rim with every conceivable gun, I enjoy the greatest genre of them all aside from shumps, fighting games. Why is that? They ask more of you than other games. They require you to learn all its nuisances, to in essence man up, not just to be proficient with it in order to be successful but to take all of that and pit it against your fellow man to see who truly is the best of the best. A truly wonderful fighting game when played by two equally skilled players elevates the game mechanics to new heights. Because once everyone knows the ins and outs of the game, it then falls to see who can incorporate a better startegy than the other, who can out fake or adjust better than the other.

I absolutely love nothing better than playing a fighting game with somebody equal ( or above ) my skill level. It doesn't even matter the fighting game. The competitive nature within me compels me to play yet another match, whether I win, lose or draw. Which leads me back to this. I hate missing out on a fighting game because of any exclusivity it may have attached to it. Luckily, I own all the consoles. Unluckily for me, the game I've been excited the most for lately is coming for the Wii. Why is that unlucky even though I own a Wii? I guess now I can officially begin my rant.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom needs to be on the PS3/360 instead of the Wii for quite a few reasons least of which is, if it was on the PS3/360 it would actually sell and make money. Then maybe we can get a sequel to it or better yet...a Darkstalkers game with its engine. No disrespect to the Wii here but let us not kid ourselves. This game is going to be a flop for Capcom on the Wii. Even the swag for it is pathetic. It wont sell. The majority of Wii owners aren't going to give a crap about Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. The only games that the majority of Wii owners do buy have either the actual words "Wii" in front of it or "The Legend of..." As sad as that might sound, the saddest thing of all is that its true. I can understand Capcom putting it on the console that has sold the most but just because a lot of people own one doesn't mean a lot of people buy games for it. For crying out loud I gave one to my sister last year and she still has one game for it. Wii Sports, the game that came with it. I have a strong suspicion there's a lot of that going around.



Here's another reason. More fighting game fans own a PS3/360 than the Wii. Yeah, I went there with that generalization. But it's true. The home addresses of Street Fighter, Virtua Fighter, King of Fighters, BlazBlue, Dead or Alive and Tekken are on the PS3 and 360. The thriving fighting game communities are already there waiting. Why have it on a system whose only mentionable "fighting" game is Super Smash Bros. Brawl? Ummm, I don't get it. The fighting genre is already niche, why make it even more difficult to garner an audience? Go where people will actually play and enjoy the game with one another. Plus who's going to buy another arcade stick just for one game on their Wii? Not me that's for sure.

And finally the most important reason why Tatsunoko vs. Capcom needs to be on the PS3/360 instead of the Wii is the most blatant and simple of all: online. I know that Capcom is "looking into" applying online to this game for the Wii but I'm just going to put the cart before the horse, put on my prophetic hat and decree that it wont have it. Which begs the question why would you buy a fighting game without online play? It could be the greatest game ever but if I'm stuck just playing local whats the point? It's not like I'm going to have daily tournaments at my house for the masses in my neighborhood. Are you? Do you have such an abundance of real life friends that can drop by your crib to play with you whenever you felt like playing that online functionality in the game wont be an issue with you? If so, that must be nice.

Or it may come to pass that they do have some gimped version of online with no chat, retarded friend code implementation and lag that would sap the enjoyment of the game. Seriously if either of those scenarios come to pass ( which I'm almost positive that it will ), I wont buy it and will urge others to do the same. Why support a flawed business decision on Capcom's part?

Lookit Capcom, just port that over to the PS3/360 and all will be good. We'll even add it to our FNF rotation and sing its praises, otherwise I fear you alienating the very fans this game is meant to be for... real fighting game enthusiasts who want to tussle with the superior online offerings of the PS3/360 with other like minded individuals.

Emerson once said: "We do not count a man's years, until he has nothing left to count." If that is so, then it shouldn't even be noted that Shawn, our residential Cblog Recapper extraordinaire SilverDragon and Gamer Limit editor, is turning thirty today for I'm quite sure he still has quite a few things left to count, least of all the many blessings of his fiance and his finally doing what he loves to do, which is to write professionally about videogames. So I wont start counting the prior thirty birthdays that have passed for Shawn, nor will I imply that youth has left him behind today.

I will merely wish my friend a Happy Birthday and encourage others here to procure an alcoholic beverage of some kind and raise a glass in unison as I wish him a birthday filled with merriment, friendship and above all, love. Here's to thirty more ...old man.

<p> Ladies and gentlemen, I am concerned. It seems that a great many people are suffering, and that's hard to watch. This tends to happen when video games are involved, and while I'm not exactly sure what causes it, I like to do what I can to help. To that end, I have put together a simple troubleshooting guide that might soothe some of the unbearable pain you seem to be experiencing. Prepared below are some easy instructions on how to STFU about Modern Warfare 2. Step 1: Shut the fuck up. Above all, this is an effective method of problem solving that will, in most cases, alleviate any issues you may be experiencing. Think of it like a reset button. Should any of the measures you've attempted prove ineffective, rest assured that simply closing your mouth and worrying about something more important is usually enough to set things right. It can be difficult to believe, but there really are better things to get upset about. If that fails, try some of the troubleshooting steps outlined below. Problem: I can't support Modern Warfare 2 because of the leaked footage of the airport level so I can't throw my weight behind and purchase it. Solution: Then don't. Nobody is jacking you up with a gun to your head to purchase it. It's clearly within your rights to not support it as a consumer. You also have every right to your opinion as well but how about we wait for the actual finished game to roll out, shall we? If you're not privy to the whole game how on earth can you draw any kind of logical opinion from just one snippet? Sure you may not like that particular scene but keep in mind, it's being taken out of content. As in, again, it's not the whole game. It could be that after experiencing the full game you may see it in a new light. And if by chance you do purchase it and still may have any trepidation of the forthcoming scene you can , get this, skip it. Yes Infinity Ward has given everybody the option of doing just that. That's kind of generous of them to think of the faint of heart like that. Actually I personally find it odd that in a game where you mow down people with every conceivable modern weapon dead that you'll grow a conscious all of a sudden because these particular people being shot are not armed "bad guys". I mean it's okay to snipe ( bad ) people's brains off as they do their patrols, or knifing them in the back to meet your objective as these things are not technically morally wrong, right? Again, if the above rationale is not enough for you, the short answer is, don't buy it. No, really. Nobody is forcing you to buy it. Still having trouble? Refer to Step 1. Problem: Activision is evil. I wont buy it because of that. I will not fund their campaign of satanic business practices in which they try to, get this...make money. Solution: This is going to sound like a broken record but don't. Don't buy it. Boycott the shit out of them. Create a worthless online petition where like minded delusional souls think they can effect the outcome of Modern Warfare 2's sales. Since you wont be getting the game chances are you'll have plenty of time on your hands while the rest of us will be rocking the game. Who knows you may change a few people's minds into your way of thinking. You know, the ones that weren't going to get it anyway. Actually the Activision is evil tag is bizarre to me. Since when did EA lose that? Since when are all game companies not wanting to make money? You think Activision is the only one? Think the rest just make games just for you 'cause they're sweet on you? Because they want to give back to us gamers? Let me stop before I lose track. That's just me thinking out loud. The truth of the matter is, nobody is holding a gun to your head and making you buy MW2. Some of us are really pumped about it, and if you're not one of those people, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you don't like the fact that it exists, you can easily voice that opinion by not spending your money on it. That's how it works. But please, find something better to get angry at. There have been far worse crimes committed against gamers, and chances are, you spent your money on them. [ When Y0j1mb0 isn't ripping other people's blog to make a point, he can be found in his home in North Carolina where his three children and lovely wife harass him to get off his beloved game consoles. ]</p>

Gentlemen. Ladies. We, as gamers, truly are spoiled. Say what you will about games not being of the caliber of old ( though that's poppycock ), but nowadays everything is handed to us in a silver platter. Through online we can just download games, eliminating the inconveniences of the past of actually walking into a store and physically buying games. Our games lately, for the most part, are easily digestible as in they are easily beaten. The days of epic hurdles to beat videogames are long past and entering into the imagined fabled Hall of Videogame Champions is as sure as baseball players chewing bugglegum and taking steroids. For even if you're having the rough patch of beating a game, a gamefaq is but a click away on the world wide web.

Our game reviews tell us what to spend our hard earned money on, and in more than a comfortable percentage, even spoil the game for us, telling us all there is to it. Even before the review we are bombarded with developer diaries of upcoming games with screen shots that could choke a rhinoceros. The hype train of old amongst fans is now a hype campaign initiated by the companies behind the games to ensure our interest as well as our nestled dollars in our wallet. Information passed on to try to generate buzz. All these things I can understand. Know what I can't? If you're a perceptive one then the title to this post will lead you to the answer.

The answer being the latest phenomenon of Ten Minutes of Videogameplay employed by almost every game site, including our own who recently added it to their frontpage arsenal. Let me, before I continue, just state I know I'll be in the minority here and that's okay. This just happens to be a pet peeve of mine that I am merely exploring and voicing. For the life of me I don't get it on a few fronts. For one, I don't want to be spoiled of what will be my initial play through of those said minutes. I kind of get a kick out of experiencing my own first impression of a game. I feel these rob you of not just any excitement the game may generate initially but of any possible surprises as well. Could you imagine if these existed when Super Mario came out. Imagine the loss of discovery that would of happened there.

Two, I could probably find more things I detest, like any kind of waiting in line or otherwise, but watching someone else play a game is a close third or second. I know it's supposed to give you an inner peak at a game, that's the purpose yet that doesn't negate the sensation of feeling like the kookiest voyeur watching someone else playing. At least on a video game review there is the narrative of the review itself. With these it's hey watch me play this. Uhh, no. I'd rather not and before anybody says anything, I avoid these like the plague.

Obviously these are a huge hit as everywhere you look you see them. I just don't understand why gamers nowadays want to ruin the beginnings of the opening arc to any game. Yes we are truly spoiled nowadays as gamers. More in depth coverage to games, more behind the scenes peeks, interviews with developers, thorough previews and reviews. And now these ten minutes of video gameplay ( well lets be honest, these have been around for a bit) along with the constant scrutinizing of games are in a way...siphoning all the mystery and wonder of our own playthroughs.

I wouldn't be surprised somewhere down the line full video of not just ten minutes but of the game or even a demo of the game being finished as the next supplemental to be embraced. Oh wait, that's already being done.