Video Games
XBOX 360
 Nintendo Wii
 Nintendo Wii U
 Sony PS3
 Sony PSP
 Sony PS Vita
 Nintendo Game Cube
 Nintendo DS
 PC and Mac

Background

When I was younger (Universtity days and a bit before) I got pretty hooked on video games. Back then they were still fairly basic (PacMan, Galaga and Defender were pretty much the state of the art). I also remember playing a lot of Space Invaders on my local school's Commodore Pet computer. During my university days I had a BBC Microcomputer at home which had a pretty good selection of games given the constraints of the machine by today's standards and I spent a lot of time playing games on that. As I started work and found myself with a lot less time on my hands I managed to kick the habbit without even trying!  Looking back that was actually a pretty good thing as I was spending way too much time playing games most likely. During the mid to late nineties I bought a new home PC and played games from time to time on the PC (mostly Real Time Strategy games like Command and Conquer and Star Craft) but I was still only playing periodically. Recently, as my kids have got a bit older, and have discovered video games, I too have found myself sucked back in to my former habbit! For a while, all my kids had to play on was an old Sega Genesis unit that my wife had from before we were even married and a cheap PC that we put in the playroom which could only play older games. For quite a while this kept the kids happy. We managed to find a lot of cheap games for the old Sega machine on eBay and we had a few games for the PC (initially mostly learning games). However, and I am not exactly sure how this happened, over the Christmas 2005 period the number of video game devices in our house mushroomed beyond belief and has continued to grow. As well as the PC which we still play some games on, we now have an XBOX 360 (my 2005 birthday present), a Nintendo Wii (my Wife's 2007 Valentine's Day present to herself!), a GameCube, four Nintendo DS systems and a PSP that I bought myself to take with me when I travel several years ago (pre iPhone and iPad era) . Over the last few years we have accumulated quite a library of games (see below).

I have slowly increased my XBOX 360 game library ,  primarily as the average new game price in the USA of $59.99 a game seems a bit steep to me. I tend to buy games when they are reduced (often when the next version of the game has just come out) and I also buy a lot of used games. I have been really impressed with the Game Cube and more recently the Wii and DS. Primarily for two reasons. Firstly the large selection of age appropriate games for my kids and secondly because the majority of the games seem reasonably priced.  I am very impressed with the  Wii. Not just for its unique motion sensing controllers but also because it seems to play every single GameCube game flawlessly which is not a claim my XBOX 360 can make in terms of playing older XBOX games nor my PS3 in terms of PS2 games.

Given that the price had dropped and also because we finally bought ourselves a new TV (we got the previous one in 1993) and wanted to add a BluRay player, for Christmas 2009 we added a Sony Playstation 3 to our collection as well! Yes we are game geeks, it's true!!

Sidenote, I guess I need to add categories for iPhone and iPad games soon as they seem to have become very popular with all of us lately!

Games we are currently playing the most

Here is a list of the games currently being played the most in our family. The kids tend to chop and change more quickly than my wife and I do. We tend to get locked into a game whereas the kids like to hop back and forth. However even they have a few they seem to keep coming back to.

Game
 Platform
New Super Mario Bros. U
 Wii U
Gears of War 3
 360
Halo 4
 360
Minecraft
 Mac
World of Warcraft
 Mac

Current Game Library (older games not listed)

We have gradually collected a fairly diverse game library for our various gaming devices. The lists below summarise the games that we currently have. I have not listed many of the older games we have (such as those that worked on older 486 based PCs and the SEGA Genesis games). Not surprisingly we seem to have acquired the most titles for the Game Cube and the Nintendo DS's as that is where the kids play the most!

At present, these lists are simply sorted in alphabetical order and the numbers do not imply any sort of preference or order of priority. I may add a ranking scheme similar to the one I use on the Books and Magazines page at some point in the future.

NOTE: Games whose names are struck out are either ones that we traded in for other games or in some cases we lost when my son left his case full of games somewhere and we have never seen it since!

XBOX 360

  1. Battlestations Midway
  2. BioShock
  3. BioShock 2
  4. Blazing Angels
  5. Call of Duty 2
  6. Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 2
  7. Cars
  8. Command & Conquer - Tiberium Wars
  9. Dance Central (Kinect)
  10. Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2
  11. Dragon Ball Ultimate Tenkaichi
  12. Elder Scrolls V - Skyrim
  13. Gears of War
  14. Gears of War 2
  15. Gears of War 3
  16. Halo 3
  17. Halo 3 - ODST
  18. Halo 4
  19. Halo Anniversary
  20. Halo Reach
  21. Halo Wars
  22. Just Dance 4
  23. Kameo
  24. Kinectimals
  25. Kinect Adventures
  26. Kinect Joy Ride
  27. Lord of the Rings - Battle For Middle Earth II
  28. Madden NFL Football 2006
  29. Madden NFL Football 2007
  30. Major League Baseball 2K6
  31. Mass Effect
  32. Minecraft
  33. NBA Live '06
  34. NHL 2K6
  35. Over G Fighters
  36. Perfect Dark Zero
  37. Portal 2
  38. Project Gotham Racing (PGR) 3
  39. Project Gotham Racing (PGR) 4
  40. Ridge Racer 6
  41. Rockstar Table Tennis
  42. Sonic the hedgehog
  43. Spelunky
  44. Star Trek Legacy
  45. The Outfit
  46. Top Spin 2
  47. Tomb Raider Anniversary
  48. Tomb Raider - Legend
  49. Viva Piňata.
  50. Viva Piňata Party Animals
  51. Viva Piňata - Trouble in Paradise
  52. XBOX 360 Arcade

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Playstation 3

  1. 007 - Quantum of Solace
  2. Angry Birds
  3. Assassin's Creed
  4. Assassin's Creed II
  5. Assassin's Creed III
  6. Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag
  7. Assassin's Creed - Brotherhood
  8. Dante's Inferno
  9. Fallout 3
  10. Infamous
  11. Kill Zone 3
  12. Lego Batman
  13. Lego Harry Potter
  14. Little Big Planet
  15. Lost Planet 2
  16. Metal Gear Solid 4 - Guns of the Patriots
  17. Monster Madness: Grave Danger
  18. Mushroom Wars
  19. Need For Speed - Shift
  20. Play Station All Stars Battle Royal
  21. The Saboteur
  22. Wipeout (Bundle)
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Nintendo Wii U

  1. New Super Mario Brothers U
  2. Nintendo Land
  3. Sonic Lost World
  4. Super Mario 3D World
  5. The Legend of Zelda the Windwalker
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Nintendo Wii

  1. Animal Crossing - City Folk
  2. Ben 10: Protector of Earth
  3. Carnival Games
  4. Disney Sing It
  5. Epic Micki
  6. Glee Karaokee Revolution
  7. Guitar Hero III - Legends of Rock
  8. Jillian Michaels - Fitness Ultimatum 2009
  9. Just Dance 3
  10. Kirby's Reurn to Dream Land
  11. Mario Kart Wii
  12. My Sims
  13. Lego Indiana Jones
  14. Lego Rock Band
  15. New Super Mario Brothers Wii
  16. Project Runway
  17. Puppy Luv
  18. Rayman Raving Rabbids
  19. Sim Animals
  20. Sonic and the Black Knight
  21. Sonic and the Secret Rings
  22. Sonic Generations
  23. Sonic Riders - Zero Gravity
  24. Sonic Unleashed
  25. Speed Racer
  26. Super Mario Galaxy
  27. Super Mario Galaxy 2
  28. Super Smash Brothers Brawl
  29. The Garfield Show - Threat of the Space Lasagna
  30. The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword
  31. The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess
  32. Wario Ware - Smooth Moves
  33. Wii Fit
  34. Wii Play
  35. Wii Ski
  36. Wii Sports
  37. Wii Sports Resort
  38. Zack & Wiki - Search for Barbaro's Treasure
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Sony Play Station Vita

  1. Assassin's Creed III - Liberation
  2. Fifa 2012
  3. Hot Shots Golf - World Invitational
  4. Jet Pack Joyride
  5. Lego Lord of the Rings
  6. Lego Chima - Laval's Journey
  7. Madden 2013
  8. Play Station All Stars Battle Royal
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Sony Play Station Portable (PSP)

  1. Angry Birds
  2. Ape Escape
  3. Field Commander
  4. Blokus
  5. Chessmaster - The Art of Learning
  6. Frantix
  7. Go! Sudoku
  8. Grand Theft Auto - Liberty city stories
  9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  10. Hot Shots Golf - Open Tee
  11. Hot Shots Golf - Open Tee 2
  12. KAO Challengers
  13. Little Big Planet
  14. Syphon Filter - Logan's Shadow
  15. Major League Baseball 2K6
  16. Mercury Meltdown 2
  17. Metal Gear Solid - Portable Ops
  18. Mod Nation Racers
  19. Pinball Hall of Fame
  20. Platypus
  21. Ridge Racer
  22. SOCOM U.S. Navy Seals - Fireteam Bravo
  23. Star Wars Battlefront II
  24. Wipeout Pure
  25. World Championship Poker - All In
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Nintendo Game Cube

  1. 007 Night Fire
  2. Animal Crossing
  3. Bomberman
  4. Crash Nitro Kart
  5. Chibi-Robo Plug into adventure
  6. Chicken Little
  7. Dora the Explorer - Journey to the Purple Planet
  8. Finding Nemo
  9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  10. Ice Age 2 - The Meltdown
  11. Kirby Air Ride
  12. Lego Star Wars
  13. Lego Star Wars II
  14. Luigi's Mansion
  15. Madagascar
  16. Mario Kart - Double Dash
  17. Mario Party 7
  18. Monsters, INC.
  19. Muppets Party Cruise
  20. Paper Mario - The 30 Year Door
  21. Piglet's Big Game
  22. Shrek 2
  23. Sims 2 : Pets
  24. Shadow the Hedgehog
  25. Sonic Adventure DX - Director's cut
  26. Sonic Heroes
  27. Sonic Gems Collection
  28. Sonic Adventure Battle 2
  29. Sonic Riders
  30. SpongeBob Squarepants - Revenge of the Flying Dutchman
  31. Spyro - Enter the Dragonfly
  32. Super Mario Strikers
  33. Super Mario Sunshine
  34. Super Monkey Ball
  35. Super Smash Brothers Melee
  36. Tak - The Great Juju Challenge
  37. The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron - attack of the Twonkies
  38. The Hobbit
  39. The Incredibles
  40. The Polar Express
  41. Wario World
  42. Winnie the Pooh's Rumbly Tumbly Adventure
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Nintendo DS (DS, DSi, 3DS)

  1. 101 in 1 - Explosive Megamix
  2. Age of Empires - Mythology
  3. Angry Birds Trilogy (3D)
  4. Animal Crossing (3 copies)
  5. Animal Crossing (3D)
  6. Animal Planet - Emergency Vets
  7. Aquarium
  8. Are you smarter than a 5th grader?
  9. Assassin's Creed - Altair's Chronicles
  10. Bejeweled 3
  11. Ben 10 - Alien Force
  12. Big Brain Academy
  13. Brain Age
  14. Brain Busters
  15. Call of Duty Modern Warfare - Mobilized
  16. Cars
  17. Club Penguin  - Elite Penguin Force
  18. Cooking Mama - Shop & Chop
  19. Cradle of Rome
  20. Deal or no deal
  21. Digout - Digging Strike
  22. Dragon Ball Origins 2
  23. Eco Creatures - save the forest
  24. Fish Tycoon
  25. Ford Racing 3
  26. Frogger
  27. Godzilla Unleashed - Double Smash
  28. Golden Nugget Casino
  29. Hannah Montana - Music Jam
  30. Ice Age 2
  31. JoJo's Fashion Show
  32. Kid Icarus Uprising
  33. King Kong
  34. Kirby - Mass Attack
  35. Kirby - Super Star (Ultra)
  36. Kirby - Squeak Squad
  37. Kirby - Triple Deluxe
  38. Lego Batman
  39. Lego Indiana Jones - The Original Adventure
  40. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
  41. Lego Star Wars II - The Original Trilogy
  42. Lego Star Wars II - The Original Trilogy
  43. Littlest Petshop - Jungle
  44. Luxor
  45. Madagascar
  46. Magician's Quest - Mysterious Times
  47. March of the Penguins
  48. Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
  49. Mario Kart DS (2 copies)
  50. Mario vs Donkey Kong (Gameboy)
  51. Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
  52. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
  53. Mario & Luigi - Bowser's Inside Story (2 copies)
  54. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
  55. Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games
  56. Mario Party DS
  57. Mario Party Island Tour (3D)
  58. M & M's Break'Em
  59. Mr Driller - Drill Spirits
  60. My baby girl
  61. My Sims
  62. My Sims - Kingdom
  63. Namco Museum DS (2 copies)
  64. Narnia
  65. New Super Mario Bros.
  66. Nintendogs
  67. Paper Mario Sticker Star (3D)
  68. Petz - Catz
  69. Petz - Dogz
  70. Petz Dogz Fashion
  71. Petz - Bunnyz
  72. Petz - Monkeyz House
  73. Polarium
  74. Pokémon - Diamond (2 copies)
  75. Pokémon - Black 2
  76. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Blue - Rescue Team
  77. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon - Explorers of Sky
  78. Pokémon - Platinum (2 copies)
  79. Pokémon - Ranger
  80. Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
  81. Pokémon - Soul Silver
  82. Pokémon - White
  83. Pokémon - Y (3D)
  84. Professor Layton and the Curious Village
  85. Professor Layton and the Mysterious Box
  86. Professor Layton and the Last Specter
  87. Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3D)
  88. Robots
  89. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution
  90. Snood 2
  91. Sonic Colors
  92. Sudokuro
  93. Platinum Sudoku
  94. Polarium
  95. Sim City DS
  96. Sonic Advanced 3 (Gameboy)
  97. Sonic Chronicles - The Dark Brotherhood
  98. Sonic Colors
  99. Space Invaders Revolution
  100. Spyro Superpack (Gameboy)
  101. Star Fox Command
  102. Sudoku Ball Detective
  103. Super Mario 64 DS
  104. Super Mario Brothers (3D)
  105. Super Monkey Ball - Touch and Roll
  106. Super Princess Peach DS
  107. Tetris: Axis (3DS)
  108. Tetris DS
  109. The Bible (Gameboy)
  110. The Legendary Starfy
  111. The Legend of Zelda - A Link Between Worlds (3D)
  112. The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (3D) [2 copies]
  113. The Legend of Zelda - Phantom Hourglass
  114. The Legend of Zelda - Spirit Tracks
  115. The Sims 2
  116. Tony Hawk's American Skate Land
  117. Tony Hawk - Proving Ground
  118. Sonic Rush
  119. Trauma Center - Under The Knife
  120. Viva Piňata - Pocket Paradise
  121. Whac-A-Mole
  122. World Championship Poker
  123. Yoshi's Island DS (2 copies)
  124. Yoshi - Touch and Go
  125. Zoey 101 (Gameboy)
  126. Zoo Tycoon
  127. Zoo Tycoon 2 (2 copies)
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PC

  1. Command & Conquer - Generals
  2. Empire Earth
  3. Harry Potter - Prisoner of Azkaban
  4. Lego Star Wars
  5. Lord of the Rings - Battle for Middle Earth
  6. Roblox
  7. Star Craft
  8. The Incredibles
  9. The Sims 2: Bon Voyage
  10. The Sims 2 Deluxe
  11. The Sims 2: Freetime
  12. The Sims 2: Pets
  13. Wizard 101
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Mac

  1. Angry Birds
  2. Bubble
  3. Defense Zone
  4. Dream Chronicles - Book of Air
  5. Plants vs. Zombies
  6. Starcraft II
  7. The Sims 3
  8. The Sims 3: Ambitions
  9. The Sims 3: Generations
  10. The Sims 3: Island Paradise
  11. The Sims 3: Pets
  12. The Sims 3: Late Night Expansion Pack
  13. World of Warcraft (Mists of Pandaria)
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Contact me. Last updated  June 15th 2014