There must be nicotine permeating from the 360 controller because I cannot understand why it is so damn addictive.  However, as these hours of Perfect Dark Zero and G.R.A.W. accumulate under my belt, the dust on the boxes that pile in the center of my room grows unbearably disgusting and I wonder when I will sacrifice entertainment for responsibility.  ...And the answer probably is never, or if she (360) suffers from a heatstroke and needs to cool down.  Damn our hemisphere and its decreasing distance from the sun!

Finally, I am no longer restricted from university firewalls to connect to X-Box Live, so where are those demos and arcade games?

http://www.gamespot.com/features/6152607/index.html

Well, here's my top 5 "image-building" games...

(1) Time Crisis: Project Titan
Any opportunity you have to bring the arcade to your living room, take it! Of course, this is the "coolest" option because of the ancient graphics and uber Guncon. There's also nothing cooler than realizing you're ducking as you push the A button and surprising your enemies as you release it. Oh, man... I wish you could see the looks on their stupid faces. Whether you're trying to impress your broke neighbor who looks down while he walks to find quarters for Asian racing games (e.g. Initial D) or your other neighbor who is only 8, but loves the thought of killing "baddies," TC: PT is a winner.

(2) Katamari Damacy
I was first introduced to Katamari Damacy by a stoner who had played the game at a friend's house. Now, you're probably thinking he was high and his interpretation of the game was something of utter nonsense. Well, you're half right. He wasn't high, but when he was trying to describe the gameplay, I had no idea what to say. "Just buy it. Trust me." With these few words of advice, I trusted him. When a PC gamer admits to enjoying a console game, I have no doubts that it's amazing. Whether I bought the game for him or myself, it is definitely cool to say that you can "roll up" the entire world in mere minutes... and the clouds! Cool for anyone who desires world destruction!

(3) DoA Xtreme Beach Volleyball
All you have to do to reassure yourself of the "coolness" of this game is to check out the front of the box. This game is not just beach volleyball... it is "xtreme," but not e-x-t-r-e-m-e. If you have a penis or a fetish for polygonal breasts, the first time you glance at the box art, you might not notice the different spelling. It is evident, after playing the game though, why it's too cool to add that Xtra letter. It's also obvious that the producers had much real-life Xperience with volleyball. Apparently, if you know martial arts, or wrestling techniques, you automatically qualify for beach volleyball. Not to mention how strong your quadriceps would have to be, if you could propel that much Xtra baggage above the net. Mistakes aside, this game makes you look cool in front of any dude, bro', or man who found Lara Croft and/or Tifa Lockheart attractive.

(4) Nintendogs: Chihuahua and Friends
Since I've already appealed to any male friends, I have to now impress the ladies. What girl doesn't find fake puppies that do tricks at the flick of a stylus to be cool? I have yet to find any. They're just so cute and cuddly, even though you will never have any impression of what their recently shampooed coat feels like. It glimmers, though, and that, my friend, is cool. It also adds extra cool points if the dog is named after their favorite actor/actress, which may be more difficult to discover, but you could always have five different choices of dogs so your chances are maximized. Nintendogs, the nerd's best bet to find some pus--I mean--cool cats... meow?

(5) Classic NES Series: The Legend of Zelda
The reason this game is strictly the GBA version is because of the portability! The coolest thing to your mother and father since StarTropics is none other than the port of this "classic" to the GBA. Unfortunately, they might not be able to play as well as they could "in their prime" and the fading vision is always another excuse. Who doesn't want to defeat Ganon with more vengeance than the first time? Anywhere, too! Bus, taxi, passenger seat, driver seat...

I think my Pick 5 targets all of those ideas of "cool" and appeals to most age groups!

God, I really want Rockstar's ...Table Tennis, a Lite, and Brain Age. School is almost over. Must resist gaming for another week... We all know it's inevitable.

So, here's my dilemma... I am very reluctant to start a new game this week because I have a paper due on Thursday.  My habits tell me that I probably won't start until later on Wednesday night anyway, so what's the point of stressing about it now?

The true dilemma is which game to begin.  I want to start playing Final Fantasy X, or X-2.  Finished X before, but not all of X-2.  I was distracted with another game when I was starting X-2, so I didn't get to finishing it.  MGS3: Snake Eater has been sneaking up on me, too, and Dante wants me to be there for his Awakening in DMC3...  I think I'm going to go with MGS, though, but that means I have to go back to the wired DualShock.  I was really getting used to the comfortable, wireless, amazing, excellent 360 controller.  Maybe I'll just play Splinter Cell or something...