Did you know I was a nerd? I kind of am. I like word games, like Scrabble (in the flesh and on FaceBook) and Moxie (on my iPhone). I spent countless hours in college playing Boggle with my roommate, while we listened to Springsteen and drank Black Russians. I think logic puzzles – the kind that you need a grid (and a pencil eraser) to figure out – are fun. Back in the day, I got an 800 on the analytic section of the GRE. Most mornings, I do the Ken-Ken in the Times, though it makes me crazy that they print it across the fold.
I have a Nintendo DS, but the games I had for it never really grabbed my attention. I tried MillionHeir/Mystery Case Files – but it’s kind of tedious, and not terribly challenging (and the music is annoying). Rhythm Heaven is fun, but it’s more about timing, not logic. But what’s really gotten under my skin?
Professor Layton. 
I haven’t played the first one (Curious Village), but I’m in the midst of the Diabolical Box and it’s enchanting. It has a meandering little story line with a lot of puzzles – some tricky, some simple, many varieties. The scenery and people are somewhat reminiscent of those in the Miyazaki films. Sometimes the story advances through little videos, sometimes it’s more interactive in that you have to "talk" to the characters you encounter. I like that you can play it with the sound off because all of the dialogue is also shown as sub-titles - but the spoken dialogue is pretty well acted, with a mess of British accents. The puzzles are clever, and there's a "memo" feature that lets you scribble on the screen to figure out sums or paths. I did, however, resort to modeling a cube out of folded paper to solve one of the brainteasers.
The only bad thing? It's keeping me from reading! Instead of climbing into bed with my current book, I'm playing a video game. My husband thinks I've lost my mind. In point of fact though, I may be exercising it to enhance plasticity and stave off forgetfulness. Good justification, right?
Disclosure: The lovely ladies at Brand About Town sent me a copy of Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box; I didn't pay for it. They neither asked for a review, nor paid for one.
16 comments:
This sounds, like, way cool.
I am so totally down with every word of that first paragraph. Even the 800 on the GRE analytic section thing.
You lost me on the video game part. I can't get into these, no matter how much they speak geek. And here I am, married to a guy who once wrote programs for pinball machines.
Whoa. I just had a Boggle flashback. I think we drank beer, though.
the printing of Ken-Ken also drives me crazy but provides for some interesting folding not usually done with newspapers. this is my creative side. I know, wow.
You ARE a nerd, I love it!
I had seen the commercials for it on TV and wondered why they were marketing it to adult women. Now I know.
I LOVE logic puzzles!! I am not as good at word games, but I do cross sums and other number games regularly. I am also a fan of card games. I learned how to do the grid-type of logic problems back in the gifted program in 3rd grade. So fun! Yep, I'm a nerd, too.
Although I have to say, I am kind of glad that all these video games weren't available when I was younger because I am sure I would have gotten sucked in. Have you ever played Zombinis? Or the Wii physics game World of Goo?
Scramble. I literally have to pace myself with this game. I use it as a treat after several hours okay, an hour, of hard work. I LOVE IT!!!
there are video games that aren't like Super Mario? cause i sucked at that, and then gave up.
I had a nasty Scramble addiction myself going there for a while.
These were always my favorite kind of PC games, too. Before everything went online.
I don't play video games and I don't read books either. Does that make you feel better?
I love Scrabble and other word games, but I'm puzzled by the popularity of the Mafia game...as well as Farmville...on Facebook.
Totally addicted to Scramble (like Boggle) on Facebook. It's a sickness.
I adore logic puzzles and brain teasers- yeah, and Scrabble, Boogle and Trivial Pursuit.
And now you're showing me another addiction I can add to the list?
Thanks, *&$^*.
Sounds good to me. Better than blogging, my drug of choice, oh, and chocolate. (When is too much chocolate too much? Just wonderin.)
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