gaming

A couple weeks back we talked desktops, which many of you still favor for games and other graphics-intensive tasks.

Ah, but are you still trying to squeeze extra frames from an old, outdated video card -- or, worse, the integrated video subsystem that came with the machine?

For a limited time, Newegg has the XFX Double D FX-785A-ZDF4 Radeon HD 7850 video card for $159.59 shipped when you apply coupon code EMCYTZT3405 at checkout. Even better, you can get an additional $15 off via a mail-in rebate (PDF), for a grand total of $144.59.

That's already a … Read more

Heads Up is a trivia-style party game that was recently featured (and played) on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. With the game installed on just one iPhone, you can challenge a friend or several friends to a trivia competition. While you won't have much fun alone with Heads Up, it might be the perfect app for livening up a dinner party or family event.

The way it works is, you pick a trivia category from one of seven themed decks of "cards." These aren't actually trivia categories in the traditional sense; Heads Up combines trivia with identifying … Read more

Clear your weekend -- you're going to be busy.

Busy installing software on your Mac, busy playing games on your PC or Android device, busy reading cool books about videogames. Yep, it's bundle time, and in the last few days I've seen an unprecedented five new ones hit the Interwebs. Let's get right to 'em:

MacPhun's collection includes seven eclectic Mac apps for $19.99. Combined value if purchased separately: $164.99. I'm not a Mac user, but I see a couple standouts in desktop-publishing app Swift Publisher and … Read more

The Lego franchise of video games has built itself up on the backs of family-friendly fare like "Harry Potter" and Marvel superheroes. Fan Brian Anderson has now taken us to the dark side with a video parody showing what it would be like if "Breaking Bad" were done up as a Lego game. And it's awesome.

The video throws in some spoilers from the first four seasons, but it's free from any fifth-season tip-offs. It starts with choosing your character, ranging from Jesse Pinkman to Saul Goodman.

We get Walter White in street clothes and follow along as he collects money, gets into a scrape with sidekick Jesse, and builds a mobile meth lab. This might not quite qualify as fun for the whole family, but it's sure a hoot for "Breaking Bad" fans.… Read more

Angry Birds Friends has hatched from Facebook into a full-fledged iOS and Android app.

Available as of Thursday at both Apple's App Store and Google Play, the free game offers a socially-network twist. You compete against your Facebook friends as you try to take down those bad piggies.

All the points you rack up by slinging those angry birds are compared with those of your Facebook friends to see who emerges the winner.

Angry Birds Friends offers new tournaments each Monday promising new challenges, daily rewards, and a chance to take home the gold trophy.

Your tournament gameplay automatically … Read more

When trying to survive a harrowing near-death situation in a video game, it's likely that looking away from the action -- even just for a moment to check your health -- could mean certain doom. To avoid this gaming conundrum, Reddit user Bfayer created his own real-life video game status bar in the form of a 3-foot transparent tube filled with water and color-changing lights that shift based on his character's health (or mana, etc).

Bfayer calls his device the "Liquid Lifebar," which currently only works with the side-scrolling exploration game Terraria. The demo video shows the creation of the Lifebar and how the water rises, falls, and changes color according to his character's status as he fights monsters. … Read more

In the 2D/3D platformer, Fez, your protagonist Gomez embarks on an epic journey to uncover a universe-shattering mystery. The game's own journey from conception to the Windows platform has been nearly as monumental. First announced in July 2007, Fez's development was delayed for years. Creator Phil Fish's company, Polytron struggled with internal issues before finally demoing the game in 2011 and releasing a final version on Xbox Live in April 2012. Another year later, and the game finally lands on Windows, available from online distributors Steam and GOG.

Despite the long haul to release, Fez has … Read more

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When I first learned that Cartoon Network's Adult Swim released a sequel to Robot Unicorn Attack (RUA) a few days ago on iOS, I could barely contain my excitement.

As one of the first apps I ever downloaded onto my device, it holds a special place in my heart. I forked over $2.99 for it, and ever since then, I was able to travel to a world with so much wonder and color, my eyes cried rainbows after 10 minutes of gameplay.

And while it's hard to improve a game that already features jumping dolphins and severed … Read more