A common notion of the video gaming community is that it’s mainly unproductive and destructive for college students. Multiple students share their stories on how gaming has impacted their priorities, skill development, friendships, and their overall lifestyle. Video gaming is a case by case topic, but some similarities can be found. CSUSB third year history major, Nathan Arguello, expressed that he averages around four to six hours of playing video games a day. He said his daily amount usually “revolves around his schedule for the day” depending on his shift at work, activities with his church, and wanting to hang out with friends. For most gamers, playing video games is an outlet … [Read more...] about Video games help students unwind and connect
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Local streamer and business owner talks Twitch
Twitch streaming is a way to share our experiences online. Local Palm Desert business owner, Dajana Menjivar, co-founder of Conflux Gaming, dives into her thoughts on Twitch streaming, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and her popular gaming tournament held in Rancho Mirage. Conflux Gaming is visited by many Palm Desert CSUSB students and locals alike. It's a weekly held in-person tournament where players compete for first place by playing many popular fighting games. Q: What made you want to Twitch stream? A: It was something I wanted to do for a while, due to past experiences. Back then, I couldn't stream because I lacked the time to do so and I did not have the … [Read more...] about Local streamer and business owner talks Twitch
Review: Playing Ring Fit Adventures for a heart-pumping indoor workout
With a lot of gyms and outdoor activities being postponed intermittently, lots of people have been staying indoors and, for some, their exercise routine has come to a halt. Fortunately, exercise can still be done indoors and safely from home. Video games and fitness have always had a history together throughout the times, such as the fan-favorite and popular game, Wii Fitness, that was enjoyed by many. Even when people are now mostly indoors, there are a lot of video games that aim to bridge that gap, and Ring Fit Adventures is one of them. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, Ring Fit Adventures makes users traverse and travel through many worlds, all while battling enemies … [Read more...] about Review: Playing Ring Fit Adventures for a heart-pumping indoor workout
Gamers reconnect while in quarantine
As social distancing has become a common practice amongst people, there has been a rise in participation in online video games. In a time of a pandemic, consumer spending on video games have reached a record-breaking $11.6 billion, an increase of 30% compared to last year, according to The NPD Group, Inc. Notable popular games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Fortnite, and Grand Theft Auto V allow players to party up in a lobby and play together online. Players are also able to talk to their friends via voice chat. The online capabilities of these games allow players to spend time together and talk as if they were physically in the same room together. Coachella Valley … [Read more...] about Gamers reconnect while in quarantine
Three best local co-op games to play with one another
With many CSUSB students and their families staying indoors more, that means one thing: more time to spend together! Video games can bring us together in many ways, with online video games becoming more popular than ever before. Sometimes there's a special joy from playing an excellent local couch co-op game right beside your friends, family, significant other, or dog. These are three excellent games to enjoy with others! Fortnite Everyone has heard about this game at some point. Either from their family, their kids, significant others, friends, dogs, fish, or when shopping for merchandise. Did you know, though, that it now includes split-screen? Instead of telling people to get … [Read more...] about Three best local co-op games to play with one another
Gamers highlight the impacts of video games
Video games are enjoyed by many people of all ages. They have come a long way since the 1970’s. For some people, they are used to pass the time, but for others, video games have gone beyond being a leisurely activity. Fabio Rodriguez, 30, based outside the Inland Empire and a video game enthusiast for over 15 years, is a two-time cancer survivor that sees video games as more than just a form of entertainment. He attributes video games to saving his life. Rodriguez states, “Video games have allowed me to rediscover simple human functions. For instance, I have cancer. When I had a majority of it removed, my motor skills were among many things that were disrupted. I couldn’t walk or talk … [Read more...] about Gamers highlight the impacts of video games
“Sonic the Hedgehog” movie review
Video game movies have a bad reputation in the movie industry. Critics say that these movies do not use the source material, or that they only exist for the paychecks. However they need just as much care and love as other films to be able to convey their stories to audiences. As for Sonic the Hedgehog, it was a roller coaster. The first trailer was a disaster, and the company had to delay the film to fix the main character’s design. On February 14, the film was finally released and, after watching the movie, I have to say that the film is unexpectedly good after the backlash from the first trailer. This film has a good story that people can follow. Sonic was sent to Earth and goes … [Read more...] about “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie review
Children learn how to code through video games
Nowadays, children have the opportunity to learn about coding in an entertaining way. On February 22, parents brought their children to the Yasuda Center to attend courses on programming held by Kids That Code. The class utilizes Scratch, a free programming language, provided by MIT, that allows for the creation of custom games and animations with coding. Kids were all seated in the class with their own laptop following what the instructor was doing on the screen. In the first class of the day, students learned how to create their own 2D platformer game using elements from Super Mario Bros. Over the course of four weeks they will learn how to get the character to move across the … [Read more...] about Children learn how to code through video games
Pokemon Gold and Silver Review: Catch ‘em All Again
On September 22, Nintendo digitally rereleased their 17-year-old Gameboy Color games “Pokemon Gold and Silver” on the 3DS eShop for players old and new to experience a classic Pokemon adventure. Players can once again catch all the Pokemon they can in hopes of becoming the strongest Pokemon trainer while they save the region from the evil Team Rocket. Gold and Silver are the second mainline installments in the Pokemon series and were originally released in Japan on Nov. 21, 1999, with over 23 million combined sales. The new releases are currently topping the 3DS eShop charts. Despite being the second installment in the series, the Pokemon games are all standalone, and share a … [Read more...] about Pokemon Gold and Silver Review: Catch ‘em All Again
Local Super Smash Bros. Tournament
By Arthur Medrano |Staff Writer| CSUSB students and local gamers took part in a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament at a local brewery, where they spent their time competing and enjoying a cold refreshing beer. The event was held on May 12 and put together with the help of San Bernardino's Generation Now—a social club that devotes its time to help the city prosper with small activities that impact the arts, recreational and economic projects by shaping the culture around us. A total of 22 players took part in this double elimination tournament, which uses a bracket system to give a second opportunity for players to make a comeback. Most players get the opportunity to skirmish … [Read more...] about Local Super Smash Bros. Tournament