iPod Monkey On My Back
They say the first step's admitting you have a problem. Well, I'm not sure that it's a problem, really, but I'm admitting it anyway.
I'm hooked on a game on my iPod.
If you know me, you probably know that I'm not a big video game guy. Pong was cool, sure. I freely confess that Tetris ate more than its share of my time in its day. And, yes, I've said that the entertainment room in my mansion might include a vintage Galaga game. But since I'm not likely to have that mansion any time soon, I never thought that would be much of a threat.
But most of the games that I play these days, on my Palm or wherever, are puzzles; they're computer versions of games that would otherwise exist through cards or dice or tiles or something.
Not so this VORTEX on my iPod. I downloaded it because it looked as though it was truly suited to the iPod interface. (Distinctly unlike, say, Solitaire.) Oh, yes. It's suited to the interface. Is it ever.
I drained the charge on my iPod playing this tonight. That translates into more than two hours' time for us humans. Addictive? Hell, yeah.
The game is something of a cross between those clear descendants of Pong, the "Breakout" style brick & ball bouncers, and Tempest, an Atari arcade game that I played a lot during my freshman year at PennState, right up there with Galaga. There was a Tempest game in the dining hall, and it swallowed many of my quarters.
My fascination with Vortex will probably fade before too long. Until then, I'll just get back in touch with that unfamiliar feeling of obsession.
I'm hooked on a game on my iPod.
If you know me, you probably know that I'm not a big video game guy. Pong was cool, sure. I freely confess that Tetris ate more than its share of my time in its day. And, yes, I've said that the entertainment room in my mansion might include a vintage Galaga game. But since I'm not likely to have that mansion any time soon, I never thought that would be much of a threat.
But most of the games that I play these days, on my Palm or wherever, are puzzles; they're computer versions of games that would otherwise exist through cards or dice or tiles or something.
Not so this VORTEX on my iPod. I downloaded it because it looked as though it was truly suited to the iPod interface. (Distinctly unlike, say, Solitaire.) Oh, yes. It's suited to the interface. Is it ever.
I drained the charge on my iPod playing this tonight. That translates into more than two hours' time for us humans. Addictive? Hell, yeah.
The game is something of a cross between those clear descendants of Pong, the "Breakout" style brick & ball bouncers, and Tempest, an Atari arcade game that I played a lot during my freshman year at PennState, right up there with Galaga. There was a Tempest game in the dining hall, and it swallowed many of my quarters.
My fascination with Vortex will probably fade before too long. Until then, I'll just get back in touch with that unfamiliar feeling of obsession.
posted by Greg! | 1:06 AM
3 Comments:
I haven't run across it yet. Primarily because I have an old iPod Mini which has relatively few features and crappy battery length.
My most recent iPod obsession was the Harry Potter books. I listened to all of them in a row, to get ready for the last one. I can't wait. I'm even more excited about it than my 9 year old.
I just mentioned the game to Andrew who will probably be downloading in any day now...
Thanks for reminding my about the Potter books.
Seriously. Our local public library has them -- I think on CD -- and I've been meaning to listen to at least Order of the Phoenix again before seeing the movie. I should do Half-Blood Prince as well, to prepare for the final book.
I know you've lived with your 9-year-old for nine years, but I'd still have figured she'd rate higher than a Harry Potter book.
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