Nick Edelstein

Posts Tagged ‘game’

Word Wars II: Words With Friends

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

If you follow my Twitter, you may have noticed that I began playing a new game in April. Words With Friends – essentially Scrabble with slight alterations (probably just enough to avoid a lawsuit) – has become my favorite iPhone game. I’m not addicted, but I do average ten simultaneous games. Avoiding insanity is easy: one major difference from the boarded version of our childhood is that after you move, you close the app and essentially walk away. Instead of waiting five boring minutes for your sister to place her word, you can proceed with real-life activities while she delibarates. Push notifications announcing her moves, and when a convenient time presents itself (grocery store checkout, bathroom, etc.) place your next word. Days may pass between moves, but the app neatly keeps track of the games for you … this is the genius of iPhone, isn’t it? The only real question here is that age-old nag, “Why didn’t I think of this?”
Most of the other modifications lend themselves to inflated scoring: some key letters have increased value; bonus squares are in different locations; I’m sure this factors into my enjoyment.
Up for a challenge? Warning: I’ve won over 90% of my games and have experienced point spreads so great (+150) that my opponents forfeited! If you don’t plan on throwing in the proverbial towel, my username is NickGrooves. See you in cyberland

~ read part one of Word Wars here ~

Tags: Board game, deux, game, iPhone, Newtoy, Scrabble, twitter, Video Games, wars, word, Word Wars, WWII, Zynga
Posted in Tangents | No Comments »

iPhone Game Soundtrack

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

Life is full of suprises, indeed!
I learned on Sunday that my song “Happy Trail” was used as the soundtrack to a Flash puzzle game The game is Colorous: A Color Odyssey by Fabio Cristi and is available in iTunes App Store.
There is also a free “lite” version for those who like to try-before-buy.

Tags: Adobe Flash, App Store, colorous, Downloads, fabio, game, iPhone, ipod, itunes, Puzzle, Puzzle video game, Soundtrack, Video game
Posted in Press | No Comments »

End Game: Tough Choices

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

Those of you who are my fans on Facebook know I enjoy playing chess. When I was a kid my dad schooled me in two games: chess and poker. I believe his goal was teaching me to choose wisely – to plan ahead and weigh the consequences of my actions regardless how small or insignificant they may seem in the present moment.
Chess – like Life – gets tougher as you progress and in a sneaky fashion; that rogue pawn seems harmless until you realize it blocks your only escape route.
In the beginning there are many choices that appear fairly simple; yes/no scenarios such as whether or not to eat, brush teeth, tie shoes, etc. As we grow older we begin to see consequences: weight, cavities, tripping We also make room for bigger decisions: “College? Grad school? Marriage?” We size-up our options and plan our future. We have slightly fewer choices – less pieces on the board – and begin to feel the weight of our opponent’s offense. The impending doom of each mistep can be stifling and so we begin to customize a support system of family and friends, but what happens in the End when we have less to lean on?
Ever since I was a boy, I always struggled with my End Game. I used to find this odd because there are [usually] significantly less chess pieces on the board at the End. Closing the deal is supposed to be the easy part, right? Wrong.
The key to a strong End Game is perspective. It isn’t about the fewer number of pieces onboard, but the greater number of possibilities. Being able to see the space … working dozens of moves ahead to find the safest outcome, avoiding the most hazards …
The more space we have in our lives, the more freedom we have to control our own destiny, the more responsibility each choice carries. When we enter the grown-up world of mortages and marriage, do we invest all our dollars in stocks and bonds, or spend some on entertainment and wardrobe? Don’t have coupons? Suddenly the brands of foods and drinks you cherished as a kid no longer appeal, especially if they’re not on sale. But financial planning is only the tip of the iceberg. The End Game layout is set up during earlier stages of play, which are somewhat unpredictable due to the humanity of our opponent. In fact, we may not even know we’re playing the End Game until they cry “checkmate!”
Such is Life! Nobody can predict the future or plan for the curve balls. So do we play defensively and go for a safe bet? Or do we raise the stakes and follow our dreams? Maybe a little of both? What if Life decides to re-raise, trade queens, and employ a secret weapon? When, if ever, do we recourse and initiate the proverbial “backup plan?” The more “tied down” we become in our responsible adult lives, the less uncertainty we feel but it’s only an illusion. Every choice we make plays a role in our End Game. Winning in Life may involve giving up some seemingly important pieces, but if you’re willing to take that risk, the payoff can be really sweet.