If I had kids (I don't) and was a fan of homeschooling (I'm not), their education would consist primarily of playing video games. The franchise mode of Madden for basic math, god games for science and assuming various MMORPG persona for sociology (i.e. infiltrate a group of griefers and see how long you can retain their confidence, while using that information to prevent attacks through persuas... more.

Everyone on the Islamiphobia bandwagon might as well bail on this article now. To the rest of you, a peaceful Ramadan in the same spirit Muslims I know sincerely wish me Merry Christmas. Hate may be turning into the default value by many professing faith, but I still like to think some can still love their fellow Earthlings despite a spat a couple of brothers had (and resolved) back at the begi... more.

There's a huge problem with great games. They invariably result in sequels and knockoffs which frequently are a letdown from that first love. Nearly 30 years after the debut of Marble Madness there's still not a ball-rolling game matching its zany addictiveness. But such games are a natural for the iPhone and other tilt-sensitive devices, so plenty of programmers are willing to try. So many I'v... more.

Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night, a much-hyped and much-mocked iPhone app prior to its release, is one of those "match-three" variants dressed up in adventure/RPG packaging. Probably its strongest feature is its complete adherence to the foundation of the original Castlevania: Symphony of the Night platform game released for the original Playstation back in 1997. The plot still centers o... more.

People who enjoy being insulted should read Trevanian's "Shibumi," a satirical spy novel that disparages nearly every ethnicity, occupation and political body in the modern world. The author calls it a "bitter pill" written only to fulfill contractual obligations and afterward "there was no point in me writing further in this genre … or anyone else, for that matter." Only a few things escape ... more.

Bejeweled is a fine game. Better than Tetris, in my humble opinion, and it's worth having one of the innumerable varieties on any iPhone. But not this version. Call of Atlantis presents the well-known "match-three" puzzle game as a quest of recovering seven crystals of power from ancient civilizations such as Rome, Greece and Babylon to "restore the Altar of Poseidon and save the fabled sunk... more.

Distinctively different from its predecessors, Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night enables gamers to employ a unique style of puzzle-RPG to solve puzzles that will help them secure weapons and spells. Tailored specifically for the iPhone and iPod touch, players must assume the role of Alucard, the son of Dracula, as they navigate within the walls of Dracula's castle. Players can also revisit... more.

Maybe I just don't get it. I prefer Coltrane to Cobain and musicians who focus on licks instead of looks. Guitar Hero for iPhone has admirable traits, not the least of which is the $2.99 starter-pack price. The touch-screen interface has novel aspects compared to a couple of other major players in the genre. But ultimately what you're playing is a hyper-slick variant of the ancient catch-the-bo... more.

Once upon a time there was a stellar children's show where hallucinations, bulimia, vagrancy and rumored homosexuality didn't threaten the fabric of the community. Bilingualism was good, Pox News unabashedly broadcast trash and Monsterpiece Theater's "Me, Claudius" wasn't elitism run amok. Then the forces of commercialism and political correctness invaded. Lessons became dumber, profits took pr... more.

Guitar Hero has arrived for the iPhone and gamers, obeying the decrees of Activision, are forking their money over in droves. So, to unleash some cliches of my own, I'm marching to the beat of a different drummer with some alternative music. It might not be as entertaining as the admittedly reasonably-priced Port-O-GH (which will get scrutinized in a future rant despite its critic proofness), b... more.