With complex controls and impressive graphic the barrier of entry into the world of video games has continued to grow with time. No matter what genre of video game you enjoy, often times the investment to learn the controls and rules are more then enough to push away friends, family members, or even girlfriends. The mark of a good game for beginners is only having a few goals while maintaining simple game mechanics. This list is just a few games in which I have found to have great game play that is easily accessible to even the least experienced player.

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Square-Enix, a Company that has obviously shown that they LOVE money, has found that the easiest way to make said piles of money is to use Japan’s favorite game machine, the DS. The staggering amount of recent releases of Square-Enix games on the DS makes it hard to find the true quality titles, but that’s why there is crazy JRPG players like me that can help make sense of it all. So although I can’t write about every single one of them (I do have a real life….) I can write about some of my favorites, and some that aren’t quite up to par.

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Nintendo told us from the very beginning that the Wii was going to be different. Even the working title was Nintendo Revolution. And different it is; but revolution? Not yet.

Yes, Nintendo has officially been successful in bringing in the casual gamers - from the elderly to the nerd-phobic, it’s undeniable that people that have never before taken an interest in gaming are currently flocking to get a hold of a Wiimote. Even in the newspaper not a week ago, there was a lengthy article about an old folks homes using the Wii has a primary source of entertainment in the community. The article focused in on a 93 year old man that played Wii Sports Bowling like nobody’s business. With the Wii, Nintendo may just break the stigma of video games meaning that you are a nerd, or even an outsider.

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As technology advances, video games become more and more immersive. When I sit down to play Gears of War on my HD TV, I’m presented with stunning visuals, 5.1 surround sound that makes it seem as though bullets are whizzing by my head, and I get tactile feedback from my controller. So what’s next? How do we improve on the already immersive experience? With the upcoming ForceWear vest from TN Games. PSU did an interview with Mark Ombrellaro (CEO of TN Games) and found out some interesting facts about the upcoming product:

PSU: The vest is customizable, how so?

Mark: The vest will have options to customize its look. At present, there will be versions geared towards shooter games (black tactical jacket and Camo look) as well as a look for racing (flame suit appearance). There will be accessory products for adding additional contact points to arms, legs, and the head. There will also be the ability to add parts to the jacket to
customize its appearance to tie specifically with game content. At TN Games we feel passionately that players be part of the action

The vest is capable of applying 10lbs of pressure to any of it’s contact points. No price has been announced, but the vest will be available in November. So what do you think? Would you like to feel the bullets hit you? Would you spend extra for the add ons for the arms legs and head? Personally I don’t know if I want to feel the headshots.

-MIKE KURZ

If you live near a Starbucks and have that sweet sense of sharing, Fon can hook you up.

Those in WiFi range of a Starbucks are eligible for a free Fon router(Fonero). The Fonero allows you to share your internet connection with those willing to cough up $2. This doesn’t take much convincing when Starbucks and T-Mobile pry $10 from their customers for internet use. Once someone pays $2 for your connection Fon splits the profit, getting you $1 per user.

Feeling a bit nervous or greedy with your broadband? Fon offers you security with its private and public channels. The router comes with these two channels to keep your customers separate from you.

It seems like a simple and easy venture for those looking to make an extra buck, or have a good reason to point and laugh in the face of Starbucks.

-SARAH TOMESKY

All phallus jokes aside, this vacuum sounds extremely well designed and convenient. From the product page:

The moment you want to remove the dust, it is ready to use. Bringing out the cleaner from the storage, plugging it in, and putting together the hose are enough to discourage you to clean the room. The Metaphys cleaners are, therefor, designed to be ready to use at any time, not being the type to be stored, but to be placed near you in the room. A horce is an inevitable part of the cleaner, but it is bulky and often destroys the design, Considering these points, i.e., hose strong, design as an interior decor, and less time-consuming way before and after cleaning , the basic specifications vacuum, collapsable handke, cordless, and an extentionable hose.

The Metaphys Electric Uzu will cost you around $243. Hit the break to see how this vacuum unfolds into an awesome cleaning machine.

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Okay, so maybe you already gave your girlfriend a dick in a box last year and you’re in need some last minute shopping ideas. Here’s a list (compiled by a real live girl) of some girl-friendly geeky gadgets and gifts. And rest assured, this list isn’t just a list of gadgets that come in pink.

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Show everyone what you digg! There are new products available from Jinx! Now you can even get stickers to slap on anything that you digg.

-JENNI CHASTEEN

When I first heard the term “Pageflakes” I thought of Jimmy Page scratching his head and ending up with a snow covered shoulder. Then I actually went to the site, and started looking around. Turns out that Pageflakes is actually an AJAX based website where you populate your personal home page with “flakes” (think widgets) that allow you to do things like leave yourself notes, keep a schedule complete with email reminders when a deadline is about to come up, check your email, and see what’s new on digg.

There’s also a social element to Pageflakes. You can keep your page private, share it with people you choose to share it with by providing them with a password, or you can just make it public and share it with the world. For an example, check out our pageflakes page.

There’s a lot to like about Pageflakes. There’s a wide variety of flakes to choose from, and those flakes do a wide variety of things. I’m a big fan of having everything I need in one place - it just makes life a little easier. The social aspect sets it apart from similar services such as the widgets you can add to your google home page. There’s room for improvement though. I have yet to see a music related flake. I’d love to see Pandora integrated directly into it, or better yet, I’d love to have a gig of Pageflakes storage to upload some music to, and a flake to play it with.

Pageflakes is worth checking out if you’re looking for a new homepage, or if you’re just into web 2.0. I look forward to seeing what they add as time goes on.

-MIKE KURZ

Now this is a shirt I’d rock on a night out to the bar. What better way to break the ice with a chick than to press the button between her breasts, or maybe not. Note, the people at Jinx did point out that “pick up,” isn’t always to be taken literally. Pressing “X” will not guarantee a chick or her breasts in your hands. At worst it may get your ass kicked in a round of Halo, or is that at best?

Ladies wear this shirt at your own risk, or if you’re looking for an excuse to slap a bold (and possibly stupid) guy.

-SARAH TOMESKY