Is that the game that I liked Eric with the board you had in that clear picture-frame kinda thing? If thats the one (or its ASL I can't remember) then yeah, it was a pretty awesome game. Really cool rules and very easy to pick-up. But def lots of strategy and interesting stuff can happen. There might have been some random elements you might not dig Jael but I honestly don't remember. Those kinda games tax the hell outta my mind so its hard for me to fathom playing two games back to back. Only geeky game I can think that I can go for hours on were the RPGS just because we always had friggen awesome silly stuff to say and talk about. Much looser so I don't think I ever minded (or even noticed) games that were 4-6 hours long. That's crazy!

Yeah, so I ended up buying Skate. It's awesome. I think Tony Hawk is done! I just can't imagine going back to button mashing combos ever again. The controls for Skate are SO rad! Almost Wii-like. Triggers are grab, buttons are push (left or right foot) and brake. Then EVERYTHING else is done with the two analog sticks - one controls your body and the other your board/legs (basically.) I thought it would be super hard, but really it's not bad at all. Feels very natural and almost like you're really skate boarding (you know what I mean.. i'm still slumped half-naked in dirty boxers on my chair, eyes glazed over, egg stains on my chin - BUT..) The demo was cool to at least show you the system, but the real game is just incredible. Right out the box you can basically do any trick - its all about your actual skill and not any kind of level or rank or points. And watching what people who get crazy good can do is just insane! I'm stoked. Played that shit all night. And the character creation/custimization with clothes etc (which Tony Hawk games probably did too - haven't played one in years) is really sweet. Yeah, I mighta made my skater a little less sexy than the real me, but I still feel like a little school girl all stoked to dress him up and match my shoes to my deck to my wheels... and theirs band shirts like NWA and Slayer and a ton of ones I've never heard of. This game is tits.

I played demos for a bunch of those arcade games you mentioned Jon - I really got sucked into Puzzle Quest - pretty neat! I'm not gonna buy it though, least not now.