Moving Day

Today we began the process of moving the CVGA to its new location. For a fond farewell, here is the now empty old CVGA room:









And here are the equipment and games in their temporary location, awaiting deployment into the new space:

Last Day in the Old CVGA

Here are a few pictures from Friday, the final day of the CVGA in its old location:

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes!

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed at the end of Val's last Top Games post she mentions that the CVGA will be moving.

It's true! The last day of the archive for the year will be this Friday, after which we will be closed while we move to our new location. In January we will re-open in room B474 of the Duderstadt Center (that's in the Lower Level—i.e. the Basement).

Our new location will have about 2.5 times the space that we have now, many more game stations, and an enclosed room with a door that closes for games that tend to be noisy (e.g. whapping on the drums in Rock Band!)

We are also adding a selection of board and card games to the CVGA; about 40 in all to start, including Settlers of Catan, Small World, Carcassonne, Power Grid, Race for the Galaxy, Axis & Allies, Agricola, Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Dominion, and more. As with the video games the board games will be for in-house use only, but with our extra space we will have tables set up for game play.

In addition, we will be making changes to the way that games are accessed. We will be keeping the game discs behind the desk, while continuing to display the game boxes on the shelf. You will need to check out the game disc from the desk before playing, and return the disc to the desk when you are done. This will help us to reduce loss and reduce wear on the games.

Stay tuned to this blog for an announcement as to the exact date of our re-opening, which if all goes well should be sometime during the first week in January...

Top Games - Week of December 6th

 Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 11
2. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
3. NBA 2K11
4. (tie) Starcraft II
4. (tie) Fallout: New Vegas
6. (tie) Ace Combat 5
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. Halo: Reach
9. Super Smash Bros. Melee
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Not ours)

Don't forget to stop by this week and play away your end of semester blues! The archive will be open through Friday night, and then will be closed until next semester, where we'll open in our new location.

Top Games - Week of November 29th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Super Smash Bros. Melee
2. (tie) Starcraft II
2. (tie) Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
4. Fifa Soccer 11
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PlayStation 3)
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Black Ops (Not ours)
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo 64)
8. (tie) Final Fantasy XIII
8. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)

Call of Duty is beginning to take the stage, perhaps in anticipation of the archive getting its copy of Black Ops. It's not in yet, but it will almost certainly make the list again when we do get it.

The Adventure of Links: December 2, 2010

BBC News Europe: "Spain outrage over migrant bombing game"

Spain's main opposition party has provoked howls of outrage for producing a video game which invites players to bomb illegal immigrants.

Wired Threat Level: "Xbox-Modding Judge Berates Prosecution, Puts Trial on Hold"

Opening statements in the first-of-its kind Xbox 360 criminal hacking trial were delayed here Wednesday after a federal judge unleashed a 30-minute tirade at prosecutors in open court, saying he had “serious concerns about the government’s case.”

University of Colorado Denver Newsroom: "Study shows employees learn best from video games"

Long derided as mere entertainment, new research now shows that organizations using video games to train employees end up with smarter, more motivated workers who learn more and forget less.

cnet Crave: "Does playing video games help reduce pain?"

According to a study from the American Pain Society, a multidisciplinary community of scientists and clinicians who work to reduce pain-related suffering, video games, and more specifically those that incorporate 3D virtual reality, could help reduce physical pain.

Holiday Hours

A reminder that the CVGA closes at 4pm today, and is closed throughout the holiday weekend. We open again for regular business at Noon on Monday.

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Top Games: Week of November 15th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
1. (tie) Fifa Soccer 11
1. (tie) Halo: Reach
4. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
5. Starcraft II
6. Super Smash Bros. Melee
7. Fallout: New Vegas
8. (tie) Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona 4
8. (tie) NBA 2K11
10. Assassin's Creed 2

Halo: Reach ties for first, even though it cracked towards the end of the week. Its one-month lifespan was pretty sad next to Fifa 10's long one, despite the fact that both games were so popular.

The Adventure of Links: November 22, 2010

A semi-regular round-up of interesting video game links from around the Interwebs:

New York Times Technology: "With Kinect Controller, Hackers Take Liberties"

The attraction of the device is that it is outfitted with cameras, sensors and software that let it detect movement, depth, and the shape and position of the human body.

Michigan Radio: "Michigan awards its first video game tax incentive"

Pixofactor Entertainment in Royal Oak, MI will get a 40% tax incentive to develop a Nintendo Wii game about golfer Ben Hogan. It's the first video game company in the state to take advantage of the state's generous tax incentives.

Computers in Human Behavior: "Children’s choices and strategies in video games"

This mixed-methods study examines relationships between the genres of video games children choose to play and the learning strategies they employ to improve at these games. It also explores students’ motivations for playing the games they choose to play.

Accident Analysis & Prevention: "Excellent gamer, excellent driver? The impact of adolescents’ video game playing on driving behavior"

The results showed that (even after controlling for aggression and sensation seeking) video game playing during adolescence succeeded in predicting later risky driving behavior through adolescents’ attitudes and intentions to exhibit this behavior in the future. The results suggest that this relationship may in part be explained by the game content.

The Adventure of Links: November 16, 2010

A semi-regular round-up of interesting video game links from around the Interwebs:

Wired Science: "How Wii and Kinect Hack Into Your Emotions"

Nintendo’s Wii game console may owe some of its extraordinary success to emotions that are triggered by specific movements: It might essentially be using your body to hack into your brain.

New York Times Sports: "Image Rights vs. Free Speech in Video Game Suit"

A former college football player’s suit against Electronic Arts could decide when the right to control one’s image trumps the rights of others to use it.

Bloomberg Businessweek: "Video Games Not Harmful to Most Teens: Study"

Most teens who play video games don't fall into unhealthy behaviors, but an "addicted" minority may be more likely to smoke, use drugs, fight or become depressed, a new Yale University study suggests.  

Top Games - Week of November 8th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

1. (tie) Fallout: New Vegas

3. Super Smash Bros. Melee

4. (tie) Fifa Soccer 11

4. (tie) Halo: Reach

6. Final Fantasy XIII

7. (tie) Final Fantasy XII

7. (tie) NCAA Football 11

9. (tie) Super Smash Bros.

9. (tie) Starcraft II

Final Fantasy is coming back, while Smash is taking a bit of a break from the top.

Smash Tournament Winners

We celebrated National Gaming Day with our Smash tournament, an intense double-elimination tournament which ended with the following winners:

James Ma

Michael Song

Brian Chung

Robin Harn

Congratulations, and a special thanks to Mike for helping us out so much. Thanks to everyone for supporting the archive!

Top Games - Week of November 1st

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Super Smash Bros. Melee
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. (tie) Fallout: New Vegas
3. (tie) Fifa Soccer 11
5. Halo: Reach
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
6. (tie) Rock Band 3
8. (tie) Final Fantasy XIII
8. (tie) NCAA Football 11
10. Starcraft II

And the Smash practice continues... Don't forget to sign up for our tournament this Friday!

Smash Tournament!

We are getting ready to run our first gaming tournament of the school year!

This tournament will consist of 3 versions of Super Smash Bros. from various game consoles. It will be a bracketed tournament.

There will be four winners, which will receive gift cards to Get Your Game On. 1st place will receive a $40 card, 2nd place will receive a $30 card, 3rd place will receive a $20 card, and 4th place will receive a $10 card.


The tournament, in celebration of National Gaming Day that Saturday, will be on Friday, November 12th from 4-7pm.

Sign-up now through November 12th!

Open only to U-M students, faculty & staff. We are limited to the first 32 people who sign up, so register early!


Details of the tournament here: http://bit.ly/cvga-smash10 

Supreme Court Considers Violent Video Game Law

Today the US Supreme Court hears arguments regarding AB 1179, the California bill restricting the sale and rental of violent video games to minors.

NPR has the story: "Calif. Pushes To Uphold Ban On Violent Video Games"

 

Top Games - Week of October 25th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 11
2. NCAA Football 11
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee
4. Halo: Reach
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
5. (tie) NBA 2K11
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) Starcraft II
8. (tie) Fallout: New Vegas
10. Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Lots of people are practicing for the upcoming Smash tournament on November 12th! More details to follow soon.

Top Games - Weeks of October 11-23rd

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last 2 weeks:

1. (tie) Halo: Reach
1. (tie) Fifa Soccer 11
1. (tie) NCAA Football 11
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. Starcraft II
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. Final Fantasy XII
9. (tie) God of War 3
9. (tie) Dissidia: Final Fantasy

Possibly the first time we've had a 3-way tie for first place, although the winners are no surprise.

NES Turns 25 Today

Today is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the introduction of Nintendo's NES system in the United States. Although this went on to be one of the best-selling, most popular, and most influential home consoles ever, its roots in the U.S. were far more humble than many might realize.

Fall Break

A heads-up that for fall break, the archive room will be closed from Saturday the 16 through Tuesday the 19th. We'll open again when classes resume on Wednesday the 20th.

Top Games - Week of October 4th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Halo: Reach
2. NCAA Football 11
3. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
4. Fifa Soccer 11
5. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee (GameCube)
5. (tie) FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
7. Starcraft II
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
9. (tie) Golden Eye 007
9. (tie) Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64)

Yes, we now have Halo: Reach and NCAA Football 11. Which answers about 90% of the questions we get asked daily. Enjoy.

Just About Every Game System Ever

Courtesy of the Website Elder-Geek here's The Insane Console History Video 2.0, a long (over 23 minutes!) slide show of nearly every home video game system ever:


The Insane Console History Video 2.0 from Elder-Geek on Vimeo.

We obviously have a long way to go in the archive!

We Like to MOVE It (Move It!)

Last week we added the new PlayStation Move to the archive. The Move is the motion control system for the PS3, basically their answer to the Nintendo Wii, along with the bundled launch game Sports Champions (more Move-compatible games are on the way...)

My initial reactions are mixed. The Move controllers offer a great degree of accuracy and realism in the motion games, but sometimes at the expense of playability. Whereas with the Wii it is very easy to pick up and start playing, the Move requires a lot more practice to use. Of course, the real test of the Move will come as more games become available and developers get used to the new control system.

Top Games - Week of September 20th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Starcraft II
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee
4. (tie) Dante's Inferno
4. (tie) FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
6. (tie) NCAA Football 11
8. (tie) Metal Gear Solid 4
8. (tie) Fifa Soccer 09
10. Trauma Team

Happy 121st Birthday Nintendo!

On this day back in 1889 Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo in order to manufacture playing cards.

121 years later, it has all led to this:

Remembrance

Today we're here to mourn the passing of a good friend, who has been with us at the archive through hours and hours each day - through delighted cheers, pangs of terrible disappointment, and moments of rising up through nearly unbeatable odds and attempting the impossible.

A friend that has brought people together who never would have known each other except through a common interest, venturing forth through the awkward silences of strangers and bringing people together from all walks of life and majors in order to accomplish a common goal.

Fifa 10 disk, we salute you.

Surviving through the throngs of people who mishandle you each day, spinning patiently as people curse and belittle you for game errors that clearly have nothing to do with user error, we at the archive have watched from the sidelines, quietly admiring your determination and strength and wondering how long you were going to last. You are one of our first games to die of natural causes, not as a result of being dropped, scratched or abused (although you were, dear friend), but instead your sad end came from falling apart from old age and sheer use.

Your memory will stay in our hearts through many tests and trials as an inspiration for every obnoxious sports-game-loving group that comes in to skip class and play just one more game. At least till we replace you with Fifa 11, and then they probably won't think of you too often. But we will, we archive workers who have long called you friend.

Goodbye, Fifa 10 disk, goodbye.

Top Games - Week of September 13th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Starcraft II
2. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
2. (tie) Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
4. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
5. (tie) NCAA Football 11
7. (tie) God of War 3
7. (tie) Trauma Team
7. (tie) Gears of War 2
10. Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona 4

Trauma Team is getting ever more popular, and has some pretty great reviews, mostly praising how much more achievable it is in comparison to some of its more complicated predecessors. The stories behind some of the characters are fairly engaging as well.

Happy Belated Birthday, Mario!

I'm not sure how I missed this, but yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros. Although Mario appeared in games prior to Super Mario Brothers - 1981's Donkey Kong, 1982's Donkey Kong Junior (which featured Mario as a villain!), and 1983's Mario Bros. (which introduced Luigi) - it was Super Mario Bros. that made Mario world-famous and saved the video game industry. Prior to the release of Super Mario Bros., sales of consoles and games had collapsed, hurt by a glut of poorly made games from developers and publishers for systems like the Atari, Intellevision, and ColecoVision. Mario, along with the NES console it was packaged with, was largely responsible for the resurrection of the industry, which has persisted to this day.

In honor of this occasion, The Guardian's web site published a list of 25 facts about the portly plumber. See how many of them you are familiar with!

Top Games: Week of Sept. 6th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Starcraft II
2. (tie) Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. Super Smash Bros. Melee
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
5. (tie) FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
5. (tie) Fifa Soccer 10
8. Super Smash Bros.
9. (tie) Metal Gear Solid 4
9. (tie) Alan Wake

Rock Band-a-Palooza! - Tuesday

Rock Band-a-Palooza!

Tuesday, September 14 (During Northfest), 11am - 2pm.

In the Duderstadt Center Gallery.

Play Rock Band on a giant screen!

Sponsored by the MLibrary Computer & Video Game Archive.

Welcome Back to the CVGA!

The fall semester is back upon us, and so we return to our regular hours: Mon Noon- 9pm; Tue - Fri 10am - 9pm; Sat 1pm - 9pm (closed Sunday). Actually that's an expansion on our Saturday hours from last year, as we're now opening on Saturdays two hours earlier.

A new(-ish) face in the archive: Joe Dresch, who some of you may remember as our intern during hte summer of ’09, is now back with us to fill in for the departed Sarah. Joe will be the 'adult in charge' in the archive for a few hours every day, along with the returning Doug and Val. I may pop in from time to time, and you may see Ben filling in occasionally as well. Be kind to your helpful CVGA monitors!

We added many new games over the summer, so be sure to stop by and check them out. Remember that you can keep up on all of the games we add by following the RSS feed at http://www.lib.umich.edu/aael/feeds/aaelgames.xml

A lot of great new games will be arriving over the next few weeks/months, including Halo Reach, FIFA 11; Dead Rising 2; Call of Duty: Black Ops; Fable III; Fallout: New Vegas; LitteBigPlanet 2; Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II; Kirby's Epic Yarn; Epic Mickey; Rock Band 3; Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock; and more.

Speaking of Rock Band, we have another big-screen event planned: Tuesday Sept 14, during Northfest, in the Duderstadt Center Gallery. Drop on in and rock on!

Also coming up are the new motion systems for the PS3 (PlayStation Move) and the X-Box 360 (Kinect).

We have even more big plans in the works for the archive that I can't talk about quite yet, but believe me when I say they are exciting...!

Top Games - Week of August 30th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Super Monkey Ball
2. (tie) Lego Star Wars
2. (tie) Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
4. Fifa 06 Soccer
5. (tie) Super Mario Galaxy
5. (tie) Battletoads
5. (tie) Adventure
5. (tie) Adventure Collections, The
5. (tie) Boom Blox
5. (tie) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Quite a mix of different games in the interim before Fall classes started. And hardly any Fifa? Shocking.

Another Perspective on Violence and Video Games

With one of the top video game blogs dedicating this week to posts about gamers’ love affairs with guns, and with several bloggers in the past month or two also discussing violence in video games, I thought it was a good time to analyze what’s being said and how it differs from the usual take on video games and violence. Before I do that, though, I’d like to introduce myself.

Stereotypical Games for Girls - The Notable Games Edition

Since we recently had a young girl in the archive that had a lot of trouble finding something she wanted to play, I thought I'd devote a notable games post to showcase several of the 'girly' games that the archive offers for her age group. So be prepared to be pummeled with sugar and spice and everything nice:

1. Barbie: Still popular after all this time...
- Barbie Race & Ride (Playstation)
- Detective Barbie: The Mystery Cruise (Playstation)
- Horse Adventures: Wild Horse Rescue (Xbox)


2. Horses: Barbie's not the only one who can ride a horse like a pro:
- Lucinda Green's Equestrian Challenge (PC)
- My Horse & Me (Wii)
- Ultimate Games for Girls (PC)

3. Pets/Animals: Raise, groom, care for and compete with a myriad of animals:
- Animal Crossing (Gamecube)
- Calvin Tucker's Redneck Farm Animals Racing Tournament (Wii)
- Petz Sportz (Wii)
- Pet Pals: Animal Doctor (PC)


4. TV Shows, Movies & Other Media:
- Britney's Dance Beat (Playstation 2): Britney Spears. Yes, really.
- Hannah Montana (Nintendo DS)
- Kim Possible: What's the Switch? (Playstation 2)
- The Powerpuff Girls: Chemical X-Traction (Nintendo 64)

5. Classics: Disney, Princesses, & Pretty Things:
- Disney's Aladdin (Genesis)
- Enchanted Journey (PC)
- The Lion King (Super Nintendo)
- The Little Mermaid (Nintendo)
- Storyhour Fairytales (Wii)

Top Games - Week of August 23rd

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa 2010 World Cup South Africa
2. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
3. Starcraft II
4. Armored Core: For Answer
5. (tie) Little Big Planet
5. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
5. (tie) Virtua Tennis 3
5. (tie) Prince of Persia
9. (tie) Supreme Commander 2
9. (tie) Ace Combat 5

We are beginning to brainstorm ideas for our Fall tournament, so feel free to post any requests here.

Top Games - Week of Aug. 16th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. (tie) Starcraft II
1. (tie) Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
3. FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
4. Supreme Commander 2
5. (tie) Bayonetta
5. (tie) Racquet Sports
5. (tie) Gears of War 2
5. (tie) Halo 3
5. (tie) Super Street Fighter 4
10. Pokemon: Platinum

I don't really get the fascination with Bayonetta, but one guy likes it enough to put it on the top games list all by himself. Also, watching people play Racquet Sports is more amusing than it sounds.

Top Games - Week of Aug. 9th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
2. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
3. God of War 3
4. Supreme Commander 2
5. Bayonetta
6. Final Fantasy X
6. Starcraft II
8. Ace Combat 5
8. Assassin's Creed 2
8. Cricket 07

Not surprisingly, Fifa stays in the lead. But Final Fantasy X? Awesome.

New World of Warcraft Book from UofM Press

Our colleagues at the University of Michigan Press have released My Life as a Night Elf Priest: An Anthropological Account of World of Warcraft by Bonnie Nardi. Here's the blurb:

World of Warcraft is currently the most popular online world game on the planet, with more than 12 million subscribers—officially making it an online community of gamers that has more inhabitants than the state of Ohio and is almost twice as populous as Scotland. It's a massively multiplayer online game, or MMO in gamer jargon, where each person controls a single character inside a virtual world, interacting with other people's characters and computer-controlled monsters, quest-givers, and merchants.

In My Life as a Night Elf Priest, Bonnie Nardi, a well-known ethnographer who has published extensively on how theories of what we do intersect with how we adopt and use technology, compiles more than three years of participatory research in Warcraft play and culture in the United States and China into this field study of player behavior and activity. She introduces us to her research strategy and the history, structure, and culture of Warcraft; argues for applying activity theory and theories of aesthetic experience to the study of gaming and play; and educates us on issues of gender, culture, and addiction as part of the play experience. Nardi paints a compelling portrait of what drives gamers online both in this country and in China, where she spent a month studying players in Internet cafés.

Bonnie Nardi has given us a fresh look not only at World of Warcraft but at the field of game studies as a whole. One of the first in-depth studies of a game that has become an icon of digital culture, My Life as a Night Elf Priest will capture the interest of both the gamer and the ethnographer.

You can read the book online for free, or buy a copy of the print version if you prefer atoms to bits.

Medical training through video games

An article on the UMHS website explores how and why video games might help the new generation of medical students to excel in their preparations for becoming doctors - everything from helping them to choose their specialties to helping them learn how to perfect surgical incisions. View it here.

Top Games - Week of August 2nd

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
3. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. (tie) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
5. (tie) Starcraft II
5. (tie) Supreme Commander 2
7. Assassin's Creed 2
8. (tie) Left 4 Dead 2
8. (tie) Simpson's Game, The
8. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Top Games - Week of July 26th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
2. (tie) Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
4. (tie) Super Mario Galaxy 2
6. (tie) God of War 3
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. (tie) Supreme Commander 2
9. (tie) Dante's Inferno
9. (tie) Halo 3: ODST

Top Games - Week of July 19th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
4. (tie) FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
4. (tie) God of War 3
4. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
4. (tie) Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
8. (tie) Batman Arkham Asylum
8. (tie) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
8. (tie) Super Mario Galaxy 2

Top Games - Week of July 12th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10
2. FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
3. (tie) Luigi's Mansion
3. (tie) Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona 4
3. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
7. (tie) Bioshock
7. (tie) Borderlands
7. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
7. (tie) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Top Games - Week of July 5th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3. FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
4. (tie) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
4. (tie) NCAA Football 10 (PS3)
4. (tie) Pikmin
4. (tie) Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona 4
4. (tie) Super Mario Galaxy 2
9. (tie) Call of Duty World at War
9. (tie) Left 4 Dead 2

Sports Games & Physical Activity

A study involving the connection between physical activity and sports-related video games has been completed by the International Sports Marketing department at the Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales, who came to the conclusion that there is a correlation between the level of physical activity and sports games due to the fact that sports games tend to inspire people under the age of 21 to pursue the same sports in real life.

One thing I do know from watching people in the archive is that sports games do tend to inspire a heightened level of physical activity as players cheer on their team, pump their fists in the air, yell at the screen, and blame the game controls when things don't go the way they wanted it to. But they don't mention that in the study.

More information at Serious Games Source.

Top Games - Week of June 28th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. UFC Undisputed 2010
2. (tie) FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
2. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
4. (tie) Battle Stations: Pacific
4. (tie) Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona 4
4. (tie) Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm
4. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
8. (tie) Mario Kart 64
8. (tie) Shadows of the Empire
8. (tie) Crysis

Top Games - Week of June 21st

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
1. (tie) Tekken 6
3. (tie) MAG
3. (tie) Pikmin
3. (tie) FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) Super Mario Galaxy 2
8. (tie) Halo 3
8. (tie) Left 4 Dead 2

Goooooooooaaal!!!!

World Cup Fever is sweeping the nation, and the CVGA is no exception!

Those of you who follow this blog know that FIFA 10 has been one of our most popular games; so much so that the inner ring of the disc is starting to crack and deteriorate!

But did you know that we have many other soccer games in the archive as well?

Arriving today in the archive are two new games: 2010 FIFA World Cup. South Africa for the Xbox 360 and Pure Futbol : Authentic Soccer for the PS3.

For the Xbox 360 we also have: FIFA Street 3, FIFA 09, Pro Evolution Soccer 09, & UEFA 2008.

If you want some handheld soccer action, we have FIFA 09 for the PSP.

For the Wii we have FIFA 08.

If you prefer to manage a soccer team, we have Football Manager 2010 installed on our gaming PC.

Going back a generation, we have FIFA 06, Winning Eleven 8 and 2002 FIFA World Cup all for the original Xbox; and FIFA 02 for the GameCube.

On even older systems, you can play FIFA 96 on the Sega Genesis, or Mia Hamm Soccer 64 on the Nintendo 64.

And for some real old-school gaming action, we have World Cup Soccer on the Intellivision.

Maybe we should have a soccer day, where every gaming station in the archive is dedicated to one of our soccer games?

New Arrivals: The Notable Games Edition

Normally we have an RSS feed that does a fair job of alerting everyone whenever we get a new game in the archive, but recently there have been several arrivals that might deserve some added pomp and circumstance. So here are several games that have won the top spots in categories purely defined by me (Val):

Most sought after by a single user:
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
- For the one that has been asking about this game for months, that was the best celebration dance I've seen in years when this one hit our shelves.

Spent the most time uncataloged in our collection:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
- This game has been so popular, we made a special place for games by our desk that need to be cataloged but later, when the hype calms down a bit. But not to worry, it's now cataloged and ready to go.

Most unwieldy:
Tony Hawk: Ride (Xbox 360)
- After watching even one person play this one, I can tell that the skateboard controller is going to be one of the most awkward controllers to maneuver to date.

Best game intro:
God of War III (PS3)
- After watching the game's intro about a million times now, I can honestly tell you it's one of the niftiest intros I've seen in a long time. Guy the size of an ant (relatively speaking) invades Mt. Olympus and battles gigantic Greek gods. Sweet.

Most engaging title:
What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? 2 (PSP)
- Without knowing anything else about the game, the title is enough to spark anyone's curiosity.

I'm sure there will be more, but there's a start.

Top Games - Week of June 14th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
4. (tie) Crysis
4. (tie) Halo 3
4. (tie) Left 4 Dead 2
4. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) Battlefield: Bad Company 2
9. (tie) MAG
10.(tie) Star Wars Jedi Outcast: Jedi Knight 2

Article at ConcentrateMedia.com

Our friendly neighborhood video game librarian, Dave, was featured in an article at ConcentrateMedia.com, where he explains how the archive started and where it might be headed.

Check it out here.

Game Room Closed Next Week

The game room of the Computer & Video Game Archive will be closed next week. We will reopen with our regular summer hours on Monday June 14.

Top Games - Week of May 24th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. Halo 3
4. NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
5. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
5. (tie) Call of Duty World at War
5. (tie) Left 4 Dead
8. (tie) Super Paper Mario
8. (tie) Super Smash Bros.
8. (tie) Plants vs. Zombies

Top Games - Week of May 17th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. (tie) MAG
3. (tie) NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
5. (tie) Left 4 Dead
5. (tie) Metal Gear Solid 3
7. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
7. (tie) Halo 3
7. (tie) Just Cause 2
10. Battlezone

Play Pac-Man on Google's Logo!

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Pac-Man, for the next two days Google has transformed its logo into a playable version of Pac-Man.

Update: While it is no longer on their home page, Google is still making their Pac-Man logo game available at http://www.google.com/pacman/

Game development picking up steam at UM-Flint

UM-Flint offers a game development track in their Computer Science program, which is picking up steam amongst other departments, such as their Nursing program, where they are using educational games to teach their students. Students from a number of departments are getting involved in the game development, including the Computer Science, Nursing, Biology, Communication and Visual Arts departments.

Read more here.

Top Games - Week of May 10th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. (tie) Call of Duty World at War
1. (tie) Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
3. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. (tie) Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. (tie) MAG
4. (tie) NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
7. (tie) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
7. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
7. (tie) Dante's Inferno
7. (tie) Supreme Commander 2

Top Games - Week of May 3rd

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Left 4 Dead
3. (tie) NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
3. (tie) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
5. (tie) Assassin's Creed 2
5. (tie) New Super Mario Bros.
7. (tie) Ace Combat 5
7. (tie) Gears of War 2
7. (tie) Mario Kart Wii
7. (tie) Mario Party 7

CVGA article on AnnArbor.com

The CVGA is featured in an article today on AnnArbor.com: "University of Michigan Computer and Video Game Archive offers old-school gaming experience"

Top Games - Week of Apr. 26th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Halo 3: ODST
3. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. (tie) Assassin's Creed 2
4. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
6. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
6. (tie) Crysis
6. (tie) Empire Total War
6. (tie) Gears of War 2
6. (tie) Mario Kart Wii

Video Games as Art?

The author of 8bitlibrary.com gives his opinion on the recent discussion, debated in various areas of the press, regarding the question, "do video games count as art?"

Join the discussion here.

Boy Scouts & Video Games

Cnet has the scoop on two new Boy Scout awards (a belt loop and an academic pin) relating to video games: "Boy Scouts to get video game awards"

Top 10 Games - Week of Apr. 19th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa Soccer 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. MAG
4. (tie) Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
6. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
6. (tie) NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
9. (tie) Golden Eye 007
9. (tie) Supreme Commander 2

Summer Hours & a Farewell

After today we move to summer hours in the archive: Noon - 7pm, Mon - Fri.

Also, we say goodbye to Sarah Raezler, one of our student workers, who is graduating with her MSI. Congratulations Sarah!

2-Story Rock Band Rocked!

We had a great time Tuesday afternoon at the 2-Story Rock Band event!





The staff of the Video & Performance Studio did a fantastic job setting up the space. In addition to the giant screen behind the performers, there were two large side screens and a monitor screen showing the game, plus two cameras projecting live feeds of the players on large screens as well. With the lighting effects and big sound, it was a Rock Band experience like no other!



Several groups of students came by to rock out. They remarked what a great experience it was. Talent level ranged from newbie to expert, but everyone had fun.





We'll definitely plan on doing it again; we're looking at possibly sometime during fall orientation.



There are more pictures on the CVGA Facebook page. If you are one of the players, contact us at video.games@umich.edu and we can send you a high-quality photo of your group. Also, the staff in the video studio recorded video of all of the performances; if you contact us we can put you in touch with them to get a copy of your performance.

Top Games - Week of Apr. 12th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
5. Golden Eye 007
6. MAG
7. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
7. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
7. (tie) Warcraft 3
10. Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Top Games - Week of Apr 5th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Melee
3. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
6. (tie) MAG
6. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
6. (tie) Tales of Vesperia
9. (tie) Assassin's Creed 2
9. (tie) New Super Mario Bros.

2-Story Rock Band: April 20th

Tuesday, April 20th (the last day of classes), 4-6pm.

2-Story Rock Band in the Duderstadt Center Video & Performance Studio.

Play Rock Band on a giant screen!

Top Games - Week of Mar. 29th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Final Fantasy XIII
2. Super Smash Bros. Melee
3. (tie) In the Zone 98
3. (tie) Too Human
5. (tie) Assassin's Creed 2
5. (tie) Battlefield: Bad Company 2
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
5. (tie) Grid
5. (tie) Top Spin
10. Call of Duty World at War

Video Games Studies Guide

We've published a new LibGuide for Video Game Studies. It covers "the academic analysis of various aspects of computer, console, arcade, and Internet games," from both social science and humanities perspectives.

This guide was created by Ben Nanamaker, one of our University Library Associates here at the AAEL.

DLC in the CVGA

Not all of our games in the CVGA can be found on the shelves. We've purchased a handful of downloadable-only games for the PS3 & Xbox 360 that can be played on our systems—no disc required!

PS3 station 1:

• Burn Zombie Burn (shooter, 1 or 2 players)
• echochrome (puzzle, 1 player)
• Everyday Shooter (shooter, 1 player)
• Flower (adventure, 1 player)
• flOw (action, 1 or 2 players)

Xbox 360 station 2:

• Braid (puzzle platformer, 1 player)
• Crystal Quest (arcade, 1 player)
• DOOM (shooter, 1 player)
• Hexic HD (puzzle, 1 player)
• MEGA MAN 9 (platformer, 1 player)
• Rez HD (rail shooter, 1 player)
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (fighting, 1 or 2 players)
• Worms (artillery, 1 player - up to 4 players online)

On the PS3 you'll find the games under the Game menu. On the Xbox 360, go to: My Xbox -> Game Library -> Collections -> Full Games.

Top Games - Week of Mar 22nd

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
4. (tie) Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. (tie) Mass Effect
6. Persona 4
7. (tie) Heavy Rain
7. (tie) Need for Speed: Underground 2
7. (tie) NHL 09
7. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee

Final results for the Retro game tournament

The final results are in, and here are the winners:

1st: Kevin Michael Dempsey 
2nd: Shao-Ming (Simon) Huang
3rd: Isaiah Hines
4th: Cesar Parra

Top scoring competitors for each game are:
Duck Hunt: Cesar Parra
Battlezone: Kevin Michael Dempsey
Ms. Pacman: Isaiah Hines
Space Invaders: Kevin Michael Dempsey
Tetris: Isaiah Hines
Donkey Kong: Kevin Michael Dempsey

Congratulations again, and thanks to all who participated!

Hidden Gems

I'm a HUGE fan of the DS as a gaming platform, possibly because it hosts my all time favorite game series: Professor Layton. Even beyond Layton and his sidekick Luke there are a whole range of really awesome DS games like Scribblenauts, Hotel Dusk, and Rhythm Heaven (all of which we have at the archive). But today I want to talk about Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. It's actually the third in the Mario & Luigi RPG series that first appeared on the Game Boy Advanced in 2003. Playing as either Mario and Luigi (in tandem) or as Bowser you battle Lord Fawful, the villain of the piece. Fawful says the most epic things, most notably "I HAVE CHORTLES" but there are many other gems like "Oh, I am feeling the power! It high-fives Fawful's face!" and "I have uneasiness...Bowser keeps appearing like an ugly rabbit from the hat of a magician who stinks!" Hilarious.

This game takes advantage of many features of the DS, including using both the top and bottom screen, the microphone, and the stylus. The game play is turn-based battles mixed up with platforming elements in between. The story takes place both outside in the Mushroom Kingdom and inside Bowser's Body (hence the title). I took this game with me on a recent bus trip out to DC and back and I was totally absorbed in it both ways until the battery died. There is plenty of genuine humor, a lot of cheese and some really solid game play to keep you going. I've clocked about 30 hours with the game in total over the course of the semester and would recommend it to anyone with a DS.

Update on the Retro Game Tournament

Our retro game tournament took place during all of last week, and ended rather dramatically in a tie for 1st as well as 3rd place. Top overall scorers are:

Kevin Michael Dempsey (35 pts.)
Shao-Ming (Simon) Huang (35 pts.)
Isaiah Hines (30 pts.)
Cesar Parra (27 pts.)
Weslie Tigner (27 pts.)

The 4 competitors that are tied will be asked to come back in this week for our tie breaker: Donkey Kong for Colecovision. Results will be posted as soon as they are tallied up.

Top scoring competitors for each game are:
Duck Hunt: Cesar Parra
Battlezone: Kevin Michael Dempsey
Ms. Pacman: Isaiah Hines
Space Invaders: Kevin Michael Dempsey
Tetris: Isaiah Hines

Congratulations and thanks to all who participated!

Top Games - Week of Mar 15th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa 10 (Xbox 360)
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
4. Super Smash Bros. Melee
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam)
5. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
5. (tie) Persona 4
9. Call of Duty World at War
10. Heavy Rain

Study on violent video games and children

A paper was recently published in the March 2010 issue of the Psychological Bulletin documenting a study done on the effects of violent video games on children. One of the contributors was Prof. Bushman of UM.

Some of the conclusions reached in the paper are as follows: "We believe that debates can and should finally move beyond the simple question of whether violent video game play is a causal risk factor for aggressive behavior; the scientific literature has effectively and clearly shown the answer to be “yes.” Instead, we believe the public policy debate should move to questions concerning how best to deal with this risk factor. Public education about this risk factor—and about how parents, schools, and society at large can deal with it—could be very useful (171).

The paper can be accessed by university affiliates through this link.

Hidden Gems

On our shelves we have around 1400 titles available for your gaming pleasure. And having worked at the CVGA since we opened in August 2008 I feel confident enough to say that if we took out Halo, Call of Duty, Smash, Fifa and NCAA Football people would have no idea what to play. I intend to use this space to introduce (and hopefully sell you on) some of the very awesome games we have in our collection that rarely get any play time.

For example, House of the Dead: Overkill, a Wii-exclusive rail shooter, and surprise hit of last year. It’s an over-the-top, gore- fest balanced with humor and style done very much in the spirit of Robert Rodriquez’s Grindhouse. SEGA rebooted the House of the Dead franchise in an attempt to introduce a 'hardcore' gaming title for the Wii and to that end I think they succeeded. The game is hilarious, as in I've honestly never laughed so hard at a game in my life (and I'll tell you that working here I've seen a lot of games). So if you play this game, please, please watch the cut scenes! Recognized both by Yahtzee (of Zero Punctuation fame at http://tinyurl.com/yc9rz5u) as being one of the best games of 2009 and by the Guinness Book of World Records for dubious honor of breaking the record for most swearing in a video game (http://tinyurl.com/ybuna8j) it’s a game you don’t want to miss if you’re a fan of the zombie genre, shooters, or are just looking for something more interesting than Mario or Smash on the Wii.

Top Games - Week of Mar 8th

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Fifa 10
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. Assassin's Creed 2
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC)
7. Call of Duty World at War
8. (tie) Halo 3: ODST
8. (tie) NHL 09   
8. (tie) NHL 10 

Views Around the Archive: What 1400 Games Look Like

In addition to Val's post, I thought I'd post a more head on of our wall:

That's around 1400 games, from Atari to Xbox 360, from 1978 to present.

Looking back

It's been almost 2 years since the archive first opened, when our game selection was a little limited:

Now we have a few more games, and our shelves look a little less barren:

It's amazing how quickly collections can grow.

Register Now for Retro Gaming Tournament

Now is the time to register for next week's Retro Gaming Tournament; details at http://tinyurl.com/retro-cvga

Game Over Art Show Preview

Wired.com has images from this weekend's Game Over 3 art show in San Francisco: "Classic Videogames Mutate in Game Over Art Show"

Welcome New Contributors!

Today I welcome three new contributors to Eaten by a Grue.

Val Waldron is the manager of the Computer & Video Game Archive, and Doug Carmichael & Sarah Raezler are our two student workers.

Val, Doug & Sarah will be posting on topics relating to the archive, offering their unique perspectives on what it is like to work in one of the few academic game archives in the world.

As a bonus, you'll probably be getting updates to the blog much more frequently now :)

More information about the CVGA

As a reminder, further information about the CVGA can be found at its main website:
http://www.lib.umich.edu/computer-video-game-archive

You can also find information such as our archive use policy, FAQ, and procedures for reserving stations at the archive here:
http://guides.lib.umich.edu/cvga

Top Games - Week of Feb 22

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. FIFA 10
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
3. Halo 3: ODST
4. Assassin's Creed 2
5. (tie) Gears of War 2
5. (tie) Mass Effect
5. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) Battlezone
8. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam, not ours)
8. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee

Retro Gaming Tournament in March

The Retro Gaming Tournament will be here soon!

Ms. Pac-Man! Asteroids! Battlezone! Duck Hunt! Tetris!

Register: March 8-13
Play: March 15-20

Details online at http://tinyurl.com/retro-cvga

Top Games - Week of Feb 15

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. FIFA 10
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. Assassin's Creed 2
4. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
4. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam, not ours)
4. (tie) FIFA 09
7. New Super Mario Bros.
8. Tatsunoko vs Capcom
9. (tie) Call of Duty World at War
9. (tie) Halo 3: ODST

Brief Links

Atlantic Monthly has a short piece on the state of video game preservation: "Pac Rat."

APM's Future Tense podcast talks to a Dante scholar about the video game Dante's Inferno: "Dante scholar considers new video game based on the Inferno."

Top Games - Week of Feb 8

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. FIFA 10
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
4. NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
5. (tie) Assassin's Creed 2
5. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC via Steam, not ours)
7. New Super Mario Bros.
8. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee
8. (tie) Tekken 6
10. MAG

What Happens to Old Web Games?

John Scalzo (of the Video Game Librarian blog) has a nice article over on Gaming Target called "Bejeweled Blitz and the Disappearing Web Games." In it, John talks about the difficulty in preserving Web games when the developer is not longer interested in making them available.

Top Games - Week of Feb 1

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. FIFA 10
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. DJ Hero
5. (tie) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
5. (tie) Mario Kart DoubleDash
7. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Steam, not ours)
7. (tie) New Super Mario Bros.
9. (tie) Call of Duty World at War
9. (tie) Darksiders

Top Games - Week of Jan 25

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. Call of Duty World at War
3. FIFA 09
4. (tie) FIFA 08
4. (tie) FIFA 10
4. (tie) Halo 3
4. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) DJ Hero
8. (tie) Gunstar Heroes
8. (tie) Super Mario World

Goodbye Productivity...

The Jay is Games Website has published their list of the Best of 2009 Casual Games.

I'm already obsessed with the #1 Flash Puzzle Game, Continuity...

Upcoming Tournaments

We are currently planning for two tournaments this semester:

The first will be in mid-March, and will be a Retro Games tournament. This will be a 'silent' tournament like our fall racing tournament, but will focus on games from the 70s & 80s.

The second will be a Rock Band tournament, staged in the Duderstadt Center's Video Studio. Groups will participate as bands (guitar, bass, drums & singer) with the game displayed on the studio's two-story tall screen. We've scheduled this tournament for the evening of April 20 (the last day of classes).

More details on these two tournaments as we figure them out...

Top Games - Week of Jan 18

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. Call of Duty World at War
3. Fifa 09
4. (tie) Fifa 08
4. (tie) Fifa 10
4. (tie) Halo 3
4. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
8. (tie) DJ Hero
8. (tie) Gunstar Heroes
8. (tie) Super Mario World

Top Games - Week of Jan 11

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. (tie) FIFA 10
2. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. NCAA Football 10 for Xbox 360
5. Halo 3: ODST
6. (tie) Battlezone
6. (tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for PC (Steam, not ours)
8. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
9. (tie) NCAA Football 10 for PS3
9. (tie) Super Smash Bros. for N64

Top Games - Week of Jan 4

Here are the top ten games played in the archive last week:

1. Halo 3: ODST
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3 (tie). FIFA 10
3 (tie). NCAA Football 10 (Xbox 360)
5. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
6 (tie). Ace Combat 5
6 (tie). Metal Gear Solid 2
6 (tie). NHL 09
6 (tie). Street Fighter IV
6 (tie). Super Smash Bros. Brawl