The Official Weblog of Nathaniel Bailey

You should consider playing online bingo because in addition to being a fun and social activity, you could make money playing online. Many people have won money by playing online bingo. It won’t happen every time you play, but if you keep playing consistently, chances are you will win money at some point.

Playing Bingo At Home

Playing online bingo from the comfort of your own home is a fun and convenient way to win money without having to leave your house. Travelling can cost money and be potentially dangerous. It is much easier and safer to just stay home and play bingo online. In addition to giving yourself the chance to win money, you can also enjoy the game with other people who enjoy it as well. This will allow you to meet and interact with people that you are guaranteed to have something in common with.

Winning Money In Online Bingo

To have the best shot at winning money you need to make sure you are always paying attention to your game. Since online bingo games can’t be paused, plan your bathroom time and snack time carefully. Lock the doors to the room you are in, close the windows and even turn off your phone, TV, and radio. Doing these things will leave you with nothing to concentrate on but the game at hand.

When looking for a game room in which to play online bingo in the hopes of winning money, you want to find a game room that is offering a jackpot to the grand prizewinner. At the same time, look for a game room that isn’t full to capacity. The fewer players that are in the room with you the better your chances of winning money are.

Another thing that will increase your odds of winning money is to play with the highest number of cards you can play while still fully paying attention to your game. If you are new to playing bingo, start out with one card and slowly work your way up to multiple cards per game.

Playing bingo online can net you winnings of between $50 and $100 per game. This applies to regular games and not jackpot games. Some of the online sites that run jackpot games pay out as much as $1,000, 000. Some websites offer as much as $50K to jackpot winners of online bingo games.

One last strategy you can use to increase your odds of winning is to choose individual bingo cards in which the numbers in the first column are all very low. Try to avoid cards that have higher numbers, as they are not as likely to be called.

Using these strategies and tips will give you a better shot at winning money while playing online bingo. It is possible to win large amounts of money if you really know how to play the game. A combination of skill and luck will help you enjoy your bingo games and give you chances to win.

Author Bio:
Victoria is a freelance writer who likes to find new ways to make money online. One was she has been exploring is to make money playing online games.

It is amazing to see the transformation of mobile technology thanks to efforts by powerhouse Apple. The iPhone has become so much more than just the latest cellular device. People can run their entire lives from their phones these days, and it seems only a matter of time before that integration becomes as natural as computer use is for most of us.

One unexpected area where they excelled was gaming. The use of mobile devices for games has increased to such a degree that the graphics are nearly as good as they would be on a console. Which is quite a feat, when you consider the speed at which that evolution took place.

When it comes to iPhone games, who are the best representations for the genre? Here are ten awesome iPhone game mascots you will almost certainly recognize.

1. Angry Birds

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Smash hit Angry Birds is probably the most popular game to hit a mobile device since Tetris. Fun, satisfying and addictive, you see the merchandise everywhere these days. Everyone just seems to love those pissed off flying feather balls. Their mascots are the birds themselves – and to a lesser degree, the pigs they fight – and they can be seen on anything from tshirts to bumper stickers.

2. Jelly Defense

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Who knew a blog of red goo with one eye could be so loveable? Jelly defense is a great game, with some fantastic levels that are really fun to play. Especially if you are a fan of Tower Defense games, though this one is more like a reverse version of that concept. As for the little jelly people, they are adorable!

3. Pussy Flip

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Humorously questionable name aside, this puzzle game features a couple of cute, wide eyed kitties that are impossible not to like. Bright orange or blue, they even have those giant anime looking eyes we see so commonly from cute things.

4. Mouse About Lite

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Not so into cats? Well, how about mice? You play the part of Marv, who just wants to indulge in his passion: food. But he is faced with a couple of obstacles, like a cat who wants him for his own dinner, and a lot of non-edible items laying about like screws and nails. This is the lite version, but the mascot is so great you will want to keep playing on the real thing.

5. Jetpack Joyride

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It is hard not to assume a character is awesome when he has a name like ‘Barry Steakfries’. But when that character is flying with a jetpack, the cool level goes through the roof. The creators of Fruit Ninjas also made this game, so it is no wonder they made such a likeable hero.

6. Plants VS Zombies

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If you are like me, you are sick to death of zombies thanks to the last several years and the craze surrounding them. But that won’t make you any less fond of the undead or their botanical nemesis in this popular game.

7. Rolando 2

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Rolando is one of the most popular iPhone game franchises on the market. With their return in Quest For The Golden Orchid, you get to play with that same mass of bouncy ball characters that you fell in love with the first time.

8. Doodle Jump

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Doodle The Doodler looks to me a bit like Woodstock with a vuvuzela. But don’t hold that against him. He is the coolest graph-jumper this side of the web. You control him as he jumps upward and gathers items along the way, like propeller hats, jetpacks and avoids the evils of UFO’s, monsters and other enemies.

9. Toki Tori

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Toki Tori is an egg. With eyes. And a a tail. OK, he isn’t an egg, but he looks like one, and he is the cutest wannabe egg you could ever find. You help him solve puzzles using an arsenal of weapons and items, making your way across a creative landscape filled with obstacles.

10. Bookworm

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It always surprises me to find this on the iPhone. Bookworm is a character from a long running series of educational PC games that help children in the Pre-K-1st grade level learn to read. Now, he is on your device to help your kids learn in the same way.

Who are your favorite iPhone game mascots? Let us know in the comments!

Michele is an entertainment blogger for Dobovo, the free tool based in Ukraine.

Look up any gaming website online, and you will find a plethora of free shooting games on offer. They are amongst the most popular games on each online gaming website, and come in all avatars – archery, sniper shooting, war games, cannon launching, tank wars, gangster or mafia themed games, aerial shooting games, and many more besides. Why are these games so popular? Because they take players back to childhood days spent outdoors playing with air guns, BB guns, airsoft guns and the like.

Every adult male in today’s world can remember the thrill of owning a BB gun as a little boy – a toy which gave him carte blanche to use any object for target practice, be it a bird, a tree or a flowerpot. For the uninitiated, it needs to be mentioned that owning an air gun that actually shot real pellets was the ultimate cool thing for any boy while playing war games or ‘Soldier’ – way better than a silly plastic gun that makes nothing more than a ‘pew-pew’ noise!

Airsoft or BB guns

Airsoft guns made their appearance some years after BB guns, and use plastic, rather than metal pellets as ammunition. Kids these days continue to experience the delight of shooting at random objects, except they are now shooting with pellets that do less physical damage and are thus safer. Airsoft guns are also used in paintball, one of the most addictive, high-octane adventure sports of today, demonstrating that the appeal of shooting at a moving target will never wane.

This is why online games that simulate shooting – first person shooter games in particular – are so popular. The more realistic the experience, the more hits a game will acquire. While arcade, sport, strategy and action games are all popular categories on online gaming portals, shooting games form an overwhelming majority of the most-played games.

Shoot and win games

While free online gaming sites see large amounts of traffic on its shooting games pages, there is an entire industry that caters to multiplayer online shooting games with high-quality graphics, special features, and a carefully crafted storyline – so much so that creators of shooter games on PCs and other video game players have launched online versions of their games so that players all over the world can log in and relive their BB gun-toting childhoods in a digital world.

Virtual games offering real-world experience

Online gaming platforms with integration into gaming systems will let users use motion-detection software and hand-held controllers to really immerse themselves in the world of the shooting game. Video games have already picked up on this format, with team and single player games that come with their own life-size gun controllers with realistic weight and recoil, which players can shoot by pointing at the screen, and which need to be periodically reloaded by way of a sequence of actions. It is only a matter of time before online gaming portals offer shooting games that will make players feel as if they are actually shooting an airsoft gun or BB rifle during gameplay.

Lily is an expert associated with Cheap BB Guns, which is a one-stop shop for high-quality BB guns and airsoft guns, available at cheap prices. Shoppers get freebies and other exciting offers along with their purchases.

Video games for a long time have been the domain of the geek, but that hasn’t stopped them being fair game for the movie industry. There are a few titles out there that pitched themselves at the geek and beyond by embracing the computer wizardry and trends of their time. Admittedly some have done more successfully than others, and these five are a collection of the best.

War Games

Genius. A young Matthew Broderick brings the world to the brink of World War III using only a BBC Micro, or something similar. A warning about the dangers of A.I delivered in 1983, pretty impressive stuff. Admittedly viewing it today the effects are, shall we say, nostalgic? Nevertheless the film does contain the first cinematic reference to ‘Firewall’, which is super cool.

The Last Star Fighter

This is a dream for kids in the 80s. Basically a kid called Alex is stuck in small town America passes his tedious evenings playing a video arcade. As it turns out though the arcade is actually a recruitment operation for an alien star fleet. As it plays out the result is that Al is left to stop alien overlords taking over the universe. Interestingly this was the first movie to produce all its effects on computer.

Gamer

Gamer is a more modern entry that takes the joy of virtual online first person shooters (fps) to the next level. In a disturbing twist, players are able to control other humans in a shoot out to the death. It’s a fairly straight-forward Running Man type plot, but with plenty of fps lore thrown in to keep the fans engaged.

Tron

There are men in glowing circuit board suits! The plot actually sees a hacker turned into a data flow inside a computer. Very cool. And this is matched by the rather nifty geometric graphics too. Interesting fact alert, the video games based on the movie actually made more cash than the source material.

The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters

Documentary brilliance King of Kong tracks the titanic struggle of retro gamers to become the greatest Donkey Kong player of all time. It sounds a little dull I’ll admit. What it actually is equates to cinematic gold. Amazing!

Bonus: Mallrats.

Mallrats is only a bonus as the videogame sequence isn’t integral, as such, to the plot. However watching Jason Lee Sega it up on EA Sports NHL Hockey is a treat for anyone who played the classic sports simulator, “Breakfast, schmreckfast!”

When not gaming hard on his Megadrive Ted West writes and researches all sorts of geeky gifts for Find Me A Gift, the online home of the gift ideas people.

FIFA 12 is designed by EA Sports, the brand of Electronic Arts that is responsible for creating and developing video games related to sports. NHL, NBA, NFL, NASCAR, etc. are some of the other famous games created by EA Sports. FIFA 12, a continuation of the FIFA series contains line-ups, transfers and other details based on the real-world happenings as per the 2011-2012 football season. The game features classic play, “Be a Pro” and “Be a Pro Goalkeeper”, a new addition to the series.

FIFA 12 – Gameplay

For months after the release of FIFA 11, EA Sports had been pondering making changes to three major match mechanics – the engine of player impact, the new option of tactical defending and close control. Well, play FIFA 12 and you’ll notice they were serious about it! The changes made to the defensive aspect of the game have made it harder than the versions before. Press the ‘A’ button to slide tackle in 12 and you might just see a red card hurled in your face! The game itself has been made more realistic and the fans in the stadiums look much better than they did over the years.

The players have been updated to their latest looks. Their movement is much more accurate, precise and life-like. The stats of the players are also pretty much accurate as per the start of the season. Transfers and rosters are also up to date.

FIFA 12 – Features

If you’re playing alone, the career mode is the best feature of the game. You can take charge of any club you may wish to and lead them to glory. Each club has a set of objectives when it comes to league and cup competitions. You will have to achieve them or at least come close to it if you want to keep your job at the end of the season. The season will go on as it does in the real world, with fixtures of the league games being exactly the same as in the 2011-2012 calendar.

A couple of interesting features have been added to the career mode. Firstly, you can release comments in the in-game press and tell the media of what you think about your team or the team you are going to be facing in the near future. Secondly, your players will communicate with you if they are having any issues. Say you’re the ‘manager’ of Milan and you keep Robinho on the bench as a substitute for either Pato or Ibra, he may request you to give him some more playing time. If you frustrate him with the lack of match time, he may warm you about handing in a transfer request. To keep him at the club and fill the role that he is employed for, you may have to start playing him more often and probably offer him a good contract with a high salary and bonuses for his goals and assists.

The “Be a Pro Goalkeeper” is a completely new feature in the FIFA series and has been found appealing to most fans. You can now control a goalkeeper, make saves and move in and out of the penalty area if you will. It’s very much like “Be a Pro”, except that you can be the keeper!

Verdict

FIFA 12 is a cut above the rest of the previous versions of the game. The gameplay and measures taken to make it real has really paid off. After just four months of its release, it was reported to be highest selling game of all time. The tricks that can be performed and the increasing difficulty of defending have made it complex. The level of competition is much higher and a lapse in concentration is all it takes to concede a goal and pull your hair out! Real world commentators like Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend add to the action. Like Clive says, “Concentrate and consolidate”!

Author Bio:

Penny Cooper is a writer by profession and likes to blog about her varied interests. She represents BB gun and Airsoft Sniper online store.

If your heart races as you plan your next 10 moves on the chess board, online strategy games can offer the same thrill.

From role playing fantasy games to realistic military campaigns, the digital world is waiting for a new strategic genius. To accept the challenge, try one or more of these online strategy games:

1. Tower Defense Games

In this popular online strategy game, the player defends his realm from a variety of enemies by placing towers in the best spot to deflect their attack. Depending on your interests and skill level, a wide variety of Tower Defense games can be found. Some are very simple, but others include a complicated set of levels, powers, and points.

When learning how to maze, take care! Mazing, the popular term for playing these online strategy games, is a well-known and growing addiction!

2. Temple of Elemental Evil

If you fondly remember the days when Dungeons and Dragons ruled the role-playing game arena, you’ll feel like you just discovered a long, lost friend when you see the Temple of Elemental Evil game come to life. While this game could use a little more content, the colorful graphics and combat system earn this turn-based strategy game a place on this list.

3. Caesary Online

History fans might say that the building of the Roman Empire was one of the greatest feats of strategy to ever attempt complete world domination. Caesary is a free online strategy game that allows you to control the next move in building the Roman Empire. Who knows? Maybe under your control, Rome will never burn in a day!

4. TransForce

For a futuristic take on the strategy game, take control of a legion of robots in TransForce. If your favorite units see a little battle damage, save them for spare parts. They’ll come in handy when you build your very own transformer to create a new mechanical soldier. This game can be played straight from the browser with no downloads or installations. So, what’s stopping you?

5. Ikariam

What’s better than a sunny, white-sand beach beside a turquoise sea? How about your own Greek kingdom? Lead your people to a new era of wealth and discovery from your tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. If your strategy skills are top-notch, you’ll take this ancient civilization to new levels!

6. Khan Wars

In this role-playing game, you’ll enter the time of the famous Khans. Remember, Genghis was only the most famous in this line of strategic masters. As you re-live history, decide which of the nine different nations you’d prefer to call home. Other options include multiple battle and siege units, buildings, and skill levels. Complete against a multitude of international players to become the ruler of this digital world!

7. X-Com: UFO Defense

If you’re bored with ruling the world, try defending the universe for a while. Lead the troops of X-Com as they defend the Earth from the Xenos, evil aliens from Mars.

Once you try an online strategy game, you’ll never want to look at another board game!

Jessy is a tech geek blogging for Life Insurance Finder, the free app to find top life insurance plans.

Do you have any plans this Sunday the 29^th of January at say around 10am EST? If you’re free and feeling lucky you could be one of a 1000 people participating in a gaming World Record attempt. The Swedish tech company MuchDifferent is hosting the largest FPS (First Person Shooter) game ever attempted to demo their server load balancing software.

The game is simply called Man Vs Machine and in essence, that is what its premise is. It is as simples as the name sounds. FPS games in this day in age are all about amazing graphics and impressive physic engines, but all of these things are taking a back seat. The goal is to run a single session of a 1000 players (500 vs 500) smoothly with as little to no lag as possible. If successful, it will prove that their new server solutions can change the way future FPS games handle server loads. Any gamer who plays FPS games knows how detrimental server lag can be, even when it’s a small 6 vs 6 game. This could be our answer and salvation.

MuchDifferent is not a game developer; they are actually a non-profit organization looking to provide game changing solutions in many different fields. They describe themselves as being devoted to the development of “over-the-top technology.” When asked why they would spend so much time and effort for a one-time event, they simple said “because we could.”

Teams will be split into two groups. The first group is the gamers or “Man,” which is anyone who is passionate about gaming. The second group, or “Machines,” is anyone in the game development field, professional and hobbyists alike. Assuming their servers don’t burst into flames, it should be quite an interesting event.

Slots for the game will be on a first come first serve basis, however, you can buy a ticket to guarantee yourself a spot in advance. Tickets are being sold by Engineers Without Borders – Stockholm, a non-profit humanitarian organization helping to develop water, power, sanitation, and transport infrastructure to improve quality of life and access to education and economic development in developing communities around the world. This means that all the earnings will go straight to the organization.

As a gamer, I’m really looking forward to the sheer size of this event and can’t wait for the level of chaos and mayhem that only 1000 players could achieve. I wish everyone luck in securing your spot and hope to see you on the battlefield.

Duke Dudley is a travel writer from Portland, Maine. He recommends 1-800-Fly-Europe for your future flights to London.

With a huge rise in the past decade of new interactive gaming consoles, we’re taking part in more activities than ever – and all without leaving our living room! One of the main contributors to this craze is Music Gaming. Music gaming lets you sit in the comfort of your front room, pick up a prop (designed to look like a particular instrument) and play along to your favourite tracks.

You don’t need to be a music reader to do any of the above either – taking for example one of the most famed versions of music gaming (Guitar Hero) you simply have to coordinate your movements to the movement of coloured dots on the screen. Granted: I did just simplify the process of guitar hero down hugely – but that’s the jist at the very core of the instructions.

At the core of my discussion here though, is how beneficial are these games? Is it really worth spending hours upon hours every evening strumming a fake guitar – when you could be spending those hours strumming a real guitar and building a genuine skill? Do games like this encourage people to pick up a real guitar or is it the ultimate fantasy game for the ultimate wannabe musician (who perhaps is too lazy to start from scratch and would rather just opt for the short-cut). Would you rather your child be learning a real instrument (and then joining a real band) or would you rather them be sat on the sofa staring at a TV screen for three hours?

It comes down to what our priorities are. Maybe real instruments aren’t as fashionable as a fake guitar with neon buttons – but I still refuse to believe that music gaming could ever eclipse the real thrill of picking up an instrument and playing your favourite song for the first time with no mistakes. And on another note – no rock star ever sold a platinum album because he got an “Awesome!” rating on Guitar Hero.

But let us not judge people who own music gaming, it’s hugely fun and enjoyable, especially when played in big groups. Extra points for hilarity when alcohol is also involved. That’s what the game was made for and how the producers meant it to be enjoyed. But how long can the novelty actually last?

With huge brand consoles like Xbox polishing their Kinect gaming software to perfection, it’s only a matter of time before they bring out a new kind of gaming software which can rival and possibly demolish the Guitar hero era of gaming. Take for example “Just Dance” on the Wii – sure it isn’t strictly music gaming but it’s popularity have overshadowed that of Guitar Hero in the last few months – so is this a sign of things to come?

About the Author: Ellie-Rose Williams writes for goseethem.com, a UK ticketing site covering events, festivals and gigs from artists such as The Stone Roses and Ed Sheeran.

Modern Warfare 3 carries forwards the events of its precursor, Modern Warfare 2. It dives right into a chaotic world, which is on the verge of breaking into World War 3. Markov, a Russian tyrant does his best to drive you insane. The storyline is a compilation of deceit, terrorism and challenging stunts. This tale is crisp and does not leave the player wanting.

Uniqueness of Modern Warfare 3
The events are simple to understand although there are surprises along the way, which only serve to deepen the story. Consistency runs through every characters conduct. There is action in every facet of this game, for instance, getting into an elevator is accompanied by a helicopter crashing into it. This game has multiple sceneries that are ever-changing, without jeopardizing the players’ sense of place at any point.

Infinity Ward has done its best to incorporate Hollywood style scenarios in the game. The sequence where the player is a Russian secret service agent protecting the Russian president on a hijacked plane is one such instance. The turbulence and other effects make it seem like a scene right out of Inception and Air Force One.

Highlights of the game
The main attraction of the game is the COD, it is as violent as ever, lending the players no safe place to hide while things are constantly moving and altering the landscapes. The 16 maps that have been around till date still exist, catering to this forceful environment. Every weapon, tool and accessory gets intensified with use and as the game progresses, the plot gets more complex and these accessories perform better.

The approaches to play have also been upgraded. Kill Confirmed is the new mode which introduces the right amount of planning to keep players on their feet. In this new mode, in order to make a kill count, you need to collect the dog tag of the victim that is dropped. You can also snatch them from your team mates that are falling; this prevents the other team for gaining a point. Other modes are available like juggernaut matches, gun matches and infection mode, which are highly flexible and can be completely customized. What’s even better is the option to save these customizations, which can be shared later on.

This game is very well-equipped in terms of the machines you are offered. It has three options to choose from, single, co-op and multi-player all of which have a well-defined purpose. The game is fierce and generous, and knows how to meet player expectations. Every mode is packed with thrill and familiarity that ensures an interesting game from beginning to end.

Author bio: Annabelle is a writer by profession and likes to blog about her varied interests. She represents BB Gun and Airsoft Gun online store.

Modern Warfare 3, the latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise, grossed over $400 million on launch day, which broke its previous high as the most commercially successful game launch ever. In spite of the financial feat, Activision’s flagship product has received a lukewarm reception from professional reviewers and amateur aficionado’s alike.

The common criticisms are spot on: there are no significant upgrades and hardly any minor tweaks over the previous titles. MW3 lacks the realistic physics and destructible environments of the latest Battlefield release and this iteration of Call of Duty has produced yet another completely unmemorable story.

Even so, these criticisms are not as damning as they sound because of MW3’s unique status at the forefront of realistic first-person shooters that are geared towards online gameplay (talk about niche). In classic “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” form, MW3’s developers erred on the side of caution rather than innovation. It’s the difference between opting to reboot The Hulk three times and opting for the continuity that Lord of the Rings achieved. Had Fellowship bombed as spectacularly as Bana’s Hulk, producers would’ve blown up the trilogy and started over or recast the second and third films.

Activision is working off of the best template in first-person shooters, so fans should be grateful that Activion’s sin was doing too little to revolutionize it too much. If critics herald the previous titles as “perfectly balanced” and “addicting,” they can’t complain when a new release avoids tinkering with the weapons or perks in order to protect that balance.

Additionally, the Call of Duty markets itself as the most realistic. Given that the majority of innovations in the military are aimed at pulling troops off of the front lines, and since MW3 can only evolve at the pace of its military model, it shouldn’t surprise players when essentially all the game’s original features reoccur. Gamers shouldn’t beg for realism and then cry when their chosen platform doesn’t evolve the way a sci-fi shooter trilogy’s can.

Lastly, the developmental focus of MW3 is online play. Thus, all the money goes into creating the ultimate online experience. In a game that most people play in fifteen-minute increments, creating a compelling plot for a campaign that will hardly be used is a waste of resources. That said, it would’ve been simple to allow players to tackle the campaign in co-op mode rather than only offering the stand-alone operations (yet again) in an attempt to strong-arm buyers into online accounts.

Even though we just negated the preceding criticisms, the observations behind them are accurate, and point towards complacency on the part of CoD’s creators—an attitude that could enable its biggest competitor to steal the holiday limelight. Since the difference between Battlefield 2 and 3 was immense—and transformed 3 into a legitimate contender among first-person shooters—Modern Warfare 3 is a perfunctory performance, and Activision should reexamine their formerly adequate formula.

Tim can typically be found playing League of Legends or marketing for dtiwireless.com. When he isn’t working, he loves playing new games and living the dream. If you would like o see more game reviews by Tim follow him on Twitter @TimlCooley