97% of kids play video games --- Do you?

[crownsy]

yea, i play pretty much whenever im bored and at home during the week.

honestly? the new economy is driving me to this hobby. With what i make, i can no longer afford to go out and do, well...anything as a recent collage grad at an entry level position. so, my weeknights are consumed by WoW and xbox. its a cheap hobby.

[Scribbles]

I'm in high school and I play around 3-6 hours a week. 

[lon3lytoaster]

I play Halo and Call of Duty competitively in tournaments from Maine to New Jersey. Pretty good money in video games these days, not enough for a real living unless you're Dave Walsh or Tom/Dan Ryan but still quite a bit... I'm still in HS, too so that helps a lot.

[no kidding]

In terms of parenting, I did some things well, and some other things less well. In retrospect, one of the better things I ever did was to allow no video games in my house.  Even once, when my well-intentioned brother tried to give my children a used video game, when I learned of it, I simply informed them that the game wouldn't work on any of our t.v.'s.  As a result, my kids grew up playing outside most all of the time, usually engaged in whatever sport was currently in season. They also becamse adept at coaxing and teasing their neighbor friends into putting down their joy sticks and coming out to join them. As a result, I believe this helped my kids to be more fit, and better adjusted. Not to mention, it was easier for me to relate to them, since this was the same way I was raised.

As adults, we all waste time (Celticsblog is one of my favorite time-wasters).  But as for kids, I would definitely recommend keeping the video games out of the house.

[blazingarrow]

I'm 26, and play video games almost never.

I was a Sega kid. I played NBA Jam a lot more than I played Mortal Kombat, although I loved MKII.

Then it was Tony Hawk 2, back when I was taking college classes and doing other things I probably shouldn't mention on this forum (I was hungry a lot back then, we'll leave it at that)

NBA 2K was like crack to me when that came out, and then it was all about NBA Street. The NFL and NBA Street series were both really addicting.

Then I found myself just playing GTA when I got home from work all p---ed off, because I just wanted to run around on a murder spree, and that's what video games are for.

When 360 came out is about when I stopped. Video games are too expensive and too time consuming, especially when there's other things I should be doing instead.

But I'm 26, and that's where I'm at.

NBA Street 2 is probably my favorite video game of all time.

[cordobes]

When I was a kid, I spent an awful lot of time playing video games. It all began with ZX Spectrum: chuckie egg, full throtle, matchday, atic atac... I had more than 500 games in cassettes. Than the Amiga, the PC, the consoles (although I was always a PC 1st kind of guy, particularly because management games were always my favourites).

Nowadays, not so much. A few sessions of Pro Cycling Manager here and there, wasting a couple of minutes playing some random flash game when smoking a cigar after lunch... Maybe 2/3 hours of gaming per month, if so much.

[CelticBalla32]

I'm 19, and play just one game. Outside of NBA 2k, I don't get involved with anything else. Sure, I'll rent the latest Madden once a year to see how it is, but NBA 2k is basically all I care about.

I play it quite a bit (4-6 days a week), and am salivating at the mouth for October 7 (NBA 2k9's release date).

[Neurotic Guy]

I played 'Pong' when I was a kid. Then some Asteroids.  That's it. I wouldn't know a Wii from a Sega or whatever they are called.  My 13 and 17 year old do not play video games and have never asked for any games or any system.  They do park themselves down in front of the computer for IM though -- which we place limitations on. 

My parenting has not always been great, but promoting reading paid off in my household -- but you really need to stick with it every day - clockwork schedule it to make it stick.  Even then, it's challenging to keep the good habits going as the bad one's are often tempting and more intriguing.  I don't think video games are a sign of the apocalypse, but the ease at which kids become engrossed in it has to give one pause as a parent.  My parents parked me in front of the TV for hours on end -- not good either.

[86 Celtics]

I've bought and played all of the Tiger Woods PGA Tours and Metal Gear Solid series (I also bought Madden this year, replaced Favre on the cover with Brady...so maybe I gave Tom the Madden curse).

[cdif911]

I feel like gaming keeps me young in some ways

I recently got the gf a wii, and we enjoy it - mario kart is one of the best games in recent memory...

Also have the 360, am on the final mission of GTAIV and it is annoying as heck, but I have to get through

during the NBA season I'll pick up the 2k game and play it out - lots of fun

I've played since I was maybe 5 or 6, had an original NES, bought every nintendo product pretty much ever (yes I own a Virtual Boy) - 1st major purchase of my life was Kung Fu.... I also have dabbled with the PS2, Dreamcast (underrated system) and now the 360... as crownsy said, once the initial investment is made, it actually is a great way to save money and be entertained, especially with online play

speaking of which, if anyones on xbox live or the wii network let me know!

[BigAlTheFuture]

Probably 1-3 days a week. Play more often once the NBA season starts to kill time, though. During the offseason, I'm either working or doing the Celticsblog draft. Just like most people, I play on the weekends when I have time.

[Scribbles]

I play Halo and Call of Duty competitively in tournaments from Maine to New Jersey. Pretty good money in video games these days, not enough for a real living unless you're Dave Walsh or Tom/Dan Ryan but still quite a bit... I'm still in HS, too so that helps a lot.

So I'm guessing you do Gamebattles or whatever its called online? 

[guava_wrench]

The only games I play these days are free iPhone games. If I had more time I would probably play more, but there are things I would rather do at the moment.

I would like to try Spore.

[lon3lytoaster]

I play Halo and Call of Duty competitively in tournaments from Maine to New Jersey. Pretty good money in video games these days, not enough for a real living unless you're Dave Walsh or Tom/Dan Ryan but still quite a bit... I'm still in HS, too so that helps a lot.

So I'm guessing you do Gamebattles or whatever its called online? 

No, that place is a joke. I avoid online tournaments as much as possible. I much prefer to actually go to where ever and pay an entrance fee and then win whatever I can get.

[jdub1660]

I've been playing games since......I could remember. From NES with Mario and Punch to this old tv box looking system that had Astroid on it..I've been playing games at an early age. I remember upgrading at like age 6 to the Super NES and dominating on Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World. Here and there I played Sega Genesis at friends' houses like Sonic and Mortal Kombat. Uh, eventually my dad bought me a Playstation, where a close bud of mine introduced me to RPGs. Since Final Fantasy 7, I have been in love with that style of gaming. I played games like Suikoden, Azure Dreams, Legend of Legaia, Brigandine, Tales of Destiny...and on and on and on..One Christmas I got a PS2 finally(like 3 years after it came out) and even then I still stuck with older graphic RPGs and Strategy War games but added in NBA Live in 2003 and shooting games like Metal Gear and GTA3.
One point I want to make clear is, even though I make an effort into playing games 6 out of 7 days a week, I still am active, and have a strong mind and ambition. Older generations say games ruin your eyes and mind and etc, but I completely disagree. Games build Hand and Eye coordination, as well as help control your focus, and think with some games that require puzzle solving, reading and comprehension, and some math. I disagree with 5 year old playing Shoot 'Em Up games, but love the idea of VTech making a system with games that are focused on kids(I have every intention of buying one for my daughter when she's old enough, currently 9 months old and I'm aiming at 1 1/2 or 2 years old.)
The other thing about games for me, is it's my release for the day. I work 2 jobs to support my family(both retail with kill my knees) which causes me to work 6 days a week at about 70 hours per week on average. I take every chance I can to spend time with my wife and daughter(like spending my 30 minute lunch driving to my Gmother/babysitter to see my young one, or texting my wife throughout the day with funny stuff or random chat) 4 days out of the week I get home after midnight, and they're both asleep at this point, SO, I fit in ME TIME. I sit in front of my PS2 and play either the newest NBA game(preferably 2k8 right now) or w/e RPG that I'm working on (Final Fantasy 12) and play for an hour or so. I'm a family guy, but games make it to where I can focus a little on what I want. I love basketball(obviously being on the site) and currently don't live near a bball court. Before I moved out on my own, I had a rim where I played about an hour or two a day.(Go to school, come home, shoot hoops, play some games, eat dinner, shoot hoops, play games, sleep and repeat)
Anyways...I love games and basketball and agree with the numbers that the largest majority of kids are playing(some a little too much but moderation never hurt anyone)