You know I’m an arcade gamer. I’m not just a fan of old retro arcade games, but modern arcade-style games as well. I just find them much more motivating than many other genres and enjoy their simplicity. But as you probably know, the modern video game controller is less than optimal for these types of games.

A couple months ago I praised the new racing game Blur for being the best of both worlds, a great real-world racing game while channeling Mario Kart. That review was based on the XBL demo which was naturally limited and only offered on-line multiplayer. Well, after I fixed my Xbox, I treated myself to Blur and I can confirm that it is still awesome.

Playing around with computer hardware is not something I enjoy anymore. There was a time and place when I reveled in hardware. Since then I no longer care much about specs and just want something that works out of the box. I guess I’ve lost my techie edge. I’ve built many computers and unfortunately, I’ve also had to fix several gaming consoles, including my Xbox 360.

I used to be a Playstation gamer. The PS1 and PS2 days were a good times for gaming. Sony ruled the roost and never looked back. We all know that changed when the Xbox 360 and then PS3 was released. The PS3 had everything going for it - except a decent price. All but hardest core gamer just wouldn’t pony up the bucks, making access the Sony-exclusive library a pipe dream for gamers like me.