Every gamer has at least one game that just won’t leave them, it will forever be a part of them, frequently calling them back to play ‘just a quick game’.

Lumines is my game, I imported a PSP when it was released in the US, I remember ordering three games that I was really looking forward to and I also remember ordering Lumines as well because it was cheaper and looking like it might be fun. I think one of the main three games was Need for Speed, I honestly cannot remember the others. Once I started playing Lumines it never left my PSP, until Lumines II came out. I did stop playing Lumines II for a short time, I got invited to a press event for the launch of Every Extend Extra the newest game from the mighty Tetsuya Mizuguchi. At the event Mizuguchi-san explained his vision for EEE and how it differed from his past masterpieces (Lumines, Res etc). I was taken in, convinced that EEE was the next game that could be locked in my PSP, at the end of the night I was given a promo copy in a swanky little bag, I’d been playing the game on demo units all night but couldn’t quite get the hang of it, so on the tube on the way home I booted it up in my PSP to give it another shot, I was still no good. I blamed the booze and switched it off.

I never did get the hang of EEE, I tried again when EEEE was released on the Live Arcade, still no skills.

So Lumines is still the king of my puzzle world, I have the PSP versions, and every skin pack that can be downloaded from the Live Marketplace (although the recent ’seasons’ one is a load of old balls). There is something nice about having game that you can go back to at any time, Lumines is mine, in whatever form I choose to play. It’s just a shame it takes at least an hour to play a ‘quick game’.

If you’ve never played Lumines then give it a shot, you’ll probably suck, everyone does at first but it’s a game that will suddenly ‘get’ and when that happens.. well.. I’ll leave that to you to experience.

Remember the Amstrad CPC? Don’t worry this blue screen is normal for our legendary machine. Phwoar feel the retro goodness running through your memory! Although this was my older brother’s toy, this didn’t stop my younger self invading the computer chair and pestering him to get “my fair share” of entertainment. Out of all the many Amstrad games that are still blurry in my mind, there’s definitely one that sticks out clearly. Okay so we’ve all played games that we’re not supposed to have, so here’s my confession.

I remember playing, “How To Be A Complete Bastard”. Even though I was still in the innocence of my age as a child; among the various adult gags/pranks featured in this game there were still a few immature tricks that humoured me. It comes to mind that this video game stands unique. Although it is an adaptation from the book written by Adrian Edmondson, you just don’t get games like this any more!

The joy of being able to roam freely in every room and garden of the party, stealing someone’s pen and perhaps stabbing a guest when you’re feeling bitter. Putting on a pair of dirty knickers for your own amusement, (for those who remember well) actually witness what bad luck is when you open up an umbrella indoors or picking up a spider and throwing it across the room. The game undoubtedly gets you to play over and over to explore your curiosities.

The aim is to be as obnoxious as you can. Upon performing highly unpleasant tasks you will eventually light up each individual letter spelling “Complete - Bastard”, however you need to look after yourself along the process. The four meters of awareness measuring your state of smell, the gas that’s building up inside, when you need to urinate and how drunk you are are critical towards pulling certain pranks but also a danger to a “Game Over”.

Even though this is ancient compared to our modern day video gaming, I could put down my 360 controller for a good devil session of How To Be A Complete Bastard.

A few posts down Foxus was saying we should give Xbox Originals a try. I totally agree. I really want to download a few Xbox Originals titles but I’m torn. I feel like I shouldn’t be playing games I’ve already played like Psychonauts (which I love) There are so many great new games out there. Because I work in gaming I feel like I need to be well informed on all the latest things. If I spend my precious gaming hours on Psychonauts I’ll fall behind on my work. I also feel like I shouldn’t be playing anything on my 360 that I can’t get gamerscore from lest my arch-nemesis Kate overtakes my score again as she’s been prone to doing recently. Again, I don’t want to ‘fall behind’. It’s terrible because I’ve put myself in a position where my current gaming life is a job of work in almost every regard. I’m not saying “Boo hoo, I work in gaming.” I don’t HAVE to play every single 360 game and I don’t HAVE to beat Kate’s stupid score. They are self imposed chores.

That being the case of course means that the Xbox Original games now seem more shiny and alluring as the days go by. In my mind Fable, which I’ve never played seems like a cruise ship holiday. I imagine myself dressed in a velour tracksuit, sitting on a deck chair while playing it, sipping a preposterously large cocktail. It would be a holiday from the work of gaming. I think I’ll meet the issue half way. I’ll finish Tomb Raider Anniversary. That’s a trip down nostalgia alley but it’s still ‘new’ and I can score point off it!