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PC Gaming Suggestions for Console-like Fun?

Posted by timothy on from the twister-seems-more-fun dept.

jayminer writes "We are a relatively newly married young couple who enjoy spending our spare time at home. We don't own a console but have a gaming laptop with DVI output to play games on our TV. My wife is also a CS major so she's computer literate enough. She does not like strategy games, MMORG or any other role-playing game. Apart from "Find the Sausage" jokes, we need quality gaming advice, preferably games which we can play with a single laptop connected to a single large screen, with two gamepads, a console-like experience. What are your suggestions?"

8 of 513 comments (clear)

  1. Obvious answer... by richy+freeway · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just buy a console.

    1. Re:Obvious answer... by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The load it with Emulators. Most of my friends aren't the huge gaming type. When we get together to hang out we don't want to sit through a tutorial on how to play SuperHappyBallComando4. We want the games we grew up with (and some from before then).

      Super Mario Bros 3, Pong, Frogger, PacMan. Plus they make excellent drinking games (One shot for every fruit you didn't get on a PacMan level.) The best thing is an xBox can store ALL of these games and more.

      Or you could even get some classic looking controllers and play these on the laptop.

  2. Emulators by Oxy+the+moron · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Get some old-school console emulators and play some of the great classics.

    I'm sure that what constitutes a "classic" will vary here on /., but I prefer some of the older Super NES games... Tetris Attack is awesome.

    You didn't hear that from me, though...

    --

    Proudly supporting the Libertarian Party.

  3. "Hey everybody, look at me!" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Not only do I have a girlfriend, but we're MARRIED, and she wants to play video games with me! Oh, did I mention she loves Linux?"

  4. Speaking as a married husband with a kid... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't mean to be presumptuous, but I would recommend you spend your spare time outside of your house exploring the world. You will have plenty of time to stay in the house if/when you decide to have children.

    1. Re:Speaking as a married husband with a kid... by Oxy+the+moron · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Speaking as a geek married with four kids, I say any time spent enjoying each other's company is good. You also make the assumption that they have the desire and means to get out and explore the world... I know we didn't early in our marriage.

      Not saying that exploring the world is bad, but I think if they really enjoy gaming together, it's better than a lot of other alternatives. :)

      --

      Proudly supporting the Libertarian Party.

  5. you're doing it wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The best game to play is "HIDE the sausage"!

  6. Re:Remember my.mp3.com? by tepples · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can copy CDs to MP3s, but you cannot actually dump ROMs Citation needed. And don't immediately bring in Atari v. JS&A; that case rejected 17 USC 117(b), not 117(a) which covers adaptations that are necessary for use of a program on a given computer system.

    Turns out, ROMs are treated as "mask works" which disallow shifting to an electronic format. A mask work is a set of images. Notice that exclusive rights in mask works don't include preparing derivative works. Moreover, they last only 10 years, meaning the NES and Super NES libraries' mask work rights have expired, and the exclusive right that applies to those games is ordinary copyright.