Building A Winner, Or Bleeding Fans Dry?

I've been a fan of the Buffalo Bills for as long as I can remember, but only old enough, and intelligent enough to realize what I'm watching for the last ten, or so, years. In that time, I've watched my team fail to reach the playoffs each and every season. Maybe one of those teams in the last decade came close to achieving a Wild Card berth, but for the most part, the Buffalo Bills have been a failure for as long as I have been following the team. It would be one thing if the team hit a rough spot for the last ten years, but it gets much worse than that. The Buffalo Bills have failed the reach the playoffs for the last 14 seasons. Yes, that is currently the longest streak in the National Football League. After watching the Houston Texans defeat the New York Jets this Monday night, I find myself asking the question, "Why can't we do that?".

Why can't the Buffalo Bills find undrafted players like Arian Foster, whom in the last five years has led the NFL in all rushing categories, except rushing yards, in which he is in second place behind Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Why can't the Buffalo Bills draft like the Houston Texans? A team that lost their marquee defensive player in the off-season (to the Buffalo Bills no less), and yet they haven't missed a beat. Their first round draft pick from a year ago (J.J Watt from Wisconsin) has filled that hole quite admirably. You wouldn't even know that the Houston Texans lost their best defensive player to free agency, as they trumped the Jets to boost their record to 5-0, one of only two undefeated teams this year in the NFL.

Does the Buffalo Bills front office actually WANT to put a quality product on the field, or are they O.K. with achieving a high bottom-line in their finance book? Buffalo has some of the most loyal fans in all of professional football, yet year after year they are rewarded with a sub-par product on the football field. They signed an average, run of the mill quarterback to a 50 million dollar contract a season ago, and for what reason? I doubt any other NFL team would have offered Ryan Fitzpatrick a blockbuster deal like the Bills did, so why wouldn't they sign him to a modest contract for two or three years and see how things pan out? Why? Because that would just make sense, and if one thing is certain, it is that the Buffalo Bills' ownership has made a number of decisions over the last twenty years that simply haven't made sense. Bad draft after bad draft, hiring a coach who led the Buffalo Bills to three consecutive 7-9 seasons, and then extending that coach's contract for another three seasons. Apart from this season, not doing ANYTHING during the offseason to help make the team better, when holes are presented from years of bad drafting.

I know I sound like a hypocrite, because I'll be there every Sunday with my #99 Marcel Dareus jersey on (one of the few quality draft picks us Bills fans can hang our hat on), cheering my team on like any other loyal fan would, but at some point, something has to get better. This team has got to show myself, and other Buffalo Bills fans around the country that the team is heading in the right direction, and that the last two decades of heartbreak are close to an end. To put it bluntly, I have yet to see that this team is headed in the right direction, and that this franchise is committed to winning.

Major League Baseball and the All-Star Game

I have been a baseball fan my entire life. Not only a fan of playing the sport, but of watching it played at the highest level as well. I started playing baseball when I was three years old, and continued playing through high school, college, and I dabble into wooden-bat adult leagues even now. Because of this, I follow Major League Baseball very closely, and have rather strong opinions about certain aspects of the professional game. For those of you who watch professional baseball, you know that the All-Star game was played last night, with the National League beating the American League for the third straight year, with a final score of 8-0. It was while watching on television and listening on the radio coverage and opinions of the All-Star game, and what it has developed into, that I decided to come off of the fence, and pick a side of a much debated topic. Should the All-Star game mean something concrete, and if so, how should it be accomplished?


For decades, Major League Baseball's All-Star game has been an exhibition game that carried no significance other than the honor that goes along with being selected by the fans as one of the top players in the game for that particular season. Many "baseball pundits" have debated the ongoing discussion of why the game has come to mean less and less as years passed, and why the players care less and less about participating. As a result of these never-ending debates, and the topic constantly rearing its ugly head, Major League Baseball's commissioner, Bud Selig, decided to implement a new rule/feature of the All-Star game, giving what was once a fun exhibition game for the fans huge merit. This rule states that whichever league wins the All-Star game shall be given home-field advantage in that year's World Series. So, if the American League wins the All-Star game, whichever team represents the American League will receive home-field advantage in the World Series.


This was such a terrible move by Bud Selig, that I could write forever about how awful of a decision this was, and why the All-Star game should have remained the way it was, and how this impacts Major League Baseball in a negative fashion. However, since I don't have forever, and you certainly wouldn't be reading forever, I'll focus on the main reason why this move was heinous. Essentially, it is the luck of the draw for whatever teams make it to the World Series. A team's previous record in the regular season, or in the playoffs is worthless. There is absolutely no correlation between the teams that made it to "The Show", and whether or not they boast home-field advantage. Actions performed by players for teams that might not even make the playoffs dictate which team gets an extra game at home, despite that team's accomplishments which ultimately led to their being at the World Series. For example, last night, Melky Cabrera was voted the All-Star game's Most Valuable Player, based on his strong night at the plate, going 2-3 with a 2-run home-run. Melky Cabrera plays for the San Francisco Giants, a team that has struggled mightily this season, and unless something drastic happens, will most likely miss the playoffs. That's right, a player on a team that won't even sniff the playoffs is the reason for whatever National League team DOES make the World Series will receive home-field advantage over their American League opponent.


It may seem like I'm beating a dead horse, but that's how little sense this change to the midsummer classic makes to me. Teams and players that have no business deciding which team should receive the extra game at home (which should be decided based on a team's regular season, playoff, or combined record) are deciding that outcome. Bud Selig has been Major League Baseball's commissioner for several years now, and it seems as though he feels he is entitled to make whatever decision he sees fit, whether the fans agree or not. He has been questioned about this very topic several times in numerous interviews, and every time he either dodges the question, or chalks up some extremely weak answer as to why this change was made, and why it will stay this way. The All-Star game needs to go back to its traditional value. A venue where players are recognized for their exceptional performance, and nothing more.

Buffalo Bills Sign Mario Williams

Hello to the extremely small viewing audience, if any audience at all, that I have accrued while starting my very first blog ever. It has been a while since my last entry, as I've had a lot of changes recently in my life. However, I'm sure this blog is boring enough as is, so I won't worsen it by discussing my life's details. I've chosen to focus this particular entry on my favorite NFL football team, the Buffalo Bills, and one of their most recent activities during this off-season; the signing of the top free agent available, and arguably one of the best players in the National Football League, Mario Williams.

If you follow the NFL, then you needn't any explanation in regards to Mario Williams, however, I'm going to assume that there will be at least one person who visits this blog that doesn't know about the NFL, or sports in general, so I'll tailor this explanation for those individuals. In today's NFL, rushing the quarterback has become one of the most important facets of a team's defense. Being able to get to, and sack the opposing team's quarterback is essential to disrupting the opposition's offense. The more you can disrupt the timing of their offensive unit, the more it rattles the quarterback, which ultimately leads to less time that the other team possesses the football, and less points that they score. Obviously, football is a team sport, so no single player can do it by themselves, but the most important position when it comes to rushing the passer is Defensive End. A defensive end (or DE) is responsible for stopping the run at times, but more importantly to get past the offensive tackle that is trying to block him, and sack the quarterback. Naturally, if rushing the quarterback is a cornerstone to creating a successful defense, and the most important position relating to this goal is defensive end, then obviously DE's are highly sought after, and stand to make a great deal of money.

Mario Williams was the #1 overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, selected by the Houston Texans. Through six season with the Texans, Williams racked up 241 tackles, and 53 sacks. He became a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line, and blossomed into one of the, if not the best DE in the National Football League. After his sixth season with the Texans, his contract was up, and he decided to test the waters of free agency. Williams' first stop was Buffalo, and the Bills front office apparently did such an amazing job of recruiting him, that he never left, and signed a 6-year, $100 million dollar contract with the Bills. Now let's focus on why this is such a huge deal for the Bills.

First and foremost, the Buffalo Bills added a premiere pass rusher to their defensive unit. A unit that had a great deal of trouble sacking the quarterback in their previous year, proving to be one of the worst in the league in regards to number of sacks. However, the immediate talent that Williams brings to the table is only one of the many great things that his signing will add to the Bills for years to come. In a small-market city like Buffalo, it has been extremely difficult for the Bills to sign big-name free agents like Mario Williams, because for one the team has stunk for the last decade, and for two Buffalo doesn't exactly scream popularity like the cities of Miami or San Diego might. For those two reasons, the Bills haven't signed a big-name free agent in several years. However, now that one of the best players in the NFL has signed with Buffalo, it provides incentive for other players to follow suit. If Williams will sign with Buffalo, why not other players as well? Believe it or not, with a huge signing like Mario Williams, it has a huge impact on other players around the league. This is immediately supported by the second big signing of the Buffalo Bills this off-season, which was Mark Anderson, another DE, who played with the New England Patriots last season and racked up 10 sacks (definitely above average numbers). 

In summation, the Buffalo Bills definitely hit a home-run this off-season by signing Mario Williams, among other key free agents. His impact will be felt immediately with his talents on the football field, as well as long-term with his signing providing influence for other free agents to come to Buffalo as well. Naturally, with better talent, you would imagine that the Bills will put together a winning team, and with big-name players already on the Bills, and if the team starts winning and making the playoffs year in and year out, this will provide leverage for the team to sign more free agents, and lead to a winning frame-of-mind, and satisfaction for this long suffering Bills fan.

Valentine's Day - The Made-Up Holiday

There are a number of "holidays" in the calendar year, many of which America recognizes, and allow several working class citizens a day off from work, excluding retail employees of course. There is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, etc. All of these "holidays" are celebrated, and as I said before, usually correlate with a day off from work. Then, you have other days that are considered a "special day", not like any other, but they don't necessarily equate to a day off from work. In the context of days like that, generally the first one that comes to mind is Valentine's Day. It is generally recognized by the American people as a "significant day", it comes with its own unique set of decorations, festivities, and traditions, and you won't find anyone missing work due to the occasion. 

With most holidays, people can choose whether or not to celebrate/recognize the day at their own discretion. Why is it, then, that there is such a huge build-up to Valentine's Day, accompanied with insane amounts of pressure? You'll start hearing about Valentine's Day, along with all of the special pricing on flowers, chocolates, and jewelry starting in early January! You'll be pressured to buy extravagant things for your significant other, or even just small cards or candies for your friends and/or co-workers whether you choose to recognize Valentine's Day or not. This is unlike ANY other holiday. You certainly wouldn't find people pushing you to recognize Christmas. Granted, that holiday is associated with a particular religion, but even holidays like Thanksgiving or President's Day aren't laced with the same level of peer pressure, or expectations. Those two holidays are directly associated with our country, yet you don't feel the same level of guilt if you were to not participate; and why?

Valentine's Day is double-edged sword. Obviously, I'm speaking from a man's point of view, so this is slightly biased. Women are generally expected to get something small for their boyfriend/husband, but the expectations are much, much greater for men. A man is expected to get the usual flowers, chocolates, and a sentimental card expressing his undying and unconditional love for his girlfriend/wife. Flowers are NOT cheap, by the way. Browsing for flowers online this year, I found that two dozen roses were selling for as high as $75.00 with a delivery date of February 14th. These prices were a direct result of Valentine's Day, because when I changed the delivery date to the 13th or the 15th, the price of flowers was cut in half. Now, after the man has purchased the basics, he is also expected to purchase some type of jewelry. In a lot of cases, he could probably get away with giving a very nice designer bag, but for the most part, jewelry is the preference of the receiving lady. Now, on the other end of the spectrum, a man could be single. This fact would certainly be great for his wallet, however, seeing endless ads on television, and witnessing the chaos around him for this retched day, he will start to reflect on his life, and consider himself worthless for not having anyone to give these ridiculous gifts to. He will drown his sorrows in a bottle of Jack Daniels, and attempt to forget the fact that nobody loves him.


Any way you slice it, Valentine's Day is extremely over-hyped. I have never been able to bring myself to understand why there is so much hype, and so many expectations for what is essentially a made-up "holiday". My tips for future February 14th's would be to keep it reasonable. Men with girlfriends/wives, there is nothing wrong with a nice card, some chocolates, and a small gift. I would also recommend ordering your flowers a week or two ahead of time. This will end up saving you A LOT of money. Men who are single, don't get swept up in all of the bullshit that surrounds you on this "holiday". Remind yourself that this is a made-up "holiday", and that it is essentially pointless. If you need help with this, come back to my blog next year. I'm sure I'll have another entry about how stupid Valentine's Day is.

Viral Video // Seven Teenagers Jump One Kid

I'm sure a number of you have seen and/or heard about this video, that has gone viral recently, about seven teenagers beating the ever-loving shit out of another teenager. They stomp on him, punch him in the face, and shove him into brick walls. Then, when he falls, they stomp on him, kick him in the head, kick him in his mid-section, and many other forms of assault and battery all at the same time and without remorse. If you haven't seen this video, you can watch it here. Please keep in mind that this video is extremely violent, and can be a little disturbing. You'll be watching one kid desperately trying to protect himself, and get away from the severe ass-beating he's being issued.

This entire situation makes my blood boil. It is being reported that this incident took place over a scuffle that occurred between the victim and some of the perpetrators; an incident that took place BACK IN OCTOBER! There is one girl in the video, whom police say lured the victim into a back alley, where the attack took place. If you haven't seen the video, the perpetrators have him cornered, and there is literally nowhere for him to go. After two to three minutes of being beaten senseless, the perpetrators stop for some reason, possibly to catch their breath. During this brief period, the victim tries to talk/reason with the perpetrators, but to no avail. They start to resume the attack, and that's when the victim sees an opportunity, and he makes a run for it. Thankfully, even after being beaten almost to the point of no return, he is strong enough to break into a full sprint, and fast enough to outrun everyone by a landslide to safety, but not before his shoes, wallet, and $180.00 in cash were stolen from him. He also suffered a laceration to his lip, and dozens of bruises and abrasions.

The main name that's being attached to the attack belongs to one of the perpetrators. His name is Raymond Palomino. Raymond's father, Michael Palomino, is a 30-year veteran of the police force. He chose not to "protect family", but to do the right thing. In this case, the right thing was to turn his son in to the authorities. Raymond was charged as an adult with one count of robbery, and one count of aggravated battery. His bail was set at $100,000. Since neither Raymond himself, or his father can either afford the bond note for his release from jail, he will remain there until his court date. I try not to wish harmful things upon other people, but I am GLAD this piece of shit is in jail. I wish all other six perpetrators were charged as adults, but unfortunately the others received the same charges as Raymond, only as juveniles rather than adults. Hopefully some time in jail will make Raymond Palomino realize how cowardly his actions were, and manage to pull his head out of his ass.

There is just no reason at all for seven people to attack one kid. They went above and beyond the point of just getting their message across. The kid endured several minutes of what seemed like an endless ass-whipping. The victim was in the fetal position on the ground, trying to cover his head and his mid-section at the same time while he was being kicked and stomped on at the same time. I know that if I was the victim, I would have been throwing punches at each and every one of them until I was knocked unconscious, or the attack ended. However, that's the problem. Not everyone can or would approach the situation like I would. The victim in this case is far smaller than I am, and he probably didn't feel like he could defend himself. All I can say is that I hope the justice system actually comes through this time. This is receiving insane amounts of national media attention, so I hope our judicial system comes through, and sends a message to any other punk kids out there who want to pull a stunt like this one. Let's hope that Raymond and his worthless friends receive a just punishment, and as I said before, make a solid attempt at dragging their heads out of their asses.

The Ultimate Act of Kindness

An act of kindness by a complete stranger goes a long way, and should never go unappreciated. Whether it is opening the door for someone, holding that aforementioned door for someone when they are leaving, saying "Hello", to a complete stranger, or simply wishing someone "God bless you", when they sneeze, random acts of kindness say a lot about who someone is as a person, and it can really brighten up someone's day. That being said, these acts of kindness, compared to what I'm talking about, all fall short. I'm talking about an act that could end up saving you hundreds of dollars. I'm talking about an act in which the person performing it is risking trouble with law enforcement. I'm talking about an act that can unite drivers across the country. That's right, I'm talking about flashing your brights to warn fellow drivers about a speed trap.

First off, let's talk about how revolting, and downright wrong the concept of a speed trap is. Generally, they are set up in situations where people are more likely to speed, such as at the bottom of a hill, where the laws of nature say you will have an increased speed in relation to your current traveling velocity. They also negate the context an officer would have if he or she were cruising and caught you speeding. You are essentially at your worst possible moment, whereas if an officer is cruising, he or she could tell that you were going 10 MPH over the speed limit because you were approaching a steep incline.

I salute all of you that flash your brights to warn others of the complete and total atrocity, known as the "speed trap", that awaits you. Those of you who have been on the receiving end on such a gracious act by a fellow driver should stop and say small thank you for all of the trouble that kind person has averted you. The next time you make it passed a speed trap undeterred, I expect you to flash your brights to warn someone else who might not have been so lucky otherwise.


Some of you may think that I'm encouraging you to break the law, or that I'm a terrible person because of how I'm bad-mouthing speed traps. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so I will refrain from calling those people idiots. However, I would bet an exorbitant amount of money that the next time you get pulled over, you will be wishing someone would've flashed their brights at you.

The Shame of NCAA Football

This is topic is talked about so often on ESPN, other sports programs on television, and sports radio, that I almost feel like I'm beating a dead horse. Regardless, I still want to share my opinion, and this is, after all, my blog. "What topic?", you ask. The NCAA Football Bowl Championship Series, and why it is a monumental failure in comparison to other NCAA sports, and generally any other sports' plan for finding a champion.

Throughout the NCAA Football year, the top 25 teams in the nation are ranked on a weekly basis by the Associated Press (AP). The rankings of each team depend on the strength of schedule (how strong a particular team's opponents are), how many wins and losses a team has, and how many points are scored in each game. I'm sure there are other mitigating factors, but those are the three main factors in determining a team's AP ranking. At the end of the season, "Bowl Games" are scheduled among the top teams in the nation, with the National Championship game being reserved between the #1 and #2 teams in the nation, the winner being crowned the champion, and generally regarded as the #1 team in the nation. This leaves room for much speculation, including the notion that "politics" play a rather large role in deciding if a particular team receives a favorable ranking. A prime example of this would be Boise State in NCAA Football. Boise State, on several different occasions, has finished their regular season undefeated. However, since they reside in a rather small conference, and do not typically play a large number strong opponents, they are regarded as a lesser program. This is no fault of Boise State's, as they are forced to play each team in their conference (every team in the NCAA belongs to a conference) a certain number of times each year, whether they like it or not. This would easily be solved if there were a playoff system, because they would either win against the other top teams in the nation, or they would lose and there would be nothing left to argue.

No other sport adopts this policy. Even if you aren't an avid sports fan, I'm sure you've heard of the term "playoffs". The term "playoffs" refers to a tournament at the end of the regular season, in which the top teams are generally seeded (given ranks based on their performance in the regular season), and those top teams play throughout the tournament, with the two teams left at the end playing each other for the championship. This provides a true measurement of what team truly is the best. If you lose, you go home. However, if you win, you continue in the tournament, and play the winner of a game between two other teams, and the tournament progresses until the two best teams are left.

It all boils down to money. The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) provides for a set number of bowl games each season. This allows for companies to bid against each other for the right to sponsor each "bowl game", creating millions of dollars in revenue for the BCS, and in return, the vendors who sponsor each "bowl game" receive countless hours of air-time on national television, and priceless advertising. The goal of the "suits" running the BCS is to make a profit, not determine the best team in the country. NCAA Football needs to change, and adopt the policy of a playoff tournament. This would not only negate the notion that what the people running this system truly care about is money, it would finally result in everyone actually knowing who the best team in the nation is because the teams would play it out on the field, not get voted into a ranking affected by the strong influence of "politics".

Remakes, Remakes, and More Remakes

I'm a big movie fan. Not necessarily of one particular genre, either. Horror movies, action, comedies, adventure. Generally anything except for your sappy love story, although I find myself watching more of those lately thanks to my wonderful girlfriend, Jen. I have to be honest, sometimes those can be a decent watch as well. I find it fascinating the creativity that writers and directors exhibit through the big screen. It is amazing the ideas that are displayed, which started as an idea in someone's head. However, I've been finding more and more lately, that creativity has been put on hold for remakes of someone else's idea.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily against the idea of a remake. There have been some remakes that have stayed somewhat true to the original, while the writer/director puts their own unique spin on the final product. I'm talking about those movies that were put together in a cheap fashion, too fast, and with the sole purpose of trying to make a cheap buck.

A good remake that come to mind are The Fly starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. This one came out in 1986, and was a remake of a black and white classic that came out in 1958. The Fly has two characteristics that I like in a remake. For one, almost 30 years had passed since the original, meaning that enough time had passed for the memory to fade for those who were alive for the original, as well as the film being able to reach an entirely new audience. Second, it has its own unique spin that separates it from the original. The version that came out in 1958 had primitive special effects, but an original story. The version that came out in 1986 went all out on special effects, and was remarkable for its time. It also took the original story and added its own unique spin, creating an entirely new film based on the idea of the original movie.

Most remakes do not follow this pattern, and are cheaply made with a TERRIBLE spin put on the movie in an attempt to add a unique touch, but it just ends up as a terrible movie, with little attraction, and they are generally busts at the box office. Movies that fit this bill are the Fright Night remake, Rob Zombie's Halloween and Halloween II remakes, The Parent Trap, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (a remake of Guess Who), House on Haunted Hill, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Fat Albert, The Omen, and I'm sure there are several more that I'm not thinking of at the moment. Total Recall is currently being remade with Colin Farrell as the titular character, replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original. Now, I won't judge a film that hasn't come out yet, but I'm not expecting much.

In summation, I just wish that Hollywood would go back to the days when original ideas were favored over cheap remakes of old films. I didn't mention it in this blog entry, but for me this includes books being made into films. While the Harry Potter films, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo were successful in this effort, several films like the Twilight series have proven to be terrible films, and box office busts to boot.

Why You Want A Nintendo 3DS

I was the proud owner of an XBOX 360 for several years, from my senior year in high school, all the way through graduating from Radford University with my Bachelor's Degree of Science in Software Engineering, and my first year of employment in the Information Technology field. I have always loved video games, and the XBOX 360 was a great little toy for me; it had great games, amazing graphics, endless downloadable content from Microsoft, and other add-ons like Facebook and Netflix that made the XBOX 360 much more than a simple gaming machine.

However, as time went on, I found myself complaining more and more about certain aspects of my XBOX, rather than enjoying the unique experience it provided. For starters, I found it ridiculous that users were forced to pay $50.00 per year in order to unlock online multiplayer. Microsoft told me that I should be happy that the price is so low, as they previously charged $75.00 per year. I don't buy that. The Playstation Network is completely free for owners of the Playstation 3. The Nintendo Wii doesn't really have a consistent online network, forcing game developers to include a way to play online, which is unique to each game. This creates all kinds of other problems with quality control, but the bottom line is IT IS STILL FREE. I'm getting off-topic, but the point is I was tired of paying for a service that was ultimately free among every other competitor of the XBOX 360. Since the XBOX 360 and its games are geared heavily towards online play, this left me with the choice of terrible campaign and single player modes in XBOX 360 games, or a new video game system altogether. I chose the latter.

I boxed up the XBOX 360, sold it, and hadn't played a video game in several months when my girlfriend asked me the question that every person of the Christian faith loves to hear. What would you like for Christmas? It just so happened that I had been doing some research on what new video game system I might want as my next platform. I had looked into the Nintendo Wii, but when I think of playing a video game, I think of kicking back in my recliner with a beer, not jumping and waving my arms around to the point where I'm wheezing like a 70-year old lifetime smoker, and pitting out my t-shirt. Then it occurred to me. What about mobile gaming systems? I had owned a Sega Gamegear when I was 10 years old, but I hadn't really gotten into anything like it since then primarily because the graphics in systems past had been so terrible, the added bonus of being able to play on the go wasn't worth the sacrifice in graphics and the quality of the games. Fortunately, technology is wonderful, and mobile video game systems have come a long way since Sega's Gamegear. 


I did my usual research, and I was left with two finalists. Playstation Vita, the successor to the very popular Playstation Portable (PSP), and Nintendo 3DS, the successor to the Nintendo DS/DSi/DS Lite. Ultimately, I chose the Nintendo 3DS, and I've been enjoying that decision more and more every time I pick up my 3DS, and am blown away by the 3D graphics, which by the way do not require the goofy, thick-framed glasses. Nintendo utilized a Digital Media Professionals (DMP) PICA200 graphics chip for their amazing effects. Not only capable of 3D, the Nintendo 3DS has been reviewed by many video game platform reviewers as having graphic qualities similar to that of the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3.


The Nintendo 3DS is one of only three mobile devices that have incorporated 3D graphics without the need of glasses, the only other devices being the Android HTC Evo 3, and the LG Optimus. This is obviously the main selling point of the 3DS, but there are also several other features that make this one of the most amazing, and successful video game platforms ever. There are two screens on the Nintendo 3DS, the top, larger screen contains the 3D capabilities, and this is where the action takes place in games. However, the user does not always have to play in 3D mode. There is a slider on the right side of the screen that enables the user to customize the level of 3D variation added to the game, similar to the volume slider on the left side of the system. Sliding the bar all the way to the top, enables the 3D at maximum capacity, and the further down the user slides the bar, lessens the intensity of the 3D capabilities, all the way to completely turning them off when the bar is all the way at the bottom. The bottom, smaller screen features touch-screen capabilities, meant for use with a stylus that slides neatly into the back of the system, which is used for secondary portions of video games. For example, you would look at the top screen to move your character around, and attack enemies, but you would use the stylus and the bottom screen to edit your character's inventory, or items he/she is wearing.


The 3DS features WiFi capability, which allows the user to access its unique web-browser to surf the internet, as well as connect to Nintendo's online marketplace, opening up the doors for new content, apps, music, movies, video, and games (both new 3DS games, and classics originally made for older platforms). It also features surround sound capabilities, which work not only with the speakers on either side of the top screen, but also allows for surround sound technology when using any headphones simply by plugging them into the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the base of the system.


The content of Nintendo's online marketplace could use some work and new content, but with it being a relatively new system, I'll allow Nintendo and third party developers some time to create new apps that utilize the many unique features of the Nintendo 3DS. At the launch of the 3DS, there were not many games available that were worth-while, giving many critics the notion that the 3DS was a dust collector until newer, better games could be developed. However, as time progressed, newer, better games were finally released, and it was well worth the wait.


One of the premiere titles released for the Nintendo 3DS, and the first title that I purchased for my own system, was the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Many of you may recognize the title, and if you owned a Nintendo 64, then you probably have already played it. The developers did much more than format this title with a few easy tweaks so that it would simply run on the 3DS, they revolutionized the game; overlaying the previous 3D models with entirely new graphics, re-designing the various sections of the fictional world of the game, Hyrule, and improved on the movements of the titular character, Link. The 3D capability adds a unique sense of depth perception to an already remarkably eye-popping video game.


All in all, the Nintendo 3DS is amazing system, and at just $169.99, you would be hard pressed to find another video game system that offers as many capabilities and functions, at a price even close to the one featured for the 3DS. With a few amazing games already released, and several more being developed, the Nintendo 3DS proves to be one of the best video game platforms available today.