Who knew gamers -- the ones who hole themselves up in their basements alone with their consoles for weeks at a time -- could be so lovey dovey?
Paul Pape designed these little Mii milk, white, or dark chocolates that come two in a box that's shaped like a console. The figures inside have tiny red hearts to indicate their love. They're totally cute for Valentine's Day, but they are sold out! OH NO! If you're creative enough, I'm sure you could put together something like this, or something even better, for your gamer love.
This is what we need more of, recipes based on the food you see in video games. Our sister (brother?) blog WOW (World of Warcrafts) Insider knows this too and has a regular feature based on the idea. This week it's Murloc Fin Soup!
I think I should try it because my local Shaw's has a special this week on Murloc Meat. Full recipe after the jump, including a handy translation on the foods so you know what to buy to make it.
We don't normally get a lot of video game news in the food world other than the occasional release of something like Cooking Mama, so imagine how we felt when we heard about the latest foodie-inspired game idea to come shooting out of your wireless joystick controller. Hell's Kitchen is going to be a video game.
We weren't exactly sure how this tv-tie in was going to be translated into a video game, but when we found out that it's basically going to be "the fun of the kitchen boot camp experience," like it is for the contestants on the Fox show, we got it. Players will subjected to Chef Ramsey's four-letter infused screaming while trying to turn out some of the Chef's recipes (which will be included with the game).
The game will ship next year in conjunction with the premiere of the 4th season of Hell's Kitchen. We are hoping to get a chance to play.
What is it about Jam Faced's post I love? It's the fact that Jam Faced isn't afraid to admit that 1) "when I'm not cooking or eating, I'm probably to be found playing a game," but more charmingly, 2) his game of choice is not some all-night binge on World of Warcraft, but cute little cartoon-like Cooking Mama. Yes! Cooking Mama, which allows you to roll gyoza under the watchful eye of the pink-bonneted Mama. But perhaps best of all is that Jam Faced has "even found myself pondering a few of the recipes for future real life cookery."
Gamecakes is a blog that is wholly dedicated to one thing, and one thing only: cakes that have to do with video games. The idea comes from Michael Fahey, a writer for mega gaming blog, Kotaku. While it's obvious to have an entire blog dedicated to the industry of video games, who knew there were enough gaming geeks who liked to bake cakes, and decorate them quite impressively, as well?
(And no, I have no idea what gamer porn would be.)
You really never know just quite what you'll find on eBay these days. Take this Super Mario nutcracker that's being auctioned on the Canadian eBay site. I'm not sure if Canadians are any more obsessed with video games than Americans, but it's pretty safe to say that this is the only Super Mario Nutcracker out there.
Standing just over a foot high, the hand-painted plumber sports a snazzy red and blue uniform and, of course, his signature moustache. The Mario Nutcracker's creator is selling it for $20, plus $15 shipping. He claims that it's the first in a series of pop culture nutcrackers. The next one might be Chuck Norris, he adds.
These video-game inspired cakes from Glitter Pissing seemed to fit right in with the other strange (some have said "geeky") series of cakes we've featured recently on Slashfood. There were the Stargate cupcakes, the sysadmin cupcakes and then the meat cake. According to blogger r4kk4, these cakes, which include the Nintendo you see here, arcade versions of Centipede and Ms. Pacman and a Gameboy with Tetris pieces, were created for a cakewalk to benefit the nonprofit youth literacy group 826 Seattle. From the looks of the dozens of comments, there could definitely be a market for cakes like these.
With the growing popularity of social networking websites, such as MySpace, it is not very surprising to hear that people are looking to extend the concept into other spaces. Unfortunately, "other spaces" all tend to be in the real world, as opposed to the digital one, where people are likely to be interacting and networking already. One new restaurant in Los Angeles thinks that they have come up with a good balance of real and digital interactions - whether it will be a success remains to be seen.
At uWink Bistro, the customers will have computer touch screens at their tables, from which they can order food without the need for a waiter/waitress. Once their order has been placed, they can play games on the screen or challenge other tables to tournaments. Diners will be sitting in the restaurant, physically with other people, but will virtually interact with the others around them.
Cake Mania, previously an online-game, is fresh out of the oven, frosted, boxed, and headed to the PC. The game, called a perfect balance between "fun and educational" in the PC-version will have additional levels.
Something to do while you're waiting for your muffins to cool, I think.
Not all video games are horrible. Just try out the simulation called Food
Force, in which players take on six missions
to help feed millions of hungry people in a place called Sheylan in the Indian Ocean.
The game, freely downloadable off of Yahoo, was created by, of all groups, the United Nations. The UN has a
sub-organization called the World Food Programme (WFP) whose mission is "halving
the proportion of hungry people in the world." The game is mostly educational, representing to players what the
day to day tasks of the WFP are: from determining a what a balanced diet for the people of Sheylan would be
to figuring out they best way to distribute aid. No guns, no shooting, but there are a few helicopter
rides.
Diner Dash
2 is the follow-up to the popular online computer game Diner Dash, set in San Francisco. In the original game, you
control the character Flo as she opens and runs her diner business, doing everything from waiting tables to checking
the books at night. In the new Diner Dash 2, Flo branches out and helps her friends save their restaurants from an evil
corporation. The brightly colored game, put out by the company PlayFirst, is
relatively simple when compared to some of the fantastically complicated, graphic-heavy role playing games that are
released for systems like X-box and, aside from the occasionally irate customer, the game is violence free. It is
realistic, though, and all the functions of running and operating real diners can happen at any time - from placating
impatient customers to getting good tips. Diner Dash 1 and 2 are marketed slightly more towards women than the average
computer game and, perhaps not surprisingly, the strategy is working and more women are playing. Some of the biggest
growth can be seen in the 35 women's demographic, who don't talk about their gaming habits much, but still turn to the
'net for a 20 minute break from work.
This is what we need more of, recipes based on the food you see in video games. Our sister (brother?) blog WOW (World of Warcrafts) Insider knows this too and has a regular feature based on the idea. This week it's 
You really never know just quite what you'll find on 
These video-game inspired cakes from 
With the growing popularity of social networking websites, such as 
It looks like food is space invading the video game world. We've seen a couple of games already: fun games like 
Diner Dash
2
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