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Monday, April 01, 2013

All Tech Considered

'Bioshock Infinite': A First-Person Shooter, A Tragic Play

BioShock Infinite revolves around an Aristotelian tragedy with tragic heroes, grounded in a floating city set in 1912.

April 1, 2013 BioShock Infinite uses a mix of history and fantasy to create a world dominated by a racist fundamentalist Christian cult. The latest installment in the video game series drew praise from critics as proof that games could be more than just computer graphics. Can the genre really reach the heights of great art?

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Friday, March 22, 2013

All Tech Considered

After Conquering Consoles, Hard-Core Gaming Shifts To Mobile

Gears of War: Judgment hit stores on Tuesday.

March 22, 2013 Gears of War is one of those hard-core military video games with spectacular graphics and epic stories. It's not something you'd expect to work on a smartphone or with a download, but that's just where designers are planning to take these types of games.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Monday, March 18, 2013

All Tech Considered

CEO Of Electronic Arts, World's Third-Largest Gaming Company, Resigns

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello, seen here speaking at the E3 Expo in 2010, is stepping down, the company announced Monday.

March 18, 2013 John Riccitiello, whose rocky six-year tenure saw a 60 percent drop in Electronic Art's stock price, said in his resignation letter that he leaves feeling that EA "has never been in a better position as a company."

Summary

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

All Tech Considered

Dad's 'Donkey Kong' Hack Recasts Female As Hero For Daughter

A screenshot shows game designer Mike Mika's Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition he created for his daughter show she could play as a female hero.

March 12, 2013 In an industry full of damsels in distress, game designer Mike Mika hacked the classic game to let his 3-year-old play as the female hero. His story is becoming part of a larger conversation about gender roles in the video game industry. But Mika says he didn't set out to push a feminist agenda or statement.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Saturday, March 02, 2013

All Tech Considered

'Tomb Raider' Makes The Case For Old-Fashioned Console Gaming

The Tomb Raider video game franchise started in 1996. The latest version of the game starring Lara Croft (a character played by Angelina Jolie in film adaptations) is being released Tuesday.

March 2, 2013 Sales of games on the PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 have dropped precipitously in recent years as mobile gaming has become more popular. Now a familiar champion, Tomb Raider and its heroine Lara Croft, returns to fight the good fight for old-school console gaming.

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Shots - Health News

Nintendo Wii Helped Budding Surgeons Move To Head Of The Class

Kid, you might just have a future as a surgeon.

February 28, 2013 Want to be a better surgeon? Get your game face on. A study finds that surgical residents who played video games for an hour a day performed better at simulated keyhole surgeries than colleagues who refrained.

Summary

Friday, August 24, 2012

All Tech Considered

Is The Cloud In Gamers' Future?

Nintendo's Wii U is the only new game system on the horizon as console makers are having a hard time figuring out how to improve on what they've got.

August 24, 2012 The major game console makers have taken a time out to improve on what they've got. Some gamers don't see a need for an upgrade, others know what they'd like to see in new systems. One idea is to store games online, another to make consoles more attractive for non-gaming users.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Monday, June 25, 2012

Planet Money

Video Game Company Hires Economist To Study Virtual Worlds

Inside Team Fortress 2

June 25, 2012 "Valve doesn't care about anything other than creating games. Suddenly, they've wound up with economies."

Summary

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

All Tech Considered

Mobile Gaming Powers Up: '99 Cents Is The New Quarter'

 As mobile games gain popularity, some traditional game developers have taken note and created simpler games.

April 3, 2012 Mobile games like Angry Birds and Draw Something have gained huge popularity partly because of one asset: simplicity. As a result, the traditional video game industry is taking note. But not all of them are following the same route.

Summary

Monday, February 27, 2012

Shots - Health News

Active Video Games Don't Keep Kids Moving

February 27, 2012 Giving kids a Wii and active video games isn't enough to increase their daily exercise, a new study found. The active gamers didn't move more than children playing traditional sit-on-the-sofa video games.

Summary

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Salt

Virtual Victuals: A Gamer Turns Video Game Food Into Real Food

Mushrooms are a staple in the Super Mario Bros. games.

January 18, 2012 Mushrooms and cherries first taught gamers what food can do in games. Now, one gamer has taken the food from the virtual world and put it on the dinner plate.

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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Blog Of The Nation

December 15th: What's On Today's Show

The American flag, Iraqi flag, and the U.S. Forces Iraq colors are carried during ceremonies in Baghdad today marking the end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq.

December 15, 2011 In the first hour of Talk of the Nation, the Supreme Court in 2012, and listeners reflect on what was accomplished and lost in Iraq. In the second hour, Mark Kelly talks about his wife Gabby Giffords, and the top video games in the holiday season.

Summary

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Blog Of The Nation

November 9th: What's On Today's Show

Republican presidential candidate and former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain speaks at a press conference November 8, 2011 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

November 9, 2011 In the first hour of Talk of the Nation, the Political Junkie looks at the week in politics. In the second hour, why people with knowledge of abuse decide to speak up, or not, and a discussion about Modern Warfare 3 and the changing video game industry.

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Monday, March 07, 2011

Shots - Health News

Feel The Burn: Video Games Get Put To Exercise Test

Dancing up a video storm can burn up a lot of calories.

March 7, 2011 Video games that require physical activity can be downright strenuous. Some, including Dance Dance Revolution, can be better exercise than walking on a treadmill, a new study finds.

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Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Shots - Health News

Video Games May Make Girls More Helpful, But Only If Parents Play Along

For best behavior, don't let her play alone.

February 2, 2011 Girls who play video games with Mom and Dad tend to be more helpful and less aggressive. The same can't be said for Junior.

Summary

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