Bit Histories: The Story of Acclaim Entertainment

Mrs. Bit and my son, whom we'll call Little Bit, have been on vacation for the past week to go and visit her father in Alabama. Because of my schedule for work, school, and game-playing, as well as my love for you, dear readers, I was regrettably unable to accompany them.

Having them gone has left me to my own devices (a phrase that has a very literal slant to it with all the various gaming gizmos I have employed in their absence) for the week, and as you would expect, Mrs. Bit's fastidiously clean house has, as they say, gone to pot. It started with a Taco Bell wrapper on the floor in the living room, or a glass left on the table, instead of immediately cleaning it. Before I even knew what had happened, I was living like a hobo, knee-deep in my own filth. I have almost completely forgotten how to take care of myself without the assistance of Mrs. Bit, to the point where I would not be surprised if you came to visit, and found me sitting on the living room floor, a huddled mass near a fire that was kindled in a hubcap. All things have their natural state, and apparently mine is vagrancy.

We'd like to thank the local Police Department for this
wonderful shot of me from the last time Mrs. Bit went out of town.

The reason I tell you this, aside from being an illustration of how pathetic I am when my wife is gone, is because having all that free time got me thinking about game-related topics I haven't thought about in a long time. My thoughts turned to old games, people, companies, development houses, and consoles, and amid all the synapses snapping busily around my sugar-addled brain, one name rose to the top and gave me impetus to do some research.

Readers, for my enlightenment, and yours, I give you a brief history (read: only the funny stuff) of ACCLAIM ENTERTAINMENT. 

The Nintendo 3DS: One Week Later

It's... LOOKING at me.

Well, North America has officially had the 3DS, Nintendo's next generation of handheld gaming, for one week. Most outlets have provided a review, or hands-on impressions (like those by my buddies Coffee With Games and My Little Gamer), or Day One Impressions (like my friend The Dread Pirate Guy, if you follow the link), or some other variation thereof. Because I like to be JUST a little different when I can, I opted instead to get my 3DS and spend a week with it before I wrote anything for you, the readers. This allows me to get to know the new system on a less superficial level, and hopefully, pass any wisdom/judgements I had to you. Like any house guest, if the 3DS had any dirty laundry to air, I wouldn't see it until a few days into the visit. 

We'll begin with a few quick photographs, courtesy of the beautiful Mrs. Bit, chronicling the blessed day the 3DS arrived: