Here's an obvious fact: we write about games. Here's another obvious fact: we have to deal with real life. In the midst of all this, we play games. We like games a lot, but we have to fit them around different things. So, on a more personal note this edition, the staff were asked how much they actually play the games they talk about, and write about, so much.

Do you actually play games much? How do you fit games into your lifestyle?

GCTonyHawk7:

I suppose, you could say, I really don't play games all that much. For me, it mostly comes it phases. On a typical school week, I will play a game maybe every other day, usually Animal Crossing. Though, I also have my phases in which I play games a ton; like when I get the craving to play through a Zelda game, or just happen to get hooked on a certain game. (Meteos) On these phases, I find that I have around 5-8 hours of playing a day, due to weekends, and my rather undemanding schedule. (Even with school)

Overall, you could say that I'm not the most active gamer on the planet, though I do make sure I get a good play in here and there. Some times I'll be playing games non-stop most of the day, and other times I could easily go a week without playing a game seriously. Hopefully the Wii will change this for a while.

I actually find that I spend more time waiting and anticipating games than I actually spend playing them. I waited forever for the Metroid Prime Hunters to come out, and then I was only hooked for a few weeks. Especially with new consoles, I spend a ton of time waiting, and hoping that the new games will be everything I am hoping for.

Again, I'm waiting for the Wii. And I also fully expect that new Zelda game will fill in all my dull areas. Keep gaming people!

Iun:

Well, in all honesty so much lousy crap has been happening lately that I've found little time at all for games.

Nonetheless, they do play a big part in my consciousness -flicking through the Time supplement on gaming the other day, I could barely resist the urge to whip out the red pen and start correcting all the mistakes I found there. Even though I had not managed to pick up a joypad in days, I still found myself seething at the inaccuracies.

Gaming is sometimes a state of mind. As Nintendo fans, we are more than accustomed to large gaps between major releases and the urge to replay classics can diminish with time. Couple this with the constraints of working full-time and an active social life, and you have a recipe for very little gaming at all.

I do consider myself a gamer, and believe it is my duty to maintain a certain level of awareness on the whole gaming scene, particularly the latest developments at Nintendo.

As for time? Oblivion still eats up hours of my week when I should be working on more articles, 1080 Avalanche is great for that "Christmas Feeling" -particularly as the nights are drawing in, and Animal Crossing is ever-present in my DS at the moment. At the most, I manage 10 hours a week, when previously... maybe 25 or 30 at the most. I still consider myself a "gamer" and probably will do for many years to come. But at the moment, and certainly until the Wii is available, I just haven't got the time.

Franklin:

I don't get to play games as much as I'd like to anymore, free time is really becoming a rare comodity for me these days. I have work 5 days a week (5 and half two weeks a month), then when I get home I usually go online check out N-Europe, the forums maybe a few other websites I tend to visit. Also I have a channel on Youtube so if I'm doing a new video for that, that could take up a good amount of time depending on the length of the video and how much editing there is to do. Oh and of course doing the podcast (The N-Europe Show) each week usually takes a good chunk out of the day depending on how nice the technology Gods are to us.

But generally I usually get in an hour or two of DS gaming every 2nd day, and if there's nothing happening I try to play some Gamecube (for the final time I say to myself each time I do) for a few hours, usually about 3 days a week.

However once I have my Wii I expect to be spending a lot more time gaming, I think one other factor in my little game time is that I haven't gotten a new game in a while now. Once I have something new to play there'll definatly be more time spent playing than there is now.

Fierce_Link:

I've reached the tender age of 19. But, as I have gotten older and older, I have realised that I don't have that much time to just sit down and play a game constantly anymore. In fact, I can't remember the last time a game captured all of my attention. Nowadays, I play games for a short blast, and then go on to do something else, like working, watching tv, or going out.

Lately, however, I have started to discover the online aspect of the Nintendo DS. I'm finally getting into Mario Kart and Metroid Prime Hunters online. I'm writing this just minutes after having a four player race, infact.

To put it simply, I just don't have time to get addicted to certain types of games anymore, like I used to. An RPG where I have to spend hours 'leveling' up my characters? An adventure game with a thousand sidequests and lots of places to explore? As much as I'd love to play these games all day, I just can't. There just isn't enough hours in the day.

I've always been a multiplayer-orientated person, and I do admit that most games I own are games with a particularly special multiplayer mode. But, I'm hoping that when the Wii comes around, it will kickstart me back into my console-gaming habit. Just like the DS got me back into handheld gaming.

And then, I will conquer the new Zelda. Not just in one sitting, not in five hour sessions, but in my own time.

Tphi:

Lately I have to admit the amount of time I've had for gaming has been side-lined a great deal. The demands of Uni (keeping a decent social life out of my room, more than work obviously) has been one factor, and the fact I can't afford many games is another.

Though the factor which has effected it the most is the fact that there really haven't been many games out recently I've wanted to buy. When a game comes along I really want to play, I'll put in the time to play it and enjoy it to the full. Who cares about the world outside of gaming when you're having more fun in the gaming world created by your current can't-put-down title?

The last game I really played was New Super Mario Bros., which I completed (minus a last couple of Golden Coins, damnit) fairly quickly through about a couple of weeks frequent playing. And then since then.. I can't think of anything that's really held my attention to warrant a purchase. It is partly down to the current time being the break between Nintendo home console generations, though I can't think of many DS titles I've been compelled to buy lately either.

With the upcoming Wii however, things will change. Somehow, somewhere, I will be getting a Wii on launch day, along with Twilight Princess. And probably Monkey Ball, Red Steel and Rayman too. Having had a taste of the Wii, I know what goodness lies ahead. Just don't try getting a hold of me on December 8th...

Conor:

Very interesting question, and something I suspect is kind of a white elephant amongst many part-time game journalists. Fact is, we're ordinary people like everyone reading this. We have jobs (some of us full-time), spouses and girlfriends to please, degrees to work for, school to attend, homework, coursework, exams, and socialising... in between and all that we have to play games and write about games. Speaking personally for a moment, most of my time is divided between studying for a BA in English and running the website you see before you. And they do take up a lot of time, if you want to do well in them. Usually the first half of my day is spent in class, reading up on texts, studying and whatnot (to be fair, you could sleep through your English degree if you wanted, but some of us like to aim high), and the second half of my day is spent updating the website, writing, organising features and specials, emailing people etc. My average bedtime? 3.30am.

Generally I usually fit in a little gaming in between. My DS is my best friend (squeezing in play of Mario Kart on the train is a delight). I'm there for the big events - the latest Mario, Zelda etc. will always have me hooked - and if a review copy comes my way I'll clear my schedule for a bit for that. I mean, I'm game literate in general: I think I've a good eye what goes in games, and am sufficiently ept with my pen to express thoughts on it well. I don't think it devalues my criticism that much (listen to the podcast for a fuller explanation).

As a starry-eyed kid, I hoped it wouldn't end up like this. I used to spend days, proper 24-hour days, playing games. I got to know every inch of those games, and knew the titles on an intimate level, if you'll excuse the dubious term. On a practical level, this is now an impossibility (well, except for the summer of course), and a part of me does regret it. Getting to know a game really well is a luxury now... but you can be sure once we get in a copy of Twilight Princess I'll be canceling everything and sitting in my underwear for 70 hours.

Oh, I cannot wait.

What's your reponse then? Do you sit about in your shorts all day playing Zelda, or do you settle with quick goes with the stylus on the busride?