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Names: Mike Hendricks II / Sarah Blanchard

Status: Dynamic Duo! (Boy/Girlfriend)

Which one of you games? Both of us.

How often do you game?
Mike: I try to get in at least an hour a day, but it doesn’t always end up like that. Lame!
Sarah: It varies depending on how much free time I have, but usually about 3-4 times a week.

Do you prefer to play online multiplayer or locally?
Mike: It really depends on the genre. I love single-player RPGs and adventure games, local multiplayer for party games like Mario Kart 64, and online/local combos like Halo: Reach are awesome, because you get the best of local and online multiplayer.
Sarah: Locally, I always have a lot more fun when I play games in the same room as other people. I do love playing online multiplayer though because the people you meet online are usually so hilarious!

Do you prefer competitive or cooperative multiplayer?
Mike: I like co-op competitive myself, team-based games allow for much more strategy. Plus being MVP is more awesome when you’re on a team.
Sarah: I actually prefer competitive co-op games like Halo, especially when it comes to online multiplayer. I really enjoy the competition of online play and first person shooters in general but I’m pretty terrible at them. I like being able to work together with teammates, it’s the only way I stand a chance!

Fave game to play with others?
Mike: Locally – probably old school Super Smash Bros for N64, online I think it’s Halo: Reach so far.
Sarah: Just Dance for the Wii. It is impossible to NOT have a good time while dancing around like a crazy person to cheesy pop music.

Fave game to play with each other?
Mike: I like playing Warriors of Might and Magic for the DS with Sarah, she actually gives me some decent competition on that one. She always uses that stupid undead emo girl.
Sarah: At the moment, Halo Reach. Mike teases me because my kill-death spread is always in the negatives…but I’m getting a lot better!

Currently playing?
Mike: FALLOUT NEW VEGAS OWNS MY LIFE.
Sarah: Bioshock 2 and Metal Gear Solid. I also just got Fallout New Vegas which I’m very excited to start playing.

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore or a casual gamer?
Mike: I guess I’m pretty hardcore, although that term has always bothered me. I’ve loved games forever, and it shows. I mean, I don’t act like a total douche online, and I try to curtail the bragging, but if you play with me, you’ll see that I let my gaming do the talking.
Sarah: I’d say I’m more of a casual gamer, although I do have hardcore moments when it’s hard to pull me away from my console.

What do you like about gaming with Sarah?
Mike: The fact that she’s right there next to me, so anytime I want to I can sneak a kiss in. I know that’s pretty corny, but my favorite parts of gaming with her are the little things outside the game. That and she always has some hilariously inappropriate commentary.
Sarah: I like that he’s very competitive and won’t just let me win if we’re playing a game together. If I do win I know it’s because I actually did well and not because he’s going easy on me. I also like that he has such a freaking huge collection of games that I can borrow. :]

What DON’T you like about gaming with Sarah?
Mike: I don’t like it too much when she thinks I’m upset. For example, if we’re doing poorly in a game, I might start dropping some F-bombs to myself and such, but not in a ragey sort of way, just the way you might spurt out an insult at a driver who cut you off. I think sometimes she might take it seriously and think that I’m upset when I’m really not.
Sarah: Sometimes he gets mad if I accidentally shoot him when we’re playing Halo, it’s not my fault you ran in front of me when I was shooting aliens!

What has been your most memorable gaming experience?
Mike: Jeez, there’s tons. The first thing that comes to mind for me was in the RPG Suikoden on PS1. At one point, a character named Gremio pretty much gets eaten alive to save you, after having been your family’s servant his whole life. But while it’s happening, he’s talking to you through the door about it and about how it’s ok and such. It seriously brought a tear to my eye.
Sarah: There have been so many it’s hard to name just one. In general I think the mutual love that Mike and I both have for anything video game related has allowed us to share a ton of great unique experiences. Just a couple months ago we went to E3 and Video Games Live which were a blast. I don’t think I would have had nearly as great of a time if I had gone with someone who didn’t enjoy that stuff as much as Mike does, and vice versa.

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
Mike: No specific event, but I think that being spawn-killed in any shooter game is an instant off-pisser for me. It’s like the developer just didn’t give enough of a crap to give you a fair chance.
Sarah: Any time I try to play the guitar or bass in Rock Band on hard mode. I get so thrown off by that stupid orange button!

Who is the better gamer and why?
Mike: To be honest, I think it’s me. Sarah’s catching up quick, she’s only been getting more hardcore with gaming maybe 2 years now tops, but she’s already got the addiction. I’ve gotta say though, that across almost any genre I can school her. To be fair, I’ve been playing avidly almost my entire life, so it’d be pretty sad if she were already better than me.
Sarah: Definitely Mike, he’s been playing video games since he was fresh out of the womb, there’s no way I even compare to that! Although I can totally kick his butt in a game of Tetris.

What is your system of choice and why?
Mike: My current one is Xbox360. The social aspect is much more streamlined, and I’m used to the controller. I was a Playstation kid growing up, but one of my best friends got me a 360 and Gears of War a few years back, and changed the game up. I’ve got a 60-gig PS3 as well, but I just don’t use it as much.
Sarah: PS3! I’ve grown up playing on PlayStation consoles, it’s what I love and what I’m used to. I will always be a Sony girl at heart.

Fave game of all time?
Mike: This one’s a supreme toughy. There’s so many types of games that I don’t know if I can pinpoint a single best. On the fly though, I’d say I’m feeling Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Sarah: Final Fantasy VII. When I first expressed an interest in gaming Mike told me this was the game I absolutely NEEDED to play. He was definitely right, I loved playing it and it’s been my favorite ever since!

What do your gamertags mean?
Mike: Mine’s Unusanimus, it’s latin for Onesoul. I made Onesoul up back in middle school, it just seemed to fit. Than once that marvelous internet age picked up, I noticed people stealing it. So I loosely translated it into Latin and went with that.
Sarah: Mine is Sarahsaurusss, it’s actually the first instant messenger screen name I made when I was in the sixth grade. For the sake of my horrible memory I try to keep it simple and use the same log-in name for most things.

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Names: Manuel Martinez / Mary Carlson

Status: In Hell! Boyfriend/Girlfriend

Which one of you games? Both

How often do you game?
Mary: An hour or 2 most evenings, up to 8 hours on the weekends
Manny: Average at least 4 hours a day

Do you prefer to play online multiplayer or locally?
Mary: I mainly play MMORPGs, with some pen and paper D&D and MTG along the way
Manny: Online multiplayer games

Do you prefer competitive or cooperative multiplayer?
Mary: I enjoy both, cooperative edges out competitive though – I always end up in the sterotypical female role – the healer, LOL!
Manny: Both

Fave game to play with others?
Mary: WoW (D&D, MTG for non video-games)
Manny: Left 4 Dead 2, Monday Night Combat

Fave game to play with each other?
Mary: WoW or MTG
Manny: WoW

Currently playing?
Mary: WoW, trying Dragon Age but I’m horrible at console games at the moment, Fable 3 looks like fun, I may try that!
Manny: WoW, Fable 3, Metal of Honor, Civ 5

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore or a casual gamer?
Mary: Casual, used to be much more hardcore but life doesn’t permit these days!
Manny: Hardcore

What do you like about gaming with Mary?
Fun having something in common with her, able to spend time together both enjoying a game

What do you like about gaming with Manny?
Love spending time with Manny on a common interest, just need to get better at console games

What DON’T you like about gaming with Mary?
She always takes the good gear!

What DON’T you like about gaming with Manny?
He never listens to me!

What has been you most memorable gaming experience?
Mary: Raiding in EverQuest, will never forget the CH rotations (Complete Heal – macros and all, each cleric starting their heal at a specific number of seconds after the last in order to take out the big NPCs)
Manny: Bad Company on 360: Lots memorable moments of online play with friends in the room

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
Mary: Trying to play Bad Company 2 on 360 and only being able to look at the ground or the sky, and getting smushed a lot, getting killed in Everquest on a PvP server and having my gatorscale leggings taken
Manny: WoW PvP – The lack of balance in PvP whatsoever (very gear and level dependent, no skill required)

Who is the better gamer and why?
Console games – no comparison, Manny rocks!  MMMORPGs – Mary rocks as a healer

What is your system of choice and why?
Mary: PC Games
Manny: XBox 360

Fave game of all time?
Mary: EverQuest, WoW
Manny: Battlefield Bad Company 2

What do your gamertags mean?
Mary: Servilia – I saw the character in a book called “First Man in Rome”, and loved what she stood for – beautiful, nasty, treacherous scheming bitch who got what she wanted, but was still all about her family (and this was WAY before Rome came out on TV, now people keep stealing my names!)
Manny: Midnitereaper – Driving rigs on the midnight shift and always running over something!

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Names: Tanya and Lawrence

Status: Married

Which one of you games? Both

What system(s) do you own? Wii

How often do you game? A few times a month

Fave game to play with others? Bowling and Tennis

Fave game to play with each other? Bowling

Currently playing? Lawrence is using Wii FIT for Yoga

You have one child…how old is she and does she play games? She is almost 3

What kind of games does she like to play? Tennis and bowling (as much as she can for her age)

Do you play together as a family? YES

Are there any concerns that you have as parents regarding video games and your daughter?
I have seen my 8 year old niece and 10 year old nephew go from being super active with the Wii when they first received the Wii as a gift to sitting and playing the game.  They also go outside and do their regular active playtime less.  I know this is a parental issue but the system doesn’t help.  It causes a lot of discipline challenges that were not there before.  My concern is that I may be up against these challenges also by introducing the games to my daughter this early.  On the other side I can also establish boundaries early that will make regulating the time gaming easier.

Would you consider purchasing an Xbox or PS3 now that they have introduced a more family gaming experience with Kinect and Move respectively? Maybe later when Zoë is older.

What do you like about gaming with Tanya? [left blank]

What do you like about gaming with Lawrence?
The excitement of playing and laughing.  Lawrence has a busy lifestyle it’s hard for him to get out of the house after work; it’s nice to get out the Wii and just play.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Tanya? [left blank]

What DON’T you like about gaming with Lawrence?
When Lawrence (and it’s been a while) gets into his Tiger Woods golfing game, you can’t even talk to him.

What has been your most memorable gaming experience?
When we invite people to come over and play as a group.

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
When the remotes aren’t working well. (I’m sure it’s a user problem more than a Wii problem)

Fave game of all time?
At this time we don’t have a great variety of games. I haven’t found one yet but if I have to choose it’s Tennis.

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Names: Leah Davis and Adam Jones

Status: Married

Which one of you games?
Adam: Both
Leah: Both

How often do you game?
Adam: About 3-4 times per week
Leah: On average, once a week.

Do you prefer to play online multiplayer or locally?
Adam: locally
Leah: Locally

Do you prefer competitive or cooperative multiplayer?
Adam: Cooperative, but I do like to occasionally kill my team members lol
Leah: I am the sorest loser ever and for the most part I am not the greatest gamer so cooperative.

Fave game to play with others?
Adam: Gears of War
Leah: Rock Band 2

Fave game to play with each other?
Adam: Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings on the Wii
Leah: I am going to have to agree with Adam on this one. We would take turns trying to get through the levels. It was awesome figuring out the puzzles and helping each other out.

Currently playing?
Adam: Rock band 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, Gears of War
Leah: Rock Band 2

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore or a casual gamer?
Adam: Casual
Leah: Definitely casual

What do you like about gaming with Leah?
Adam: That she sucks and I’m better ha ha

What do you like about gaming with Adam?
Leah: That he does the stuff in games that I suck at so we can get through levels. And his fabulous singing voice on Rock Band 2.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Leah?
Adam: She gets frustrated really quickly

What DON’T you like about gaming with Adam?
Leah: That he thinks he knows everything about all the games we play and he hogs the microphone in Rock Band 2 LOL

What has been your most memorable gaming experience?
Adam: Playing Wii bowling with Norm and April and watching Leah bowl a glass right off the table ha ha ha good spare!!
Leah: It is a tie between drinking and playing Beatles Rock Band with Adam, Norm, April, Macaroo and Seth in California and singing Whatcha, whatch, whatcha want (Beastie Boys) really loudly, at my Rock band Birthday party when the cops showed up. Talk about perfect timing. I’m just glad it wasn’t F*** the police by NWA hahaha

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
Adam: When Leah was freaking out about fighting the room full of Nazis on the next to last level in Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings. She almost started crying.
Leah: Freaking out about fighting the room of Nazis in Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings and actually crying (thanks for trying to be polite Adam but I am going to out myself on this one, I broke down). Cool thing is though, that I was the one who ended up beating the level so my tears were not in vain.

Who is the better gamer and why?
Adam: I am because I don’t worked up as easily as Leah does.
Leah: Adam is because I am clumsy as hell and my dexterity sucks, which is why I am better at games that the action resembles the actual action, like playing Bass, drums or singing on Rock Band 2. And playing most of the Wii games.

What is your system of choice and why?
Adam: Xbox 360 because it comes out with better games and a lot of the load screens are shorter.
Leah: Xbox 360 because it seems easier to use and I like the set up for online gaming.

Fave game of all time?
Adam: Tekken Tag
Leah: Rock Band 2 (soon to be Rock Band 3) though my very first fav game was Centipede in the arcade.

What do your gamertags mean?
Adam: Well, I was drunk one night and decided that my head looked like a spider and wanted to glue googly eyes on my forehead, hence Spiderhead was born.
Leah: Dill Hole, derived from crazy Leah language. Don’t know where it came from and can’t really explain what it means but my friends know and that’s all that really matters, I guess.

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Names: Alma Bahman and Michael Funk

Status: Dating

Which one of you games?
Alma: He does.
Michael: Me.

How often do you game?
Alma: Rarely.
Michael: Whenever time allows without impeding on other important stuff.

Do you prefer to play online multiplayer or locally?
Alma: Locally. Not seeing the other people who are playing frightens me a bit.
Michael: Both have their proper lots in life.

Do you prefer competitive or cooperative multiplayer?
Alma: Cooperative. I’m a sore loser.
Michael: Cooperative competitive such as Battlefield 2 is preferred, but regularly MMO’s with good storyline are good too.

Fave game to play with others?
Alma: Wii Sports games seem to be the most fun with a group.
Michael: Final Fantasy XI

Fave game to play with each other?
Alma: Little Big Planet.
Michael: Little Big Planet.  Gotta start Alma off small and then graduate her to FFXIV online when it comes out.

Currently playing?
Alma: Nothing.
Michael: FFXI…literally.  Filling this out and doing Moblin Maze Mongers.

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore or a casual gamer?
Alma: Less than casual.
Michael: Casual.  Hardcore would have to entail Alma being as into them as I am or me choosing games over social life.

What do you like about gaming with Alma?
Watching her bust up when we blow up sack dolls.

What do you like about gaming with Mike?
When he wants me to play, or even if I want to play, he’s very considerate and makes sure I’m having fun.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Alma?
The fact that she thinks gaming is “childish” and “immature.”  Last I checked studies proved that gaming, in moderation, gave you better cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Mike?
When he starts talking gaming jargon I don’t understand.

What has been your most memorable gaming experience?
Alma: We played a Wii Sports game that was a hula-hooping competition. It was embarrassing to gyrate like that in front of friends but it was hilarious and he was a good sport.
Michael: Uh…probably just high school.  Everyday we’d go my buddy Sam’s house and play games for three hours or so.  Wrestling, sports…you name it.

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
Alma: When I sit with him as he plays Final Fantasy online. It’s not always frustrating but at times, I get bored with the book I’m reading or the paper I’m writing and want to do something else. Also, I hate the music and the sound effects.
Michael: PS3 not being backwards compatible…

Who is the better gamer and why?
Alma: Him. Hands down. Cause he plays.
Michael: Me, cuz I am.

What is your system of choice and why?
Alma: No preference. They all seem to serve a similar purpose to me. I think I’d get a Wii if I had a choice though.
Michael: PS3 or PC

Fave game of all time?
Alma: If I had to choose, Beatles Rock Band. It has fulfilled my dream of walking in Ringo Starr’s shoes.
Michael: Chrono Trigger

What do your gamertags mean?
Alma: Nothing… because I don’t have one. However, my sackperson’s name is “Kylan Blake’s Best Friend” on Little Big Planet, which I quite like actually. It means I’m Kylan Blake’s best friend.
Michael: Absolutely nothing. lol

Names:
Oscar Bermejo & Anvarri Meija

Status:
Long term relationship

Which one of you games?
Oscar: We both game but she often prefers to watch me play than to join in.
Anvarri: We both do but Oz a lot more.

How often do you game?
Oscar: As much as my schedule allows which can range anywhere from 15 minutes
to 4 hours depending on the day.
Anvarri: A few times a month if I can. I don’t game as much as I used to.

Do you prefer to play online multiplayer or locally?
Oscar: I tend to enjoy single player games a lot more than multiplayer.  I’ll
play the occasional multiplayer game when a bunch of my friends are
playing but I grew up on RPGs so a good storyline is important to me.

Do you prefer competitive or cooperative multiplayer?
Oscar: Cooperative. I’d rather have a friend fighting by my side to get
through the story than compete against a bunch of strangers jumping
around acting crazy.

Fave game to play with others?
Oscar: What  ever the latest co-op game is. People forget about games so
quickly that’s it’s tough to stick to just one. I think Gears of War
was one of the first games I had fun playing with a friend so it holds
a special place.
Anvarri: LofTR Return of the King.

Fave game to play with each other?
Oscar: We don’t really play together much, mostly cause we both hate split
screens. We usually just watch what the other is playing.
Anvarri: Lol! bedroom games. =P

Currently playing?
Oscar: God of War 3
Anvarri: Luxor, prince of persia and ufo joe.

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore or a casual gamer?
Oscar: Hardcore gamer
Anvarri: very casual

What do you like about gaming with Anvarri?
Her commentary, like when she suggests I deal with a group of enemies
by throwing a grenade despite the fact that I’m playing Oblivion.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Anvarri?
When I’ve got the adrenaline flowing and am ready to go kill something
and she wanders around the level looking at the scenery.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Oscar?
He plays too fast and I don’t get to enjoy the game’s visual. I’m a big environment fan.

What has been your most memorable gaming experience?
Oscar: The first time I hit a winning streak in Street Fighter 2. For the
first time other people were using their lunch money to try and knock
me off the game.
Anvarri: Back in the day, LAN parties.

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
Oscar: Halo multiplayer, any of them, they’re all the same, a bunch of people
bunny hopping around the map.
Anvarri: That I’m not very good.

Who is the better gamer and why?
Oscar: I am just because I play a lot more unless it’s Samurai Showdown 3
she’s never lost those skills. If this was during the years she hosted
Counterstrike LAN parties things might be different.
Anvarri: Oz – cause he actually plays.

What is your system of choice and why?
Oscar: If I have the option I’ll usually buy the Playstation 3 version of a
game because it has better graphics and I live in constant fear of
those red rings.
Anvarri: 360, the controller and xbox live.

Fave game of all time?
Oscar: Street Fighter 2 (any version) especially when I got good at it.
Anvarri: Vector man and Samurai Showdown 3.

What do your gamertags mean?
Oscar: My 360 gamertag is sparky0 at the time I created the account I was
performing at kids parties under the name “Sparky”. The 0 was just
added cause the name was taken. If it wasn’t for the $10 fee I would
have changed it to match my PSN gamertag OscarBdrunk which seems self
explanatory.
Anvarri: I hate my gamer tag, I’m going to change it as soon as I can.

If you would like to be featured in the 2 Player Spotlight, please email us at
2player@marriedwithvideogames.com.

Names: Joshua and Kay Burnham
Status: Married

Which one of you games?
Both

How often do you game?
Weekly

You have 2 kids…how old are they and do they game?
They are 9 and 11 and both are gamers. Both game more than we do.

If yes, what system(s) do they like to play?
WII, DS, Xbox 360

What is their favorite game?
Any Pokemon game

What steps do you take as (gaming) parents regarding mature content in games?
We make sure that we play any game that is rated mature before allowing them to either play or watch us play it. Some we deem OK, others they won’t get to play/watch until they are older.

What are they currently playing?
Spore Hero

Do you prefer to play online multiplayer or locally?
Locally

Do you prefer competitive or cooperative multiplayer?
Both, depends on the game and our mood.

Fave game to play with others?
Halo and Star Wars Battlefront

Fave game to play with each other?
Fairytale Fights

Currently playing?
Bioshock, Gears of War, Thrillville Off the Rails, Wii Fit

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore or a casual gamer?
Casual

What do you like about gaming with Kay?
That we can play together or at least she doesn’t make me turn off my games when she gets home from work.

What do you like about gaming with Josh?
He helps me with the more difficult puzzles or tasks in a game so that I don’t get as frustrated.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Kay?
I switch games a lot during a gaming session and if I’m playing with her I generally have to stick to one game the entire time.

What DON’T you like about gaming with Josh?
He tends to go barreling through the games while I like to explore more.

What has been your most memorable gaming experience?
The day that our son finally could beat us at the games on his own.

What has been your most frustrating gaming experience?
Playing Guitar Hero for the first time and failing miserably, only to have our son pick up the Guitar and play a perfect round. (Of, course he had been playing the game for a number of years with his mother)

Who is the better gamer and why?
Josh, he has better hand eye coordination

What is your system of choice and why?
Xbox 360 cost and the Halo and ViVa Pinata games series.

Fave game of all time?
Oddworld Abe’s Odyssey

What do your gamertags mean?
Josh just uses his name (well most of the time he actually uses my gamertag), mine is my nickname, Kat, combined with my favorite state of being, laughing. ☺