This week's free game: 'Toobin'"
It's the dog days of summer, and if you can't be on the river relaxing with a cold beverage, we've got you covered with Atari's 1988 arcade classic.
The Tech Deck Kip Hill
MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015
The rise of the 'shared experience'
Cooperative play is nothing new in video games. But with major publishers like Rockstar Games, Bungie and others designing unique experiences that require Internet connectivity and coordination to pull off, are we entering a new age of gaming?
MONDAY, JULY 20, 2015
This week's free game: 'Pitfall!' 1
It's a jungle out there. Try to tame it with Activision's 1982 classic, Pitfall, widely considered one of the first great platformers, free in your browser!
MONDAY, JULY 6, 2015
This week's free game: 'Final Fight'
Capcom's brilliant side-scrolling beat 'em up is available for free on the Internet Archive.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015
Gotta collect 'em all - our favorite hidden gems in video games 1
Collectibles in a video game can be a gift and a curse, but the best ones grant the player a sense of discovery, accomplishment and serendipity. Here are 10 of our favorite.
MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2015
This week's free game: 'Commando' 1
Long for the days when infiltrating a base in video games was more about superior firepower than stalking corridors? Commando may be right for you.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2015
Being the Batman: My first 3 hours with 'Arkham Knight' 2
Is the end of Rocksteady's experiment letting you "Be the Batman" worth the price of admission? For a super Bat fan, yes, but hang on...
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015
Super gamer beats Super Mario World - without his vision
Streamer PangaeaPanga claims to have the world record for speed-running Super Mario World - while blindfolded. You can watch his 23-minute, death-defying (sort of) feat in the blog.
MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2015
This week's free game: 'Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?'
If you were born in a certain era, Rockapella's groovy tune and that red fedora are likely imprinted in your brain. Relive the glory days of video game crime-solving in your browser today!
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015
This week's free game: 'Comix Zone'
Do you prefer your brawlers with a bit of sass? Check out this Sega Technical Institute classic, which appeared on the Genesis 20 years ago this August.
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2015
'Beast Mode' in next Call of Duty title
From Mortal Kombat to America's most popular online shooter, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has fully embraced the video game medium.
MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015
This week's free game: 'Superman' (1988 arcade game)
Taito's arcade beat 'em up is one of the few Superman games that hasn't been awful. You can play it for free at the Internet Archive.
MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015
This week's free game 'Marble Madness'
The classic physics puzzler holds up surprisingly well in the Internet Archive's online browser-based port.
FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015
Destiny 'House of Wolves' check-in
In April, we posted several things the House of Wolves expansion for Bungie's 'Destiny' needed to do in order to expand upon a great framework of a game that still hasn't hit its potential. Ten days after launch, we check back in.
MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015
This week's free game: 'Tyrian 2000'
Get your vertical space-shooting fingers ready, as Epic Games' "Tyrian 2000" is available for free download this week in the Tech Deck.
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015
Can you imagine a world without Pac-Man?
Pac-Man turns 35 today. Where would the industry be without our favorite circle-shaped hero?
MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015
This week's free game: 'Super Star Wars'
Step into the shoes of great Jedi heroes in this week's free offering, the Game Gear version of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015
Book review: 'Console Wars' more about personalities - and that's not a good thing
Blake Harris' well-written peek into the world of Sega v. Nintendo is more about the men at the top than the fight between the companies.
MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015
This week's free game: 'Wasteland' 1
Do you like "Fallout"? Want to battle monsters in an irradiated hellscape using old-school RPG techniques? Well, hey, we've got a free game for you this week...
MONDAY, MAY 4, 2015
'Kardblock' removes the Kardashians from your Internet
Have you experienced a Kardashian overload? Social media company Chameleon.le has a program you might be interested in.
This week's free game: 'Super Off Road'
In an admittedly selfish move, I highlight my favorite arcade top-down racer of all time, for free in your browser!
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
'The Investigators' offers near-perfect live 'Welcome to Night Vale' experience 1
The quirky and subversive podcast descended on downtown Spokane on Monday night. Is the experience worth it for both longtime fans and new initiates alike?
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2015
This week's free game: 'Hidden & Dangerous'
Head back to the age of the World War II shooter this week with Illusion Softworks' "Hidden & Dangerous," a tactical third- and first-person shooter from the creators of the "Mafia" series.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015
'Wolf Among Us' another testament to Telltale's adventure dominance
With "Wolf Among Us," Telltale Games creates something fresh and instantly engaging from already brilliant source material.
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
This week's free game: 'BurgerTime' 2
Dust off your spatulas (I hope your spatula isn't dusty) and get your pepper-shaking hands ready, you're playing Mattel's classic "BurgerTime" for free.
Kip Hill joined The Spokesman-Review in 2013. He currently is a reporter for the City Desk, covering the marijuana industry, local politics and breaking news. He previously hosted the newspaper's podcast.