Fresno Bee writer Mike Osegueda reports that he and his wife initially were having a frustrating time playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii together.

And then, without the cost of a therapist, Osegueda had a revelation:

I realised the way I play “Mario” is like a bachelor lives — running through each level as quickly as possible, daring crazy jumps and sometimes paying the price.

She’s more slow and careful, watching how situations develop before making a move.

I’d see her glaring at me when I ran too far ahead. But she was there to slow me down when I was about to do something that would probably kill Mario and end our game.

As we continued to play, we started handling the game the way we handle chores — picking tasks that fit us best individually. It’s why she washes the dishes and I put them away.

Soon, I saw “marriage” in Mario’s every move. When our characters gather coins, they all go into one pot. Hello, joint bank account. Picking which level to play next is sort of like picking what to have for dinner. You should talk about it before pressing a button.

Over the weekend I played New Super Mario Bros. Wii with a few other people. Not being a polygamist, I can’t liken that weekend session to any marriage I’ve ever been part of. The rotating trio of us had all the coordination and cooperation of a group of people running after a hundred dollar bill.

‘New Super Mario Bros. Wii’ is a lesson in marriage [Fresno Bee]

The Chicago Tribune’s advice columnist had the following advice on Sunday:

Sooner or later, raising your kid the way you believe is right means you’ll have to risk stepping on some toes. You could have your son bring over an enticing new, non-violent video game. You could call over and say that your Matthew has already used his video game time for the week.

But it’s also perfectly reasonable to tell your friends, “I’m sorry, but would you mind if Matthew and Timmy played only racing games?” It’s not as implicitly judgmental as laying out your whole parenting philosophy, and if they are your friends, they’ll take the hint. The very best option, of course, involves the yard, sporting implements and muddy knees.

Sound advice, parents?

Can I kill games, save friendship? [Chicago Tribune]

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Yet when you get to your destination, either in your parents’ basement or your uncle’s old room at your grandparents, inevitably there’s some underpowered relic PC that still manages to work. Rather than suffer with Minesweeper or Solitaire when you can’t sleep on Christmas Eve, GiantRealm put together a handy list of six good PC titles that will work on most any machine still in service today. Some of these are available via digital distribution channels. Others, you might have to do a little advance planning and snake a copy from an Amazon or half.com reseller.

Six Titles That’ll Work on Nearly Any Machine [GiantRealm]

The strategy, in a nutshell:

• Stay current with upcoming release dates, so you’ve made your decision on every drop before it happens, and it’s less of an impulse purchase, which can get you in trouble.

• Read reviews critically: Look for criticisms that point out game flaws that drive you nuts. They can help you stay away from a bad purchase.

• Get the demo and play it all the way through. Speaks for itself. Demos are useful for more than just hyping an upcoming game.

• Trade-Ins/Buy Used: You might get soaked in the secondary market, you might dislike how much GameStop makes off a resale. But it’s still a cheap way to get a game.

And something I didn’t know:
• Join gaming communities: GeekDad specifically mentions Goozex. These resources can assist you in trading your games with others, and spotting upcoming deals and discounts at your local stores.

It’s good advice, and just having a plan feels empowering. The more you make prudent, affirmative decisions about your game choices in advance, rather than on WTF impulse, the less manipulated you’ll be and the more dough you’ll have in your pockets.

5 Simple Ways to Stretch Your Gaming Dollar [GeekDad, Wired.com]