We love when niche interests combine to make one super-niche subject. Take  British magazine Arena Homme+’s latest editorial of Final Fantasy characters wearing the latest Prada season (a marriage of niche interests in and of itself; western, Mr. Brady). Perfect idea, why is it so new?

My world may seem the same as yours…but it’s not. 

This wonderful new commercial for the PlayStation Vita by 180 Amersterdam perfectly depicts the appeal of video games by showing how gaming can completely immerse you in other worlds and experiences. 

Filed Under: Gamer Foodies

Gourmet Gaming is a blog for foodies, gamers and gamer foodies, listing recipes for foods that are featured in all different types of video games.  You will find anything from the “Superspicy Curry” found in the Gameboy version of Kirby’s Dream Land (remember? it gave Kirby the power to spit fireballs) to Grand Theft Auto IV’s “The Bleeder” burger. Gourmet Gaming allows gamers to add another sensory layer to their gaming experience while contributing to their overall gamer expertise- who doesn’t want to know what Kirby’s curry tastes like after all!

FILED UNDER: KINECT SPIRITUALITY

Leela is a new Kinect-based videogame created by spiritual guru Deepak Chopra and THQ. Using the Kinect’s motion sensor, the game guides you through deep breathing exercises and meditations—all with the aim of exploring your seven Chakras. 

Chopra says of Leela:

“I personally believe that you can accelerate neural development and biological evolution through video games,” said Chopra. “Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re doing right now. What we’re doing is creating addictions to violence, adrenaline and mindlessness, rather than mindfulness. That was my personal motivation to get involved in this medium.”

Leela is scheduled for a November 2011 release, and consumer response will be interesting, to say the least. Are Chopra fans and mind/body wellness advocates ready to embrace videogames? 

Lately it has seemed like people are ready to let loose, like really party down. In the past month or so, I have gone to Halloween themed dance party in a warehouse, a dance off rave battle in an old school house, and a birthday party featuring tarot card readings and confetti. Now all of this has been fun, but there is really nothing that different about them from the raves of ’90s or the “gatherings” of the ’60s. But recently some Kinect Hackers have been thinking of ways to use the new technology to modernize the party scene.

The above photo is of the Kinect Hack that a group developed for the Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction conference.  The hack invited conference attendees—and if you don’t think conferences are parties you have never seen the potential of jet-lag and open bars—to use Kinect to translate their image into a 3D model of their bodies. Yeah, it’s confusing we know. But this video should help demystify the process for you.

One hacker created a way for dancers to use connect to project the image of their bodies on a screen as if it were through a pinboard. (If you don’t remember these toys, they were those strange boxes of pins that you could press your hand against and it made you look as if you were inside the matrix.)

And while the Graffiti hack, where you align a projector with the Kinect and it projects neon graffiti onto the bodies in front of it, has yet to be used in a party forum, we agree with Wired that it is ripe for the party plucking.

Personally, I can’t wait for this kind of Kinect Hacking to go mainstream and help spice up birthday parties galore.

I was invited to go see the new Nintendo 3DS this week. It doesn’t come out until March 27 but the creators had invited editors, bloggers, and trendforecasters like moi to come check it out. To be honest, I wasn’t in the mood. It was a long week, far across town in rush hour traffic, I had a TV segment to film, and about four Oscar parties to get to and didn’t need to see one more gadget my kids were likely to pester me for. (Ok, cue the Diva violins Puhlease!)

And at first, I still wasn’t impressed. The idea of taking 3D photos that could only be viewed on the unit didn’t thrill me. But once I started playing the games my attitude went out the window. It is SUPER COOL! First of all, you don’t have to wear glasses, a big improvement in all things 3D. And the games are not only 3D, but in the round— i.e. you have to physically move — so when you play the battleship game you have to turn your body to shoot the ships behind you. And when you are firing at the dragon which literally JUMPS OUT from the table in your living room you need to MOVE to shoot at it. While this may not really be making sense, you’ll have to trust me that it’s unlike any other experience so far.

The unit comes bundled with a bunch of cool games and other features making it well worth the $249.99, price tag.The only question that remains is who gets it first: me or my pesky kids?