1500 computing hours later on a quad core Intel CPU, 25 became the magic number. Optimism exists that as few as 20 moves are possible, from start to finish. No official word on whether Intel is sponsoring his work in an effort to prove the necessity of their Quad Core CPU’s for us common folks.

In all seriousness, this is a great example of how an inefficient method – many Rubik’s cube geniuses can solve in ~60 moves – is much faster in terms of time. No doubt, the 25 move solution is elegant and genius in it’s own right but just not worth it in terms of computation time. Granted, that isn’t really the point I realize.

Me, I find the hammer solution both quick and elegant.

Nature.com says:

Jonathan Schaeffer and his team at the University of Alberta, Canada, have been working on their program, called Chinook, since 1989, running calculations on as many as 200 computers simultaneously. Schaeffer has now announced that they have solved the game of American checkers, which is played on an 8 by 8 board and is also known as English draughts.

That being said, is this the end of a good game of checkers?

People continued to run for sport after the invention of the automobile. Ed Trice, games expert.

So, are you willing to test your mental manhood? Have a match with Chinook.

Some key Nintendo Wii features:

• The controller – Something only Nintendo would dare try (does anyone remember the VirtualBoy?). But look what it offers:

• Motion-detection: You move it like a wand in front of the tv and the game will sense where the controller is. Use it like a sword, a golf club, or a steering wheel. Uses tilt sensors and accelerometer.
• Rumble: No longer unique but done originally with the RumblePack on the N64
• Speaker: There’s a frikkin speaker in the frikkin thing. When you shoot an arrow from your bow-and-arrow controller, the arrow makes a “whoosh” sound that seemingly travels from the controller to the tv
• Add-ons: You can connect the nunchuk for a handy little joystick, and many things coming up, depending on what game you’re playing
• Turn it sideways and play old school Nintendo games – there is also a more traditional Wii-branded joystick (think mutated SNES)

• Wireless: Connected 24/7, even when the power is off. It will download new content to your games for free through Nintendo’s WiFi Connection
• Accepts and plays Gamecube discs as well; Accepts Gamecube controllers and memory cards
• Virtual Console: Download and play 20 years worth of old Nintendo, Sega and Turbografx 16 games. Also, home for indie developed games.
• Expandable memory through USB drives and SD cards

• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
• Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• Super Mario Galaxy
• WarioWare

At this point, I’d rather buy a Wii than a PSTwii.

It’s a remarkable experience. Instead of passively playing the games, with the new controller you physically perform them. You act them out. It’s almost like theater: the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion-the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world-is powerful. And there’s an instant party atmosphere in the room. One advantage of the new controller is that it not only is fun, it looks fun. When you play with an old-style controller, you look like a loser, a blank-eyed joystick fondler. But when you’re jumping around and shaking your hulamaker, everybody’s having a good time.

Wii is really the only true next-generation system; it’s the only one with a controller that allows a new generation of gameplay possibilities. The Xbox 360 and PS3 both sport multiple core technology, three and seven cores respectively if I recall, but all this power will not really be advancing the entertainment value in videogames.

I predict that after getting first-hand exposure to this new gameplay experience; everything else will seem clunky and unresponsive. Besides, you don’t want to be a “blank-eyed joystick fondler”, do you?

15. Duck Tales
14. Castlevania
13. Super Mario Bros. 2
12. Bionic Commando
11. Zelda II
10. Dragon Warrior
9. Mega Man 2
8. Contra
7. Metroid
6. Final Fantasy
5. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
4. Super Mario Bros.
3. Tecmo SuperBowl
2. Super Mario Bros. 3
1. The Legend of Zelda

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start