Ryan North of
Dinosaur Comics was lucky enough to have his video game problem answered this week by Steve Murray of the National Post's "Extremely Bad Advice" column. His problem is that his sweetie "heads straight for the internet to download a walkthrough" whenever stuck on something in a game.
"She says she doesn't like being stumped on puzzles and that knowing the answers right away makes the game fun for her, but every time she does this I die a little inside.
This is the only problem in our relationship."
STEP ONE
It's an age-old problem, apart from the brand-new technology. Men like to take things slow and savour experiences, whereas ladies like nothing more than to rush to the finish line, the ends always justifying their cheating means. You say this is your only problem, but these video game tendencies can spread over into real life. If you notice her focusing on collecting coins in a game, you should probably keep your PIN to yourself. If she suddenly quits a game when it gets too hard, only to go and play younger, more virile games for hours and hours, then she's entering some real-life cheat codes, buddy: UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, SLEEP WITH YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER, B, A, START.
STEP TWO
Like any good relationship, you'll have to train your partner like a dog. Bacon treats are good (very good), but what's even better is this: Take apart everything she owns, including the gaming system and the computer. She'll have no choice but to slowly piece things together without cheating (i.e. instructions). By the time she puts the gaming system back together she'll have a newfound appreciation for a job well done. Don't be surprised if she takes everything you own apart as well to share this enriching experience!
STEP THREE
I don't trust people who like to skip ahead to get things over with faster and faster. Dating someone like that is trouble. Hey, why get married first? BAM. She's pregnant. Nine months? That seems an awfully long time. BAM! Induced labour. She's going to want to retire by the time she's 30 and, hey, guess what? That movie is totally wrong, Heaven CAN'T wait. Next thing you know, BAM! The two of you are dead by 40 because she can't to wait to see what's next.
STEP FOUR
So yeah, besides that little murder-suicide in your future, you've got it made. Hey, take it from me -- video games are best enjoyed alone, in your underwear, with a big bowl of bacon. Unless it's the type of game where you guys can shoot each other. Those are awesome.
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