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The Best 5 Classic Video Games to Play on Video Game Day

CJ — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:55:48 +0000

Video Game Day, Sept 12, is soon upon us and whether you’re lucky enough to have the day off, or you’re forced to celebrate after work, it is a day that any gamer should spend some time tapping away at the controller of their console of choice. Whether you play Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, or one of the Old School Systems, the 12th of September should be your day to celebrate the gamer in you!

There are many options of how to spend such a joyous occasion, and whether you can only sneak in a few hours or you call in sick just to celebrate it, celebrating it is sure to be fun. One way to celebrate is with a video game marathon. Whether you think the ones listed below are the best or not, these are only some classic series’ that will make your Video Game Day enjoyable.

5 Games for your Marathon

1. Any of the Original Super Mario Brothers: Whether you like 1, 2 or 3 the best, they’re the video games that most people recognize. With 14 Mario Brothers games and just as many spin offs, even if you only play Mario Brother’s games, with just how many of these games are out there, you could stay busy all day.
2. All of the Final Fantasy series: If you can get your hands on the first three, then you’re way ahead of the game. Pop them in and start playing and you could be out for days, even past the initial holiday. Like Mario Brothers, it has over 30 games, including its spin offs. Even if you can’t get a hold of the Japanese only releases, your time will be spent playing through semi magical, semi technological worlds. Even if you only play the most popular, Final Fantasy 7, it’s well worth your time.
3. Any Street Fighter Game: With more titles than the previous games on the list, Street Fighter is a classic both on console and in arcades. Shorter than the RPG style games, if you’re good at these games, you might even be able to crank them all out in a day. This series, though, is great to play with a few friends.
4. Any Mortal Kombat Game: Like Street Fighter, this a great series to play with a few friends. With fewer titles, you could combine this with another series, or any other game. Or, if you feel like it, you could watch the movie before you get down and play the games.
5. All of the Zelda games: Along with the Final Fantasy series, these are some of the first real RPGs, albiet linear. While their time-lines are a bit out of whack (Legend of Zelda is the original Link, while the others are his kids), they’re a great series that many people still love playing today. With titles on almost all of the Nintendo platforms, you may need multiple systems for this series.

Two Awesome Car Video Games for 2011

CJ — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Image by wizzer2801 via Flickr

Forza 4

Forza Motorsport 4 is back releasing its fourth game in the series. It comes with an all new career mode which is better and more action packed than ever before. The game now has six racing seasons, with each being longer than the next. The all new Forza has more than 400 cars to choose from and play as in the game. Forza also give you the ability to tune and upgrade these cars for your personal preference to help you win on different tracks.

Also new to Forza is the rewind button which allows the player to rewind up to 5 seconds earlier in the race. This gives the player a chance to correct any mistake they had made such as crashing or missing a turn. Forza also gives new option to turn on for novice players such as auto braking. These new options can make the game much easier and more enjoyable to people who have never played Forza in the past.

Forza 4 also has much improved graphics and goes more into detail with their cars than ever before. The all new graphics give the player an almost life like feeling while playing.

Gran Turismo 5

One of every ones favorite racing game is back with its fifth installment. Gran Turismo fifth installment has more than 1,000 cars to choose from and race as. There are numerous numbers of upgrades that can be performed on the car such as body kits, paints, and changing the rims, to give every car in the game your own custom look. The all new graphics in Gran Turismo 5 is also stunning, as every car goes in to great detail making everything seem life like in the game. The new more intense story mode is very long and will have you playing for days. Just like in all gran Turismo the key point to you winning a race is your ability to use your breaking system correctly. In this game over breaking or under breaking can cause you to miss turns and crash. The new Gran Turismo has endurance races, some that are more than six hours but luckily for us you can use computer simulation on these races. Another benefit to this game is that crashing your car does virtually no damage to your vehicle. This means you won’t have to worry about crashing into any walls in the game.

About the Author
Charles appreciates cars, and has been associated with them so for quite some time. He likes to help people get cash for cars. Additionally he helps people sell junk cars in San Diego.

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EA Need for Speed: The Run Game Review

CJ — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:23:32 +0000

Need for Speed: The Run

Everyone loves a great video game. The perfect video game is one where you can live out your fantasies without getting into trouble. Electronic Arts is great for allowing us to do just that. They allow you to become a star football player or leader on a combat team. However, their most notable series is actually quite different. Their most notable series is one in which you drive as fast as possible and try to steer clear of the police. EA recently announced their newest Need for Speed title called “Need for Speed: The Run”.

In 1994, the first ever Need for Speed game was released and it was called the “The Need for Speed”. It is now 2011 and EA is stepping its game up with this new title. You will be playing a character that goes by the name of Jack. The back story is that Jack is in trouble with some big crime family and they are now chasing after him. In “Need for Speed: The Run“, you will be racing across the country. You will be traveling from the Golden Gate Bridge to New York in an amazing action packed game. You will be able to race in various iconic cities and earn money and cars as you move across the country. You will notice that the in-game graphics are amazingly realistic. This is because the game was designed on the brand-new Frostbite 2 engine from DICE. You will notice very realistic animations and graphics as you compete across the country. The physics alone will make you beg for more action. The engine also allows for more realistic competition so you will definitely have a challenge on your hands. They are also going to cram the city streets full of pedestrians. This will force you to have to dodge random cars and people every time you turn your head.

EA is also adding a brand-new feature into this game. You will have moments where you will have to get out of the car and race on foot. This is the first time in any Need for Speed game you will have to interact with things on foot. The main force you will be dealing with is the police that will stop you at all costs. However, you will encounter the assassins that are chasing you on several occasions. You will have to even deal with both forces at the same time on occasion. The recently launched trailer shows us that the game will be on action instead of just simulation. You will be able to drive any car that you could ever dream of having. This is even including the super cars of the world from the past and the present. This also means that the cops have every tool in the arsenal from helicopters to spike stripes. The game is also going to introduce an amazing new multiplayer experience. You will be able to race your friends and compare your progress on a live game map! You will also be able to have access to various social components in-game for free.

The addition to the game series should be an amazing game. It’s got the realistic graphics and physics of the Frostbite 2 engine. You will also have to deal with two forces that want you dead at any cost. There will be times when you have to get out of the car and fight for your life. You will have to do all of this while racing across the country in the world’s hottest cars from the past and present. You will be able to experience the epic race on November 15, 2011.

About the Author
Luckily, there are no insurance costs in this fantastic game. In the real world, car insurance can add up quickly. Visit Kanetix if you ever decide that you’re paying too much, or want to compare quotes online.

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Top 5 Most Addictive iOS Games

CJ — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:57:58 +0000

I remember lounging on my dorm-room futon, clutching my cherry red Nokia brick phone, playing Snake for hours upon hours upon hours. “Just one more time,” I’d say to myself, fully aware of the bold-faced lie I was telling. It’s a totally simple game – you lead an ever-growing, always hungry, pixilated snake around the screen to help it eat food-cube after food-cube – but it kept me mesmerized for embarrassing amounts of time. But, simplicity seems to be a common element of addictive games. Cell phone gaming has definitely evolved since Snake, but most of the games that are popular today still utilize very basic premises to draw players in and hook them. Here are five games on Apple’s iOS platform that I’ve found to be highly addicting:

Most Addictive iOS Games

Angry Birds

Let’s just get this game out of the way first. As of May, Angry Birds and its two spinoffs have been downloaded over 200 million times. The game is currently in the top spot of iTunes’ most popular paid apps list and is sitting at a 4.5 star rating. I think it is safe to say that Angry Birds will go down in history as one of the most popular and well-known iOS games ever. In Angry Birds, a group of mean pigs steal eggs from your flock and you must do what you can to destroy them. You use a slingshot to fling birds at the pigs and the forts they are hiding in. There are multiple stages and a handful of different types of birds with unique abilities used to break down the structures the pigs are in. The number of birds you get is limited, which creates the challenge of how to best use what you have to beat the level. Some levels are pretty easy, but some left me stumped for a few days. But, man, it is so worth it to see those green pigs finally get crushed. Angry Birds is available for $0.99.

RunStickRun!

When I first played RunStickRun!, I first thought of that flash helicopter game that I always spied on people playing during class. The concept is pretty similar – the world around you keeps moving and you have to keep up with it. The official app description states, “Stick runs and runs and just can’t stop.” All you are responsible for is telling your stick-man when to jump by touching the screen. There are holes in the platform to jump over and you can get your guy to jump into a car or attach to a plane. Everything about this game is simple – from the stick-man drawing to the crumpled up graph paper background image – but it is still hypnotizing nonetheless. RunStickRun! is available for $0.99.

Shibuya

Shibuya is a fast-paced and original puzzle game named after a ward in Tokyo, known for bright lights and exciting video game arcades. The premise of Shibuya is kind of like Tetris mixed with Puyo Puyo or Dr. Mario. Rectangle boxes fall from the top of the screen and the player must assign them different colors, which is previewed in a sidebar. Once two or more of the same color blocks are touching, the player can tap them to remove them from the screen, earning points and making room for more blocks. If the blocks reach the top of the screen, the game is over. What makes this game not just simple and addicting is the level of strategy players can apply to the game if they want. Combos and patterns earn more points, which are recorded on Apple’s Game Center leader boards. The game also has an endless mode, for maximum “zone-out” playing. Shibuya is available for $1.99.

Words With Friends

Words With Friends is basically Scrabble for your iPhone. Players can sign up to play matches with random opponents or connect through Facebook to find friends to play against. Up to 20 games are allowed at once, (I think my most is eight). For me, the most addictive part of Words With Friends is the use of “push notifications,” which is basically a text from the game, letting the player know when it is his or her turn again. I can be doing something totally different, but when I see that little message pop up, I drop everything and go straight to the game to play my turn. The convenience of playing just a turn at a time, as opposed to committing to an entire game, makes Words With Friends a game that everyone should download. Words With Friends is available for $2.99.

Zombie Farm

Oh, Zombie Farm! This cute iOS game is mix of Farmville and Night of the Living Dead. In Zombie Farm, you grow all the usual crops, like onions and corn, but you also can plant different types of zombies, who are eventually used in an army to fight various groups of enemies. (Think “Zombies vs. Lawyers” or, a little more surreal, an ice cream truck driver who kind of looks like the Burger King.) The game is silly, but charming, and I’ve logged more time into it than I care to admit. You can spend quite a bit of time in the game buying decorations and customizing your farm, but if you need a quick-fix for your cartoon bloodlust, invasions take less than three minutes and then you’ll be back to the real world as good as new. Zombie Farm is available for free.

About the Author
MaDonna Flowers is a PR and Social Marketing Specialist at HalloweenCostumes.com where video game related costumes are worn on a daily basis.

All images from Apple.

Most Popular Films Based on Video Games

CJ — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:26:09 +0000

One of the main lures of video gaming is the ability for players to enter alternative realities. When playing a video game, a player is sucked into an imaginary world where they become a character taking on challenges and creating or following a story or adventure. Because it is an imaginary world, extensive liberties are taken that often make the storyline and circumstances fantastical and extreme.

Because of the many common properties between the video game screen and the big screen, many film makers have taken these incredible stories and characters and transformed them into blockbuster movie adaptations.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular video games that have made it onto the big screen.

Tomb Raider- The Tomb Raider video series became a blockbuster hit when it was adapted into Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) with Angelina Jolie as the heroine. Lara Croft goes in search of mysterious artefacts around the world, overcoming obstacles and challenges along the way. In 2003, a sequel was released. The Tomb Raider video series was originally for the Sega Saturn console and then for Playstation.
Prince of Persia – This video game franchise hit the big screen in 2010 with the blockbuster Prince of Persia – the Sands of Time . The film starred Jake Gyllenhaal and was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. While the film’s plot diverges from that of the video game, it is still set in Persia and involves treachery and drama around the ‘sands of time’. The video game was originally developed for the Apple II computer, but was adapted for a number of different platforms including Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox.
Resident Evil– Resident Evil is a survival horror video game in which the player is part of a special law enforcement taskforce who must make their way out of a mansion crawling with dangerous and mutated creatures. The Resident Evil films have three sequels and involve the main character – played by Milla Jolovich – getting herself out of difficult situations. The first Resident Evil horror film was released in 2002. Resident Evil was originally played on a Playstation, followed by Sega Saturn and Nintendo.
Mortal Kombat- Mortal Kombat was a series of fighting games that has been played on Playstation, Nintendo and Xbox consoles. Mortal Kombat has been made into two blockbuster adaptations – Mortal Kombat (1995) andMortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997). The films have a loyal fan base.
Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. was developed in 1985 by Nintendo for their console. In Super Mario Bros., one player is Mario and the other is Luigi, and the brothers make their way through Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool from the evil Bowser. The film adaptation of Super Mario Bros. in 1993 was a flop at the box office, but the plot was based loosely around that of the video game.

If you want to relive or retry these popular video games that made it onto the big screen, then try the latest generations of these classic games that are usually available for a number of different consoles. It is likely that if you want to play Prince of Persia, you can buy Xbox games equivalents. Alternatively, dust off your old console and buy Nintendo DS games.

Top First Person Shooter Games for Your PC

CJ — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:04:45 +0000

First person shooter games have risen in popularity ever since games have been available to play on the Internet for free. All you need to immerse yourself in some great fast paced and violent action is a good Internet connection and a decent PC. The following is a look at five of the most popular first person shooter games that are available free online.

AssaultCube

Arguably the best of its kind, AssaultCube is a multiplayer first person shooter that utilizes incredibly real environments as well as fast paced and violent action to keep players coming back for more. In addition, unlike other games, AssaultCube has an incredible 12 modes of play for variation. Some of these modes are team play while others restrict the kinds of weapons you’re allowed to use.

AssaultCube Demo Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

CodeRED: Alien Arena

Released in 2004 as a free-to-play first person shooter game, Alien Arena incorporates a nostalgic science fiction atmosphere with game play that is similar in feel to Doom and Quake. The game does offer single player modes where players play against bots, but the primary focus of play is on player vs. player. The cost of playing this great game is in patiently dealing with the in-game advertising that pops up from time to time.

War Rock

War Rock is a Free to Play game available for download online and is a great first person shooter multiplayer game. The game does require online registration and a retail version can be purchased that includes a variety of options that are not available in the free version. The setting of the game is in the middle of a nuclear war in a fictitious country. Players pick sides and utilize weapons, vehicles and other forms of military equipment in an effort to win the war.

Operation 7

Operation 7 is a free online based first person shooter game. This fast paced game combines teams of no more than 24 players in any of three different modes including: Survival, Head Hunting and Death Match. Beginner players start out with in-game gold to purchase modern equipment and gear. Operation 7 is acclaimed for the level of customization that players can implement on their weapons and their ranking system.

Alliance of Valiant Arms (AVA)

This is a fairly new release and is a very high quality game that utilizes the powerful Unreal 3 engine. AVA is a first person shooter game that implements vast weapon customizations as well as a variety of game play modes. Play takes place amongst deserted city blocks as well as skyscrapers in ultra real modern urban warfare. Players pick sides, fighting for either the European Union or the Neo Russian Federation. Combat escalates quickly and game play is incredibly fast paced and rife with macabre violence.

Free-to-play first person shooter games can be found in a variety of genres and of course a list like this is highly subjective. What game one person loves another might not care for. This list, however, will get you started with some of the most popular games out there that have high standards in both quality and game play.

Guest Author
Abe Jackson, Jr. is a Communications student and a car-lover. He’s recently started blogging, and you can follow him on Twitter @abejaxjr.

Enjoy Playing Girls Games In The Online World

CJ — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:47:34 +0000

In the present time, with the advancement of technology, internet certainly has managed to reach to millions of users world wide. You can try and participate in a number of online games form the convenience of your home. This is one ideal solution for most parents who never want their girl child out of their site, but at the same time want her to enjoy playing and participating in all her normal activities. When searching the internet you certainly can come across different genre of girls games that can be enjoyed virtually. Players can try and select from amongst 200,00,00 online games that are enjoyed by global teenage girls. Many girls in fact log on to their system at their convenience and create their scores in the online world participating against other players.

Play Girl Games Online

Play Girl Games Online (Like Dora the Explorer)

A number of developers are in fact coming up with new and better girls games which offer with a much better excitement and fun. You can try and get involved in playing the dressing up game where you just have the convenience of trying out some of the latest fashion statements. This is also one of the best advantages as you get a chance to make use of some of the latest fashion accessories and attires. When playing this game you need to try and create distinct looks that is very much unique and exciting. You can try and select different characters which are based on Barbie collections.

Apart from this internet also offers you with entire collection of best makeover games that girls of any age group can enjoy playing. These are the games that offer you with a lot more than simply changing the looks of the characters as they offer you with convenience where you can use different types of make ups and accessories. When playing these games you can try and set different types of hair styles to different characters of your choice. These are generally considered as best girls games especially if your girl is a teenager. There are wide variation of selections of such games like extreme makeup, naughty nails and fantasy pony. You just have to try and pick one that you find very much exciting.

Apart from this you can also try select from amongst different genres of celebrity girls games where you just need to try and get dressed like a pro-celebrity. This certainly is one way where you can get dressed up like your icon actress or celebrities. Apart from this there a number of such versions of these games that also allows players to dress up their favorite celebrities for their event show. Girls can also try and enjoy certain games that belong to the puzzle game categories. Internet certainly does offer with number of options for you to enjoy in case you just don’t want to play outdoor games.

Farmville Mania – Reasons I never owned a Giga Pet

CJ — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:34:56 +0000

I will admit to not being an avid Facebook user. I keep in contact with friends who do not live close by or who I have not seen since high school. I post a picture or two of my baby niece or myself at the top of a mountain. I have a measly 96 friends (*gasp*) and I am more likely to check Facebook from my iPhone than to ever log in on a computer.

But I have a confession. I HATE Farmville.

For all three of you who are not aware of the Farmville phenomena, Wikipedia describes Farmville as “a real-time farm simulation game developed by Zynga, available as an application on the social networking website Facebook.” In the past, I too have found myself in love with mindless gaming. I’ve played more hours of Tetris and Pong of all things (and I am only 28, not quite ancient yet) on my calculator in high school and had a love affair with Katamari (a game in which a little guy rolls up items to make a bigger ball) a few years back. I almost failed a semester of college because I wasn’t sleeping because of Snood!

Facebook Farmville Game

Facebook's Farmville Game

Even with all of that, I stand by my very strong dislike. Every time I log into Facebook I am attacked by found kittens, lost cows, and oversized potatoes. Sometimes there are so many of them I imagine I am in a room filling with small stuffed representations, like a full claw machine…and like the claw machine, I can never pull the information out of my news stream that I really want. I am drowning in a vat of people helpfully sharing imaginary fuel and watering imaginary plants while the farm owners are away.

Maybe I’m cynical and bitter, but I find Farmville just about as useful as the Tamagotchi Giga Pets that were insanely popular when I was a child. Cute, fuzzy graphics to go with inane and pointless actions. Nonetheless, I have to give mad props to whoever created this monstrosity and whatever gaming schools they went to. They seem to have inspired millions of individuals who would otherwise be hard at work, hanging out with friends, or even playing Snood instead invest their time in participating in online physical labor.

Written by Genevieve, a casual gamer who works in affiliation with Westwood College in their game design colleges.

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Gaming Made Easier – Buy Your World of Warcraft Character

CJ — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:53:04 +0000

If you’re like many new World of Warcraft gamers, you’re probably frustrated with the fact that you have to start the game out virtually from scratch. But what if there was a way that you could jump right into an existing account and eliminate all of the time you would’ve spent building up a new character? Lucky for you, there are great sites out there that let you purchase WOW character(s) for immediate use and satisfaction.

Seriously, why would you waste hour upon hour trying to improve your new WOW character when you can start off with a good and dominate the World of Warcraft landscape from the get-go. Get a top-notch World of Warcraft player for much less than your actual time would be worth.

If you’re considering this, be wary of outfits trying to sell you a WOW character that don’t have the following safety/security features:

Phone support – You should be able to pick up the phone and call the person/company selling to you.
Secure transactions – Whether you’re buying or selling your WOW account, you want to feel safe that your information is secure, as well as knowing you’ll actually receive the payment.
Account access – If you’re a buyer, you want access to your new account quickly (not some drawn out, laborious process.

Thinking about feeling honest at this point? You think you should play fair? What for? World of Warcraft is a game of power & dominance – get an advantage from the very start when you buy a WOW account.

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Vegas spa hopes cold therapy is hot…

Witty Knarf — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 03:05:07 +0000

Vegas now has a place for that person that’s been on a all night Hot streak or maybe just a place to chill out,literately, but all in all I think it will be a peaty cool place to let off some steam.

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) —
“Some people come to Las Vegas to enjoy the clear skies and hot days. But at a new spa that opened at Caesars Palace, there is a treatment room where it snows all year long.
art.spa.ap.jpg

The cold room at Qua Baths and Spa is just the latest feature in a booming Las Vegas spa industry.

Welcome to Qua’s Arctic Ice Room, where “snow” gently descends from a domed ceiling through mint-infused air chilled to 55 degrees.

The Romans enjoyed cooling down after a hot soak, and spa operators say such rapid cooling of the body has proven health benefits.

Or it may just give you goosebumps.

“Even coming from somewhere that had a horrible winter, it was still very enjoyable,” said Angela Wagner, a 35-year-old physician from northern Indiana. “I had been in the heat wrap and the sauna and the whirlpools. So after being in the warmer treatments, it just felt really good.”

The blue pebble and mosaic tile-encrusted cold room at Qua Baths and Spa is just the latest feature in a booming Las Vegas spa industry. While casinos don’t offer up their results, nationwide, spa revenue has been growing by about 18 percent a year since 2003 and was worth nearly $10 billion two years ago, according to the latest numbers from the International Spa Association.
If you go …

Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace: 3570 Las Vegas Blvd.; http://www.caesarspalace.com/ or 866-227-5938. Visitors can use Qua’s Arctic Ice Room as part of the $35 “Roman Rituals & Fitness Center Passport,” a day pass for the spa and fitness center. Other spa treatments range from a $90 “Dancing Waters” Vichy showers treatment to the $1,050, 180-minute “Qua Signature Hourglass Treatment” for couples, which includes services of the guests’ choice. The most popular “Classic Massage,” a Swedish full-body massage with scented lotions, is $140 for 50 minutes or $200 for 75 minutes.

When it opened in November, Qua doubled the size of Caesars’ previous spa to 50,000 square feet, and other spas, such as Spa Bellagio at The Bellagio hotel-casino and Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian have or are expanding, as well.

In all, Las Vegas has more than 30 spas, which offer everything from “watsu” floating massages, banana leaf wraps and crystal body art to Indian head rubs, hot rock treatments and Thai yoga therapy. The Ritz-Carlton Spa at Lake Las Vegas just outside of town even offers an array of treatments for men that include beer samples while receiving a pedicure.

Every major resort on the Strip has a spa facility, each touting a special feature or unique therapy, often from Asia or Europe, for relief from the excitement of gambling, relaxation after a big business trip or to prepare for a night on the town.

“People want to be adventurous,” said Sandy Zanella, spokeswoman for MGM Mirage Inc., whose Spa Bellagio offers the only “watsu” treatment on the Strip. “They want something new and different and do something they can’t get at home.”

Qua’s ice room, the only one of its kind in the United States, comes from the millennia-old European bathing tradition of using snow to cleanse the body, said Don Genders, a partner of Eurospa Technologies LLC, the room’s creator. Ice is available in the room for those who want to rub it on steaming skin.
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“They built these wooden cabins, heated them up with logs and rocks and would sit in them to sweat to actually cleanse their skin,” Genders said.

“The whole idea was that you’d get too hot sitting in the little cabin and you’d use the snow on the ground to wipe your body. That process of wiping the dirty sweat off your body with snow gets you cold again. So you go back in.”

Cold rooms in Europe dip well below freezing, touting benefits to the immune and circulatory systems.

The Grand Hotel Bellevue & Spa’s Ice Grotto in Gstaad, Switzerland, is a frigid 10 degrees. The Schwaben Quellen spa and waterpark in Stuttgart, Germany, keeps a snow room at 2 degrees.

Dr. Reinhard Fricke, a retired professor at the University of Muenster in Germany, said his studies showed that people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis got temporary relief when they were put in chambers as cold as minus 166 degrees for about three minutes because the cold temperature stunted the activity of tissue-destroying enzymes and cells.

Fricke said all one can hope for in a room at 55 degrees is a physical wake-up call as blood from the skin rushes back to the inner organs and the brain.

“It is not a treatment of a disease, but a treatment of a sleepy body,” he said. “It’s just trying to activate, stimulate some people.”

It’s not so much the temperature that revives the body, but the contrast of going from hot to cold, Qua director Jennifer Lynn said.

After baking in the 200-degree dry sauna, and cooking in a 112-degree steam room, the 55-degree ice room will feel plenty cold, she said.

“So 55 degrees may not sound as cold as 32 degrees sounds. However that contrast is what provides that physical relaxing benefit,” she said. It also allows overheated patrons a chance to dip back in. “Frequently I have guests that’ll tell me, ‘I went through that full circuit three times!”‘

And the snow? Like so much of Las Vegas, it’s fake.

It’s made from 98 percent water and 2 percent chemical solution that is harmless. The concoction, similar to that used in movie sets, isn’t at all cold. It dissolves within a couple minutes after being churned out by a machine manufactured by an Anderson, Alabama-based company called SnowMasters.

Like other fads in Las Vegas, success stories are often repeated.

Genders says his company already is building two more ice rooms, which will operate at about 45 degrees, and two snow rooms — this time with real snow — which will be run at 32 degrees, at another, as yet unannounced, location on the Strip.

Chris McQuade, a 24-year-old researcher from Clearwater, Florida, said the not-so-cold cold room at Qua was “refreshing, but it wasn’t invigorating.” He also partook of an herbal steam, drank green tea, read newspapers and watched ESPN.”"