Freeing The Gladiator In You

I’m a fan of the movie Gladiator that came out a few years ago. I own the DVD and watch it over and over again from time to time. Lately I was following ABC’s similar six-hour special epic drama series, Empire, which completed airing a couple of weeks ago.

Coincidentally, KOEI recently released a gladiator-themed action game that puts you right into a gladiator’s life.

Colosseum-Road to Freedom is an action role-playing game where you can live the life of a gladiator in his sandals. You are taken into slavery, purchased by a man named Magerius, and have 50 days to earn your freedom through battles. Your survival depends on the ability to fight other gladiators and animals, and re-enact glorious Roman military victories.

In the beginning of the game, I was able to create my character based on a place of origin, philosophy and what Greek god you follow based on your beliefs (all of which you can vary and make up as you go). The game took me through training and quite a lengthy tutorial (which is optional) on the Gladiator Training Grounds. The points you earn through this process will strengthen your character. For additional character building, you collect skill tablets from defeating other gladiators throughout the game. Keep tabs of your skills on the Skill Wall located in the sleeping area. The wall enables you to change out your skills accordingly, as you prepare for the next battle. Whenever you are in a battle, just remember to impress the crowd because they are the judges of your performance leading to how much money you get, further leading to the eventual ability to buy your freedom.

As you go about the fights, there are six types of battles:

• Survival: All gladiators attack you. To win you must defeat all enemies or stay alive until time is up.

• Battle Royal: All gladiators fight each other. As with the Survival type, you must defeat all enemies or stay alive until time is up.

• Duel: Fight a single opponent to the death.

• Team Battle: Fight with a team. To win you must defeat all enemies, kill the enemy leader, or protect the leader of your team.

• Hunting: Fend off all tigers or bulls. To win you must beat all the beasts.

• Mock Battle: Re-creations of famous Roman battles.

All in all, I enjoyed (and am continually enjoying) Colosseum: Road to Freedom. It’s not that difficult to master, and there’s enough action to keep my attention.

Colosseum: Road to Freedom is available (for the PlayStation 2 only) for $39.99 at your nearest Toys ’n’ Joys or Toyriffic. It is rated M for Mature (ages 17 and up), so parents be aware. For more information and screenshots of the game, log onto www.koei.com

Recycle With Hawaii Computers For Kids Program

I’m one to constantly upgrade to the latest and greatest in tech toys, and I usually let my old stuff just sit there (depending on how old it is) to collect dust, or I sell it, but my frugality and pack rat tendencies will never let me throw things away — it must be the Chinese blood. So, if you’re like me and don’t want your things to go to waste, there’s a worthy cause out there to take care of your old stuff.

The Hawaii Computers For Kids Program takes used computers, peripherals, software, printers, office furniture and more, and distributes them to grade schools, high schools and non-profit organizations statewide. The program is a major project of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu and was created in 1992 by Ken Goldstein, a 14-year member.

The program will accept anything from Pentium III or higher, Macintosh G3 or higher, and working monitors and printers. Perfectly good computers, monitors, printers and other equipment are dumped into Hawaii’s landfills each day due to lack of convenient alternatives. If you donate to this cause, you will help students get valuable experience in repairing and upgrading computers. In addition, all donations are tax-deductible, and you can feel good about not letting your old technology equipment go to waste.

Goldstein currently recycles about 3,000 computers a year into schools, and the number continually grows as awareness of this program expands. About 75 percent of the equipment donated is in usable condition, and the remaining items are used for computer-repair classes or after-school training programs. On the receiving end, it’s on a first-come, first-served basis. Any teacher or member of a non-profit organization can take what they need and however much they need.

The dilemma the Hawaii Computers For Kids Program is now facing is that there is no space to store all the donations received. The program requires a spacious area, and the necessity for accessibility for pickups. If anyone out there can help this worthy program find a storage space home, or for more information, contact Goldstein at 521-2259 or via e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Stay tuned for the next donation event, Make A Difference Day, which is slated for sometime in October (usually held in the parking lot of the CompUSA in town).

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