Category: Gaming

Getting into a beef with other players is often seen as just a part of playing online games like Call of Duty. But when it comes to players who take the remarks too personally or cannot lose graciously, the stakes have never been higher. That’s because there’s now always the risk of toxic behavior getting elevated to the extreme with swatting.

When that happens, police don’t hesitate to respond in full force, often with traumatic, if not deadly, results. And it’s not just a one-off thing. Here’s a look at five times Call of Duty gameplay led to bone-chilling swatting incidents.  

Andrew Finch

One of the worst Call of Duty swatting incidents happened in December 2017, and it all started with an in-game disagreement. As Shane Gaskill and Casey Viner got into it, their argument escalated to a threat of swatting.

Gaskill mocked Viner’s threats, goaded him into doing it, and then gave him a false address. Viner promptly followed through by having Tyler Barriss send Wichita Police to the home of Andrew Finch, who was completely uninvolved in the incident.

As Finch unwittingly walked out of his home, he was fatally shot by police. Barriss ended up with a 20-year sentence for his involvement, Viner got 15 months, and Gaskill received an 18-month sentence.

Brad Overbey

YouTube personalities put themselves in the public eye, so it’s no wonder they’re often the target of swatting incidents. Brad Overbey learned about the dangers firsthand while playing Call of Duty in 2019 and again in 2020.

As he streamed his games online, several people made false claims to the police and sent them racing to Overbey’s home. Armed police officers showed up both times, leaving him struggling to explain what happened without unintentionally escalating the situation.

Although things have calmed down since then, Overbey stays vigilant, always aware that it could happen again. He still streams content about shooting games to this day despite the risk.  

James Eubanks

As a nationally ranked Call of Duty player, it made sense for James Eubanks to stream his gameplay. After all, people wanted to know his secret, and they were happy to view hours of content to figure it out.

Unfortunately, all that exposure meant big problems for Eubanks, like getting swatted more than a half dozen times over the years. Each time it happened, the callers claimed he had hostages or planned to set off a bomb, resulting in a massive police response.

Even though the situation keeps happening, police are no closer to solving who has made the calls. They claim that the callers use technology to hide their identities, effectively leaving them in the dark about whom to arrest.

Max and Victoria Zeisberg

Youtubers don’t even need thousands of followers to be at risk of Call of Duty swatting. Max and Victoria Zeisberg found this out in 2014 when the SWAT team surrounded their house after a night of online gaming.

As they looked out the windows, all they saw were rifles, shotguns, and handguns pointed their way. After a fraught encounter, the police cleared them of any wrongdoing. Afterward, they shared that one of their viewers impersonated Max and told them he had killed his wife.

The assailant was never identified, even though only a few dozen people watched their stream that night. The Zeisbergs continue to stream their gameplay, although they know how the swatting incident could have gone terribly wrong all those years ago.

Rafael Castillo

Rafael Castillo was simply playing Call of Duty when police surrounded his home, intent on stopping a bloody rampage. The call they received was supposedly from Castillo, stating that he had killed his mother and planned to murder even more people. But it was all a hoax.

Instead, what really happened was that Castillo won the match, causing his opponent to impersonate him and make a horrific report to the police. A two-hour standoff ensued, involving the special operations unit for Nassau County and more than 60 officers total.

Ultimately, Castillo was cleared when officers saw that his mother was alive and okay. The assailant was never identified.

Swatting is a serious crime that can have deadly consequences. Hopefully, the police will find a way to track down the assailants, charge them appropriately, and send a strong message on how they’re not tolerating these actions anymore. In the meantime, Call of Duty players can do their part by reporting toxic behavior, refusing to engage in arguments, and keeping their info private.

Mobile gaming has become a widespread phenomenon, with millions of players logging in to their favorite games every day. Most mobile games have in-game currencies that are used to buy various items and upgrades. Free spins and coins are among the most popular types of in-game currencies that can be used to unlock new levels, buy new characters, and more. 

However, collecting free spins and coins in mobile games is not always straightforward. There are certain dos and don’ts that players need to be aware of to avoid falling victim to scams or losing their hard-earned in-game currency. Today, we will look at some of the essential dos and don’ts of collecting free spins and coins in mobile games. 

Dos: 

• Do check the game’s official social media pages: One of the best ways to collect free spins and coins in mobile games is to follow the game’s official social media pages. Game developers often give away free in-game currency as part of their marketing campaigns or as a reward to loyal players. By following the game’s social media pages, players can stay up-to-date with the latest promotions and giveaways. 

• Do participate in in-game events: Most mobile games offer regular in-game events that reward players with free spins and coins for participating. These events can range from simple tasks such as logging in daily to completing more complex challenges or quests. By participating in these events, players can accumulate a significant amount of in-game currency without having to spend real money. 

• Do be careful when downloading third-party apps: Many websites and apps claim to offer free spins and coins for mobile games. However, most of these apps are scams that can compromise the security of players’ devices or steal their in-game currency. Players should only download third-party apps from trusted sources and always read the app’s reviews before installing. 

• Do save your in-game currency for important purchases: While it can be tempting to spend free spins and coins as soon as you get them, it’s important to save them for important purchases. Prioritize in-game purchases that will give you a strategic advantage, such as new characters or upgrades that will help you progress through the game faster. 

Don’ts: 

• Don’t fall for scams: As mentioned earlier, there are many scams out there that claim to offer free spins and coins for mobile games. Players should never give away their personal information or in-game currency to these scams. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

• Don’t spend real money on in-game currency: While it can be tempting to spend real money on in-game currency, it’s often not worth it. Most mobile games are designed to be played without spending real money, and players can accumulate free spins and coins through regular gameplay. Spending real money on in-game currency can quickly become a costly habit, and players may end up regretting their purchases. 

• Don’t ignore the game’s tutorial: Many mobile games have tutorials that teach players how to collect free spins and coins. These tutorials are designed to help new players get started and can be a valuable source of information for experienced players as well. Players should always complete the tutorial and pay attention to any tips or advice that is offered. 

• Don’t waste in-game currency on unnecessary purchases: In-game currency can be tempting to spend on unnecessary purchases, such as cosmetic items or items that offer little strategic advantage. Players should avoid wasting their in-game currency on these types of purchases and focus on buying items that will help them progress through the game faster. 

In 2003, the video game world changed with the release of the first “Call of Duty” game, launching a franchise that would dominate sales across all consoles and personal computers. There have been plenty of first-person shooter franchises through the years, but none have come close to seeing the type of success that “Call of Duty” has.

The result has been tens of millions of copies of most of the entries sold around the world, with some selling more than others. Which “Call of Duty” games have been the most popular? Here’s a look at the top five. Just missing the cut were “Modern Warfare 2”, “Advanced Warfare”, and “WWII”.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Get used to seeing the name “Black Ops” on the list, because it pops up a few times. The first of the “Black Ops” games is the third entry, which also happened to be the second-least successful, yet managed to be a top-five seller overall. “Black Ops III” was released by Treyarch and Activision in 2015, making it toward the end of the run for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, while also being the start of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

“Black Ops III” sold 26.72 million copies, with the fact that it was on two different generations of consoles really helping to boost sales. The game also introduced an expanded cooperative campaign and received positive reviews from critics for the tweaks that were made compared to previous entries. The sales allowed for a fourth “Black Ops” to be made, though it didn’t crack the top five.

Call of Duty: Ghosts

The “Call of Duty” franchise was on a roll when 2013 came along, and things changed dramatically when “Ghosts” was released. Like “Black Ops III”, “Ghosts” was part of two different generations of consoles, but the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 had just been released. It didn’t seem to be too optimized for one generation in particular, which really affected the performance of the game.

There were a lot of gripes that “Call of Duty” players had with “Ghosts”, but they had already purchased the game millions of times over. More specifically, more than 28.8 million copies of “Ghosts” were sold. Though it was one of the least-liked “Call of Duty” games, “Ghosts” still sold a ton of copies thanks to the good reputation that the franchise had with its previous entries.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II 

One of those entries that earned the good graces of fans was “Black Ops II”, which was the highly-anticipated sequel to the first game that helped launch the golden era of “Call of Duty”. “Black Ops II” took many of the original concepts from “Black Ops” and expanded on them, making it a better experience overall for many of the players. More maps were involved, and the Zombies game mode became even better and more intricate.

“Black Ops II” still remains one of the most well-received entries in “Call of Duty” history, and sold 7.5 million copies in the first month of release alone. Overall, just under 30 million “Black Ops II” copies were sold, making it the third-most-popular game. What makes this more impressive was the fact that “Black Ops II” was sold on just one generation of consoles as it was during the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (30.97m)

Released in 2011, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” is regarded by many as the best multiplayer game in the franchise’s history. With an easy-to-understand ranking system and overall fun combat, people flocked to MW3 for the online gaming aspect alone. The campaign mode was solid, too, but nothing that was groundbreaking.

Instead, Activision focused more on tweaking and polishing what was already working, and had a lot of sponsorship tie-ins to help boost sales. Double XP promotions really got off the ground thanks to “Modern Warfare 3”, teaming up with PepsiCo. All in all, just around 31 million copies of “Modern Warfare 3” were sold.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

The reigning king of the Black Ops storyline in the “Call of Duty” franchise is also the king of all “Call of Duty” games in general. With over 31 million copies sold, it narrowly edges out “Modern Warfare 3”. “Black Ops” began what most consider the best era in “Call of Duty” history, with the release coming in late 2010.

While the first “Modern Warfare” introduced the Zombies game mode, “Black Ops” took it to another level, helping to boost sales. The multiplayer was also universally beloved, and critics almost entirely across the board gave “Black Ops” extremely high ratings. 

The “Call of Duty” video game series got its start back in 2003 and has been a staple of the gaming industry ever since. With a new game coming out just about every year, “Call of Duty” is in the same realm as sports games like “Madden” or “FIFA” in terms of release schedule. “Call of Duty” is known for its multiplayer, and through the years, there have been some very memorable maps. Here are our picks for the five that fans always come back to.

Terminal

One of the most memorable missions throughout the entire “Call of Duty” series is “No Russian.” The mission was part of the original “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” and the single-player map was repurposed for multiplayer use, appearing in several games throughout the series overall. The airplanes sitting at the gate become a huge part of the strategy and sort of the middle ground between the two starting points.

Terminal is a good blend of wide open combat in the middle of the map and closed quarters sections which include the airplane interiors and the escalators in the plaza. One part of the map that gets extremely chaotic is the Hallway of Death, which is the walkway that connects the main terminal to the outer part of the map. In here, windows are used for sniping, but you can easily get stabbed from behind.

Highrise

Sometimes you just want to get a quick game of “Call of Duty” multiplayer in before you go off to do something else and need some chaos. Very few maps get the kind of fast intensity that Highrise does, with players often meeting in the middle of this tiny map to spray bullets from both sides. There are a few sneaky tunnels, but most of the action is dead center.

First introduced in “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” alongside Terminal, it hasn’t been repurposed as many times. The only other appearances for Highrise have been in “Call of Duty Online” and “Call of Duty: Mobile”. If you really want to crank up the intensity, try playing a game of Domination on Highrise and watch all of the people using tactical insertion.

Rust

When you think about 1v1 battles in “Call of Duty”, the first map that comes to mind is Rust. Many an argument have been settled on Rust, and like the previous two maps, this one made its first appearance in “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2”. Since then, it has appeared in four other games, most recently in 2020’s “Call of Duty Mobile”.

The map has a large oil rig in the middle and the bullets don’t stop flying from all angles. There’s nowhere to run or hide on Rust, and even making it to the center section is an accomplishment in itself. Outside of the bullets, you might even see a lot of throwing knives that go airborne and take out unexpected players. In the campaign, Rust is part of the “Endgame” mission, which is fitting since it’s such an endgame map for multiplayer, too.

Firing Range

There are so many memorable parts of the Firing Range map that it’s hard to list all of them. At the very end of one map, you have the pistol firing range where you’re likely to spot at least one camper, there’s the tower that’s nearby, and next to that is the unfinished house. Then, of course, you have the trailer and long-arm firing range with a shed in the back to tie everything together.

No matter where you go on Firing Range, there’s going to be action. This map was first released as part of “Call of Duty: Black Ops” and instantly became a fan favorite which has made appearances in four more games since then, including “Black Ops III” and “Black Ops 4”. Unlike the other maps, though, this one isn’t part of the campaign.

Nuketown

Nothing goes hand-in-hand with “Call of Duty” quite like the Nuketown map. Nuketown is a small neighborhood that was designed to see what would happen if a nuclear bomb were dropped on a residential area. In this instance, though, it’s a lot like Firing Range for the fact that there’s no area on the map where you can catch your breath.

If you’re brave enough to go in the middle where there’s an open garage and a handful of empty vehicles, you’ll be met with fire from second-story windows on both ends. Add in the endless grenades that are lobbed into the middle of the map and crossing from one side to the other is one of the hardest things to do in a “Call of Duty” game.

There was a time when “swatting” was so rare that nobody had ever heard of it. In the digital age, though, swatting has become so common that instances barely make the front page of headlines unless tragedy happens. Many of the targets for swatting are live streamers, many of which have rubbed certain fans the wrong way. All it takes is one deranged viewer to swat someone, and the results can be deadly.

If you’re unfamiliar with swatting, it’s when emergency services are called to someone’s house that requires the local SWAT team to arrive. This can be anything from a bomb threat to a hostage situation, and the SWAT team enters the home with their weapons drawn expecting the worst. However, they find unarmed people who were simply live streaming. Some of the most common targets for swatting are streamers who play “Call of Duty” games in front of fans. Here are five instances of those streamers being swatted.

Casey Viner

The tragic and unnecessary event surrounding this swatting incident resulted in the death by officer shooting of an uninvolved victim Andrew Finch. In 2017 a feud erupted between Call of Duty: WWII players Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill. At the height of their dispute, Viner threatened Gaskill with the act of swatting. 

Gaskill proceeded to give Viner a false address in Wichita, Kansas. Viner’s friend Tyler Barris made the actual call to the police department, resulting in a swift arrival at Finch’s residence. Unaware of why police were swarming his home, Finch exited his home and officer Justin Rapp fatally shot the innocent man. 

Drift0r

In 2021 streamer and YouTube personality Drift0r revealed he and his family were victims of multiple swatting attempts at his Texas residence in 2019 and 2020. He posted a video on his YouTube channel discussing his experience with those incidents where he claimed there was a barrage of violence against him and his family by crazed fans of other creators who had a strong disliking for the streamer. 

He stays vigilant, though he’s reported a number of perpetrators have been apprehended by police and the charges were brought upon them. The trials have since ended, giving him the freedom to detail the harrowing experience further. 

Nadia Amine

Twitch streamer and Warzone pro Nadia Amine was one of the more recent incidents where a popular Call of Duty streamer was swatted. Though, the outcome was much more wholesome and didn’t result in anyone being injured. 

The SWAT member involved with investigating the call thankfully had knowledge of the streaming platform Twitch and the swatting of popular streamers. He even joined the stream at one point and encouraged viewers to sub to the channel and help Amine reach her sub goals. A wholesome outcome for what could have been another tragedy. 

iShowSpeed

Another recent swatting attempt came on August 8th, 2022 to twitch streamer and YouTuber iShowSpeed. The fun and energetic up-and-comer, who was a regular on Call of Duty, was swatted during a YouTube live stream where he was placed in handcuffs and arrested at his home. 

He was thankfully unharmed, though very shaken up and confused by what had occurred. Fellow streamer, Adin Ross, who became a swatting victim just one day before, was said to have paid the streamer’s enormous bail for his unnecessary arrest. 

Adin Ross

When he first started streaming, Adin Ross teamed up with his sister and started to grow a following on Twitch. Ross was known in his early years for playing the NBA 2K franchise, and even rubbed elbows with some current ballplayers. Ross quickly became one of the most followed people on Twitch with millions of loyal fans that would boost his popularity.

While Ross has certainly been a controversial figure on Twitch and YouTube, nobody deserves to be swatted due to the danger of the situation. However, multiple people felt the need to do just that, and in late 2022, he was swatted twice in a matter of weeks. After the second incident, Ross tweeted out “I’m done bro. I really got swatted again please stop whoever’s doing it.” The person who claimed to be the swatter said they did it because they felt Ross deserved it and that he didn’t respond to a message on Discord.

People may experience stress in different ways, such as from work, in their daily lives, from relationships, and other factors. This stress can lead to physical, emotional, and mental distress. Researchers from the National Institute of Health, the Royal Society Open Science, and other institutions have been studying how video games could lead to a more stress-free lifestyle, according to Wired.

These conducted studies looked at how some video games could reduce depression symptoms, can provide positive social experiences, and be used as coping tools after being exposed to a stressful situation. Of course, keep in mind that every person reacts differently when playing a video game, and may experience in-game stress depending on the situation. Check out these following methods on how to relief stress using a video game.

Play Casual Games for Quick Mental Breaks

Casual games with short matches and simple challenges can temporarily distract you from your stressful situation. This method is great when you feel that your stress is building over a situation, as it allows you to decompress your mind and take a short mental break. You can play the game for a few minutes, complete challenges that help bolster your confidence and bring a positive feeling, and then put the game down and continue on with your day.

Use Cooperative Games for Empowerment and Camaraderie

Cooperative games are designed to perform a task or complete a challenge with other players. Sometimes a person who isolates themselves for social interaction can experience stress symptoms, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

Engaging in cooperative games can help people connect with fellow gamers and friends which can feel comforting. When players help one another to win, they are gaining support and feeling empowered by overcoming these challenges together. This method can relieve stress.

Play Skill-Building Games to Develop Problem-Solving Abilities

A person may experience stress because they are in a situation that they cannot solve. They don’t understand how to fix the issue to move past this movement, which causes the stress to build. Skill-building games are designed to challenge the mind in fun ways so that you can enhance your quick thinking and problem-solving skills. They help you evaluate puzzles in new and engaging ways as this same mindset can be used when facing challenges in the real world.

Focus on Games That You Enjoy

The one thing to always keep in mind is that if you enjoy the game, it can help you relax and find comfort. If the game can help you further understand your stressful feelings and develop ways to cope and overcome the anxiety, then you can find yourself able to use what you learned in real-life situations.

However, not all games can be used as a stress reliever. Try to avoid games that are addictive or seem to contribute to your stress even after you turn the game off. Instead, focus on those that bring a more positive mental and emotional factor to your life.

Forge of Empires strategies can take years to learn, resulting in many missteps along the way. By tapping into the wealth of knowledge online, however, you can skip straight to creating a truly successful cityscape. To help you get started, here are five tips that even experienced players don’t know.

A Top-Tier Guild Makes All the Difference

A top-tier guild is key to getting your hands on all the goodies from the start, such as:

• An income boost from your Town Hall
• Get more late-age goods and blueprints
• Higher rewards from Level 4 Guide Expeditions
• Ability to effectively level your Great Buildings

Active guilds also have many experienced players willing to share their wisdom and lend a hand.

Find a guild by looking in the global list for all the top-ranked, non-GvG guilds. Confirm that they’re active and a good fit for you by reviewing the guild profile. Review their entrance requirements and then apply if you qualify.

Focus on Getting Excellent Great Buildings

Great Buildings can significantly change how you build your city and play the game as a whole. So, it’s worth using your Forge Points to pay for all the goods you need to build these entities.

The most important buildings you’ll want include:

• The Arc increases the contribution rewards earned from supporting Great Buildings owned by other players and generates valuable goods every 24 hours.
• The Innovation Tower increases the population of your city and provides Forge Points that you can collect on a daily basis.
• The Temple of Relics boosts your chance of finding relics during Guild Expeditions, making your Level 3 and 4 sessions even more profitable.

Find the Great Buildings that will support your playing style most by looking at their boosts. If you want to increase your chance of finding blueprints, you need the Rain Forest Project. Prefer a fighting boost? Go with the Statue of Zeus or Castel del Monte.

Aim to Win Special Buildings from Events

Events are the only way to get your hands on special buildings like the Antiques Dealer, Oceanic Terminal, and Friends Tavern. These buildings offer more rewards than regular Great Buildings, making them a must if you want to truly excel at this game.

To participate in the events, you must first unlock Cultivation, a Bronze Age technology. Then, watch for event announcements and clear your schedule to ensure you can complete all the quests needed for each reward.

Only Use Your Diamonds on Expansions

If you end up buying diamonds, don’t use them on Forge Points, premium buildings, or missing goods and blueprints. They’re only really good for expansions, which increase the footprint of your city. All the rest of the items can be acquired by simply letting time go by.

Patience is a Must—Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride

Speaking of time, plan to take your time with this game to get the full gaming experience. Every step of the journey is worth savoring, especially in the early stages when you’re building your foundation.

If you try to rush through, you’ll only get frustrated. Building up enough points and goods takes time to complete, although it will speed up a bit as you put Great Buildings to work for your city.

Use these five tips to get your city going in Forge of Empires. Then, chat with your guildmates to learn even more tips and tricks on how to keep your cityscape growing and thriving through the ages. Before you know it, you’ll be the one sharing tips with the newbies and helping everyone enjoy this fun game to the fullest.

Dungeons and Dragons is the most popular role-playing game in the world and is one of the biggest entertainment franchises out there. Though it was once thought of as a game for “nerds” sitting in dark basements, D&D has become a mainstream success and a long list of celebrities have caught on to the craze. Because of this, there has also been an increased interest in D&D for those that have never played before.

Getting into Dungeons and Dragons can be a bit overwhelming for beginners as there are a lot of custom pieces and there’s no way to “win” or “lose.” Instead, it’s all about creating an adventure at the whim of the Dungeon Master and having fun. If you’re interested in getting into Dungeons and Dragons, here’s a brief intro to help you get your feet wet.

What is Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game that was created in the 1970s by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson after they had played several tabletop wargames. Though there are predesigned boards to use for D&D, most of them are customized by fans of the game. 

Whether you’re buying an official campaign from the publisher (Wizards of the Coast) or a custom board from someone on Etsy, there’s no wrong board for a good D&D campaign. Your campaign is run by a dungeon master (DM) who narrates your story and portrays any non-playable characters while also being the “judge” for anything that may need a ruling.

What You Need

After you’ve figured out which board you want to use for your Dungeons and Dragons campaign, there are a couple of other things that you’ll need to get started. The most important things are the character sheet and the dice. The dice control just about everything that you do and determine your success.

The other thing that you’ll need is the official rulebook depending on your role. The Player’s Handbook covers the playable characters, while the dungeon master will have their own handbook and the Monster Manual serves as the source for the creatures of Dungeons and Dragons.

Making Your Character

We mentioned the character sheet, and it will be one of the most important tools that you’ll have at your disposal. The character sheet will have all of your abilities, determining several things such as intelligence, charisma, and strength. Throughout the campaign, you’ll be able to level up these abilities to have a better chance at success.

There are 12 total classes to choose from for your character. These classes are barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard. When using a class such as a fighter, you’ll want to focus more on strength and dexterity whereas a warlock will need more intelligence and wisdom.

Rolling the Dice

There’s a reason why you see so many people with expensive custom dice when playing Dungeons and Dragons, and it’s because they’re the biggest component of the game and perhaps the most customizable and important thing you’ll own. The dice can determine how well you’ll do just about everything in D&D.

You may end up rolling a one when trying to tie your shoes and your character falls and knocks themselves out after sustaining a head injury. On the other hand, you could roll a 20 when fighting a mythical dragon and kill it in one shot. There’s really no telling what can happen with the dice, which is what makes D&D so exciting.

Starting Small

If you’re getting into Dungeons and Dragons for the first time, the best way to do so is likely through a premade official set. There are starter packs available through Wizards of the Coast that will introduce a player to the mechanics of the game, though some may be able to jump right into something more detailed and expansive.

There are plenty of people who have watched streams and videos of Dungeons and Dragons players and were able to pick up on the mechanics almost right away. It truly comes down to what you’re comfortable with as a player, so find that starting comfort zone and don’t be afraid to have some fun with your character as it could end up being one you play for years!

Solitaire has been one of the most popular games in the world for a long while, and that’s not going to change any time soon. There are still well over 30 million each month that play at least one or two hands of solitaire, with several million playing on a daily basis. If you’re new to the game or have been sitting around in the beginner’s mode for years, there are tips that you should know.

Not every hand of solitaire is going to be a winner, but if you want to improve your skills, here are five tips that you need to know that will help you win more games. When you’re playing on expert levels and winning each hand, you’ll be thanking us!

1. Use Your Stock First

One mistake that a lot of solitaire players make from the very beginning is that they start to focus on the cards at the bottom and save the stock once everything is settled below. However, it should be the inverse at the start. Getting the stock cards out of the way is the most important thing you can do as a solitaire player, and there may be some cards you need on the first flip. This includes aces, which can get you started off on the right foot.

2. Get The Aces Out of the Way

If there are any aces available on the table, make sure to put them into the foundations table right away. First, flip the top stock cards, then take care of any aces that are there. Aces don’t have any other purpose in solitaire but to be the base of the foundation piles. If there are any twos, try to get those on the aces pile right away, as well. The threes can wait, but the aces and deuces have to go.

3. Use Your Kings

In almost every game of solitaire, there is going to be a vacant spot where there are no cards to flip over. When this happens, make sure that there’s a king that fills the void as it will be paramount in dumping off the queens and other lower cards. If your king is sitting on a tableau with a lot of cards with it, that can be a huge benefit to the rest of your game to move it on over to the vacant spot. However, if you’re filling two vacant spots, try to make sure that the kings are different colors.

4. Make Big Piles a Priority

The farther to the right a tableau is at the start of a game of solitaire, the higher it should be on your priority list. Trying to get the tableaus evened out from right to left is the easiest way to win quickly, but it’s not always possible. Still, focus on shrinking those piles before you start worrying about the tableaus that have just one or two cards.

5. Cards Don’t Have To Go To Foundations Right Away

One of the more common mistakes that people make right away is getting every card into the foundation as soon as they possibly can. It’s very enticing, of course, as building the foundation stacks means that you’re getting closer to winning the game, but you may need those cards. If you end up burying them, they can’t be brought back into your playing area right away (if at all). Those cards could end up saving you, so keep them in play as long as possible.

Bonus. Learn to Accept Defeat

There are a lot of people that think that every single game of solitaire has a winning path, but that’s not the case. There are some games that are simply impossible to win, and it’s best to not worry about trying to get through your already-established foundations to find the cards you need. We all want to win, but we can’t win them all!

Since it was released in 2006, Roblox has had players making their own minigames within the universe in just about every genre. There have been sports games that emulate what it’s like to play FIFA or Madden, horror games that resemble Five Nights at Freddy’s, and just about everything in between.

One genre that has also gotten a lot of love over the years in Roblox is the rhythm game genre. Hitting buttons in rhythm with music has long been a popular genre and boosted in popularity thanks to the release of games like Parappa the Rapper and Guitar Hero. If you’re looking for some fun rhythm minigames within Roblox, try out these five that are rated as the best.

1. Sound Volblox

Based on Konami’s “Sound Voltex” arcade-style rhythm games, Sound Volblox brings its own twist with stunning visuals and gameplay. Some players have dubbed it the best rhythm game Roblox has to offer. 

It requires a PC and gamepad, or keyboard to play, focusing on accuracy and speed while hitting the proper keys to match the notes on the screen. Sound Volblox offers a challenging, but fun experience that plays as more than just your standard arcade rhythm game. 

2. RoBeats

Created by user RobeatsDev, RoBeats is an MMORPG-style rhythm game popular amongst Roblox players. There are 700+ songs to choose from, with a difficulty scale ranging from 1-38, 1 being the easiest and 38 being the most challenging. 

The game offers a crafting mode while also boasting signature songs from artists like Friday Night Funk, Camelia, Hyper Potions, and more. There are new songs added to RoBeats every day with hundreds of songs already on the list. So far, RoBeats has gotten over 230 million visits.

3. Rhythm Master

Rhythm Master is an anime-style rhythm game created by user Xsitsu. Released in 2015, the game has gained over 130k visits on Roblox. A gamepad or keyboard is required to play this rhythm game that’s heavily influenced by anime, using a total of 20 songs from various anime series. 

More than 3,000 people liked Rhythm Master during its heyday, and while it didn’t get any updates after 2017 (including a sequel that wasn’t released), it has remained a favorite for Roblox fans that are looking to get into a fun rhythm game. Rhythm Master is easy to pick up and master and the limited setlist has people coming back to master all 20 of the songs that they’ve become accustomed to.

4. Bloxy Beats

Bloxy Beats has been called the hardest rhythm game in Roblox and has had over 150,000 visits since its inception in late 2020. Created by HollyJollyAiden, Bloxy Beats can’t be found by console players as it’s exclusive for PC players. The great user interface makes people think of the popular Dance Dance Revolution when playing Bloxy Beats.

The speed settings can be altered in the game, and it’s a great intro for those that are just getting into rhythm games, as well as experts. There are plenty of familiar songs on Bloxy Beats and will give players hours of entertainment. Just make sure your fingers are well stretched out before playing.

5. Rhythm Track 

One of the more simple-looking games on the list, Rhythm Track is essentially a stripped-down version of Guitar Hero that has drawn over 13 million visits since it was created in 2016 by Dummiez. Rhythm Track has several difficulty modes and uses the PC keyboard to play, though the keys that are used can be rebound.

Rhythm Track has plenty of badges and updates, allowing players to continue coming back to improve their scores and aim for a full combo. Though not as intricate as Rock Band, it still gives players a taste of what the full Xbox/PlayStation game is like through the power of Roblox.