What app are you wearing this Halloween?

MANILA, Philippines - It was interesting to read that P-Noy reacted a little when questioned recently about whether it is true that he is a certified gamer. More interesting to me is that our President is familiar with the terms DoTA (Defense of the Ancients).

P-Noy also said that he was simply reading his speech and did not know anything about the game or that he did not play the game.

It is not uncommon for guy friends to prefer games like DoTA.

Here’s a little info on DoTA. It is one of those real-time strategy games where the objective is for each team to destroy the opponent’s Ancients. There are heavily, heavily guarded structures at opposing corners of the map. Players use powerful units known as heroes, and are assisted by allied heroes and AI-controlled fighters called creeps. As in role-playing games, players level up their heroes and use gold to buy equipment during the mission.

I would label it is a guy’s game because the guys I know like to play games that involve solving things by using a strategy.

There is a Batman game called Arkham Asylum on Xbox, which I was told is infinitely more interesting than the Angry Birds game.

Igan D’Bayan and Romel Lara were singing praises to the game as they dissed me and laughed about how my playing Angry Birds was child’s play.

I can spell, I think: Bookworm is a cool game until the letters start burning when you can’t find a word.

“It’s a game of strategy,” they chimed. “The storyline is awesome,” Igan asserted. “It’s what happens when the lunatics themselves run the asylum.”

“I like fun,” I countered.

This long break, I am bent on completing all the levels of all the seasons of Angry Birds, as it is my kind of game. All I have to do is get three stars in all levels by setting the trapped birds free or by hitting the pigs, monkeys, or whatever else that have stolen the eggs from the nest.

I like the game because one, it is a no-brainer; and two, because it does not consume me when I am not playing.

I have met lots of younger gamers who are so consumed by the games they play that figuring out the best strategy to solving a problem occupies their minds even when they are not playing. Not good.

The dark night: Arkham Asylum, not only for lunatics.

There is a new and interesting game that I downloaded from the App store. It is called Early Bird. The object of the game is to get the little bird to the worm in the least movements possible. Another game that interests me.

I also like the game Firefly hero. Here’s how the App store describes the game. The little firefly needs your help to become a hero! Tap on the lights to guide him through each level.

But watch out: Some lights will break, others may turn off right when you need them the most. You’ll have to shun deadly spiders, pointy spikes and shooting flowers.

Collect all the stars that got scattered in the woods and light up the night sky in this great arcade puzzler.

When I feel like I need to play with words, so that I might feel a little more mature, I like to play Bookworm. It’s like any other word game, look for words among the scrambled letters.

I will make time to walk the dogs. Hopefully get some trick or treat goodies in the village where I live and also take some time to remember my dad who passed away a long time ago.

But, I am sure that I will log on to the App Store and see what new interesting games I might find — and perhaps download a few so I can play.

I have also heard that lots of folks trooping to the cemeteries over the long weekend will be loading their gadgets into their bags — to play games as they visit their deceased relatives.

What’s the plan?: Defense of The Ancients is for lovers of strategy games.

I just would like P-Noy to know that I see nothing wrong with playing games like these, even for him, so long as he does it when he’s got time to kill and not when he is faced with the problems of a country.

Oh, and playing games once in a while makes more sense to me than giving millions of pesos to the MILF.