Latest Canadian Gamer Spotlight

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – Knuckles Dawson

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – xXHorrorHippoXx

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – MatrixDude

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – Greenskull

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – Halflife84

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – Club 108

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – LeadingSnake

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – Nailz333

GamerchiX member PMS GeekesS takes the Spotlight

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – DapperCrane

Canadian Gamer Spotlight – xXHorrorHippoXx

In the spotlight, xXHorrorHippoXx.  This gamer hails from our great nation’s capital, and is probably one of the most active posters in the Canadian forums.  A gamer with a lot to say, he was a popular request, so I figured it was time you all got to know him a little better.  On with the questions…

Jade: I always hear fun stories from the community going into great detail on how they got their hands on their Xbox 360…any good stories to share about how you got yours?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Well, I have had my Xbox 360 since Christmas 2005 and it was great to see it under the tree! My mom told me she had to go through quite a bit to get it. Early, on the morning of launch day, she headed out to Best Buy to get a ticket that guaranteed her an Xbox 360. Once she got the ticket, she didn’t have the time to wait, so she decided to come back later. When she did, they had sold the Xbox 360… It ended up being a good thing because she got $50 off mine. Haha!

I got my Xbox the Christmas before, 2004, and it was the limited-time Crystal Xbox. I originally only played other systems, but once I got my Xbox, that was all I played.

And I have been a member of Xbox Live since I got back from Florida in 2005, around the beginning of May, but on my other account, xXHorrorHippoXx. I used that account for the original Xbox only. When I got my 360, I created xXxXHorrorHippoXxXx because I didn’t know you could migrate accounts.

Jade: Word is you are helping out Greenskull with Ready Up Live, how is that going?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Well, so far I haven’t been doing much with Ready Up Live, but we hope to get some things done at X’07, such as ask a few developers some questions and post up the answers when the site is ready. I will probably be posting up news and writing reviews for the site as well. I am really looking forward to it!

Jade: Tell me about your gamertag, it’s quite unusual.

xXHorrorHippoXx: Haha! Unusual? I like to call it creative! :P

Anyways, I was really into Hippos ever since I did a project on them in Grade 4. I then started to collect things such as bobble heads, wooden and ceramic hippos from around Ottawa and different places when we traveled. So, when I was making my gamertag, I wanted it to have something to do with hippos. I didn’t want it to be just “Hippo,” because that’s boring, plus it was already taken. So, I decided to put an adjective that started with an “h” in front of “Hippo” and came up with xXHorrorHippoXx.  For the account I have now, I have the X’s in front because I didn’t want a totally different name.

Jade: What is  your most memorable experiences on Xbox Live?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Wow, I have a lot of crazy moments… even if they aren’t crazy I make them crazy. Today, I was chatting with GingerAlan while we played Bioshock (love it) and every time there was a BigDaddy I made a huge drama out of it…

But I have to say the best moment was, wow there are so many, when I was playing FarCry Predator with my friend SmellySlinky. (I know him in real life). We were having a map-making challenge and had 30 minutes. My friend made the best map he has ever made and I made a HUGE stickman doing the Disco in the middle of the map out of the round base piece and then wrote DISCO in huge letters across the sky, we couldn’t stop laughing.

Another one I would like to mention was when I had my broken finger and me and MavMedic81 beat you, the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 multiplayer developer and the Canadian MysteryGamer on GRAW2, to win some sweet watches. Great times!

Jade: I know what’s at the top of my list, but what Xbox 360 game you are most looking forward to this holiday?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Wow, this is a bad holiday gaming season to ask that, because there are so many good games coming out. Other then Halo 3, which is of course like ¾ of every gamers “Most Wanted Game,” I am going to have to say either Rock Band or The Orange Box.

Jade: I am Do you play arcade games, and what are you playing currently?  

xXHorrorHippoXx: Oh ya, I play arcade games! I love them. I have at least 50. Right now I am playing Hexic 2, Pacman CE, Spyglass Board Games and Bomberman Live, but I am always up for a good game of Worms with my buds! Playing that game makes me laugh non-stop!

Jade: What is your favourite video game of all time?

xXHorrorHippoXx: If I could only choose 1 game, I am going to have to go with Diddy Kong Racing. I know, it sounds like a little kid’s game, but I was a little kid at the time and I spent hundreds of hours playing that game. I still go back sometimes and give it a go, but Guitar Hero is the runner up!

Jade: When you aren’t in the Xbox forums or playing on Live, what do you do for fun?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Well I play competitive fastball in the summer for the Orleans Rebels (4 time provincial champs,) and I play basketball in the winter. I also enjoy skateboarding and snowboarding. I am on the competitive improv team at school and that’s a blast! Oh and I guess playing computer games are not on live, so ya, I also play computer games. :P

Jade: You reference Guitar Hero as one of your favourite games of all time, sounds like you are a bit of a music fan…what’s your favourite band?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Well, I listen to like one song of every band out there, so I don’t really have a favourite. If I had to pick I would either say Drist or Avenged Sevenfold, and not just because they were in Guitar Hero!

Jade: And your favourite sports team?

xXHorrorHippoXx: Obviously the Orleans Rebels! (refer to “What do you do for fun question” :P)

Jade: What are you most looking forward to seeing at X07?

xXHorrorHippoXx: I am really, really, hoping Guitar Hero 3 or Rock Band will be there! I would also like to see The Orange Box and maybe some Turok. Oh, and obviously some more Halo 3 would be nice!  I also want to meet all these people I play with, get a face for their gamertag!

Jade: To wrap it up, if you were stranded on a desert island, what one item would you bring to entertain yourself?

xXHorrorHippoXx: The obvious answer here is my Xbox 360 but then I wouldn’t have a TV so…I am going to have to go with a deck of cards .

Looking forward to meeting you at X’07 Canada Hippo, and thanks for taking the time to share with the community.  If you know a gamer that deserves the spotlight, shoot me an email at jade@microsoft.com