Chances are you've already been waiting in line for a week for Black Ops, but just in case you haven't left yet.
If you're the type of person that considers themselves a hardcore gamer, than chances are you've stood in line to pick up many a collector's edition of the next Halo or Call of Duty. You've spent several tiring hours, if not days, camping in front of your local game store, dreaming of pwning n00b upon n00b in the pre-purchase you're waiting to pick up. But after so many listless seconds, minutes, and hours, you're going to get bored, hungry, and sleepy. All of these things are going to leave you too beat to actually play anything when you finally get home at 2am, so GR has come to the rescue with a list of things any good gamer should have with them for a midnight release.
A Handheld Gaming Device – You're a gamer and you're hardcore enough to be waiting in line for a game, so why would you not have a DS or PSP (don't you dare say 'N-Gage') with you? It's probably the only time when you'll actually be able to find someone to play Monster Hunter with you or take on some strangers in Mario Kart DS and maybe trade some Pokémon with the truly nerdy amongst you. This opportunity rarely presents itself in “regular” life. So grab it while you can and make sure you bring some sort of portable charger, preferably something you can store charging power in, so you won't need an outlet while in line if you're in it for the long haul.
Stimulants – You don't want to fall asleep and find out that the line is gone, and everyone is at home playing the newest game before you are, so you're gonna need to stay awake. You can find caffeine, taurine, ginseng, and any other number of odd things that are supposed to give you an energy boost in just about any form you can think of nowadays. So whether you prefer candy, a soda, caffeine-laced water, or a power bar, there's something out there for. Me? I prefer coffee and I like it how I like my women: strong and black.
A Folding Chair – Your feet can get tired while standing in the same place for several unyielding hours, and depending on how clean your city of residence is kept, you may not want to sit on the sidewalk. Lord knows the streets of SF are soaked with urine of hobos and other mystery liquids. So please bring something to keep your derriere dry and free of hepatitis. Bonus points if it's a sunny day and you bring a bathing suit to work on your tan or a blanket on a particularly cold night.
Sandwiches – Okay, you don't have to make sandwiches per se, but if you're the kind of person that pre-orders a game and you're willing to stand in line with a bunch of other people, you're probably also the kind of person that likes to eat. It's not like you're going to be able to leave and get something, so make sure to bring a hoagie for yourself and some chips to share with the folks in front and back of you. It hedges your bets that they'll save your place for you if you have to run and take a leak. As an added benefit, sandwiches benefit from not needing a plate or any utensils other than your hands.
Read Something – Playing Ghost of Sparta on your PSP is a great way to kill time, but you should take a break from time to time and find other ways to preoccupy yourself. A pocketbook copy of your favorite novel or a graphic novel that you picked up at the comic shop last week, or the latest pick from Oprah's Book of the Month Club. It doesn't matter what you pick. Just remember: Reading is Fundamental. Alternately, if you're a student, bring your homework and get that done… it's not like you're doing anything useful with your time.
