In Afro Samurai -- based on the semi-popular animated television series from 2007 -- the titular bad-ass main character embarks on a bloody quest to avenge the death of his father. Along the way, he is joined by the also-absurdly-named Ninja Ninja, a mysterious white-haired weirdo voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, who splits most of his script time between swearing like an adolescent boy and making lewd remarks about the scantily clad female villains. Yet in his puerile dialogue, some very telling traits of the game are revealed.

More so than almost any other medium of entertainment, video games can often be totally ridiculous. That's not necessarily a bad thing -- it just makes explaining said games to friends and family that much more awkward. Whether it's lost-in-translation cultural references, flagrant objectification of women, or just plain nonsensical hanky-panky, certain games can even be straight-up embarrassing. Sure, gaming has come a long way from being the nerdy pastime of adolescent boys, but just try convincing your loved ones to take your hobby seriously after showing them these games.

How do you play games? That's the question we asked a number of people who work in the game industry and write about the game industry. This week's guest writer is Jeff Green, who used to be the editor-in-chief of Computer Gaming World and now makes games over at Electronic Arts.

Here's all you need to know about How I Play Games:

I suck at them.

What does a potted city flower dream? Oddly, that's the question that Flower will ultimately attempt to answer for you, and regardless of whether that's a something you would ever ask, this short, but packed little game will give you a lot to think about. Beginning on a small window ledge in the city, Flower takes players on a journey through the dreams of several flowers. Each flower has a dream that comprises one game level, and each level tells a distinct part of the overall story -- ultimately showcasing the complex relationship between humans and plant life in the modern world.

A few weeks back, Amanda and I both wrote about a GameStop promotion that's still running, where people who spent a certain amount on various self-improvement DS and Wii games were eligible to get a free magazine subscription, such as Oprah, Redbook, or Cosmopolitan. I remembered wondering at the time how on earth the GameStop associates were going to deal with more women in their stores. Turns out that corporate honchos had the same thought, which must explain this training video.

It’s no surprise the immense popularity of Guitar Hero and Rock Band has led to scores of freebie imitators cropping up on Flash gaming sites across the internet. While many of these web-based music rhythm games come off as slapdash attempts to whip together a basic Guitar Hero clone, Guitar Geek has just enough style, original music, and tight gameplay to set itself apart from the pack. Grab some headphones; it’s time to make some noise.

Back in January I included a story in the weekly news column about green gaming, and it's stuck in my mind every since I read it. I think it's the fact that a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 that's constantly left on eats up as much energy as two full-sized refrigerators. That little game box devours as much energy as two of those HUGE food boxes?! That's quite crazy. With some little factoids like that in mind, I've decided to compile a short list of tips for you to put into practice in order to start gaming green. Besides being awesomely alliterative, you'll also be doing some good for the planet -- and your wallet -- too.

If you've ever felt like you can't find out about the newest Green Pixels article fast enough, fret no more: we've gone all Web 2.0 and set up a Twitter feed! Sign up to follow us and be treated to all our latest posts, plus random clever observations on gaming life. And even if the posts may not always be that clever, when they're not you can feel good about possessing a superior wit -- and who doesn't like to feel better about themselves?

Hey, did you know you're living in the era of Game 3.0? Exciting, huh? Or wait a sec... maybe it's the Remix Generation we're living in. Eh, whatever -- it doesn't matter either way, because both are silly titles that Sony and Microsoft coined to describe the same new focus in videogaming: giving players more options to design their own unique gaming experiences. And while it may sound like phony marketing talk, that doesn't change the fact that it's true: If you're the creative type, there are a number of great recent releases that give you the tools to let your imagination flow. Here are six options to get you started.

I love wasting my time and carefully avoiding main goals when I play video games. I've spent hours chitchatting with temperamental creatures in Animal Crossing, watching my tomatoes grow in Harvest Moon and enjoying my Sims' frequent visits to the bathroom. I also love game developer Keita Takahashi's original contribution to the videogame industry. I've played every single incarnation of his Katamari Damacy series with a smile on my face and a light heart. For all these reasons, I convinced myself that Noby Noby Boy was going to be the source of all possible fun in the world. Amazingly enough, the excitement vanished as soon as I picked the controller and played for 10 minutes. It's hard to admit it, but I think Noby Noby Boy is just not for me.