I am really not one to engage in video games. Wii and Guitar hero hold no facination for me. My daughter jokingly says that's because I'm old. It was around the time Playstation II came out that I developed my disinterest in gaming. Imagine, if you will, what I was feeling at a friend's house the other night when, after dinner, the tv was switched on and the game controllers were pulled out. I must admit, I really enjoyed it!

Games can be fun and good entertainment for the entire family. Unfortunately, the subject matter or underlying tones are often unbiblical. Younger children and teens want to fit in and want to be able to invite friends over to play "cool" games. Guitar hero and Dance Dance Revolution are two such crowd pleasers, however, many parents do not want their children to listen to secular music. Thanks to Digital Praise and Thomas Nelson, there are now safe, Christian alternatives to the secular versions. Dance Praise offers hours of family entertainment and provides exercise. Even Guitar Praise can give your arms and abs a workout.

Guitar Praise by Digital Praise works with Mac OS X and Windows Vista/XP operating systems. As of November 2009 on Amazon.com, the prices for Guitar Praise ranged from $45 for a used guitar system to upwards of $95 for a new system. Included, you will find a guitar, USB wireless adapter, and a game CD-rom. You will need to purchase the 4 AA Batteries for the game controller. As of this date, there is one expansion pack with 25 new song tracks. This is also available at amazon.com and was listed for around $14. Music contained on the game cd-roms is by artists such as tobyMac, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Sanctus Real, Lincoln Brewster, Steve Curtis Chapman, Stryper among others.




Dance Praise 2 by Digital Praise and Thomas Nelson is also available at amazon.com. With over 50 songs from artists such as Mandisa, Barlow Girl, Superchick, Pillar, Casting Crowns, tobyMac, Jeremy Camp, Ayiesha Woods, and Plumb you will be able to do 4 different dances per song. The price on amazon.com was listed just under $35. Included in the package, you will receive a dance pad and cd-rom. Unfold, connect to your USB port and enjoy hours of family fun. There are also multiple expansion packs available for additional music and dance moves.