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Carscoops
It’s a fact that 2022 reminded us that we’re capable of doing a lot of silly things. That’s why we thought we’d share this year’s top 10 most popular viral car videos of the year.
While the brand-new Corvette Z06 was catching headlines for its unbelievable speed, one American driver sought to prove that the C7 Corvette could still amaze. While their behavior is obviously abhorrent, it was impressive to see how fast a sports car can pull away from a cop car, and even weirder to see it just disappear.
Not every moment of automotive silliness is also dangerous, as one upset citizen proved when they left a note on the hood of a Jeep Wrangler for seemingly blocking a parking spot reserved for electrified vehicles. The note’s writer, though, was apparently not aware that the SUV was a plug-in hybrid 4xe model, making it fully entitled to park in the spot.
More: These Icy Winter Weather Accidents Are Sliding Into Your Feed
Some moments were just plain unfortunate. A customer at a Nissan dealership was celebrating the purchase of her first new car, and was instructed by an employee to kick a gong. Unfortunately, no one was prepared for the kicker’s raw power, and the gong was sent flying into a nearby Maxima. Whoops!
@summar.marie Buying my first car went… embarrassing, to say the least 😂 watch until the end! #bigkick #belairdirectdrivechallenge #trending #fyp #nissan #embarrassing #foryou #canada #firstcar ♬ original sound – Summar Marie
Getting back onto the road, the seventh most popular viral video of the year was of a Lexus SUV hitting the back of a parked car in Brooklyn. Fortunately, the SUV was driving at a very low speed. Unfortunately, that didn’t prevent it from rolling onto its side slowly and painfully.
There’s signing your crimes, and there’s performing a crime so dumb that it destroys your getaway car. That’s the kind of crime that the owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk decided to engage in when they shut down a street in Los Angeles to do burnouts and pop their own tires.
Proving that there’s no shortage of ways to be dumb on the street, the driver of a Pontiac G8 sought to demonstrate why street racing is dangerous. The powerful vehicle proved too much to handle for the driver and wound up spearing off the road.
Proving that not all bad driving happens on the road, one driver showed how lifted trucks can still get stuck off-road. Making things more embarrassing, the road the driver wasn’t on was a drive-thru lane, and the off-road challenge that was too much for the lifted Ford F-Series was a lawn.
Going from the extremely silly to the terrifying, footage from the interior of a restomod Mercury Comet with 1,300 hp (969 kW/1,318 PS) showed the frightening consequences of a brake failure. Fortunately, despite wearing only lap belts at the time of the crash, none of the people involved in the accidents were seriously injured.
A video from Florida showed trucks aren’t the only ones that can get stuck off-road. The driver of a Dodge Charger decided to park on a beach, only to get stuck. Worse still, the Ram that first tried to pull him out also got stuck in the sand. So it’s not only trucks, but it is also trucks.
And finally, our most watched viral video of the year was from a pair of speed bumps placed too close together. While that sounds like a dull premise for a video, the results are pretty spectacular. The proximity of the bumps means that any vehicles going too fast get launched off the first bump and crash violently into the second.
Those were the 10 biggest viral posts of the year by views, but now we’d like to hear about the top video of the year in your heart. Did your favorite video make the list? Was it left off? Let us know in the comments.
Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
The man suspected of being responsible for the murder of four Idaho college students plans to waive his extradition hearing in Pennsylvania, allowing him to be brought back to Idaho to face charges.
Bryan Kohberger’s attorney, chief public defender Jason LaBar, said Kohberger plans to tell a judge in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday that he will waive his extradition hearing so he can be quickly brought to Idaho to face the charges and is eager to be exonerated.
LaBar also cautioned people against passing judgment on the case until a fair trial is held. The case has generated massive amounts of speculation on social media, with would-be sleuths frequently trying to pin the blame for the deaths on various friends and acquaintances of the victims.
“Mr. Kohberger has been accused of very serious crimes, but the American justice system cloaks him in a veil of innocence,” LaBar wrote in a prepared statement. “He should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise — not tried in the court of public opinion.”
MOSCOW, IDAHO POLICE BELIEVE SUSPECT KOHBERGER ACTED ALONE, CHIEF SAYS
Kohberger, 28, was arrested early Friday morning in eastern Pennsylvania on a warrant charging him with four counts of murder and burglary for the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21.
Kohberger is being held without bond in Pennsylvania and will be held without bond in Idaho once he is returned, Idaho prosecutor Bill Thompson said. The affidavit for four charges of first-degree murder in Idaho will remain sealed until he is returned, the prosecutor said.
MOSCOW, IDAHO POLICE STILL SEARCHING FOR FIXED-BLADE KNIFE AFTER SUSPECT KOHBERGER’S ARREST
Kohberger is a graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, which is just a 15-minute drive from the rental home where the four students were stabbed to death in November.
The four students were each stabbed multiple times in the torso and were likely ambushed in their sleep with a large fix-bladed knife between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Nov. 13.
Fox News confirmed through a police source that investigators have only been focused on Kohberger as their suspect “the last few days,” and genetic genealogy work on DNA left at the scene of the crime was instrumental in leading them to Kohberger.
Police officials said during a Friday press conference that Idaho state law prevents them from disclosing further details on what led them to Kohberger until he is extradited and appears in Idaho court.
Fox News’ Rebecca Rosenberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report
Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News
Georgia running back Andrew Paul (3) celebrates a win after the Peach Bowl NCAA college football semifinal playoff game between Georgia and Ohio State, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Atlanta. Georgia won 42-41. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
After the best semifinal day in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff, the title game will match the defending national champion against the closest thing the sport has had in years to a Cinderella team.
It will be No. 1 Georgia (14-0) looking for its second straight championship against upstart and No. 3 TCU on Jan. 9 at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The four-team playoff has been littered with lopsided semifinal games, but Saturday — and into early Sunday and the new year — delivered two thrillers and a combined 179 points.
The Bulldogs came from 14 points down in the second half to beat No. 4 Ohio State 42-41 in the Peach Bowl and advance to the CFP championship game for the third time under coach Kirby Smart.
“If we want any chance of winning a national championship we have to play a lot better football than we played tonight but we have to keep the resiliency and composure along with us,” Smart said.
The Bulldogs and Buckeyes played a classic that came down to a missed field goal by Ohio State with three seconds left. Amazingly, it was even better than the wild opener of the semifinal doubleheader between No. 3 TCU and No. 2 Michigan.
The Horned Frogs (13-1) upset the Wolverines 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl, the second-highest scoring CFP game ever.
“We’re going to celebrate it,” TCU quarterback Max Duggan said. “Obviously, we’re excited, but we know we got a big one coming up.”
TCU, the first Big 12 to win a playoff game, will be looking for its first national title since 1938. Under coach Dutch Meyer, the Horned Frogs beat Carnegie Tech 15-7 in the Sugar Bowl to complete a 10-0 season.
The Southeastern Conference champion Bulldogs opened as a 13 1/2-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, in what will be the fifth meeting between the schools.
Georgia has won them all, including the last in the 2016 Liberty Bowl.
Coming off a 5-7 season in 2021 and picked to finish seventh in their conference before the season, the Horned Frogs have embraced the underdog role and thrived on the being doubted.
“We know we’re going to hear it again. It’s not going to stop now,” first-year coach Sonny Dykes said. “We got to do what we did this game (against Michigan). We’ve got to answer that criticism and show up and do what we’re supposed to do.
“If we think that’s going away, I think you guys all know that’s not. That’s just the way it is.”
TCU would be the first team to win a national championship the year after having a losing season since Michigan State in 1965.
Georgia, No. 1 for most of the season, is looking for its third national title, trying to become the first back-to-back champions in the CFP era and the first since Alabama won the BCS in 2011 and ’12.
It will be a matchup Heisman Trophy finalist quarterbacks, with Duggan and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett.
Neither is a future first-rounder, and both had ups and down in the semifinal but came through in the biggest spots.
Duggan ran for two scores and threw two TD passes as the Frogs held back a surging Michigan in the second half.
Bennett threw for 398 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner with 54 seconds left.
These Bulldogs rely more on Bennett and their offense than last year’s championship team, which fielded one of the best defenses college football has had in recent history. Georgia ranked fifth in the nation in yards per play (6.97) coming into the playoff.
The Frogs have have a powerful offense, too, with Duggan and star receiver Quentin Johnston, who had 163 yards on six catches against the Wolverines.
This is the penultimate season of the four-team version of the playoff before it expands to 12 teams in the 2024 season.
Before Saturday, only three of 16 semifinals had been decided by single-digits, and all those blowouts helped fuel a desire to grow the field in the hope of creating some more interesting postseason games.
This New Year’s Eve, the four-team playoff turned out to be an eight-hour college football party.
After losing to TCU, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh summed up his team’s game, and as it turns out, the day.
“The winner,” he said, “was football.”
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Russia that “no one will ever forgive you” for spreading terror following a series of missile attacks on New Year’s Eve.
Zelensky said in an address on Saturday that the missile attacks will not mark the end of the year but the outcome of Russia’s fate in that it will not be forgiven. He mentioned that Russia launched missile attacks during the war at other holidays such as Easter and Christmas.
“They call themselves Christians. They are very proud of their orthodoxy. But they are following the devil. They support him and are together with him,” he said.
Zelensky said Russia is not at war with NATO, as Russian “propagandists” lie about, but for Russian President Vladimir Putin to remain in power for life.
“And what will be with all of you, citizens of Russia, does not concern him,” he said. “Your leader wants to show that he has the troops behind him and that he is ahead. But he is just hiding. He hides behind the troops, behind missiles, behind the walls of his residences and palaces.”
Zelensky said the missile strikes caused casualties but Ukrainian officials will aid those affected. He said Ukrainian air defenses intercepted most missiles, saving lives, which demonstrates that the world must provide more help to Ukraine.
Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
Bryce Young passed for 321 yards and five touchdowns in a game that other top NFL prospects might have skipped, and No. 5 Alabama responded to an early two-score deficit with 35 straight points to defeat 11th-ranked Kansas State 45-20 in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday.
While a number of pro-bound college stars sat out bowl games that were not part of the College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide and Wildcats had their best prospects on the field and making a number of memorable plays — from Young’s pivotal passes, to Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn’s 88-yard touchdown run to interceptions by Alabama’s Jordan Battle and Brian Branch.
Young was substituted out during a series in the fourth quarter, raising his right hand to Alabama fans who loudly rose to their feet as the former Heisman Trophy winner trotted to the sideline.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Jermaine Burton caught three passes for 87 yards and a touchdown for Alabama (11-2). Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 142 yards from scrimmage — 76 rushing and 66 receiving. Young’s other touchdowns went to Isaiah Bond (6 yards), Cameron Latu (1 yard), Ja’Corey Brooks (32 yards) and Kobe Prentice (47 yards). Jase McClelland added a 17-yard scoring run.
Kansas State (10-4) entered its first Sugar Bowl on a four-game winning streak and was riding high after knocking off No. 3 TCU — a CFP team — in the Big 12 title game.
While Battle’s leaping interception of Will Howard ended K-State’s opening drive on the Alabama 21, the Wildcats scored the Sugar Bowl’s first 10 points, surging in front on Ty Zentner’s 41-yard field goal and Vaughn’s long run.
Alabama was on the brink of punting a third time when Young, on third and 10, stepped up in a collapsing pocket and flicked a short pass to Gibbs, who was cutting across the middle and turned up field for a 60-yard gain. Young stepped up similarly to avoid pressure on his touchdown pass to Bond shortly after.
Young threw over the top to Burton for 47 yards to set up his 1-yard scoring pass to Latu that put Alabama in front for good.
Late in the first half, Kansas State drove to the Alabama 2 — converting two fourth-downs along the way — only to fail on fourth-and-goal when Howard threw out of the reach of tight end Ben Sinnott, who was breaking open after Will Anderson fell while trying to cover him.
That missed chance proved costly.
FORMER GEORGIA QUARTERBACK TALKS STETSON BENNETT, BULLDOGS CFP MATCHUP WITH OHIO STATE
Young needed just 51 seconds to produce another touchdown, completing passes of 12, 28 and 22 yards before hitting Burton from 12 yards out to make it 21-10 at halftime.
Kansas State paid for taking another risk when its onside kick to open the second half was recovered by Alabama, which scored shortly after on Young’s 32-yard strike to Ja’Corey Brooks in the corner of the end zone.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas State: The missed chance from the Alabama 2, the failed onside kick and a minus-2 turnover differential would have been tough to overcome in any game, never mind against the first team left out of the CFP. Howard finished 18-of-35 passing for 210 yards. Vaughn rushed for 133 yards on 22 carries. Jordan Schippers had a late 1-yard TD run.
Alabama: After saying all week that they were treating the Sugar Bowl like a championship game, the Crimson Tide backed it up. The narrative coming in was that Alabama doesn’t get up for low-stakes bowl games, having lost by two touchdowns each in its previous two Sugar Bowl appearances that were not part of the BCS or CFP. Alabama has now won 10 Sugar Bowls in 17 appearances.
UP NEXT
Kansas State: Opens its 2023 campaign at home against Southeast Missouri on Sept. 2.
Alabama: Hosts Middle Tennessee on Sept. 2 to begin its 2023 season.
Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
Extreme rainfall led to areas of over saturation throughout Northern and Central California, prompting officials to evacuate parts of the state as well as closing major roads due to flooding.
On Saturday afternoon, Santa Cruz County issued evacuation orders in the mountains due to rising flood water. According to the county, zones FEL-E008 and CRZ-E081 are under the evacuation order.
“As of 11:30 AM river levels are continuing to rise, and we are expecting another few hours of rain. Therefore, we are issuing an evacuation order for folks in Felton Grove and Paradise Park to evacuate,” the county told residents.
This morning, the California Highway Patrol tweeted that all southbound and northbound lanes would be closed indefinitely in South San Francisco due to major flooding and urged travelers to avoid the area and use I-280 as an alternative route.
The National Weather Service issued several flood and wind advisories for the region, including San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties.
An Areal Flood Advisory for San Francisco and San Mateo counties is in effect until noon, with “urban and small stream flooding” expected in San Francisco, Daly City, San Mateo, Palo Alto, South San Francisco, East Palo Alto, Pacifica and other areas nearby.
OREGON, WASHINGTON HIT WITH DEADLY STORMS, FLOODING
Throughout Central and Northern California, police are warning residents of closed roads due to flooding and encouraging residents to stay indoors on New Year’s Eve.
In Pacifica, flooding closed the northbound lanes of SR-35 at Sharp Park Rd. Sections of Highway 92 are flooded from Skyline Boulevard to Main Street in Half Moon Bay, Cal Fire reported Saturday morning.
WET WEATHER IN CALIFORNIA FLOODS ROADS, LEADS TO LANDSLIDES AND OUTAGES
There also have been reports of flooding along Highway 101 from Interstate 380 E to northbound 101 and near San Francisco International Airport.
According to the National Weather Service, 4.22 inches of rain have fallen within San Francisco, 3.07 inches in Mill Valley and almost 3 inches in Oakland over the last 24 hours.
The National Weather Service expects the worst of the storm to hit by Saturday. The storm brings with it the possibility of gusting winds, downed power lines, falling trees and landslides.
Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News
FILE – Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva smiles during his election certification ceremony at the Supreme Electoral Court in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Lula will be sworn on Jan. 1, 2023 in the capital of Brasilia and assume office for the third time. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be sworn in Sunday in the capital of Brasilia and assume office for the third time, marking the culmination of a political comeback sure to thrill supporters and enrage opponents in a fiercely polarized nation.
But Lula’s presidency is unlikely to be like his previous two mandates, coming after the tightest presidential race in more than three decades in Brazil and resistance to his taking office by some of his opponents, political analysts say.
The leftist defeated far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in the Oct. 30 vote by less than 2 percentage points. For months, Bolsonaro had sown doubts about the reliability of Brazil’s electronic vote and his loyal supporters were loath to accept the loss.
Many have gathered outside military barracks since, questioning results and pleading with the armed forces to prevent Lula from taking office.
His most die-hard backers resorted to what some authorities and incoming members of Lula’s administration labeled acts of “terrorism” – something the country had not seen since the early 1980s, and which have prompted growing security concerns about inauguration day events.
“In 2003, the ceremony was very beautiful. There wasn’t this bad, heavy climate,” said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, referring to the year Lula first took office. “Today, it’s a climate of terror.”
Tanya Albuquerque, a student, flew from Sao Paulo to Brasilia and had tears in her eyes as she heard local leftists celebrating incoming visitors at Brasilia’s airport. She decided to attend after seeing pictures of Lula’s first inauguration.
“Maybe we won’t have 300,000 people tomorrow like then; these are different and more divisive times. But I knew I wouldn’t be happy in front of a TV,” Albuquerque, 23, said on Saturday.
Lula has made it his mission to heal the divided nation. But he will have to do so while navigating more challenging economic conditions than he enjoyed in his first two terms, when the global commodities boom proved a windfall for Brazil.
At the time, his administration’s flagship welfare program helped lift tens of millions of impoverished people into the middle class. Many Brazilians traveled abroad for the first time. He left office with a personal approval rating of 83%.
In the intervening years, Brazil’s economy plunged into two deep recessions — first, during the tenure of his handpicked successor, and then during the pandemic — and ordinary Brazilians suffered greatly.
Lula has said his priorities are fighting poverty, and investing in education and health. He has also said he will bring illegal deforestation of the Amazon to a halt. He sought support from political moderates to form a broad front and defeat Bolsonaro, then tapped some of them to serve in his Cabinet.
Given the nation’s political fault lines, however, it is highly unlikely Lula ever reattains the popularity he once enjoyed, or even sees his approval rating rise above 50%, said Maurício Santoro, a political science professor at Rio de Janeiro’s State University.
Furthermore, Santoro said, the credibility of Lula and his Workers’ Party were assailed by a sprawling corruption investigation. Party officials were jailed, including Lula — until his convictions were annulled on procedural grounds. The Supreme Court then ruled that the judge presiding over the case had colluded with prosecutors to secure a conviction.
Lula and his supporters have maintained he was railroaded. Others were willing to look past possible malfeasance as a means to unseat Bolsonaro and bring the nation back together.
But Bolsonaro’s backers refuse to accept someone they view as a criminal returning to the highest office. And with tensions running hot, a series of events has prompted fear that violence could erupt on inauguration day.
On Dec. 12, dozens of people tried to invade a federal police building in Brasilia, and burned cars and buses in other areas of the city. Then on Christmas Eve, police arrested a 54-year-old man who admitted to making a bomb that was found on a fuel truck headed to Brasilia’s airport.
He had been camped outside Brasilia’s army headquarters with hundreds of other Bolsonaro supporters since Nov. 12. He told police he was ready for war against communism, and planned the attack with people he had met at the protests, according to excerpts of his deposition released by local media. The next day, police found explosive devices and several bulletproof vests in a forested area on the federal district’s outskirts.
Lula’s incoming Justice Minister, Flávio Dino, this week called for federal authorities to put an end to the “antidemocratic” protests, calling them “incubators of terrorists.”
In response to a request from Lula’s team, the current justice minister authorized deployment of the national guard until Jan. 2, and Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes banned people from carrying firearms in Brasilia during these days.
“This is the fruit of political polarization, of political extremism,” said Nara Pavão, who teaches political science at the Federal University of Pernambuco. Pavão stressed that Bolsonaro, who mostly vanished from the political scene since he lost his reelection bid, was slow to disavow recent incidents.
“His silence is strategic: Bolsonaro needs to keep Bolsonarismo alive,” Pavão said.
Bolsonaro finally condemned the bomb plot in a Dec. 30 farewell address on social media, hours before flying to the U.S.. His absence on inauguration day will mark a break with tradition and it remains unclear who, instead of him, will hand over the presidential sash to Lula at the presidential palace.
Lawyer Eduardo Coutinho will be there. He bought a flight to Brasilia as a Christmas present to himself.
“I wish I were here when Bolsonaro’s plane took off, that is the only thing that makes me almost as happy as tomorrow’s event,” Coutinho, 28, said after singing Lula campaign jingles on the plane. “I’m not usually so over-the-top, but we need to let it out and I came here just to that. Brazil needs this to move on.”
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Jeantet reported from Rio de Janeiro. AP writer Mauricio Savarese contributed from Brasilia.
Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
A man was repeatedly stabbed during a bloody altercation in Times Square on Saturday morning as the city got ready for its annual New Year’s Eve celebration that draws tens of thousands of people.
A spokesperson for the New York Police Department told Fox News Digital a man who is believed to be homeless got into an altercation with another man he likely knew previously at the corner of 7th Avenue and 40th Street, blocks away from One Times Square, at 11 a.m. Saturday, and one of the individuals was stabbed multiple times.
The perpetrator, who fled the scene and has not been arrested, is described as a male in his 20s with a possibly dark complexion wearing a black jacket and black pants.
The victim suffered multiple stab wounds in his torso and back and was transported to Bellevue Hospital in serious but stable condition, according to police.
NEW YEAR’S EVE IN TIMES SQUARE: HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MAKING THE BALL SPARKLE FOR THE BIG DROP
The spokesperson said that after the victim was stabbed he flagged down a police cruiser and at one point bled onto a police cruiser while leaning on it.
Pictures from the scene obtained by Fox News Digital show a white NYPD police cruiser with blood smeared on it.
NEW YORK CITY ALLEGED SUBWAY SHOOTER TO PLEAD GUILTY TO SHOOTING 10 PEOPLE IN APRIL: PROSECUTORS
Police added that it is unknown what the fight was about and the victim has thus far declined to identify the suspect, but police believe the two knew each other.
The spokesperson stressed that the incident was in no way related to Times Square New Year’s celebrations and stemmed from an argument between two individuals who knew each other.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to brave rainy weather and head to Times Square on Saturday night to ring in the new year, and the NYPD has provided the public with information on road closures in the area.
“Today’s the day!” the NYPD tweeted on Saturday. “Checkpoints are open, and we’re getting set for tonight’s ball drop. If you plan on ringing in the new year in Times Square with us, remember that the following items are prohibited: Umbrellas, Backpacks/Large bags, Lawn chairs, Coolers, Alcohol.”
The Points Guy
I’m sweaty, my calves are stiff, and my arm (but only the right one) aches — and I haven’t even set foot inside the ship’s fitness center. Instead, I’ve just finished my seventh round of “To Tha Net” basketball in the onboard arcade.
Are there better ways for me to spend my cruise time? Probably. Does arcade play cost money that I know I won’t get back? Sure. But there’s something about neon lights and whiz-bang noises that draws me in.
Cruises are full of temptation. From nearly unlimited food and drinks to gambling, duty-free shopping and spa treatments, there are plenty of ways to overindulge. But for as much as I enjoy a great cone (or 10) of pool deck soft serve following a deep-tissue massage or a shopping spree, I often spend a decent portion of my disposable cruise income on intense air hockey battles and multiple tries at any machine that has a claw.
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Part of the Hall of Games arcade on MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape. ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUY
I wouldn’t say it’s an addiction. If I don’t make it to the arcade or if the ship I’m on doesn’t have one, I’m not bothered. For me, playing arcade games is simply a way to indulge in something that makes me feel like a kid again, which I don’t often find myself able to do at home.
“But Ashley,” you’re thinking, “why not spend your money at the casino instead and actually try to win something?”
The truth is I find casino play stressful and, frankly, boring. You go into it with the assumption that you’re spending money to try to win money, and that’s a lot of pressure. If I don’t win something there, it feels like a failure.
Plus, I don’t find the atmosphere as exciting as that of a game room. I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older that there’s nothing fun about being around stressed-out adults, many of whom are about to become even more stressed out when they lose.
With the arcade, I know whatever I’m spending is spent, and that’s it. I have no expectation that I’ll recoup my losses. It’s purely about having fun, and any prizes I might earn along the way are just gravy. That mentality immediately staves off any anxiety. It’s more about testing my skill than my luck. Even better, I don’t end up smelling like someone else’s cigarette smoke when I leave.
Plus, where else on board can you enjoy Skee-Ball or Pac-Man or coin pushers that let you win Willy Wonka or superhero cards? (Oooh, ahhh. But seriously, if anybody has a Batman card, let’s work out a trade.)
A claw machine in an arcade. TYLIM/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO
My favorites, though, are the claw games. I’ve never met one I didn’t like. The “Oh! So close!” thrill keeps me going, and I love trying to figure out the machines — and whether or not they’re rigged — as I play.
When I have a session that’s particularly lucrative, I end up giving the prizes to families who are also spending time there. (The last thing I need to do is cram five or six stuffies into my carry-on. I am an adult, after all, and that’s where I draw the line.)
When I’m in need of an extra pick-me-up, I move to the win-every-time versions of the claw machines. Usually that means I end up with lollipops or rubber ducks. (I hide the latter on board for others to find, which only extends the fun.)
Rubber ducks won at the arcade on Wonder of the Seas. ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUY
After having done extensive first-person research, my top picks for cruise lines with the best arcades are:
Norwegian Cruise Line: Check out NCL‘s newest ships for the best options, including Galaxy Pavilion, which includes standard arcade games and a slew of high-tech virtual-reality simulators.
Carnival Cruise Line: These cruise ships have some of the most robust arcades I’ve seen on board. The variety of games — even on smaller, older vessels — means there’s something for just about every gamer. Carnival also seems to have the largest number of win-every-time machines.
MSC Cruises: On its Seaside-class ships, MSC houses the Hall of Games, which is outfitted with lots of options. Of particular note are its interactive cinemas and Formula 1 racers, as well as Robotron on MSC Seascape.
Royal Caribbean International: On its newest vessels, Royal Caribbean has dedicated an impressive amount of space to arcades. There are win-every-time options, and the line has also done a great job of integrating arcade games with its sports bars, offering adults the chance to play Pac-Man, Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong without venturing into the arcade itself.
Passengers play air hockey and other games in the arcade on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Cruise ships are loaded with opportunities for passengers to spend their money. Although arcades aren’t for everyone, they’re a great place to have some low-pressure fun — even as an adult.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
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A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
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