So you’re doing an Extra Life Gaming Marathon…Here Are 15 Tips.

In just 15 days, Extra Life’s ninth annual 24-hour Game Day marathon will be happening on Nov. 5. If you haven’t registered for Extra Life, take the next 60 seconds to get signed up for free at extra-life.org. Extra Lifers can support their local children’s hospital any day and on any platform. Here are 15 tips from our community on how to have a successful 24-hour gaming marathon, for the kids!

1. Eat healthy! You’d be amazed how eating a good meal, rather than fast food or pizza, will give you the energy to finish your 24 hours strong, and to entertain your viewers throughout. – Colin C.

2. Have a backup plan. Not every server on every game is guaranteed to be up and running while you’re playing.
Also, stretch and wear comfy clothes. Most of us will more than likely spend a lot of time during that 24 hours sitting down. So, have your favorite pj’s and clear a space to take a few minutes to stretch every so often. – Aaron R.

3. Try something active in the wee hours of the morning … rock band, twister or dance central to get the juices flowing again – Brea T.

4. Don’t be afraid to stop. Your safety is important! Get up and take breaks. Change over to card games or go outside to make the time fly by! – Cody W.

5. Play a variety of games. Don’t get burnt out on fps’s or puzzle games, and limit yourself to a couple of hours in each genre. – Alex H.

6. Try to get as many friends involved as possible! Let your friends help with your stream count and make sure to interact with your streamers! (Well if you’re a smaller streamer that can’t reel in a whole Lotta people). – Benjamin M.

7. We get a big group together and take turns with food, breakfast lunch dinner and snacks drink lots of water, eat plenty of sweets and play together to keep everyone awake and having fun. We also do all different kinds of gaming all day so no one gets bored. – Alison S.

8. Get your friends and family involved! My fiancée is a chef and I asked her to cook during the marathon for donations. You’d be surprised how unique things like that bring in unexpected donations. – Korey B.

9. Test EVERYTHING beforehand. It’ll help you sleep better the night before, which is very important. – Kevin P.

10. Less soda and caffeinated drinks. Eating fruits and vegetables helps keep alert and focus. Also mandatory breaks are in order. – Luis V.

11. Get a good night’s sleep the night before and don’t skip breakfast the morning of. – Jim B.

12. If you’re going to be dungeon master, learn the story and be prepared to improvise and toss everything aside. – Lawrence S.

13. Horror games are great when you’re feeling tired. –Zombianca E.

14. Play something you enjoy and doesn’t frustrate you so much. – Rodriguez A.

15. Always great to have a support system! Friends or family either playing or there to support you. – Mike S.

Check Extra Life out on Twitter for more Game Day tips and suggestions:

So you're doing an #EXTRALIFE Gaming Marathon…here are some tips.https://t.co/Kc2iyxrBqB

— Extra Life (@ExtraLife4Kids) October 21, 2016

Extra Life unites thousands of players around the world in a 24-hour gaming marathon to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Since its inception in 2008, Extra Life has raised more than $22 million for local CMN Hospitals. Register for free to participate and learn more about how you can Play Games, Heal Kids at extra-life.org.