10/28/2011

It’s Like Smash Bros, But Starring Librarians & It’s Like Your Typical Japanese Dating Sim, Except Replace Girls With Pigeons

by Matthew Edward Hawkins

I’m not going to lie; as much as I miss my GameSetWatch gig (thanks once again to everyone for all the kind emails, texts, and tweets; it’s been sincerely appreciated), I’ve also really been enjoying my new, lighter workload all week long.

Haven’t quite tackled that huge mountain of stuff that’s way overdue, mostly just been chilling. Which was something I desperately needed (and didn’t even realize till now). Though slowly but surely, I’m getting back into the groove of things; I know I still have a NYCC report to file! Hopefully, later this weekend.

I also wanted to pass along the things that I’d be sharing if I was still with GSW. By the way, it’s kinda ironic that my inbox only now has been blowing up, from folks wanting to share tips that are related to stuff I’ve written about (and quite frankly, though went unnoticed). But I’m still in recovery mode, aka, been hit with a nasty case of the lazy.

How bad has it been? Believe it or not, Uncharted 3 has been sitting on my desk, still wrapped in plastic, for days now! And yes, you can point and laugh, or just yell at me. Don’t care!

Actually, I’ve mostly been playing something else? both the XBLA and PSN ports of Daytona USA! Hey, it’s one of my all-time favorite games, ever. I’ll be penning a review very soon, for either Heavy or Guyism, but long story short, it’s taken 18 years, but we finally have an arcade perfect port, and it is good. REAL good.

I’ve also been engrossed by the Steve Jobs autobio. It too is also quite excellent, though I’m afraid that many dipsh*ts will use it as a roadmap (and excuse) to treat business associates and friends alike like garbage, without having the qualities that at least somewhat gave Jobs an excuse to behave in such a manner: his vision, intuition, charm, etc.

Speaking of reading material, I promised more from that zine I picked up the con, where Snap, Crackle and Pop as an elfen centipede comes from. Behold the work of Skinner and Alex Pardee?

Guess what just arrived in the mail? Club Nintendo’s postcard set, featuring the history of their handhelds. Which anyone can snatch for themselves, provided they have enough “coins”. They’re pretty neat, though the Virtual Boy is conspicuously absent?

Another thing that recently arrived was Shooting Gameside Volume 3!

And because I never passed along pics of Volume 2?

? Sorry for the less than optimal shots; they’re hard to take pictures of by yourself, at least without messing up the spines. For those who missed them, pics from Volume 1 can be found here.
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Well, was planning on doing the following for quite some time now, and either my timing couldn’t be better, or couldn’t be worse. You be the judge! Here are my fave GSW posts since my last round up, which was the tail end of August. Looking back, I’m quite proud of the stuff I was able to dig up, so check ‘em out! Especially since the archives at that place is somewhat borked (which will hopefully be fixed, sooner than later):

- Check out this rather rockin’ heavy metal cover of the Tim Burton Batman theme, presented all SNES-like.

- And this remarkably well-done tribute to Bison, of Street Fighter fame.

- Meeting gaming’s latest super-star (and here’s a bonus vid for those who yearn for more Yan).

- Of all of Nintendo’s behind the scenes interviews, this one regarding Star Fox 64 might be my fave.

- It’s 2011, and folks at OCRemix are still busy making Mega Man remixes.

- There’s nothing I love more than when video games are used as a teaching tool.

- An interactive Saved By The Bell game on YouTube sporting 16-bit graphics, anyone?

- When the fashion world tries to create 8-bit threads?

- QWOP cosplay is the best cosplay.

- Only Japan would there be a console game in which you do everything in-game via an iPad.

- It’s basically Phoenix Wright, but starring a canine with no real moral center.

- A game aimed at kids, but one that teaches them the meaning of life and death? Heavy stuff indeed.

- Some awesome behind the scenes (and on the set) dirt of the live action Super Mario Bros movie.

- Who would have thought that a game about woodcarving would look so damn awesome?

- Yet another example of Capcom’s hatred for Mega Man revealed.

- Ringo, a nice and simple iOS game by a Japanese chiptuner.

- Hey, another documentary about Chinatown Fair, but one that actually brings something new to the table.

- Did you know that Lil Wayne’s latest samples Sword & Sworcery?

- Did you also know that Dragon Quest has basically been made into a comedy adventure series for Japanese television?

- For fans of Boktai, an awesome, behind the scene’s look, courtesy of Hideo Kojima and Twitter.

- Bjork has an iOS game out! Kinda, sorta.

- Sorry, but this doujin Madoka game completely blows away the real thing.

- This is actually the best time of the year to give Hide a spin, it being close to Halloween and all.

- So what’s Kenji Inafune up to these days, now that he’s not working on Mega Man anymore? Why, a romantic adventure that takes place at an amusement park in which a guy dressed up a bear is threatening to blow the place up.

- Hopefully, one of these days, PIXELGALAXY will see the light of print?

- Good news: the fan translation of Captain Rainbow is back on track!

- It’s the creator Marble Madness showing Michael Jackson around Sega, circa the late 80s.

- There’s only two reasons why I want a PlayStation Vita. Along with the Persona 4 remake, there’s also Sound Shapes.

- It’s pretty much every NES game released in 1988, illustrated?

- For those wondering how to transfer pics from their Game Boy Cameras onto their PCs in the year 2011, there is actually a way.

- It’s like Smash Bros, but starring librarians.

- And, it’s like Smash Bros, but in a board game format.

- For those who haven’t heard, 999 is getting a sequel of sorts!

- Plus for fans of Pixar, details regarding their upcoming, video game-centric movie.

- The Euro version of DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu is going to be region free? YES.

- Believe it or not, but Super Mario X Portal is totally real.

- It’s intros to classic Konami games, but all HD-ed out.

- The greatest moment ever to happen in EVO (still to this day, IMHO), in 8-bits.

- You know what had awesome music? Dynamite Headdy, Ristar, and Virtua Racing, that’s what.

- Remember when you beat Mega Man as a kid, and upon seeing the name “Tom Pon” in the credits, wondered what the hell that was about? Well, here he is.

- It’s sucks that this video of Capcom’s Seth Killian totally hitting on a cute chick in front of an audience, and in Germany, has been pulled. At least Tim Schaffer interacting with Cookie Monster once again is still up.

- It’s Minecraft? made in Minecraft?

- For those who don’t know about it yet, Radballs is definitely one of this year’s must have iOS titles.

- Hey, remember Starcade?

- My review of the gold standard in which all theatrical productions of video games should be judged by.

- There was actually a TV commercial starring The Cheetahmen?!?!

- In Brazil, Mega Man’s sister has a hard time keeping her cloths on.

- Sorry, but The Autumn Society > iam8bit?

- This is how Capcom of Japan looks for new employees.

- The guy whose in charge of the Zelda franchise has never beaten the first one?

- It’s a video game in a cardboard box!

- And it’s Uncharted, as reinterpreted via sand.

- Check out this guy’s tribute to the Dreamcast’s birthday this year?

- You folks do know that Grasshopper Manufacture made a Evangelion game, right?

- God bless MMDs (that’s a video created in MikuMikuDance, btw).

- Jeff Goldblum, with a message for gamers.

- As a Mortal Kombat 9 diehard, I am seriously considering getting joystick-less arcade set-up.

- Would you watch an entire mini-series centered exclusively around Smash Bros players? Call me crazy, but I would.

- Have you ever seen a Vic Viper model, photographed so gorgeously before? I think not?

- I’m always fascinated whenever video games are used to push political dogma.

- Meaning in Korea, the first professional female StarCraft player has been the source of great controversy.

- Another head’s up for those who missed the news originally: Tommy Wiseau has a new internet show, and it’s about video games. It’s also totally awesome!

- The long awaited old school Game Boy version of Smash Bros has finally arrived.

- I never really cared about Monster Hunter, until Ken the Eagle began telling me I should play the game.

- For those who love chiptunes, but also need some help falling asleep.

- If you haven’t picked up Guardian Heroes for XBLA, do so right now! Cuz it’s success will determine if we ever get Guardian Heroes 2.

- It’s hard to believe, but 26 six years going, people are still able to find new and interesting things to say about the original Super Mario Bros.

- It’s the arcade that time forgot?

- Ever wanted to see all the boot up sequences from pretty much every console, ever? Well, now you can!

- It’s a game that recreates standing in line at MOMA, for five hours.

- If you work for Nintendo? for 20 years? this is what you get.

- New video game zine alert: JumpButton.

- Up there with The Autumn Society’s recent video game art show is the one that recently happened at Gallery 1988?

- Without a doubt, the absolute best use of a the lamest weapon from Mega Man 8 (or perhaps any Mega Man game, ever).

- Sticking with Mega Man, of all the initiatives to bring attention to the Legends 3 cause, this is by far my most favorite.

- Does anyone know how I can get my hands on a copy of Sabu’s Dead Rising 2 inspired short film?

- Without question, the most-mind blowing video game revelation of the year has been how Kirby 64 takes place on a frozen wasteland that used to be the planet Earth.

- Is this the world’s smallest console ever? Possibly.

- Now us Americans can finally enjoy Sdatcher!

- For fans of the Beasties Boys, and Donkey Kong Country.

- And for fans of Twin Peaks, and old Atari 2600 games.

- At long last, a machine that plays games AND does your laundry.

- The 15 years that Arthur (from Ghosts’n Goblins) spent out of the spotlight, detailed at long last.

- Along with details regarding Disaster Report 4, including why it was cancelled.

- Want an Adventure Time video game? Well, so does the creator! He also digs Pokemon, btw.

- It’s the music from Ducktales and Mega Man 3, redone in the style of Final Fantasy 6.

- Trust me, you might actually want to play this not at all creepy (at least compared to all the rest) dating sim.

- At least if Nintendo Power goes away, we’ll have NES-Bit: the magazine.

- I’m surprise others didn’t ask this same question: is Nathan Drake the new Subway guy?

- Twin Galaxies is celebrating it’s 30th birthday, and you’re invited.

- It’s Pokemon, but all creepy like, even by Japanese standards.

- Is that really Shadow of the Colossus for the NES you have there?!?! Oh, it’s just Street Fighter: 2010? Never mind then.

- In case you didn’t hear: Bloody Roar 5? Not happening I’m afraid.

- Gotta love it whenever the local news intermingles with video games (especially when its Sonic Adventure 2).

- It’s an algorithmically generated comic book? via the Kinect?

- And it’s a LGBTQ-friendly game in the guise of a JPPG.

- Here’s a heartwarming tale of how a kid got his stolen game back.

- For those interested, the PS2 is also capable of Netflix Instant Streaming as well.

- Check out this awesome behind the scenes look at the Bit.Trp games?

- Here we have the first of my final two Tumblr dumps?

- Bare witness to little-scale’s eight Mega Drive orchestra?

- You know who’s the best video game spokesperson we have today? Kristen Schaal, that’s who.

- Flying Heroes is pretty cute upon first glance, but rather morbid upon closer inspection.

- Thank goodness: the one sound effect that best represents this generation of gaming, in convenient mp3 format.

- Earthbound X F-Zero X Charlie Brown?

- I’m also shocked that virtually no one else has reported how the Persona anime is available for viewing in the US, via Hulu.

- It’s about North and South Korea’s political turmoil, in the form of a point and click adventure about separated space travelers (who are also boyfriend and girlfriend).

- Touching tributes to Steve Jobs, via the denizens of Minecraft.

- It’s a video game, specifically for graphic designers.

- Poor, poor Luigi.

- Are you ready to believe that a tree can take you into outer space? Well, it can.

- Have you all played Nullsleep’s new text adventure yet?

- Super Galdelic Hour cosplay? Yes please!

- My new fave Twitter account.

- Not sure if anyone else out there cares about the convergence of video games and Bollywood, but I sure as hell do!

- Remember the Zelda Flipnote contest that Nintendo recently threw? Well, here are the Japanese winners.

- Augmented reality used to enhance? pool and air hockey?

- It’s the Super FX1 chip overclocked? to run at Super FX2 speeds.

- And it’s Minecraft stop motion that’s so nice that even the game’s creator thinks it’s fake.

- Any fans of the Angry Video Game Nerd out there? Well, the much talked about movie is actually happening.

- Check out my pal Asif (from 2 Player Productions) and his Limbo inspired pumpkin!

- Sorry Kinect haters, but Tim Schafer totally loves the darn thing.

- As we approach the home stretch, here we have my up close look at the Mega Man Legends 3 booth at the NYCC?

- Persona 4 is so popular in Japan that it’s getting it’s own magazine.

- I could seriously watch Harrison Ford play Uncharted 3 all day long.

- It’s Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell? plus a bunch of others, all going head to head at The Kong Off.

- Meat Bun’s latest line of shirts is absolutely amazing. I’m particularly fond of this Star Fox design?

- The just released commemorative soundtracks to Sonic 1 & 2 in Japan is an absolute must listen to for any card carrying Sega fan.

- And here we have the second of my final two Tumblr dumps?

- Those that recall that clip from last year, of that arcade game that?s designed for men?s bathrooms and is controlled via urination, might be interested in these recent gameplay videos.

- A mini arcade cabinet made out of Legos, running an iPad game that has scanned Legos for graphics, and also designed by a 10 year old? That’s Lila in a nutshell?

- Hatoful Boyfriend is a dating sim for bird lovers. Literally?

- For those who are also into live-action, adventure gaming (even if you can’t understand German like myself).

- And here we are, the end of the road. And naturally, it features a Kamen Rider cosplayer playing ParaParaParadise.

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