Steff and I team up for a Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout stream! Can we get our first win? Also, we discuss 90s movies and share our Lego NES build!
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My Tolerance for Failure in Video Games
Video Game Characters Who Wear Masks
During these uncertain times, one of the best things we can do to protect ourselves and others is to wear a mask. There’s no shortage of evidence out there that show how effective they are. I’ve been wearing a mask for months now and I agree with my government’s laws around masks in public spaces.
But don’t just follow my lead. You can be just like these star video game characters who also wear masks!
My Fave Open World Sandbox Games
The origins of open world games go back almost as far as the genre itself. However, the genre wouldn’t have its watershed moment until the release of Grand Theft Auto III in 2001. Players love the freedom that comes with exploring a full world, whether that means stealing cars, scaling mountains, fighting dragons, or cooking meals with whatever ingredients you’ve scrounged up from the forest.
In no particular order, here are a few of my fave open world games!
Streets of Rage 2 Review
From Altered Beast, to Golden Axe, to Comix Zone, Sega was once deeply invested in the beat-em-up genre. Of all their efforts, none were more highly regarded than the Streets of Rage series. Its success in the nineties carried across three entries on the Genesis.
While the genre has long since fallen out of favour due to its simplicity among many other factors, Streets of Rage isn’t exactly down for the count. We just got the critically-acclaimed Streets of Rage 4, which seems like a great modern take on the genre. Does the 90s fan-fave still hold up?
Getting Off On the Wrong Foot with Indivisible (For Reasons That Aren’t Its Fault)
Powered by gorgeous visuals in-game and within cutscenes, Indivisible makes one heck of a first impression. And yet, I was almost completely repulsed by it for reasons beyond its control.
A Nod to Image & Form, the Makers of the SteamWorld Series
Having just purchased a Humble Bundle, my friend JJ found himself with an extra copy of SteamWorld Dig on the Nintendo 3DS. He was gracious enough to offer me the code. Then I forgot a out it for awhile.
Eventually, I found myself sitting on a train to Montreal with nothing to do. Firing up SteamWorld Dig for the first time, time melted away as I tore through their brilliant take on the Metroidvania genre. As the train pulled into Montreal, I was actually mad that I didn’t have a few extra minutes to wrap things up.
Thus began my love affair with Image & Form, the brilliant minds behind the SteamWorld series.
Why Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is a Timeless Classic
Over on Twitch, I recently wrapped up a playthrough of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. It’s a game that I’ve always held in high regard, but going through it now as an adult decades later further solidified its standing in my mind as an all-time great. What makes this one so special?
Super Punch-Out!! and When Great Isn’t Great Enough
The night before every stream, I do a technical check. Firing up all of my equipment, I ensure that everything is functioning as intended and that the audio mix between my mic and the game. After configuring everything for Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, I revisited an old fave: Super Punch-Out!!.
At the time of its release, I adored this game. Beat it many times over back in the day, and couldn’t put it down on this day until I sent the final boss down to the canvas. Much of my muscle memory was still intact, as I finished the campaign with a record of 16-2.
In large part, Super Punch-Out!! is still a great game and worthy of your time. Personally, I think it’s better than Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! – its predecessor that has reached mythical status in the gaming community. Even so, it quickly got lost in the shuffle at the time of its release and it’s nonexistent in the greater conversation of gaming. What happened? Continue reading
I Finally Played Metal Gear Solid for the First Time
Widely considered to be one of the best and most influential games of all-time, Metal Gear Solid is a game I’ve been actively dodging for most of my life. Part of that stems from an anti-Sony bias that formed in the 90s that I’ve since shedded. Part of it came from being a stealth game. I hate stealth games with a passion (with one beautiful exception). Even when I bought a copy of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for under $10, I ended up selling it later on without ever playing it.
At long last, during a random PlayStation Classic stream, I did the thing. By the end of it, I wasn’t quite sure of what to do with this newfound knowledge.
In Third Person 