#Super Nintendo World 1 Year Anniversary

[treasurechestmemories]

Universal Studios Hollywood Day 3 Part 2

[datcloudboi]

List of Video Games Turning 10 Years Old in 2024

Alien: Isolation

Assassin's Creed: Rogue (the one where you play as an Assassin turned Templar.)

Assassin's Creed: Unity (the one set during the French Revolution.)

Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky

Azure Striker Gunvolt

The Banner Saga

Bayonetta 2

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea (the DLC where you go back to Rapture)

A Bird Story (a sort of spin-off of "To the Moon")

BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! (is this a sequel to 1 or a prequel to 1? I forgor)

Bravely Default (in North America)

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (the one with K*vin Sp*cey)

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (to date, the last new Castlevania game to release)

Child of Light

The Crew (going offline at the end of March)

D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die (a wonderfully strange game from the guy that made Deadly Premonition)

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (in North America)

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (in North America)

Dark Souls II

Deception IV: Blood Ties

Demon Gaze

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

Disney Infinity 2.0

Divinity: Original Sin (from the team that would go on to make Baldur's Gate 3)

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Dragon Age: Inquisition (the winner of GOTY at the very first TGAs)

Drakengard 3

Earth Defense Force 2025 (EDF! EDF! EDF!)

The Evil Within (from the creative director of Resident Evil)

Fable Anniversary

Fairy Fencer F

Far Cry 4

Freedom Planet

Guilty Gear Xrd Sign

Hyrule Warriors

Inazuma Eleven (in North America. And digital only.)

Infamous: Second Son (as well as its expansion, First Light)

Kirby: Triple Deluxe

The Last of Us Remastered (just one year after the original version came out...)

The Legend of Korra (the game from PlatinumGames that you can't buy anymore)

Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

Lego The Hobbit

The Lego Movie Videogame

Lethal League (from the team that would go on to make Bomb Rush Cyberfunk)

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (the third and final chapter of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy)

Lisa: The Painful (yes, really)

LittleBigPlanet 3

Lords of the Fallen (not to be confused with Lords of the Fallen, which came out in 2023)

Mario Golf: World Tour

Mario Kart 8 (the original version)

Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes (the prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, which came out 18 months later)

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Might & Magic X: Legacy

Murdered: Soul Suspect (it's like Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, but not as good)

Natural Doctrine

Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! (a from the ground up remake of the first Oddworld game from 1997)

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (yes, it got a sequel. I don't know how or why.)

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

Pokemon Omega Ruby & Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (the last time that Professor Layton himself was the protagonist. At least, until the New World of Steam comes out)

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Pushmo World

Risen 3: Titan Lords

Sacred 3

Samurai Warriors 4

Shadowrun: Dragonfall

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (the 3rd one)

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

Shovel Knight (yes, really)

Skylanders: Trap Team (the 4th one)

Sniper Elite III

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Steins;Gate (in North America)

Strider (the one from Double Helix)

Sunset Overdrive

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS (or Smash 4 for short)

Tales of Xillia 2

Tales of Hearts R

The Talos Principle

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

Thief (the reboot)

This War of Mine

Toukiden: The Age of Demons

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (this game merged the storyline of the War for/Fall of Cybertron games with the storyline of the Michael Bay movies. I’m not joking)

Transistor

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

The Walking Dead: Season Two

Wasteland 2

Watch Dogs

The Witch and the Hundred Knight

The Wolf Among Us (sequel this year!)

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z

Yoshi's New Island

[milesluna]

My Favorite Games of 2023.

Hi. Hello. Thanks ever so much for clicking on this page. Happy to have you.

First thing's first: I'm a little freak when it comes to video games. I don't feel the need to beat most games I play. From Software is one of my favorite studios in the industry and I've never finished a single one of their games. This means, fortunately, that I get to play a LOT more games than the average bear.

I've written up some blurbs about my top ten favorite games from 2023, but before that here's the list of every game I remember playing this year that left any sort of lasting impact on me (in no particular order):

Dead Space Remake Resident Evil 4 Remake F-Zero 99 Humanity Dredge Metroid Prime Remastered Anemoiaplois Alan Wake 2 Baldur’s Gate 3 LoZ Tears of the Kingdom Counter Strike 2 Hunt Showdown El Paso Elsewhere Jusant Slay the Princess| Remnant II The Finals Street FIghter 6 Lethal Company BattleBit Remastered Don’t Scream Homebody The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog Pizza Tower World of Horror Super Mario Wonder Mr. Sun’s Hatbox Fifa 23 Sea of Stars (Demo) Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update)

And the games I played that were NOT released in 2023:

Unpacking Persona 4 Golden Picross 7 The Order 1886 Shovel Knight Dig Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Spider-Man: Miles Morales Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Project Zomboid Quake LoZ The Minish Cap Drill Dozer Wario Land 4 Pokemon Pinball Resident Evil Revelations Summer of ‘58 Trackmania TwinCop We Were Here Visage Cursed Halo CE Half-Life 2 (I probably play this once per year) Witch Hunt Red Dead Redemption 2 Cyberpunk 2077 Borderlands 3 Brutal Legend Cultic Slay the Spire PUBG Rez Infinite Batman Arkham City Alan Wake Alan Wake: American Nightmare Max Payne LoZ: Majora’s Mask 3DS Metroid Prime Metroid Prime 2 Tunic Everhood Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VII Remake GOODBYE WORLD Yakuza: Like a Dragon Critters for Sale Dome Keeper Phasmophobia Hades Nintendo Switch Sports

Now that you understand the kind of freak you're dealing with…

Let's dive into my top ten favorite games from this objectively fucked up year.

10. El Paso Elsewhere Developed by Texas indie studio Strange Scaffold, El Paso Elsewhere is a Max Payne-clone with vampires, an opinionated narrator, and lots and lots of bullet time. As a small studio punching well above their weight class, Strange Scaffold leans into abstract, PlayStation 1 minimalism when it comes to visuals and pairs them with a soundtrack that will make your hands sweat. The vibes are here and they're ready for the end of the world. I'm personally also a big fan of everything this studio stands for.

9. Mr. Sun's Hatbox I want you to imagine Metal Gear Solid V. Now I want you to imagine that game as a 2D, level-based, slapstick platformer you can play with up to three friends. If you think that sounds stupid, you'd be right. And it's beautiful. As you build up a secret army of soldiers with various skills (and disorders), you'll start to develop *favorites*. This game constantly asks if you're willing to send those favorites on a harrowing mission and risk losing them forever… or if you'd rather send an idiot you recently captured who blinks constantly and can't kill anyone without fainting.

8. Dredge Every year I feel like I find one game that falls into the “just one more round” category, and baby… Dredge was it for 2023. As a weary fisherman in strange waters, you'll make the most out of your 12 measly hours of sunlight only for your daily voyages to inevitably pull you into the darkness of night, and night is when things get weird. Rocks emerge from the fog that you swear weren't there before, your equipment malfunctions, and you're pretty sure you just saw something in the water… something big. Despite only containing a small collection of islands, the world of Dredge manages to feel vast - perhaps vast enough to swallow you whole.

7. Resident Evil 4 Remake I was curious to see what sort of changes would be made to the timeless classic and father of modern 3rd person shooters, Resident Evil 4. I wasn't let down. RE4 Remake takes all the things that didn't age well about the original, tossed them out, and replaced them with only good things. And MORE things! It's campy, fun, and better than a game of bingo.

6. Jusant I really feel like this one didn't get the recognition it deserves. Jusant is a rock climbing game that combines the quiet contemplation of Journey with the mechanical specificity of Death Stranding. Unlike Death Standing, though, there is very little story to interrupt your flow. There are plenty of collectible bits to find for those curious to learn more about what happened before the events of the game, but the environmental storytelling does most of the heavy lifting. For me, the joy of the game comes from how it feels. Right trigger controls your right hand grip, and left trigger controls left hand grip. Plan your route, manage your stamina, and climb high above the clouds in search of answers.

5. F-Zero 99 This. Shit. Slaps. I've never been a big F-Zero guy, but this MADE me one. The “battle royale”, 99 player format is the perfect fit for the ruthless, high octane world of the game. Races last about three minutes, and friend, they are the most intense, white-knuckled three minutes of your life. The decision to make your boost meter the same as your health meter started in F-Zero 64 (I believe), and it is so much more HARROWING in this game when another player could side-swipe you mere meters from the finish line and blow you to bits. Sadly it's only playable via Switch Online, but it made me cheer, laugh, and scream enough this year to earn a spot in my top 5.

4. Alan Wake 2 Remedy makes weird games that also manage to exist in the AAA space and for that I will forever love them. Although Alan Wake 2 resembles a 3rd person shooter survival horror, I'd honestly say it's more of a narrative game than anything else. There's sidequests, there's puzzles, there's upgradeable skills, but at the end of the day the characters, world, and story are what kept me playing. If you haven't checked them out recently, you should definitely watch a story recap of the original games before diving into this sequel, but the wild swings for the fences this game takes are well worth that small price of admission. There's a god damn musical number, for Christ's sake.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom I've really got nothing to say about this game that most people don't already know. It's incredible. The fact that Nintendo made a game that redefined an entire genre and then made a SEQUEL to it that ups the ante is remarkable. To be honest, I've only cleared the Rito, Zora, and Goron cities. I got a bit tired of exploring the depths and guiding Koroks to their friends, but I can't deny the sheer level of complexity and polish on display here. I saw someone on TikTok build a functioning Mecha Godzilla in this game. Good God. I've heard that the ending of this game is one of the best in the franchise, and if I'd seen it this year then it may have wound up higher on my list, but for the time being I'll continue picking up this masterpiece from time to time, chipping away at it until the day comes that I can finally smack the tits off thicc Ganondorf.

2. Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update) I know I'm gonna get shit for this, but I don't care. This year was the 25th anniversary of Half-Life and Valve released an update that made playing it (and it's online Death Match) much more accessible. I threw it on my Steam Deck out of curiosity, expecting to play for 20 minutes. I could not put it down. It is unbelievable how modern this game still feels. I simply had so much fun sprinting through the corridors of Black Mesa with a dozen weapons strapped to my back, blasting aliens and military Spec-Op chumps as a 24(?!) year old theoretical physicist.

1. Baldur's Gate III This game is fucked up, man. The sheer amount of writing in this game scares me. We can all talk about how BIG this game is, it deserves it, but the thing BG3 does better than any other role playing game I have ever experienced is actually encourage roleplaying. I've played through Act I four times now, with four different groups of friends, and it has felt fresh every time. I have seen the same events play out in so many different ways that it boggles the mind, but in every one of those play sessions I see players asking themselves “What would my lil guy do here?” rather than "what is the best thing to do here?" The game rewards players constantly for just trying shit and the D&D 5e rule set means playing like the character you said you were from the start leads to frequent Points of Inspiration. Maybe one day I'll see the end of this story (probably not), but I don't have to in order to feel a connection with BG3's world, characters, and most impressively, the characters I made myself.

Honorable Mentions for 2023

5. Dave the Diver 4. Homebody 3. Sea of Stars 2. Humanity 1. Super Mario Wonder

Top 5 Favorites NOT from 2023

5. Metroid Prime 4. Final Fantasy VII Remake 3. Cursed Halo (Halo CE Mod) 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 1. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (3DS)

Games I didn't have a chance to play from 2023 but still want to when I find more time...

Viewfinder Venba Chants of Sennaar Thirsty Suitors Hi-Fi Rush Moonring Armored Core VI Laika Aged Through Blood Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

OKAY THANKS BYE!

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 17/05/2024

Athletic Doctor

Season 1 Featured on: GilvaSunner's Highest Quality Video Game Rips: Volume 1 Also on: SiIvaGunner: Starter Kit & Essentials

Ripped by Psynwav

ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL!!

I haven't slept in so long...I forgot what dreams were like.

Honestly - what better way could there be for me to celebrate the 365th main post on the blog, than to be fashionably late by a whole weekend? It's unfortunate, but...oddly befitting, really. Back when I was first starting out with the blog, I actually forgot about posting daily for a solid two weeks - and so, some old-ass posts like Chillin’ Like A Villain and (YTPMV) Bob​-​Omb Battlesources were made in quite a hurry retroactively. Nevertheless, it was on May 17th 2023, over on my main blog @melblur, that I suddenly decided that I wanted to write about one SiIvaGunner rip a day just for fun. After File Select Fusion Collab, I realized that it made more sense just to put these on their own blog, and with Snowball Park - Super Mario 3D World I moved everything onto here. It's all been a bit of a bumpy ride, is my point. But today, I've reached the big milestone that I was originally aiming for all the way back with Running Through Cookie Country - a year's worth of almost-always-daily posts on the weird and wonderful world of SiIvaGunner. And what better rip to discuss alongside this milestone than the channel's biggest hit, the milestone rip to stand above all others: Season 1's Athletic Doctor.

Now, I've been following SiIvaGunner since some of the earliest moments of Season 1, following along with the initial GiIvaSunner termination, the entire Reboot saga discussed in I Saw a Brainwasher Today, the Mashup Crusaders arc of Mr. Rental [B Side] ~ Out of Options, the channel ending of Epic Flintstones... Basically, I was there for just about the entire initial 9-month run, and have with but one Season's worth of an exception (Season 5) been following the channel damn near obsessively since. The point is that, through this, I have been able to follow the channel's most popular videos chart up and down with each passing month: I recall, for instance, how Nintendo GameCube Startup - Console/BIOS Music soared past all other rips back in the day and stayed on top for five month's time. That was, of course, before finally being surpassed by we are number one but with outdated memes over it and subsequently helping kickstart the entire We Are Number One meme trend (funny enough - you can actually find a youtube comment left by me on the rip in late December 2016/early 2017 expressing mild annoyance over the rip's popularity...). Athletic Doctor in comparison was of course always popular, but it took a while to truly climb its way up there - it was in the top ten, then top five, always rising, bubbling in the background. Eventually, starting with Season 3's premiere, the team decided to just make the rip the trailer for the channel for new viewers - where it still sits today, now as the far-and-away most popular rip on the channel.

I feel like the reason the rip became used as the defacto channel trailer, the reason it keeps being referenced in videos demonstrating what SiIvaGunner is all about, is pretty obvious. I've talked a lot in posts like Live and Ooooooooooooooh about how outright *effective* many of Season 1's rips were, and Athletic Doctor is the most prime example of that imaginable - it is a damn near pitch perfect joke executed shockingly well for the time of its upload in the channel's history. EVERYONE knows the music to Super Mario World, either through its usage in the game itself in the 90s, its appearances in games like Super Smash Bros. Melee in the 2000s and Super Mario Galaxy 2 in the 2010s - or just through sheer overexposure to it in just about any era of gaming YouTube. The game's soundtrack is the perfect blend of being immediately recognizable and incredibly easy to hum along to given the entire game basically only has three or so melodies, relying on its central leitmotif to a degree bordering on parody. Likewise as well, EVERYBODY knows Witch Doctor, either through excessive radio play, being a big hit with Alvin & the Chipmunks...or the 2007 Live Action Alvin & the Chipmunks movie that I myself grew up with, it's the kind of vaguely obnoxious (also arguably quite racist) nonsense novelty music that's incredibly appealing to young kids, the same way something like Crazy Frog or its ilk was in the 2000s as well.

Put simply, Athletic Doctor was a match made in heaven - and the joke is pulled off so expertly that it feels redundant to put into words. The Athletic Theme intro is iconic enough to where you're led into a false sense of security right off the bat, the melody swap is subtle enough as to not immediately be noticeable, making the moment you notice it even more noteworthy - only for the track's second loop to become a full-on mashup with the Witch Doctor track. Absolutely perfect escalation, just the right amount of buildup - but most importantly, it ends up actually sounding really good! The joke's great to be sure, very much like Live and Ooooooooooooooh - but I feel like the core reason why Athletic Doctor has continued to endure for so long on the channel, why it keeps getting remixed and referenced and paid tribute to on so many instances, is because it's just a genuinely good listen once the joke sets in. In other words, it is the purest distillation of SiIvaGunner's appeal - a joke so simple, yet pulled off with a magical appeal that remains even all these years later.

Through running this blog, it's that very specific appeal that I've wanted to try and encapsulate with the rips I cover, with what I write about them, to uncover that elusive magic of this dumb shitpost channel. Joel's big Grand Dad reaction that kicked the channel off is a good bit, to be sure, but its not a bit that could've lasted eight years and counting: In its earliest days, its easy to see how the channel could've just become naught but a novelty and fallen off the face off the earth once interest in it died. Yet through each year of the channel's life, with every Season that passes, it's evolved and adapted. Be it the spontaneous chaos of Season 1, the building storyline of Season 2, the mystery and nostalgia of Season 3, the sheer talent on display in the King for Another Day Tournament in Season 4 Episode 1 and the sheer joy of celebration found in Season 4 Episode 2, the whimsical experimentation of Season 5, the sudden introspection and moodiness of Season 6, the pure adoration and love for everything the channel stands for in Season 7, and the ongoing pure silliness of Season 8 - each period of this channel feels as if it's growing in a new direction, never content sitting in one place for too long - and yet the appeal of a rip like Athletic Doctor remains oh so core to the entire SiIvaGunner experience. The experience of which I've made my best effort to cover across all 365 posts on this blog. To show everyone the layers in which this channel goes in.

That's what I've been wanting to show you... but now, before I end this post, I want to briefly talk about what you've shown *me*. I know its a cliché thing to say, but really - it warms my heart EVERY time I receive messages about the blog. This all began as just a way for me to practice my writing ability, but suddenly I was having the actual rippers - the names that I'd admire from my MP3 player but hardly ever considered able to actually interact with - messaging me in private to express how happy my posts made them...not to mention the people in SiIvaCord discussing rips with me, digging into my writing, sharing anecdotes I'd never heard of, and everyone who requested rips genuinely eager to see what I had to write about them...like, again, its the biggest cliché on the planet, and I know this blog really isn't all *that* big in the grand scheme of things - but I never expected to even get more than five people actually engaging with what I post? To everyone, and ESPECIALLY to the silent majority reading my posts without a Tumblr account, the ones engaging from a distance - thank you SO much for validating all that I've done on here.

Now, there's still plenty of posts I have left in me, plenty of ones already in the drafts and unfulfilled requests well in the dozens. But like...tons has happened since when this all started 12 months ago. I got a summer job! I'm wrapping up what's hopefully my final three school courses! I've started listening to so much new music, expanding my music tastes, in huge part thanks to all the digging this blog has made me do! And, of course, getting to be this open about what's likely my absolute weirdest special interest has honestly made me feel more confident in myself as a person, made me a more outgoing individual in general. And so, to get all of my ducks in a row, to help straighten things out for a bit...I'm going to take a break from regular posting on here. I'm aiming for it to be no longer than a month's time - again, I have much I still wish to write about!! - but you'll of course still see me reblogging fanart and other such things on here just from using Tumblr casually. And hey - if you haven't already, I recommend you take the time to go scavenging through The Archive for daily posts that you might have missed! Having a blog with so much writing on it, so many posts, so much to discover for readers old and new...In a way, I've basically made it so that navigating the blog feels just like navigating the vast seas of the SiIvaGunner channel itself. And isn't that just the most fitting way to leave it all on - an ocean of posts, waiting for you to uncover them?

THAT SIIVAGUNNER TUMBLR BLOG WILL RETURN IN SEASON 2

[gachawolfiebloom]

Spring Break at Universal Studios

❤️Happy 1 year anniversary of the Mario Movie❤️

(Spoilers ahead for Super Nintendo World)

🏎️Got to race karts in Bowser’s challenge🚘

🎮Coin Collecting and Mini games!🎯

🍄Lunch at the Toadstool Cafe🍄

✨ALAKAZAM!!!✨

🏰The castle looks so pretty at night🌙

🎢Come one, come all to the funnest theme park in Springfield!🎡

💫The new Power Up cafe!⭐️

🌷Got a fire flower pretzel🥨

🦖Dinosaurs and drops💦

Guess what we ran into…😮

🔥Waterworld was so intense!💧

🐶Max and Duke help us get adopted🐾

💙I had to get a poppy and branch in honor of the trolls au💕

[heavenboy09]

1 Year Ago Today

On April 5th, 2023

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

ILLUMINATION

& NINTENDO

PRESENTS

THE 1ST EVER NINTENDO ANIMATED MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FILM 🎥

WHILE WORKING UNDERGROUND TO FIX A WATER MAIN,

BROOKLYN PLUMBERS 👨🏻‍🔧👨‍🔧 a

AND BROTHERS, MARIO🔴🧢 AND LUIGI🟢🧢

ARE TRANSPORTED THROUGH A MYSTERIOUS PIPE TO A MAGICAL NEW WORLD 🌎.

BUT WHEN THE SIBLINGS ARE SEPARATED,

AN EPIC ADVENTURE BEGINS.

GET READY FOR THE 1# BLOCKBUSTER ANIMATED FILM 🎥 OF 2023

THIS IS NO VIDEO GAME 🎮

OKAY, LET'S A GO

THE SUPER MARIO BROS👨🏻‍🔧👨‍🔧🔴🟢🧢🧢🔧🏰👸🍄🦍🐲⭐ MOVIE 🎥

HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY TO UNIVERSAL PICTURES, ILLUMINATION & NINTENDO PRESENTS

THE SUPER MARIO BROS👨🏻‍🔧👨‍🔧🔴🟢🧢🧢🔧🏰👸🍄🦍🐲⭐ MOVIE 🎥

#TheSuperMarioBrosMovie #SuperMarioBros #Mario #Luigi #PrincessPeach #Toad #DonkeyKong #Bowser #TheMushroomKingdom #Universal #Illumination #Nintendo

[djparticle]

A Look Back At A Certain Splatoon Promo Image...

The more I think about it, the more I think that we got Splatoon 3 (and another event) a lot later than Nintendo originally envisioned. The image above was released by Nintendo at Midnight (JST) January 1, 2020. I even remember where I was when I first saw it: partying on New Year's Eve in a karaoke bar with friends. Right away people were wondering about the image, and what it could mean. This also wasn't too long after the fake-out "Where's Marina?" promo where the answer was "oh, she took the photo!" Of course, the most obvious hidden meaning was the text on the bottom disguised to look like a reflection in the waves: SOS. And written in the waves, combined with the "reflection", said "Save Our Salmons". This had people wondering if this was a hint as to a later plot. Maybe a new DLC for Splatoon 2, or even a Splatoon 3. Looking back, it's obvious now that this was meant to be our first tease for Splatoon 3, given the plot of its Story Mode revolving around the consequences of Salmon Run and why Mr. Grizz was having us all steal eggs. The only thing is...we all know what happened in 2020, and what it did to numerous industries, especially tech-based industries like video game development. We know now that Splatoon 3 development started about as soon as the Chaos vs. Order Splatfest ended, just like development for Splatoon 2 kicked into high gear after Marie won Splatoon 1's final fest. Given how fast Nintendo put out Splatoon 2 after only a year and change of development, it seems like it's possible Nintendo intended Splatoon 3 to be released sometime in 2021 instead of this year. But of course, a certain virus had other plans. Eventually with vaccines, air filtration technology, and the virus evolving to be overall less deadly, we we able to slowly get back to an almost normal lifestyle, and a lot of the bottlenecks in the supply chain started to ease up, but in 2020 itself, everyone's plans were thrown into... well... chaos. If I were to make a guess, absent the pandemic, we would have likely gotten the first Direct Splatoon 3 teaser in September 2020, with a release date of Fall 2021. Instead, Nintendo, trying to keep Splatoon hype going, gave us some extra rerun Splatfests, including a rerun of Splatoween over Halloween weekend (after all, not like anyone had any real plans for the holiday itself), while they played catch-up on game development in a pandemic-strewn world. And that leads me to another topic: The Super Mario Splatfest. 2020 was also Super Mario's 35th Anniversary as a franchise (discounting 1983's Mario Bros and 1981's Donkey Kong), and if you may have noticed, much of the celebration spilled over into 2021, including a Splatoon 2 Splatfest fitting the theme. Again, absent the pandemic, I think we would have gotten the Super Mario 35th Anniversary celebration confined within the calendar year of 2020, with the related Splatfest in July 2020, one year after "Final Fest". Again, this is just my musing, and I could be amazingly off-base with this, but given the original timing of the "Save Our Salmons" promo, it seems to make sense. Stay Fresh, Don't Get Cooked, and Catch Ya Later! 😊

[dorkyparksdad]

Super Nintendo World Celebrates First Year in Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood Powers Up for the One-Year Anniversary Celebration of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD (2024) Universal Studios Hollywood is celebrating the one-year anniversary of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ with the grand opening of the Power Up Cafe, the release of a special Golden Power-Up Band™, and a complimentary 1-Year Anniversary Button. SUPER NINTENDO WORLD has been voted as the “Best New…

[nerdhall]

Unwrapping Joy: The Top Toys of 2023 Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, the quest for the perfect gift for the little ones begins. 2023 has unveiled an array of toys that are not only engaging but also promote learning and creativity. From classic brands reviving nostalgic favorites to innovative new entries capturing young imaginations, this year's lineup promises something special for every child. In this article, we explore the top toys of the 2023 holiday season, handpicked to deliver smiles and moments of wonder.

The Magic of Play and Learning

Educational and Sensory Delights

The Play Box: 3-4 Months: Tailored for infants, this set includes 10 premium sensory toys, offering a perfect blend of fun and developmental stimulation.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn 3-In-1 On-The-Go Camper: A delightful combination of a push toy and an interactive learning hub, this camper introduces toddlers to numbers, colors, and letters through songs and phrases.

Learning Resources Sorting Snacks Mini Fridge: Miniature in size but huge in educational value, this toy fridge is an exciting way for preschoolers to learn sorting and categorizing.

Imaginative and Creative Play

Original Rainbow by Stapelstein: For the Montessori-minded, this set offers limitless possibilities in open-ended play, perfect for nurturing creativity in toddlers and preschoolers.

LEGO DUPLO 3in1 Family House: Engaging young builders, this 218-piece set opens a world of imaginative play, complete with a family, car, and miniature furniture.

Magna-Tiles Forest Animals: This set takes magnetic building to new heights, featuring animal figures that inspire creative construction.

Adventure and Exploration

Radio Flyer Jade The Magical Dragon: A ride-on dragon that brings fantasy to life, complete with lights and sounds, perfect for indoor and outdoor adventures.

Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends Web-Spinners Playset: Superhero fans can dive into action-packed adventures with this Spider-Man-themed playset.

Celebrating Iconic Characters and Stories

Reviving Nostalgia

Disney Mickey and Friends Starter Set by Tonies: A magical blend of classic Disney characters with interactive play for the younger crowd.

LEGO Disney 100 Years of Disney Animated Icons: A special LEGO set commemorating Disney’s rich animation history, perfect for Disney enthusiasts of all ages.

Cult Classics and New Favorites

Frozen and Frozen 2 Mega Figure Set: This comprehensive set lets kids reenact their favorite scenes from both Frozen movies.

Paw Patrol, 10th Anniversary, All Paws On Deck Toy Figures Gift Pack: Celebrating a decade of Paw Patrol, this set includes the beloved characters, enhancing existing playsets or inspiring new adventures.

Innovations and Trends

Technological Marvels

Super Mario Bros. Wonder by Nintendo: A testament to the enduring appeal of video games, this set brings the Super Mario Bros. universe into the tangible world.

L.O.L. Surprise! Magic Flyers: An innovative toy that combines the surprise element with interactive technology.

Themed Playsets

Barbie Dreamhouse Playset by Mattel: An extravagant three-story playset that is a dream come true for Barbie lovers, featuring an elevator, slide, pool, and numerous accessories.

Cuddly Companions

The Pigeon Soft Toy in Holiday Hat: Based on Mo Willems' beloved "Pigeon" book series, this plush toy is both a cuddly friend and a literary inspiration.

The 2023 holiday season brings a treasure trove of toys that blend education, creativity, and fun. From the tactile delight of sensory toys for the youngest hands to the imaginative realms of construction sets and character-driven adventures for older kids, this year's selection is a testament to the enduring power of play. These toys are not just gifts; they are gateways to learning, exploration, and cherished memories in the making. As we step into this festive season, let's embrace the joy and wonder these toys bring to our children's lives.

[ottspot]

Why I’m Excited for Sonic Origins

Let me preface this entry by saying this: I am not the biggest Sonic the Hedgehog fan in the entire world. I know, what a shocker! Why on earth would Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and all the other characters in the franchise be the air I breathe, the food I eat, and the blood that runs through me? This is absolutely ridiculous!

But, what can I say? I was always a Nintendo person growing up. I loved Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon. I never had much exposure to Sonic outside of playing Sonic 3 on the Wii Virtual Console and knowing that he was in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I always knew of him as that one blue hedgehog guy and nothing more.

As the years went on, though, I got to learn more of his past and the games he appears in. I can recall staying over at a friend’s house and playing some of the Sonic Classic Collection for the Nintendo DS and experiencing some of the older games that way, too! But one fateful day- on my birthday in 2015, I received a present that would open the door to the entirety of Sonic’s past: the Sonic Mega Collection for the Nintendo GameCube.

This was an incredible collection full of charm and nostalgia (I’m absolutely not the only one to think so!), and I had so much fun playing it. Although, I never actually beat any of the games on there, not even once! Sure, I unlocked all the games by tediously starting and exiting them so it would register in the in-game counter, but outside of that I only played each game for about half an hour at most. Maybe it was the GameCube controller, or the fact that I wasn’t used to the expansive levels or unfair deaths, but the games never entirely stuck with me.

Years later, of course, I did go back and beat the first Sonic game with the 3D re-release on 3DS, albeit with save states, but it’s a feat I will never forget. The first Sonic game I have ever finished. Period. Over the years I did try to finish Sonic 2, 3 & Knuckles, CD, and even Sonic Mania, but I never got too far with them. As I played, the drive to finish them just lessened and lessened. They were still fun, of course, but something about them just wasn’t clicking with me. There was no “push” for me to complete them.

Fast forward to today, and I am filled with more determination than ever before, as I’m one of the people eagerly awaiting an all-new Sonic collection from Sega: Sonic Origins.

Sonic Origins is a new collection featuring Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. Not only is this the first time Sonic CD has been included in the same collection as the other Sega Genesis titles (something that was originally going to happen in Sonic Mega Collection, but was ultimately scrapped), but these are also the first time that these “remastered” editions are coming to consoles! It is also the debut of the Sonic 3 & Knuckles remaster, a long-requested game from Sonic fans.

The other remastered games have been released previously only on mobile devices, with the exception of Sonic CD, which also released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Steam. They feature widescreen support, extra levels, enhanced special stages, and bonus playable characters.

Not only will Sonic Origins include those features, but they will feature an all new story mode with animated cutscenes, missions, and other tweaks and additions to make the games more beginner-friendly. The “Anniversary Mode” features unlimited lives and a new coin system that lets players retry special stages to get all those pesky Chaos Emeralds.

This mode alone has me very eager and excited to try the games again, and actually beat them this time. As stated before, I was never a big fan of the unfair deaths and challenges that led to me giving up after running out of lives. Some might say “But that’s Sonic! If you just give up and don’t learn how they work, you’re just not a real gamer.”, but it’s just how I like to play! This isn’t a piece on easy modes in video games, though. That’s another tale for another day.

One thing that people have voiced complaints about is the cost of this collection. The standard edition retails for $39.99 USD, while the deluxe edition including all the DLC is another 5 dollars on top of that. Some think that the price is a bit much for what is essentially 4 Sega Genesis games and one Sega CD game, some of which have already been re-released many times beforehand. It didn’t help that the initial pre-order chart that Sega released was the most confusing thing to read on the planet, and made it seem that things were locked behind certain editions and DLCs, reminiscent of some Ubisoft games.

Thankfully, the chart was updated later on to further clarify that some things were pre-order bonuses, and that you get everything by pre-ordering the digital deluxe edition. This didn’t exactly stop the complaining, though.

I may be a tad biased being a bit of a newcomer and all, but personally I don’t really see a reason to complain here. These are five fully remastered titles, in full widescreen with many enhancements and extra modes. For years there has been a demand to put these remasters on platforms other than mobile and an even higher demand to make one for Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and I was definitely one of those people hoping for both. After years of waiting, Sega had finally given them what they had been asking for.

I have heard many great things about the widescreen remasters of these Sonic games, that they were made by veteran Sonic hackers that know the classic games very well, possibly even more than the original developers! Their expertise with past hacks, the remasters, and even creating Sonic Mania makes me very excited. Finally, no more of having to play on a touch screen!

To end things off, I would just like to say that the release of this collection makes me hopeful that Sega will set these as the standard for future releases of older Sonic games, and that other companies like Nintendo and Capcom will take note and faithfully remaster their older games and package them up in a nice bundle like this.

And no, Nintendo. We don’t mean sticking a SNES ROM from 1993 onto a disc. Again.

Thank you for reading this all the way to the end, everyone! This is my very first post of (hopefully) many on here, and the fact that you stuck around means a lot. If you have any suggestions on this post or ideas for future blogs, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a message! Socials can be found on my Contact page.

Next up: I Might Be a Bit of a Crackhead for Finishing All of Final Fantasy XIV in Just About a Month

[buttonbee-kirby]

Top 30 Dreams I Have for Kirby’s 30th Anniversary

⭐⭐⭐

Kirby is one of my all-time favourite series and the one I hold closest to my heart. Now that our baby is turning 30 this year, and since HAL has come out and said they have events planned for 2022, I wanted to share my hopes and dreams for Kirby’s 30th Anniversary and beyond that. This list does not take into account the current situation in the world right now.

I've divided the list into four sections - Special Events, Merchandise, Micellaneous, and Gaming. Some of these should have been filed into different areas (I wasn't sure if #7 could be considered a special event if it was temporary), but I didn't want to go through and fix the numbering again.

Note: Some of the items on this list are extremely unrealistic, some are debatably impossible (looking at you, #26). I’m treating this list as a fantasy and nothing more - if even *one* of the items on my list is fulfilled, I’d be over the moon.

With that, let’s get this underway!

SECTION A - Special Events

1. A new Kirby Café, Orchestra, or other Themed Music Album

My favourite thing about the Kirby series is, oddly enough, not the games themselves, but the music that comes out of them. The Kirby 25th Orchestra and Sound of Kirby Café 2 are my most played albums, and with good reason (if you haven't listened to them, do yourself a favour and do so now, especially the orchestra). I hope that a new collection of original tracks will be released in the form of a live performance and/or recording.

2. Kirby Café Menu

I feel this one is a given, but more Kirby café special goods and menu items! I believe they have already started doing this, but I could be mistaken. It feels like a relatively easy thing to update, even if it means drawing “30” on the food. I also wish a Kirby café would come to North America, but I can only dream so much when it comes to this.

3. Kirby in NYC Nintendo World

Have a special event in the NYC Nintendo Store! Maybe it can be for the new game, have a costumed Kirby come and take photos (thinking of the suit they used for the launch of Kirby Super Star Ultra - not the one from the Canvas Curse trailers), anything that shows people walking in it’s a special year. Or maybe have little pop-up stores in cities around the world (*cough* *cough* hopefully Canada)

4. Kirby Fighters 2 Tournament

I know the online isn’t well equipped for this, and the game is debatably "old", but why haven’t we gotten this yet? Even just a casual online event would be fun, like what Smash Bros Ultimate did. I would also take a Kirby-themed tournament in Smash, although with only thre characters to choose from, the possibilities very much have an end.

5. Kirby and the Forgotten Land Demos

One of my favourite memories as a kid was attending the launch events of many popular game titles - I went to one for Super Mario Galaxy 2 (I got a Mario balloon animal, I still have its remains) and Mario Party 9 (Alright, this one wasn’t as popular, but I did get a free code to download Mario Party 2, which is still one of my favourite games). Kirby and the Forgotten Land is coming out soon (and maybe another game, if the rumours are true), so bring out the trailers and free stickers!

6. Ability Contests

OK, so remember when Kirby Battle Royale had that contest where folks could vote for which ability would appear in the game? They also had something similar for the Kirby anime in Japan, where folks sent in their designs new abilities (fun fact - that’s where Water came from, albeit with a different design, and likely Baton). Having another ability contest would be my absolute dream, be it picking an ability for a new Kirby game or designing a new one completely from scratch. I was thinking… maybe a Witch ability? Although maybe that’s just a hybrid of Wing, Doctor, and Clean.

7. Kirby Section in Super Nintendo World

The thought of there being Kirby rides or themed areas in Japan’s Universal Studios (and hopefully the US’s too!) gets me so giddy. My siblings and I once imagined a Kirby park similar to the Poképark in Japan (RIP) many years ago and drew them out, I wish I could find them. Can you imaging a thrill ride themed after Kirby’s Air Ride? Or a slow-moving carousel based on the Animal friends in Dream Land 3? What about a jungle gym that takes theming from Kirby Triple Deluxe, Dreamstalk and all? Even just adding a Kirby food section would be enough, Kiry deserves to shine! <3

SECTION B - MERCHANDISE

8. Minimalist Kirby Shirts/Sweaters (That Aren’t Just His Eyes)

Look, Kirby’s eyes are adorable. I love them. But if I have to see one more sweater that’s just a pink backdrop with Kirby’s eyes or a piece of artwork just slapped on, I’m going to be sad. There are ways to do minimalist Kirby outfits, like a pink sweater with a stitched in Warp Star on the top. I just want to wear Kirby merch without my coworkers knowing I’m a nerd ;(

9. A New Artbook

Nothing really to add here, I just want a new artbook, hopefully translated and localised to English audiences. I so wish the 20th Anniversary book got that treatment…

10. A Lore Book

Note that this is different from an artbook. I want a book, either a fiction text or a collection of artwork and commentary that goes into the lore of Kirby. There are already some many videos out there speculating about it, why not get some insight from the official sources? I mainly want to know the difference between Another Dimension and the Parallel World.

11. Karameru Book in Different Languages

My sibling told me “カービィといっしょ” is the name, and it looks adorable. Please bring more of these, and in English please! <3

12. Soundtrack Compilations

I love how Sonic got that party mix for his 30th anniversary released to Youtube, what if Kirby could have something similar? Would make for a sweet party. Even getting a collection of “Top 30 Iconic Songs” or the songs the composers liked making the most would be amazing.

13. General 30th Anniversary Merch

What the title says. Talking plushes, figures, the whole bit. I know some stuff has already come out

14. Kirby Gaming Discounts

I feel this one is a near guarantee - simple discounts, ideally 30% off some Kirby’s past titles. Star Allies has gone on sale before, so it’s very likely the others will too.

15. A Kirby-Themed Nintendo Switch

Look I’m… torn. I both really, reeeeally want and really really DON’T want this to happen. I always dreamed of having an official, Nintendo designed and licenced Kirby console, but… I’m saving up for something this year, and I already have a perfectly functioning Nintendo Switch. I don’t neeeeed a new console… but I sure as heck want this one, if it exists.

SECTION C - MISCELLANEOUS

16 / 17. Kirby Anime - New, Revival or Rerelease!

Please.

PLEASE HAL.

I’M BEGGING YOU.

Please re-release the anime in its full form! (English or Japanese, hopefully the latter with subtitles) That media does not deserve to be lost to time, it deserves to be shared! Or better yet, consider animating a Kirby mini-series or new TV show, Kirby is a star! I would love to see shorts in the style of courtesy-calling on tumblr, I feel they would make the best shorts that captures Kirby’s personality and positivity. Please HAL! <3 <3

18. Kirby Manga (New or Rerelease)

What is says. I wish some of the older manga got a localization, better late than never right?

19. Kirby Light Novel Translations

Have you ever heard of the Kirby Light Novels? There a series of short children’s chapter books that tell of Dreamland’s happenings. There are a few heroes out there, bless them, taking the time to translate them, but that shouldn’t be the norm. Why won’t they localise the great literature that is gaming novels *sobbing*

SECTION D - GAMING

You could also consider this a wishlist for the Nintendo Direct coming out in a few minutes (yes I’m rushing this list out for that reason). The games aren’t ranked in terms of preference (though it should be fairly obvious which one I want to see the most). Proceed with caution, this list is absolutely absurd, and even one of these items would make me scream into my computer screen.

20. Dream Collection Port

An awesome collection of older titles with some challenges and history to boot. Just extend the timeline to account for the newer titles, maybe update Kirby’s model for the Magolor Challenge Races if needed, and you’ll be good to go. I feel this one has a decent shot in happening (nowhere close to guaranteed - I mean like if most items on this list have less than a 30% chance of happening, this one is at 30%)

21. Dream Collection HD Remake

Same as above, but this time with a small amount of extra content added in. Updating the graphics and models in the newer sections would be a necessity, and definitely some new challenge races or animé episodes/bonuses to sneak in.

22 / 23. Dream Collection 2

I could see the original Dream Collection not getting a rerelease for a few reasons, mainly due to the fact that nearly every Kirby game you’d want is available through Nintendo Online (all of them if you have the Expansion Pass). Therefore, I could see them coming up with a new collection to feature. I’m going to count this as two, as I think there are two ways they could take it:

Version A: Next Generation

This version would feature Kirby games released after Kirby 64. If I picked the lineup, and compatibility wasn’t an issue (no DS/Wii U problems coming up with the ports), I would include:

Kirby Air Ride (this alone would sell the game)

Kirby Canvas Curse

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Kirby Squeak Squad

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby’s Return to Dreamland

Version B: Puzzles Galore

While I personally wouldn’t be as hyped for this option, I do think the puzzle titles are too easily forgotten. Updating some of the graphics and/or adding new content may help sweeten the deal.

Kirby Pinball Land

Kirby Avalanche

Kirby Star Stacker

Kirby Super Star Stacker

Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble

Kirby’s Dream Course

24. Air Ride Sequel

I don’t need to say anything else. Please.

25. Kirby being added into Mario Kart

Barring a KAR sequel or port in the form of the Dream Collection (Side note: I’m not considering a direct port for this list, as I know if Nintendo adds GameCube games to the Nintendo Online system, Kirby’s Air Ride will be there - they acknowledge it, it’s not like they forgot it), seeing Kirby in the next Mario Kart (or current Mario Kart title, if they refuse to release a sequel) would be good enough. I mean, come on, Link, Inkling and Isabelle are they, and those two have never had a racing game before. Kirby is the perfect candidate! This would honestly make me buy Mario Kart 8.

26. Kirby Character in Smash

Go ahead, scoff away. I’m rolling my eyes too at this idea. There is no way they would revive the Smash list just to add one more character for so many reasons - the main two being first, they clearly stated DLC was over, the second being once they add a new character, even for a special one-time anniversary event, Smash fans are going to get riled up every time there is an anniversary. I KNOW in my core this won’t happen. I miss the Smash Hype train to some extent, but not some of the toxicity that came with it.

…But man, I wish Bandanna Dee or one of Kirby’s canonically female cast made it in. Susie or the Mage Sisters would be nice, though Magolor would be rad too.

27. A Kirby RPG

Hey, HAL already has experience making some of the most well-received RPG games out there, and Kirby has hinted at RPG elements before, so the time is right for an RPG! I could go into a whole separate post detailing what a Kirby RPG would look like, but I would hope it includes at the very least:

Heavy Lore (i.e. Ancients)

A prequel

Feature side-characters heavily, not just a “Player 2”

Tell a story outside of the Kirby norm (i.e. something outside of “Pop Star is being attacked by X, Y, Z, Kirby needs to stop it). I’m not sure exactly what this would look like, and I don’t think the classic tale is bad, I just hope they can put a fun spin on it.

Onigri-boy’s Dreambound style would be so fun!

28. A Game Not Starring Kirby

Now I know I just spent half of this list praising Kirby, but the other characters deserve to shine too! I can’t believe the only Kirby series game we’ve gotten that doesn’t feature Kirby as the starring role is Dedede’s Drum Dash Deluxe, and I’m not sure if I’d count that given it was an expansion of a minigame in another game (Triple Deluxe, which starts Kirby). I guess you could argue Meta Knightmare in KSSU fits technically, but I want more! This could be in the form of an RPG, but I think a game in nearly any style could work. It doesn’t mean Kirby can’t appear in the game, just that a new character gets a chance in the spotlight. I could understand why this couldn’t be a 30th anniversary thing though.

29. Cameos in Other Games

I still remember that Fortnite trailer “controversy” (not to be confused with the Fortnite logo on Kirby’s Epic Yarn poster), and that just made me wish that Kirby would get a chance to appear in other games. Whether that’s a Kirby outfit in a game, or a pink Pokéball, or actually seeing Kirby float by (I’m not going to go crazy and imagine Kirby being playable in any game besides Mario Kart, this list is wild enough), I’ll take those little wins.

30. That Kirby Is Around for Another 30 Years 💖

Kirby brings me so much joy. There are times when my interest ebbs and flows, and there may come a time where Kirby games won’t bring me the same happiness that they do now, either due to changes in the series or growth in my own life, but that’s OK. I hope every generation to come will get to experience the positivity and light that is the Kirby series. If I could pick only one thing on this list, it would absolutely be this, no question.

Final Thoughts and Top 10

Now that I’ve laid them all out, here are the Top 10 I personally hope for:

Kirby RPG

Dream Collection 2

Dream Collection HD Remake

Ability Contest

Kirby Air Ride Sequel

Kirby Section in Super Nintendo World

A New Kirby Music Collection

Kirby Anime (New, Revival, or Rerelease)

A Lore Book

A Kirby-Themed Nintendo Switch

And… that’s it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my ramblings, you honestly deserve a prize if you read through the whole thing. I’ve been using Kirby as a way to get back into writing, so seeing someone else read through my passionate scribbling honestly means to world. Please please tell me your hopes for the Kirby series, I’d love to know! Now, it’s time to start that Direct. I wonder what will come…

[zaptap]

ive made a few of these bingo sheets and theyre fun so i decided to make one not just for e3 but also JUST for splatoon 3 (not just for e3 but for like the whole lifetime of the game). also heres my updated list of characters id like to see in smash, ordered generally by which id like more and/or think are the most realistic

since min min got in i took out helix, and since i couldnt decide whether to add in waluigi or madeline i added another row (realistically i dont think any indies are getting in but i threw some in anyway). also i was like “oh yeah maybe theyd put in a gen viii pokemon” so i threw in hatterene since thats one of my favorites.

also as for waluigi (and shovel knight for that matter) i think it would be nice to see an assist trophy get in just to break that rule. also i remember being super surprised he wasnt in brawl (back then i thought he and wario were equally important) and even though that was based on a wrong impression ive still felt like he should be in there ever since

notes about the bingos under the cut

really is about time for those n64 games, especially now that mario is dead so theyre free to release sm64 on it. game boy games would be nice sometime too

would also make sense to include banjo-kazooie in that, nintendos had a good relationship with microsoft lately and the total absence of anything banjo-kazooie on the switch is odd since it’s a dlc character (every other one has a game on switch they can use for cross-marketing, even if joker’s took a while) and i think the best explanation for that would be that theyre holding off for the nso n64 app (this is easiest from a technical standpoint because all they have to do is make a deal to use the roms)

when are they putting octolings in mk8d

xenoblade chronicles x is one of the only wii u games left that they could port (aside from ones that wouldnt make much sense like splatoon and ssb4) so i guess that might as well happen sometime. also monolith soft might be doing something else besides helping with splatoon 3

im not ready for metroid prime 4 (im over halfway through mp2 and therefore the trilogy as a whole) but it’s been a while, they might show it and it could even come out this year

hal apparently recently hinted at a new kirby game or something

the upgraded switch is obviously going to be called the Nintendo Switch ͥ  since they already did the ds lite so theyre clearly naming everything in the family after the ds family, theres absolutely no flaw in this logic. idk if theyre showing it, but unlike 2019 they didnt say they werent showing new hardware (just that they were showing software, which could be taken as denying rumors, but they sometimes specify when certain things arent being shown)

metroid prime trilogy also might come this year. would make sense to release it before mp4 since not everyone is going to buy a wii u to get it (and at this point that doesnt get nintendo any money since they stopped making them)

where is detective pikachu 2. i hope it has the blue pikachu from that first tease they gave us in like 2014 (2013? that was a loooong time ago idk)

they said this was MOSTLY 2021 so i am absolutely getting my hopes up for splatoon 2

the two sinnoh games could likely be there

would be super cool if oddity came to switch. and almost as ironic as megalovania getting into smash

we havent seen the botw sequel for a couple years so we’re kind of due for an update on that

it’s ace attorney’s 20th anniversary this year so maybe theyre doing something. theyre already porting those games though so idk. maybe he’s getting in smash

whats with that watermelon mario render

i held off on watching a playthrough for ndrv3 on the off chance it came to switch and i could play a dangan ronpa game for real for once but it’s now been 4 years and we just passed the 10th anniversary of the series (albeit during a pandemic when i wouldnt expect them to have done anything) so it would be cool to see the series come to switch. i think if it still doesnt after this though i’ll just watch the playthrough, 4 years is long enough. amazed ive avoided spoilers this long, i still know next to nothing about the game

im about done with acnh but im still waiting on those splatoon items. and i ran out of storage in february so i need more of that too

nintendo did stuff for zelda’s 30th anniversary so i doubt theyre forgetting the 35th. maybe wwhd/tphd ports, idk

been a couple years since fire emblem, intelligent systems is probably up to something besides planning yet another paper mario spinoff

miyamoto forgot pikmin 4 in the oven 6 years ago and it got burnt to a crisp and thats why it hasnt come out yet because he had to start over

and splatoon

the inklings scared daft punk into quitting so now that theres no competition in the robot musician scene they should have a daft punk style group

i waited and waited and neither of my top two splatoon stages (flounder and d’alfonsino) came back in splatoon 2 so i hope just because splatoon 3 isnt in inkopolis doesnt mean they still wont return

would be sick as hell if there was a real hide and seek mode instead of just sticking to your own rules in private battles. havent played that since 2015 but it was super fun

show us the effects of the chaos world

i wanted mc craig to have a song in octo expansion and they didnt deliver. heres another chance

splatnet 3 baby

cant wait for nogami to do a funny 3 pose

abxy came back for splatoon 2.... am i gonna be that lucky again...?

salmon run doesnt make sense if youre friends with a smallfry but they could either change the story context (you just fight “evil” salmonids?) or replace it with an equally fun co-op mode

amiibo!!! i think i said this before but they should label them by weapons if these cephalopods dont have genders, would make more sense (the gendered ones had different weapons anyway)

returning characters!!!! would like to see everyone have a role of some kind

maybe #GearForAll wasnt successful in getting the emperor/spy/mecha gear, but perhaps theyll at least consider not making that stuff exclusive this time around

squid girl gear should be back. and they should call it a dress instead of a tunic because its a dress. and theres no gender now anyway

as ive said before... TRIPLIES!! you hold one in each hand and another in your mouth. and you can spin around like the tasmanian devil

remove splatfest tee annoyances: you should have a prompt at the end of a splatfest to pay to scrub your tee (to make sure you get the chunks) also it should be on a neutral brand so you dont end up with an overabundance of ink resistance up (or whatever else)

better online and cloud saves would certainly justify having a second splatoon game on the same console, as much as im loving that it exists

hopefully theres a global testfire again

sooner or later the workers will rise up and kill mr grizz

remember in splatoon 1 where if you had squid beatz (via the amiibo) you could “play” it in the lobby and change the music? then you were stuck listening to only bubble bath in splatoon 2? why did they take that option away they should bring it back

looking at those apartment buildings in the trailer i think it would be cool if you had your own room and could decorate it

an octavio redemption arc would be fun to see. in the manga he stole the zapfish because the octarians had an energy crisis, and in the end they worked out a deal to share the electricity

[four-loose-screws]

An Interview with Mr. Toshiyuki Toyonaga about Fire Emblem (Claude‘s Japanese VA), Pg. 10 (The Grand Finale!!)

Being a Part of FE Like This Is Toyonaga-San’s Dream Come True! And His Thoughts for the Future

How do you feel right now about being asked to appear in official live broadcasts for the FE series?

Toyonaga    To be a part of the FE series like this is a dream come true, and I can hardly believe it’s all real. I was so thankful for being requested to come to the broadcasts and that I was able to talk about the series. I think my school age self, who was just a player of Genealogy of the Holy War at the time, would have slowly fainted if you told him where I am now!

Because this is a special series that you’ve loved for thirty long years! If you have any final words that you want to share here at the end, please go ahead.

Toyonaga    Something I want to share to congratulate the thirty year anniversary? ...Hmmm… I want to request that they make me another “Waku Koyasu,” and call me “Waku Toyonaga!”※ Laughs.

Image on the right:

We’re giving away a signboard Mr. Toshiyuki signed personally! (see page 97 for details)

Signboard reads: “Nindori November Issue” and “Claude Von Reigan”

Mini Q&A

What is your favorite class in the series?

Toyonaga     I use Knights when doing challenge runs, but it would be more accurate to say that I like the feeling after they class change to General and all the hard work pays off a bit. When I’m playing normally, I like magic users. Mages, Sages, and so on… The magic classes are thrilling to use, don’t you think? Their magic stat is high, so they can rout the enemy during the enemy’s phase, but because of that, their HP could be slowly chipped away at. They can easily be killed, and it makes you feel so tense. I think I like the feeling of the thought, ‘Please don’t defeat any more enemies!!’ I personally really like the feeling that they contribute a lot to the fight, but also that any little thing could make their situation take a turn for the worst!

Please tell us your impressions of the illustration made for the promotional card included with this issue.

Toyonaga     Where he’s inviting someone to the dance floor? And, of course he’s winking, just like always! Laughs. It’s so unfair when he winks! From the viewpoint as a member of the cast, I’m quickly filled with complex thoughts when I see him and the other characters in a situation where no one knows yet what’s going to happen next. But I wonder if this scene was chosen because it was the most memorable for everyone who played the game, and it is from the Academy Phase where all three of the class leaders are together.

And we’re all really curious about the fact that he’s taking someone by the hand, right?

Toyonaga     Yeah… Claude will even do this to male Professor Byleth, so I think that was a bit surprising to see! As the person who performed his role, when I think that this scene, where he takes the professor’s hand, might be what made him so popular with everyone, I feel very deeply that everyone is saying “Thank you for making it!!” Laughs.

Please tell us your impressions and thoughts about recording the FE Three Houses Extra Drama CD: An Officers’ Academy Sleuthing Story.※

Toyonaga     Having the three class leaders team up together is something that isn’t possible in the main game, or the Ashen Wolves DLC, so when it was decided that a drama CD would be produced, I was personally happy and glad they were able to do something together. As drama CDs are especially known for their fanservice, I felt that I would be the one amongst the three making things fun and lighthearted. As I performed Claude’s lines, I had the thought in my mind that he would especially carry the burden of relieving the tension between the trio.

Toshiyuki Toyonaga

Birthdate: April 28th, 1984

Height: 162 cm (5’4”)

Title: A jack-of-all-trades who can even do voicework!

Hobbies: using computers, video games, writing, spending time lost in thought

Likes: his house

Dislikes: coriander, sea urchins, oysters, spicy food, people who are too friendly

Favorite tea: darjeeling

Favorite flower: sunflowers, dandelions

Q: Which do you prefer: sweet foods or spicy foods?

A: Sweet foods (I can’t eat spicy foods.)

Q: Which do you prefer: meat, or fish?

A: Meat (I can’t stand the smell of fish.)

Q: Are you a dog person or a cat person?

A: A cat person.

Bonus     Can we ask you about Earthbound as well?*

We know that this is a totally different series, but we’d like to ask you about Earthbound as well.

Toyonaga     Oh! Ah ha, okay.

It’s a very popular game with Nintendo Dream readers even now.

Toyonaga     Wow, really!? That’s amazing! But I had a feeling that was the case. This brings me back to my aunt again, but she played the first game. I was a bit older when Earthbound came out on the Super Famicom, but my aunt bought that game as well. As I watched her play it, I wanted to play it, too. So, since there were three save slots, I believe? She chose one for me to use, and let me play it.

That was so nice of her!

Toyonaga     I was stuck on the name entry screen for about two to three hours, choosing my favorite food, and then after that, my favorite thing! I remember thinking while entering them, ‘Why are they asking me something like this?’ and things like that. I loved collecting the melodies. Of course, I also thought that Shigesato Ito-sensei’s script was amazing as well, but I was really moved by the music. I thank the game so much for its superb music! Later on, I was also moved when the third game came out.

*T/N: In the English-speaking world, we better know Mother 1 as Earthbound Zero. The popularity of the Mother series has resurged in Japan, to the point that new merch has even been a frequent occurrence over the past several years! A two page spread about a merch line in 2021 was even included in this issue, so Mr. Toyonaga being asked about the series as a part of this interview makes perfect sense in context.

※Waku Koyasu: Refers to Mr. Takehito Koyasu, the voice actor who voiced Navarre in the first FE radio drama, alongside some other appearances; and is known for being a huge Fire Emblem fan. His passion for the series has led him to perform roles for every game since Awakening, and earned him the title “Waku Koyasu.”

※Three Houses Drama CD: You, the listener, appear as the game’s main character, “Professor.” The story is about the three house leaders and Sothis wandering around inside Garreg Mach Monastery together to search for a very important missing key.

[bahamutgames]

Games Played in 2021

It’s that time of year again! A list of every game I bought, beat, or just played in 2021! When I’m writing this exact sentence I just beat what I’m fairly certain will be my last game of the year. So now’s as good a time as any to show off a recap of what I’ve been playing!

I’m actually a little embarrassed by how much I bought this year. But hey! It’s been a tough year for me and I am a tax paying citizen! I’ll spend embarrassing amounts of money on whatever I want. List is under the read-more :)

On this list I included games I got that were presents from people which are marked as “Present”, as well as gifts I bought for others that I can still play myself (which means I bought them for a family member lol) which I marked as “Gift”. And I included games that I got for free, marked as “Free” of course. If it’s a game I bought for someone else but I can’t actually play (like, for example, a steam game) I booted it from a list. This isn’t a list to show how charitable and sexy I am it’s so show what I bought that I can actually play.

As for the “played this year” section, I only included games I played for the first time this year or had the intention of beating this year. So I won’t be including something like Smash, which I played this year, but I’ve been playing for years now. I also tried to make games I know released this year bold but I didn’t do any real research because I’m lazy.

Games purchased in 2021

Boomerang-Fu (Switch)

Super Bomberman R (Switch)

Heart & Slash (Switch)

Downwell (Switch)

Xbox Gamepass (Xbox One) 3 months (I did this again in June lol. it was $1 each time)

Backed TY 2 HD on Kickstarter

West of Loathing (PC)

Nintendo Switch Online (Switch) 1 Year

Woodle Adventure 2 Deluxe (Switch)

SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millenium (Switch)

Guilty Gear Isuka (PC)

Guilty Gear X2 #Reload (PC)

Guilty Gear 2 -OVERTURE- (PC)

Guilty Gear (PC)

Twinbee Bells & Whistles (Switch) Present

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)

Guilty Gear Strive (PC) Preorder

Toree 3D (Switch)

Cthulu Saves Christmas (Switch)

New Pokemon Snap (Switch)

Dadish (Switch)

Miitopia (Switch) Gift

Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4) Free

Dadish 2 (Switch)

Say NO! More (PC)

Indie Bundle For Palestinian Aid (PC)

Indivisble (PC)

Shanty - Them's Fightin' Herds (PC)

Spark the Electric Jester (PC)

Spark the Electric Jester 2 (PC)

SNKRX (PC) Present

Megabyte Punch (PC)

Slap City (PC)

Grapple Force Rena (PC)

Later Alligator (PC)

Blade Kitten (PC)

Sonic CD (PC) Present

Sonic Mania + Encore DLC (PC) Present

Sonic Adventure DX (PC) Present

Sonic Adventure 2 + Battle DLC (PC) Present

Garou MOW (Xbox One) Free

Granblue Fantasy Versus - Character Pass Set (PC)

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (PC)

Street Fighter V (PC)

Cthulhu Saves the World (PC)

Breath of Death VII (PC)

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Switch) Present

Tales of Arise (PS4) Present

Minit Fun Racer (PC) Present

Annalyn (PC) Present

Dadish (PC) Present

Dadish 2 (PC) Present

Echolocaution (PC) Present

Hylics (PC) Present

Hylics 2 (PC) Present

Super Sami Roll (PC) Present

Samurai Showdown II (Xbox One) Free 

Toree 2 (PC)

Nickelodeon Allstar Brawl (Switch)

SuperMash! (Switch) Free

Fatum Betula (Switch) Gift

Fighting Juggernauts Bundle (PC)

BlazBlue Centralfiction (PC)

Iron Fisticle (PC) Mystery Bundle

Pumped BMX Pro (PC) Mystery Bundle

Indie Pogo (PC) Giveaway

Xbox Gamepass (PC) 3 months (it was $1 don't judge me)

Sonic 30th Anniversary Bundle (PC)

Everhood (PC)

Crosscode (PC)

Black Book (PC)

Petal Crash (PC)

Mail Mole (PC)

Astrodogs (PC)

Room to Grow (PC)

Dungeon Seige (PC) Present

Part Time UFO (Switch)

Ibb & Obb (Switch) Free

Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds (Switch) Free

Saints Row IV Reelected (Switch) Gift

Yoshi's Crafted World (Switch) Present

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (Switch) Present

Mad Rat Dead (Switch) Present

Games beaten in 2021

Final Fantasy 8 (PS3)

Night in the Woods (PC)

Super Mario 64 (Switch) 100% Complete

Wandersong (Switch)

Pikuniku (PC)

Fateful Lore (Mobile)

Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid (Xbox One) Trini's Arcade only

Donut County (Xbox One)

Nier Automata (Xbox One)

New Super Lucky's Tale (Xbox One)

Oneshot (PC) 

Guilty Gear X2 #Reload (PC) Sol's Story only

Twinbee Bells & Whistles (Switch)

SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millenium (Switch)

Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Illusive Age - Definitive Edition - S (Xbox One)

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD (Switch) 100% Complete

Toree 3D (Switch)

New Pokemon Snap (Switch)

Guilty Gear 2: Overture (PC)

Dadish (Switch) 100% Complete

Escaped Chasm (PC) idk if you count it as "beat" persay but I did play it

Dadish 2 (Switch) 100% Complete

Bella's Venture (PC)

Joe & Mac (Switch) 

Say NO! More (PC)

Hot Pot Panic (PC)

Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2)

Guilty Gear Strive (PC) Sol Arcade Mode (Hard + Extreme), Milia's Arcade Mode (Hard), Story Mode

Tekken 7 (Xbox One) King Arcade Mode

Them's Fightin' Herds (PC) Oleander Arcade Mode

Spark the Eelectric Jester (PC)

Slap City (PC) Goddess of Explosions' Story + Arcade Mode

Guilty Gear the Missing Link (Switch) Millia Story Mode

Skullgirls (PC) Filia Story Mode+Fukua Story Mode  - Replayed

Jak II (PS2)

Tales of Vesperia (Xbox One)

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)

Ikenfell (Xbox One)

Woodle Adventure 2 (Switch)

Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 (PC) Sol Arcade Mode (MANIAC) - Replayed

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (3DS) - Bowser Classic Mode (9.0) - Replayed

Super Smash Flash 2 (PC) - Bowser Classic Mode (Insane)

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U) - Bowser Classic Mode (8.0) - Replayed

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (PC) - Shuma Gorath Arcade Mode (Normal) + Firebrand/Hsien-Ko Arcade Mode (Very Easy) - Replayed

Cristales (Xbox One)

Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Xbox One) - Tizoc Story Mode (Grant Only)

Spark the Electric Jester 2 (PC)

Street Fighter V (PC) - Laura Arcade Mode (Easy)

Granblue Fantasy Versus (PC) - Zooey Arcade Mode (Normal)

Dodgeball Academia (Xbox One)

Journey to the Sun (PC)

Grapple Force Rena (PC)

Tastunoko vs Capcom (Wii) Morrigan Arcade Mode (Normal) then I played through arcade mode 5 additional times on the easiest setting while spamming Alex's moves, THEN I played Arcade a 7th time on normal difficulty as Zero but messed it up and got Morrigan's ending again

Tomato Adventure (Gameboy Advance) Emulated

Later Alligator (PC)

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Switch) 100% Complete Bowser's Fury

Minit Fun Racer (PC) 100% Complete

Superliminal (Xbox One)

Deltarune Chapter 2 (PC)

Chocobo Racing (PS1) Emulated

Kingdom Hearts (PS2)

Blade Kitten (PC)

Helltaker: Examtaker (PC)

Annalynn (PC)

Super Sami Roll (PC)

Toree 2 (PC) 100% Complete

Nickelodeon Allstar Brawl (Switch) - Reptar Arcade Mode (Very Easy + Normal + Very Hard)

The Black Heart (PC) - Animus Arcade Mode (Easy + Normal) + Everyone else (Easy)

Fatum Betula (Switch) - Ending 7 on my own, walkthrough for the rest of the endings

Luigi's Mansion (3DS) - Hidden Mansion

The Bouncer (PS2) - Volt Ending?

Indie Pogo (PC) - Jack Arcade Mode (Normal)

Mighty Goose (PC)

Unpacking (PC)

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower (PSP) - Lord Raptor Arcade (DS3)

YIIK: A Postmodern RPG (PC)

DEEER SIMULATOR (PC)

Psychonauts (PC)

Part Time UFO (Switch)

Blazblue Central Fiction (PC) Ragna the Bloodedge Arcade Mode Act 1/Act 2/Act 3

Father 2: No Bad Ideas (PC)

Starfox 64 (Wii) Replayed

Yoshi's Crafted World (Switch)

Mad Rat Dead (Switch)

Games played in 2021

Boomerang Fu (Switch)

Super Bomberman R (Switch)

Downwell (Switch)

Wild Arms (PS1)

Heart & Slash (PC)

Brawlhalla (Switch)

Sea of Solitude (Xbox One)

Guilty Gear Isuka (PC)

Killer Queen Black (Xbox One)

Slime Rancher (Xbox One)

Super Hot: Mind Control Delete (Xbox One)

Moving Out (Xbox One)

Battletoads (Xbox One)

Tadpole Tale (PC)

Hyperdot (Xbox One)

Gato Del Robo (Xbox One)

Monster Hunter World (Xbox One)

Sea of Thieves (Xbox One)

Peggle 2 (Xbox One)

DOOM (Xbox One)

DOOM II (Xbox One)

DOOM 64 (Xbox One)

Pacman 99 (Switch)

Miitopia (Switch)

Jet Buster (PC)

Sonar Smash (PC)

Yoshi Touch & Go (DS) Emulated

Cubefall (PC)

Super Grome: Bullet Purgatory (PC)

Collared (PC)

Turn-based Champion (PC)

They Bleed Pixles (PC)

Romeo And Juliet (PC)

PullFrog (PC)

Super Snake 3D (PC)

VVVVVV (PC)

Megabyte Punch (PC)

Jetpac Refeuled (Xbox One)

Hades (Xbox One)

Tetris Effect Connected (Xbox One)

Lumines Remastered (Xbox One)

Cluster Truck (Xbox One)

Baba Is You (PC)

Mixolumia (PC)

Rushdown Revolt (PC) Pre-Beta Test

Lonely Mountains: Downhill (Xbox One)

Stardew Valley (PC)

SNKRX (PC) 

Flynn: Son of Crimson (Xbox One)

Cooking Mama: Cookstar (Switch)

ECHOLOCAUTION (PC)

Mad Rat Dead (Switch) Demo

Breath of Fire III (PS1) Emulated

VR Chat (PC)

Slippi Online (PC)

Grand Theft Auto: San Andres (Xbox 360)

Dicey Dungeons (PC) - Warrior Episode 1

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (Xbox 360)

Flynn: Son of Crimson (PC)

Halo Infinite (Xbox One) Multiplayer only

Astria Ascending (PC)

Fae Tactics (PC)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Smash Up (Wii)

Games Demoed in 2021

Decided to add this category because I played TONS of demoes this year, in addition to the fact that discovering XBOX game pass let me try tons of games that I only played for a few minutes before just kinda stopping. So games like that I decided to put here :)

Streets of Rage 4 (Xbox One)

Slay the Spire (Xbox One)

Subnautica (Xbox One)

Dead Cells (Xbox One)

Terraria (Xbox One)

Aoelis Tournament (Switch) Demo

Brawlout (Switch) Demo

Woodle Adventure (Switch) Demo

Enter the Gungeon (Xbox One)

Undermine (Xbox One)

River City Girls (Xbox One)

Cyber Shadow  (Xbox One)

Don't Starve (Xbox One)

Skate 3 (Xbox One)

Overcooked 2 (Xbox One)

The Messanger (Xbox One)

The West of Dead (Xbox One)

Worms W.M.D. (Xbox One)

Mirror's Edge (Xbox One)

No Man's Sky (Xbox One)

Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox One)

Phogs! (Xbox One)

Born of Bread (PC) Demo

Vibrant Sprit (PC) Demo

Seahorse Saga (PC) Demo

Kaze and the Wild Masks (PC) Demo

Dreams of Fear (PC) Demo

Pocket Bravery (PC) Demo

Dodgeball Acadamia (PC) Demo

Wolfstride (PC) Demo

Jack Move (PC) Demo

Rain on Your Parade (Xbox One)

Grapple Force Rena (PC) Demo

Sizeable (PC) Demo

Ascii the Brave Cat (PC) Demo

Duel on Board (PC) Demo

Aloof (PC) Demo

Astrodogs (PC) Demo

Going Under (Xbox One)

Gang Beasts (Xbox One)

Lyss Everlust (PC) Demo

Buck Up And Drive! (PC) Demo

Art of Rally (Xbox One)

Boyfriend Dungeon (Xbox One)

Carto (Xbox One)

Super Mario 127 (PC) Demo

Froggun (PC) Demo

Go! Go! Pogogirl (PC) Demo

63 Little Pieces (PC) Demo

I Am Fish (Xbox One)

SkateBIRD (Xbox One)

Nuclear Throne (Xbox One)

Pokemon Unite (Switch)

VA-11 Hall-A CYBERPUNK BARTENDER ACTION (PC)

Crab Fight (Switch) Demo

Beatdown Dungeon: Demon Day (PC) Demo

Hoo, god DAMN that’s a lot of stuff. I’m pretty sure it’s missing things or there’s tons of repeats. It’s a sloppy list but honestly I don’t care. I’m putting myself in a vulnerable spot by showing you how irresponsible I am at spending money, so you’ll forgive me if the list is a little messy.

With getting tons of commissions for games, my friends being WAY too generous all year round, having a gaming computer for a full year for the first time ever, and also discovering game pass (which I’m not a certified shill for) I was able to play an INSANE amount of stuff this year. And I really want to thank everyone who helped contribute to this list in one way or another. IT’S YOUR FAULT!

No but seriously, I love playing games and I wanna play a bunch next year too. Hopefully by then I’ll have a better idea on how to organize these lists (or I’ll just become too embarrassed to post them. I’m honestly questioning if I should post this as we speak.) So here’s to hoping 2022 is also filled with tons of games and some much deserved good times. Have a safe new years, everyone!

[rivalsforlife]

AA7 Speculation Post: 2021 Edition

So I did one of these back in August, claiming that it was likely we’d get an AA7 announcement sometime in September for the Tokyo Game Show. Obviously it was wrong. So I am doing ANOTHER ONE, because I apparently like publicly being proven wrong?

This will be shorter than the last one because I exhausted most of my material on the first one, and also there’s less material. There is, however, SOME new stuff we’ve learned since August. ... And I was going to make a post in November but completely forgot, so consider this a starting point for the year. I’ll be covering the leaks, in general terms, and theorizing when we will be getting announcements/releases.

The rest will be under the cut so as not to burden everyone with my ramblings.

The Capcom Leaks

First things first, a disclaimer: this information was leaked through a hack which was highly illegal and compromised the personal information of many former and current Capcom employees, and therefore, I do not condone the methods through which this information was obtained and will not provide any guidance as to how to obtain this information, nor have I sought it out myself. However, I will still talk about then in general terms, because the information is out there already, and the information I am discussing will not compromise any personal information.

In summary: early this November, the hacker group Ragnar Locker managed to hack into Capcom’s databases somehow and retrieved 1 TB of information from the company; this includes a bit of information on ace attorney, which was leaked in mid-November after the group demanded a ransom and, presumably, Capcom didn’t pay up.

The two major ace attorney reveals that came from this are as follows: the announcement of a DGS/DGS2 port for the nintendo switch, steam, and ps4 with an English translation, and a calendar for the development and release of this port along with... ace attorney 7.

It’s highly likely that this information was real, given the level detail and the fact that Capcom confirmed some of their information was leaked, essentially confirming that AA7 either is or once was in development -- more news about this than we’ve had in a long time! But what does it mean and when can we expect it? Let’s take a closer look at the calendar.

The Calendar

Unfortunately, this little thing happened in between the creation of this calendar and it being leaked, called “a global pandemic” or something like that, so this calendar is almost certainly behind.

But what did it say? I lost track of the original, but I did find a roughly translated version someone made (from this post which summarizes some of the stuff in the leaks):

So... what does this mean? First, let’s remember two things: one, this calendar was made pre-COVID and things were definitely pushed back. And two, the Japanese fiscal year starts April 1st, meaning that FY2021 starts in April. This means that as of writing this, we are technically in FY2020 Q4 - where, if we were on track, would be nearing the end of DGS1&2 port production and midway through AA7′s production. (We are almost definitely not on track.)

The pandemic started hitting Japan around April 2020, I believe, so that would be in FY2020 Q1. The DGS ports seem fairly unaffected, considering it’s later in production, and also, the DGS games are already complete, so most of the work would be on translating and adapting the games for modern consoles, rather than starting completely at scratch like AA7. AA7 is a little trickier: it was still in the prototype/pre-production stage, most likely, when the pandemic hit. I’m not tooootally sure what that means because I’m not a game developer, but it’s quite possible that this meant it took a serious hit. Given that there didn’t seem to be a lot of other AA7 data leaked, including in a large schedule of releases for Capcom later, there is the possibility that AA7 ended up being scrapped owing to the pandemic or other extenuating circumstances... but I don’t believe that’s likely, with the 20th anniversary coming up. We’ll see.

Another thing of note is that the name “AA7″ is temporary. Here in the English-speaking world that isn’t a big deal because all the AA games have random titles (like “Justice for All” and “Trials and Tribulations”...) but in Japan, they’re referred to simply with their numbers (GS2, GS3, etc. standing for Gyakuten Saiban 2, Gyakuten Saiban 3). The fact that “Gyakuten Saiban 7″ is a temporary name could possibly mean that what we are getting is not another mainline game. 

However, again, there’s not really anything to support either of these things. I’m just bringing up random possibilities to cover my bases; but personally I think it’s likely that it is another mainline game, and that it is still in development. If we hear absolutely nothing about AA7 for all of 2021, though... then perhaps not.

Now... obviously, this calendar was pushed back. If we’re in 2020Q4 right now, then by the calendar DGS1&2 is hypothetically going to be released in about three-six months, and there has been absolutely no word on that so far. If this calendar were still being followed, we’d have AA7 on sale in Q3 of 2021 -- meaning October-December 2021, possibly in October for the 20th anniversary of the series, which would be super cool. ... but I doubt that will happen now.

So then, when are we getting the games?

I haven’t seen actual evidence of it, but rumour is that they’re pushing back DGS1&2 for a July release and an April announcement, giving three months between announcement - release. This is a shorter period than the most recent trilogy switch/ps4/pc/xbox release, which was announced in September 2018 and released February 2019 in Japan, a five month waiting period. 

When we English-speaking players will get the duology is unknown, too -- the trilogy rereleases took a month and a half before they were released in English, despite already having been translated and the original released in Japan coming with an English language option. (No idea what was up with that!) The duology released in Japan reportedly will have an English option from the outset, though the English released version will not have the Japanese option because of copyright issues surrounding Sherlock Holmes -- sorry, I mean, Herlock Sholmes. Still, we should expect a few months following the Japanese release before we are able to play it ourselves. Same goes with the hypothetical AA7, which seems to typically be around three months following the Japanese release for an English release.

As for when we can expect AA7′s announcement... to the extent of my knowledge, the shortest announcement-release period for a game was Spirit of Justice, announced in September 2015 and released in Japan in June 2016, a period of nine months. Usually it takes longer. Assuming that there’s still that six-month gap between the DGS duology release and the AA7 release, we could hypothetically have AA7 in early 2022, pushed back a quarter, and if the announcement comes nine months ahead... it lines up pretty nicely with an April announcement. If we’re having a DGS announcement in April as rumoured, it would make sense to tie in the AA7 announcement to that as well.

How will they be announced? ... I’m not sure. TGS back in September would have been the most opportune time for an announcement, but I have the feeling that owing to our good friend the pandemic, they didn’t have enough to show for either the ports or AA7 back then and so opted not to show anything. If these games are for the Switch, they could be announced in a Nintendo Direct. Or they could be announced in a Famitsu magazine with trailers released later outside of any other event. Honestly I don’t really know for this part.

Overall, though? This is the upcoming 20th anniversary of the series. I’d be surprised if we ended up not getting anything. Despite the pandemic likely pushing everything back, I think it’s highly likely we’ll get some big ace attorney news soon, even if it’s not quite in time for the anniversary -- of course, the safety and health of the employees comes first, so a bit of a delay will be just fine.

TL;DR: I’m theorizing we’ll have DGS port/ AA7 announcements around this April, with DGS being released around July and AA7 being released late 2021/early 2022, with a few months delay for the English versions.

[radramblog]

M____ is missing…

I feel confused. There was a game, it was a big deal, something about a plumber? But you can’t get it anymore? It feels like I should be remembering something but I just can’t get it.

Okay, I was going to do this whole thing in kayfabe but I don’t think it would be any good. I want to talk about the SiIvagunner April Fools 2021 event.

Introductorily, then, SiIvagunner is a channel I’ve mentioned before, but due to its confusing nature requires some degree of explanation in case you’re unfamiliar. [SiIvagunner] (that’s a capital i not an L) is a youtube channel started back in like 2016 as a joke parody of youtube OST upload channels, in which each upload features some sort of joke or meme- usually a bait-and-switch or hidden Flintstones opening in the melody at first.

The absolute lore behind the channel would take an excessive amount of time to explain here, but the gist is that the groups of contributors behind the channel have been working tirelessly on mashups and music for years now, all behind the front of “I only upload high quality video game rips”, with the façade only broken for certain announcements or channel events.

Further context is required. Last year, for the 35th anniversary of Mario, Nintendo released two limited-availability Switch releases- Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collation of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario 35, a free multiplayer battle-royale take on the original Super Mario Bros heavily inspired by Tetris 99. While physical editions of All-Stars can still be purchased while stocks last, both games are no longer purchasable on the e-shop and 35 cannot be played whatsoever as of March 31st. Many people have jokingly referred to this cessation of availability to be the death of Mario himself.

So, for April 1st, SiIvagunner killed Mario.

The sheer effort put into this event really stands out, making it probably the best one since the Winter 2020 one (which wasn’t that long ago, and I was only as big a fan as I was because they finally did the Touhou album). There’s a full-on lore here, though it seems like half of it is being written by the Youtube comments.

It actually started a few days ago, with a daily Majora’s Mask rip featuring Mario mashups uploaded counting down to the death of the games. Of course, I don’t think anyone would have predicted the event just based on this- it was counting down to the shop closure, after all. I think this was great either way, since I don’t think there are many games or soundtracks that convey dread as well as the mask’s piercing eyes do.

Regardless, just about every rip on the day has been a Mario game rip- but all references to the man himself have been scrubbed from existence, both in music and in the logos themselves. Shoutout to whoever did the photoshop work, that shit is super clean, and I like the different variants of it. Super [image missing] Galaxy is a pretty great one.

The songs mashed into the soundtracks are largely pretty eerie, with death, loss, and forgetting being a common theme. Multiple tracks reference Everywhere at the End of Time, an album about the full experience of dementia, theres a few Pompeii mashups (“But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing’s changed at all?”) and Viva la Vida ones, you get the idea. I think one of them goes for Komm, süsser Tod from End of Evangelion which is a nice touch. Gusty Garden Galaxy is empty and fading, Under the Ice has the fucking Sonic drowning music (speaking of Majora’s Mask….), and Ultimate Koopa gets a full Your Best Nightmare mixup. I’m a big fan of how it’s going.

It’s not all depressing, though. If nothing else, it appears this alternate Mario-less universe still has one brother running around, with a Luigi-based Hotel Mario parody and a few sillier mixes in there somewhere.

The other thing that the channel has done to celebrate the death of Mario is to unlist every single Mario franchise rip on the entire channel. This includes some of the most popular videos the team has, but I think it was the right move- it’d be a bit weird to see Super _____ World next to it’s legitimate counterpart. Sure, it broke a few playlists, but hey that’s the way it goes.

On a final note, I have a rather literal one. When this all happened, the channel’s official twitter posted this image, sans any form of context. What this means has yet to be determined, though I’m interested to figure out just what the hell is going on and how this event will end.