#sonic adventure gear my beloved

[chelsiegeorgia]

it's ok guys, they went back and got more (continued from last post)

[dany36]

now that i've S-ranked every stage in the DLC and also completed the map, just have some final junk thoughts from the sonic frontiers dlc (plus me raving some more about the music) before i move on to another game :)

i know i mentioned that playing as amy is the best out of the new playable characters, and i still stand by that opinion, but MAN is tails' MAX rings cyclone flying ability fun as FUCK. like, i kind of have a hate-love relationship with it. on one hand, who the hell doesn't like flying around the island at max speed? like, oh, there's something all the way over there, let me just ZOOM right over in a few seconds!! AND the fact that you can control its height unlike knuckles' flying is just insanely cool. on the OTHER hand though, yes it cheapens tails' flying ability because honestly once you get the cyclone ability, you don't even have to do any of the set-paths that the game wants you to follow to get to the map kocos or skill kocos. you can just fly up to them and boom, didn't have to do the set path. which is kind of sad because those can be really fun and satisfying to complete, so what i'd end up doing was get to the area where the map koco would be, and instead of just flying up to it, try to follow the path and get the map that way to not just suck the fun out of the entire thing

but also, that one M-puzzle where it lit up 3 or 4 red beams of light all across the island and you had to reach all of them under a time limit??? MAN i think that was my favorite puzzle of all!!! i first bumped into that one when i was playing with amy, and at first i thought i was gonna have to come back to it with sonic since i didn't think i'd get another character that would be as fast as him (also didn't have the spin dash ability yet since this was early in the game). but holy shit once i unlocked that ability and saw just how fucking fast you could fly around the island (skells from xenoblade x my beloved), i immediately went back to that puzzle and just completed it as tails. just so damn awesome!!

and SPEAKING OF the spin dash....wow. amy, knuckles, and tails may not be as fast as sonic, but they become just as fast as him with this skill. and i can't believe i went through the entire main game without using the spin dash more often. spin dashing around the island and abusing the hell of its physics was just something that never got old, even in the sonic stages. i don't think i ever used the fast travel with the portals since i mean....spin dashing everywhere the island is just like a damn dream come true: it's always something i'd do in sonic adventures' mystic ruins but at a smaller scale, but this time? the ouranos island is fucking huge and gorgeous and then with that beautiful music playing in the background and just rolling around everywhere at high speeds AAAAAAAAAA this game is honestly just the perfect sonic game!!!!!

i think i already talked about this earlier but the new stages were super fun and actually challenging to S rank, unlike the main game. there were some i wasn't too fond of (like that one where sonic's speed as "gears"?? what was that lol) but overall they were a joy to replay over and over and try to bring my time down. i think my favorites were definitely 4-A (with the rocket boosters and beehive-looking things) and 4-B (the one with the hologram tails and the falling platforms).

the music. GOD how does sega keep doing this!!! every single new character theme is just so on fucking point, but i gotta say amy wins this one as well: there's something just so hauntingly beautiful about her theme that just honestly fits the overall mood of the game. but honestly, all just so good. i neeeeed to get my hands on the ost, especially since i'm late to the party and realized that now they have a GORGEOUS BEAUTIFUL AMAZING remixed version of the windy and ripply (emerald coast 2) song AKA a song so dear and beloved and nostalgic to my heart that just thinking about it makes me want to cry tears of joy. like, running around the islands with that music playing in the background is just so freeing and beautiful and exciting that just makes you feel glad that you get to experience a sonic game like this.

oh shit got sidetracked talking about this game's overall out-of-this-world soundtrack again um um um what else. i mean, i really don't know what else to say except frontiers just knocked it out of the park and surpassed my expectations in every single way possible. as i was playing the game and would just be exploring the island and completing puzzles/paths, i'd just keep saying to myself "this game is fucking amazing" every once in a while. sega just fucking nailed the 3d sonic formula and any doubt i had about an open-world sonic game was just thrown out the window: i couldn't stop thinking about this being a MUCH larger, more fun, and more gorgeous version of running around mystic ruins than i could have ever imagined, and it's exactly the type of exploration freedom that i had been itching for in a sonic game.

and it goes without saying that sega bringing back amy, tails, and knuckles as playable characters was just soooo fucking good and refreshing to see, and my god did they do them justice. last time they were all playable was, what...sonic adventure?? really?? like, holy crap. sonic frontiers really was a love letter to 3d sonic games and ughhhh i just can't stop saying good things about it. EVERYONE NEEDS TO PLAY THIS GAME!!!

anyway!!! can't wait to see where the sonic 3d series is headed after this, but for now, time to wait for sonic superstars (holy shit that's soon!!!) since that looks fun as hell too, and that's me saying it as someone who prefers 3d sonic vs 2d sonic!

[beevean]

Have another positive ask: your top ten overall Sonic soundtracks? :]

Ah, I had a whole list but then I lost it 😭 let's try again...

10) Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis). My absolute favorite OST on the Genesis, since the game came out so late in the console's lifespan it has some excellent sound quality and complex tracks. Volcano Valley 2 and Boss 1 my absolute beloveds <3

9) Sonic CD (US). I played CD with this OST first so it's almost nostalgic for me. I feel the dreamy, alien quality of the tracks is underrated, and the Bad Future themes are outright nightmarish. Not fun to blast in your car, but certainly atmospheric. Stardust Speedway Good Future is a little gem IMO.

8) Sonic CD (JP). The complete opposite of above :P super fun, avantguarde tracks that fit CD's wackiness. What can I say? It's an iconic OST. I can never decide on my favorite, so for now I'll say Quartz Quadrant and Palmtree Panic Bad Future :P

7) Sonic 2 (Game Gear). Yeah. Hear me out. I love this OST. I am not deterred by the 8-bit quality. There is not a single track from this game that I dislike (but note that I specified the GG version, not the MS version). The boss theme and Scrambled Egg live in my head rent free.

6) Sonic Heroes. It has an unique style that for me sits right between SA1 and 3&K, fitting as the game is pretty much a 3D Classic game. Peppy and fun and sadly overshadowed by its older sibling, Mystic Mansion is one of Hataya's finest works for me.

5) Sonic Mania. I really don't know how to judge OSTs half made of remixes, but not only a good chunk of those remixes elevate the original tracks, but the actually original tracks are fantastic. Tee Lopes is a welcome addition to the sound team <3 I mean. He composed one of my absolute favorite extra level themes, Egg Reverie!

4) Sonic Colors. This OST feels "fresh", for lack of a better word, and I feel that Ohtani and Tokoi together are a great team. I never played Colors myself, but its music just puts a smile on my face <3 Another OST I just cannot pick a favorite from... so get all three acts of Planet Wisp because man is that level just beautiful.

3) Sonic Unleashed. A game about exploring the world cannot not have a rich OST. Again, I am at a loss for words to describe what makes this soundtrack so alluring. I'll just say that Jungle Joyride Night is one of my favorite tracks in the whole series.

2) Sonic Adventure 1. Call me biased :P but this game's OST is phenomenal. Exceptional variety, and some of the best tracks Jun Senoue composed. I even came to appreciate the dated MIDI sounds lmao. And yet, Fumie Kumatani's contribution is not to be ignored, because for some reason, of all the rocky tracks, my favorite one is Tricky Maze.

Sonic '06. Everything that I love about SA1's OST, '06 takes it and elevates. It has better instruments, it has richer compositions, the same amount of variety, and overall the direction feels like the direct evolution, just more... movie-like? Intense? You can tell that this is the first OST with Ohtani as a sound director. I feel so many emotions with this one. Technically my favorite track (medley, actually) is Crisis City, but End of the World is something special for me.

[spiinsparks]

    DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH THEM STARTERS / @badnikbreaker​ / ACCEPTING !

<  we keep eachother safe.  it’s my turn to protect you.  >  from ava and obviously signing but like the way i format sign breaks asks so just dont worry abt it

        IT  WAS  A  PAIN  TO ADMIT ,  but  sonic  knew  he  wasn’t  nearly  as  up  to  speed  as  the  resistance  seemed  to  think  he  was  ,  sometimes.  he  fatigued  quicker.  lost  his  breath  ,  sooner.  

          not  that  he  blamed  them  ,  for  failing  to  notice.  so  QUICK  he  had  been  ,  to  take  up  missions  immediately  after  escape.  so  ADAMANT  he  still  was  ,  to  continue.  to  PRESS  ON  and  ENDURE.  to  fight  until  this  war  was  won.  

          he  couldn’t  -  wouldn’t  -  let  them  see  their  rising  ember  of  hope  flickering  ,  spluttering  ,  struggling  to  KEEP  UP  with  the  demands  of  war.  he’d  catch  up  ,  he  told  himself  ,  as  he  ran  from  battlefield  to  battlefield  with  the  raging  fury  of  a  man  gone  mad.  he’d  get  back  into  his  old  swing  ,  he  reassured  himself  ,  as  the  days  dragged  on  and  eggman’s  beloved  schedule  waged  war  against  sonic’s  own  internal  clock.  weeks  in  ,  and  he  was  still  out  of  sync.  completely  out  of  wack.

        (  he’d  spent  too  long  locked  up.  )

             and  there  was  NO  TIME  to  readjust.  to  ease  himself  back  into  what  was  NEEDED.  

                                                                      what  was  EXPECTED.

            still.  when  the  world  needed  their  hero  -  when  his  FRIENDS  needed  him  most  -  he  was  —  (   coughing  against  the  strain  /  the  weight  of  lungs  too  heavy.  rising  ,  shakily  ,  onto  his  feet  again.  dirt  and  dust  and  blood  and  grime  matting  his  fur  ,  sinking  into  his  quills  ,  staining  the  white  straps  of  his  shoes  a  ruddy  red.  trembling  from  overexertion.  )  GRITTING  HIS  TEETH  and  smirking.  (   ❝  I  SEE  DOC  HASN’T  IMPROVED  YOUR  AIM  ANY.  ❞  )  laughing -  in  the  face  of  danger (  or  maybe  ,  because  of  it.  )  while  pain  racketed  through  his  body  and  flattened  his  ears  against  his  head. (  ❝  MAYBE  YOU   SHOULD  TRY  ONE  OF  THEM  OPTOMETRISTS.  I’VE  HEARD  THEY  SPECIALIZE  IN  OPTICS.  ❞  )

         he  had  SKID  across  the  battlefield  ,  quills  trembling  in  the  wind  as  the  badnik  he  was  tangoing  with  whirred  and  turned  its  oversized  body  towards  him  ,  ready  to  lock  aim  and  fire.  and  he  grinned  at  its  giant  ,  red  optic  as  the  laser  beam  centered  over  his  chest.  sniffed.  wiped  his  nose.  readied  himself  to  SPIN  DASH  into  its  chest  and  crash  through  its  gears  and  wires.

         but  in  blazing  light  of  golden  electricity  the  bot  EXPLODED  in  a  crackling  storm. twisted  metal  sheets  ,  oil  ,  glass  and  dirt  sprayed  across  the  floor  as  the  badnik  spilled  its  carnage.  and  sonic  only  had  a  moment  to  wheeze  his  sigh  of  relief  before  the  next  wave  thundered  the  ground  beneath  their  feet.  he  DASHED  FORWARD  ,  grabbing  ava  by  the  wrist  and  retreating  further  down  the  twisting  road.  but  not  far.  

       a   poorly  placed  rock.             a  yelp  ,  as  pain  rocketed  through  his  left  leg  and  sonic  stumbled  and  slowed.  the  robots  still  thundered  behind  ,  RED  LASERS  bursting  the  air  beside  the  pair  before  ava  shot  out  her  grappling  hook  and  swung  them  both into  the  trees  and  undergrowth  for  cover.

            and  for  a  moment  ,  he  could  catch  his  breath.  even  as  they  rounded  on  him  with  lips  pressed  thin  and  ears  flopping  over  their  shoulder  as  they  knelt  and  looked  him  over.  then  ,  signed  ,  hurriedly  ,  with  a  DETERMINED  FIRE  in  their  eyes.

             <   we keep eachother safe.  it’s my turn to protect you.  >  

          sonic  blinked.  they  were  throwing  his  words  right  back  at  him.

             and  for  a  moment  -  brief  and  small  -  there  was  a  tide  of  comfort  that  came  flooding  forth.  the  same  sort  of  calm  in  the  storm  that  kept  sonic’s  head  on  straight  ,  his  heart  in  his  chest  ,  when  he  was  fighting  alongside  amy  or  tails  or  knuckles.  no  danger  was  too  great  when  he  was  adventuring  with  his  friends.  no  obstacle  too  heavy  ,  or  too  large  to  overcome  ,  when  he  hadn’t  a  shadow  of  a  doubt  that  they  were  with  him.

          (  he’d  never  been  meant  to  fight  on  his  own.  )

                          (  he  wasn’t  built  for  it.  for  THIS.  )

      (  and  where  was  the  FUN  of  the  rush  —  when  they  didn’t  fight  TOGETHER?  )

         ❝ ...  you’re  right.  ❞  he  said  ,  nodding  slight.  over  ava’s  shoulder  he  studied  the  trajectory  of  newest  enemy  fleet.  they’d  get  to  the  resistance  outpost  he and  ava  were  sent  out  to  hold  within  MINUTES  if  they  didn’t  handle  this.  —  and  fast.

      sonic  lifted  himself  to  his  feet.  (  nevermind  the  grunt  of  pain  he  bit  down  upon.  nevermind  how  the  world  keeled  to  one  side  ,  just  briefly ,  before  sonic  closed  his  eyes  and  righted  himself.  and  nevermind  how  he  favored  one  leg  ,  even  as  he  bounced  on  the  tips  of  his  toes.  eager  to  finish  this.  eager  to  get  out  there  and  run.  )

            ❝  i  still  have  enough  juice  left  in  me  to  play  support  ;  give  ya  a  boost.  sound  fair?  ❞  a  rhetorical  question.  as  ,  with  a  spitfire  crackle  of  renewed  vigor  lighting  up  in  his  eyes  ,  sonic  held  out  his  outstretched  hand.  preparing.  bracing.  readying  himself  —  for  just  one  more  boost.

          ❝  i’ll  keep  you  steady.  but  ,  you’ve  got  this  ,  partner. ❞

[sonknuxadow]

im still like so amazed at how the sonic symphony covered the entire game series (or all of the main series games anyway) like they could have easily just done like. the classic trilogy sonic mania sonic adventure 2 etc and completely ignored the less popular games but no they really celebrated the whole series and had entire sections dedicated to sonic 06 and sonic lost world and the game gear games and sonic forces. sonic symphony my beloved

[crusherthedoctor]

Can we have some unpopular Sonic opinions?

I tried to cram in a lot, so I hope this satisfies you. :P I tried to stick to the ones that I haven't brought up quite as often, since by this point, we all know that I think IDW's storytelling is dire, SA2's story is overrated, X Eggman is an embarrassing portrayal (at least from season 2 onwards), Blaze shouldn't be handcuffed to Silver, Shadow's backstory had issues with or without the Black Arms, Neo Metal Sonic looks silly, etc. But anyway, here we go:

- Knuckles may be tricky to incorporate into plots that don't relate to Angel Island, but making him obsessed with his duties is no better than having him forget about Angel Island entirely.

- I like Marine, and never found her annoying. Oh, I understood what they were trying to do with her, but I honestly wasn't put off by her, and found her Aussie lingo more endearing if anything. Since her debut was during the period in my life where where I couldn't stand Sonic himself, I instead thought he was irritating (and hypocritical) for getting annoyed with her for doing shit he would often be guilty of.

- Silver is just as guilty of being shoehorned into games and plots as the Deadly Six are. Having more fans than the latter is irrelevant, since we're still talking about a character who constantly has to time travel in order to be present.

- Speaking of Silver, if he has to stick around, please do something different with him. They've pulled the doomed future routine multiple times now, and it's been boring every single time. I wasn't interested when it involved Iblis. I wasn't interested when it involved Knuckles drinking the edgy Kool Aid. I wasn't interested when it involved a council of dumbasses... give it a rest already.

- The Tails Doll can work as a mildly creepy thing, with maybe more to it than meets the eye when it's time for a boss fight or what have you. But the memes about him stealing your soul are just dumb, and I thought it was dumb even back in my teenage youth.

- “Eggman is supposed to be clownish!” Yeah, well he's also meant to be a genuine villain with a 300 IQ. These qualities don't have to be mutually exclusive.

- “Sonic is supposed to have attitude!” Yeah, well that's not the same thing as being an absolute cunt. Sonic was only ever meant to come off as having an edge compared to Mario. He was never meant to be a GTA-tier protagonist.

- Rouge is not a villain, and never was a villain. Literally the whole point of her role in SA2 was to reveal that she was working against Eggman and Shadow the whole time, albeit using sneakier tactics to do so. You'd think all those people who exult SA2's story would remember this, but apparently not. She barely even qualifies as an anti-hero, since aside from stealing the Master Emerald, she rarely does anything morally questionable otherwise. She's got a lot more good in her than people give her credit for.

- Captain Whisker is a better Eggman Nega than the actual Eggman Nega. And as far as robot characters in this franchise go, Johnny's design is pretty underrated.

- I don't like Iblis or Mephiles, but I DO like Solaris, and it annoys me that it was out of focus for most of the story due to all the time spent on its less interesting halves. Had they kept the backstory with the Duke and his experiments, and worked from there, I think they could have provided an interesting contrast with Chaos (since Solaris can also qualify as a monster with a sympathetic backstory) instead of recycling the surface level schtick.

- Black Doom may technically be just as bad as Mephiles, Nega, Scourge, Mimic, etc, since he's yet another villain with one-note characterization and fucked over Eggman. But because he never gained a disproportionate fandom, he doesn't annoy me to the same extent. It's easier to ignore him by comparison, and his Dr. Claw voice and face shaped like a lady's delicate part make him enjoyable to mock.

- Likewise, while Lyric is also on the same level as these other villains, it's easier to dismiss him because I was never invested in the Boom games anyway, and being an obvious alternate universe (compared to Sonic X or IDW, which retain the Modern designs and plot elements), it never had an effect on the main series. I also unironically like his design, and if nothing else, at least this snake didn't start a hypnotism fetish across the internet.

- Sally - and the rest of the Freedom Fighters for that matter - have had their importance in the franchise severely inflated. They may have been lucky to be the face of popular media (SatAM and Archie), but they're not these magnificent entities that the game characters are but a speck of dust in comparison to. Having a “legacy” doesn't make them more entitled to shit than any other character, old or new.

- Conceptually, the treasure hunting gameplay is one of the better alternate gameplay styles IMO. But it was let down in SA2 by its one track minded radar (the levels may have been big, but I don't think that would have been an issue on its own if the radar was better). If they brought it back and made it more like SA1's treasure hunting, I'd be all for it, although it would probably be better suited for a spinoff title.

- This goes for a lot of games, but when it comes to 2D, I prefer sprites over models. Not that the Rush models are bad (though the ones in Chronicles sure as fuck are), but the sprites in Mania and the Advance trilogy are just so charming and full of character.

- I actually like Marble Zone. Yeah, the level design is a bit blocky, but I love the concept of an underground temple prison, mixed with lava elements in a zone that otherwise isn't a traditional volcano level.

- I also like Sandopolis Zone. Again, completely understand why it's not the most popular zone around, but I've been a sucker for the Ancient Egyptian aesthetic since childhood (you can thank Crash 3 for that), and Act 1 is visually stunning.

- I prefer the JP soundtrack for Sonic CD over the US version overall... but I also prefer Sonic Boom over You Can Do Anything.

- SA2's soundtrack isn't bad by any means - I love Rouge's tracks, and The Last Scene is one of my favourite pieces of music - but as far as variety goes, it's a step down from SA1's soundtrack.

- If Sonic X-Treme had been released, it probably would have been unenjoyable and confusing. Whatever your thoughts on SA1, it was probably the better option between the two as far as Sonic's first legitimate translation into 3D goes.

- I have no qualms with Modern Sonic and the other Modern designs and characters, but I also fully acknowledge that changing gears from Adventure onwards - and doing it with a great amount of fanfare - was always going to create one of the biggest divides in the fandom, and fans shouldn't act surprised that this happened. The fact that they felt the need to hype up a new design and direction in the first place (compared to Mario, who has mostly been the same since the beginning, with only the occasional minor change with little fanfare) also indicates that they weren't confident enough in Sonic and his universe being the way it was, which often gets ignored by all the “SEGA have no confidence!!!” complaints you see with their recent games.

- Unleashed did not deserve the incredibly harsh reviews it received back in the day... but it doesn't deserve its current sacred cow status either. It had more effort put into it than '06 to be sure, and I can respect that, but much of it was misguided effort, and even if you like the Werehog, you have to admit that the idea came at the absolute worst time. The intro cutscene may be awesome, as is the Egg Dragoon fight, but 2% doesn't make up the entire game. Chip was also quite annoying, and I wasn't particularly sad when he pressed F in the chat at the end.

- On the other hand, while Colours definitely has its shortcomings, and people have every right to criticse those shortcomings, a lot of its most vocal detractors tend to have a stick up their arse about the game because people actually enjoyed it, and it had a gimmick that people actually liked. Yes, it may have been the first game to have those writers everyone hates, but then SA1 was the first game to give the characters alternate gameplay styles and have other villains upstage Eggman, so...

- Forces is absolutely not on the level of '06. It's nowhere close. A game being flawed does not make it the next '06, clickbait YouTubers. Or should I say, the game they want to retroactively apply '06's reception to, since they've been trying hard to magically retcon '06's own quality...

- To echo @beevean, ALL of the 3D stories have their issues. SA1 is probably the most well-rounded of them on the whole, but even that one isn't perfect.

- To echo another opinion, although I do love SA1, I'm not crazy over the idea of a remake, and would prefer them to just take Sonic's gameplay from SA1 and work from there. Because with a remake, you're stuck in a hard spot: Do you keep it the way it is bar the expected graphical upgrades, and risk accusations of not doing anything to actually improve the experience? Or do you try to address past criticisms, and risk the wrath of the fans who will inevitably go on a #NotMyAdventure crusade about it? What people fail to consider is that the Crash and Spyro remakes were accepted gracefully because their original iterations were still unanimously beloved for the most part, whereas SA1 - and especially SA2 - have always been divisive, and have only gotten moreso over the years.

- People take their preferences for the character's voice actors too seriously. I have my own favourites like anyone else, but I don't make a big deal out of it.

- And with fandom voice actors, they usually focus too much on doing a basic impression of their preferred official voice actor, and not enough on the acting. So you end up getting a lot of fan voices who sound like decent impressions of Ryan Drummond or Jason Griffith on the surface, but they sound utterly empty beyond that impression, because there's no oomph or depth to the actual emotions. They think about the actor rather than the character, when it should really be the other way around.

- The thing with Ian Flynn is that he is capable of telling a decent story, and he can portray some characters well. But he's proven time and time again that everything will go off the rails if he's given too much freedom (ironic, given how quick he is to point the finger at mandates when something goes wrong).

- Ian Flynn and Shiro Maekawa are not the only people in the world who are allowed to write for Sonic. I understand that one should be cautious when seeking out new writing talent, but for all the fandom's accusations of playing it safe, they sure aren't in a rush to experiment outside of their own comfort zone.

- And of course, the big one: You don't fix the franchise's current problems by crawling back to its previous problems. It's much more helpful and constructive to discuss the good and bad alike with each of the games. Less “THIS GOOD, MODERN BAD”, and more “This could work, but maybe without that part...”

[venturousgamer]

Top 10 Christmas Memories!

Since I haven't shared another video. Instead, for this holiday season, I've decided to share some of my beloved memories. This will be an entire thread about my previous Christmas experiences and the gifts I obtained! 

Why not?! There's so many stories! I MUST SHARE ALL OF IT! 1. My Dreamcast Christmas

Oh, I cannot forget this one. This was when some of my greatest memories began. It was the day I obtained Sonic Adventure, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, and eventually others such as House of the Dead! Sadly, Code: Veronica slipped past me. That time passed.

2. My Metal Gear Christmas (Part 1)

Ah, I remember this moment as it was when it happened! It was at the time the PlayStation 2 was popular and I visited the flea market. There, I found and obtained a clean copy of Metal Gear Solid (PS1). Yep, that became an early holiday gift!

3. Resident Christmas – Code: Veronica

Also, between playing Metal Gear, I was hellbent to finally complete my PS2 copy of Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. But I had to do this without cheating software and strategy guides for total satisfaction. It wasn't easy but I've managed!

4. My Metal Gear Christmas (Part 2)

My tradition playing Metal Gear games on Christmas continued with Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance! This meant I could enjoy the original game with more features! It was one hell of an adventure that immediately became one of my favorite entries!

5. Resident Christmas 4

Oh, you thought it was just Code: Veronica I played during Christmas? Nope, this also included Resident Evil 4 on the PlayStation 2 since I didn't have the GameCube edition. After what I've experienced, it was totally the sequel that the franchise needed.

6. My Metal Gear Christmas (Part 3)

A third time, Metal Gear didn't get ignored since I was then playing Hideo Kojima's grand origin story for Big Boss in Snake Eater! Even beforehand, just like MGS2, I was playing the demo nonstop in preparation. That prep was very worthwhile!

7. SmackDown! Holidays

It would be weird not addressing myself as an honest wrestling fanatic. SmackDown! games were always my favorite and I almost never missed newer entries! Although it eventually changed, sadly, at least my memories remained on PlayStation! Ah, great times!

8. Resident Christmas 6

You're goddamn right I'm not skipping this. I'm more surprised what I sacrificed to play this game. I waited until Resident Evil 6 had all DLC and bought it digitally on PS3. I waited overnight as it downloaded and played the whole Christmas. No regrets.

9. My Metal Gear Christmas (Part 4)

Yes, the Metal Gear Christmas tradition continued with my purchase of Ground Zeroes. Actually, I bought it twice for PS3 and PS4 and played both at different times. But primarily the PS3 version the most because I couldn't resist. It was fun!

10. A Very Xbox X-Mas

Xbox isn't excluded from this list simply because one of my memories included getting Dead or Alive Ultimate. It was my first time playing the first and second installments remade. They were so stunning and had plenty of replay value. I'll never forget it.

Well, that's my Top 10 Christmas Memories! Hopefully, someday, I'll be able to share some of these in full Let's Plays or maybe streaming! I've been eager to indulge into my beloved franchises so I don't have to keep these memories to myself! Anyway, until then, Happy Holidays!

[gushingaboutgames]

Sega Dreamcast

I hated middle school. There’s a whole swath of memories I’d rather do without as far as the years 1999 through 2002 are concerned. There is, however, one memory I hold near and dear to my heart during this time frame. After reading about it in magazines and being really excited for it, my mother took me to Toys’R’Us one evening to get me a Sega Dreamcast. We brought that puppy home with a copy of Sonic Adventure, hooked it up, fired it up, and took it all in. As the opening cinematic played on my TV, Mum said “It’s like playing a movie!”

Boy, if we only knew what games would go on to look like now.

The Dreamcast was, and to this day remains, my all time favorite console. It’s the swan song of a company that was perhaps a bit too ambitious for its own good, a marvel of gaming technology many years ahead of its time, and home to some of the best and most unique games to ever come out.

At the time of its release, the Dreamcast was the most graphically powerful console on the market. Sony’s Playstation boasted 32-bit graphics, and the Nintendo 64 had double that, at -wait for it- 64 bits. Dreamcast had double of that: 128 bits of beautiful graphics, thanks to the GD-ROM, a proprietary disc format born from squeezing every bit of memory out of a regular old CD as was physically possible, before DVDs and Blu-Ray became as ubiquitous as they are today.

Even the method of memory storage was unlike its competitors; the standard memory card for the Dreamcast was the Visual Memory Unit (VMU), a cross between a memory card and a Gameboy that let you manage data and download minigames to extend the functionality of many games. The only other thing like it that I can think of being made is Sony’s Pocketstation, and that never saw the light of day outside of Japan. You would not believe the number of button-cell batteries I burned through caring for Chao on the go.

Of course, all of the fancy tech and cool gadgets wouldn’t amount to much if the games on offer weren’t fun at all. Tiger’s Game.Com bragged of being a versatily console and handheld device, but the games for it all stank like a fragrant dog poop laying on the sidewalk on a hot Floridian summer day. Thankfully, fun games were something the Dreamcast had no shortage of, even in the brief few years that it was on the market, a slew of which I’d like to bring attention to.

Sonic Adventure 1 & 2

Maybe they haven’t aged as well as I’d like to think, but DAYUM if these weren’t some fun games back in the day. Sonic has always struggled with 3D, but the first attempts at true 3D Sonic games remain quite novel. The first Sonic Adventure had different play styles for each character, some of which were great (Sonic and Gamma, for me at least), others...not so much (the less said about Big, the better), in addition to, for its time, an intricate plot with each character’s story intertwining and playing out differently depending on which character you’re playing as.

Sonic Adventure 2, meanwhile, streamlined the gameplay and improved upon some of the first game’s flaws, cutting out the non-platforming related stages (aside from the treasure hunting stages, which are a touch better than in the first game). It’s story was also very compelling, being one of the darkest storylines in the entire series; government conspiracies, weapons of mass destruction, fucking murder! Maybe that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think we can all agree that SA2 handled “dark and gritty” a lot better than Shadow the Hedgehog’s stand-alone game.

Both games also featured a mini-game that could prove to be just as addicting, if not more so, than the games proper: Chao Gardens. Chao were little, adorable water monsters that players could raise like virtual pets, their popularity likely owed in part to the ubiquity of other virtual pets like Tamagotchi near the end of the millennium, as well as how easy-going and casual raising a Chao was compared to a Digi-Pet that would not wait for you to clean its shit up: you can enter and leave Chao Gardens freely, and you wouldn’t have to worry of your Chao dying of neglect in your absence. There’s also very deep mechanics at work for raising Chao, with their growth and evolution depending heavily on how well you raise them, what animals you give them, and what fruits you feed them, all so you can have them participate in races. The aforementioned VMU also expanded Chao functionality considerably, letting you raise them anywhere you wanted.

Shenmue

My relationship with Shenmue, these days, is very much that of a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, Shenmue popularized two aspects of gaming today that I loathe; Quick-Time Events, and over-blown game budgets (this game would’ve had to be bought by every DC owner TWICE before it could break even). On the other hand, there’s no denying that this game was a labor of love by Yu Suzuki. The attention to detail in Ryo Hazuki’s hometown of Yokosuka is staggering. Everything you can imagine can be interacted with, down to the last dresser drawer in Ryo’s house. Every resident of Yokosuka was unique from the others and had their own behaviors that they would go through, unlike every other NPC in the town, or other games for that matter. The story may be a tad formulaic, and most of the voice work left something to be desired, but the world of Shenmue was one that was very fun to explore.

Plus, this game introduced me to Space Harrier. If that’s not a good thing, you tell me what is.

Jet Set Radio

I had to convince my mother this game wouldn’t turn me into a graffiti-painting delinquent. It was a hard sell, but it paid off, and boy am I glad it did.

Jet Set Radio is very much unlike other games, then and today even. This was the game that helped to popularize cel-shaded graphics; the thick black outlines around the character models made this game look like an anime come to life, and eventually paved the way for the wicked-awesome graphics we see today from Arc System Works with Guilty Gear XRD and Dragonball FighterZ. The idea of playing a roller-blading hooligan throwing tags around the city and evading the police was also unique, and kept players on their toes as techno music accompanies their shenanigans. The game was a bit on the short side, but was challenging and fun enough that multiple playthroughs were warranted.

Making my own graffiti tags was also quite the timesink.

Phantasy Star Online

I may be a late bloomer to the Phantasy Star series, but it has become one very dear to me for helping me meet some of my closest friends (Hi, Tara!).

Phantasy Star was a series of JRPGs by Sega meant to compete with other big franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The original PSO, on the other hand, is an online multiplayer dungeon crawler that would change the course of the series from that point forward. As interstellar colonists investigating mysterious phenomena on an alien planet, players would delve into unique locals with characters they would create themselves to slay monsters, collect valuable items, and unravel the mysteries of the planet Ragol.

The original PSO is also very notable for its attempt to break the language barrier with a unique conversation system. While good ol’ fashioned keyboards remained in vogue, players also had the option of constructing sentences to transmit to other players in the area or party in those players’ native languages. Using this system, you could send a message saying “Help! This dragon is too powerful!”, and your friend in Japan would read it as “助けて！この龍は強すぎる！” It may not have seen much use, since players are more likely to congregate and play with those that can speak a common language fluently, but it was very kind of Sega to provide the option.

One thing that gets me straight in the feels is something from the original beta trailer for this game: “The world of Phantasy Star Online lasts for an eternity!” It is not uncommon for trailers and developers to hype games up with hyperbole (just ask Peter Molyneaux), but this is a statement that has held true for PSO! Even after the last official server for the last iteration of PSO shut down in 2008, private servers continue to run the game to this day, ensuring that the world of PSO truly remains eternal. Even with a proper sequel Phantasy Star Online 2 proving to be a pop culture staple in Japan, the original PSO remains one of the most beloved and enduring MMOs in history.

Skies of Arcadia

I’ve got friends who would skin my hide and leave me to hang like the Predator if I didn’t mention this.

Just about every console since the NES has a JRPG, and the Dreamcast is no exception. While Phantasy Star shifted towards MMO territory, those hoping for a sweeping single-player adventure still had Skies of Arcadia. As the daring sky pirate Vyse and his motley crew of adventurers, players fought to stop an evil empire from awakening an ancient evil while flying across a world of floating continents in a kickass airship. This game is among the most challenging JRPGs in the genre; a clever mind and strategic acumen are needed to survive battles with other pirates, monsters, and rival airships. The world of the game is also incredibly beautiful; I personally think it has much in common with Castle in the Sky, my favorite Hayao Miyazaki film. The soundtrack compliments the game incredibly, and is a joy to listen to by itself.

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There are plenty of other games that made the Dreamcast incredible, but this article is long enough as it is, so I’ll have to give those games their proper due later. Suffice to say, though, the Dreamcast is a historical console that remains one of the most beloved in the history of the medium, not only by myself, but by hundreds of thousands of gamers the world over. It may have only been on the market for a few years, but it is said that the brightest stars are the ones that burn out the quickest.

And make no mistake, the Dreamcast is one of the brightest stars there ever was.

[jcllyhclly-blog]

George Takei’s They Referred to as Us Enemy, All-New Locke & Key, the Wynonna Earp Forged, and Many Extra Comedian and Leisure Icons Seem at Sales space #2729

Subsequent week, IDW Publishing will have fun its 20th anniversary at Comedian Con Worldwide: San Diego 2019 with sensational sales space appearances by such fan-favorite skills as George Takei, Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez, Kim Dwinell, Magdalene Visaggio, B. Dave Walters, Stan Sakai, Walter Simonson, Delilah S. Dawson, Kevin Eastman, Sam Maggs, Rod Fergusson, the forged of Wynonna Earp, and so many, many extra!

Our full listing of sales space friends, panels, and present exclusives might be discovered under. Remember to go to Sales space #2729 for IDW’s coolest Comedian-Con signings and swag!

Of specific word, IDW is now taking Comedian-Con preorders on two They Referred to as Us Enemy gadgets: the Hardcover and Signed & Numbered Hardcover editions, to be picked up at Sales space #2729 throughout present hours. A shocking graphic memoir recounting actor/writer/activist George Takei‘s childhood imprisoned at American focus camps throughout World Conflict II, this gripping story of braveness, nation, loyalty, and love – by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Concord Becker – permits readers to expertise the forces that formed an American icon… and America itself. (And don’t miss the They Referred to as Us Enemy signings and panels – see under for particulars!)

BOOTH #2729 SIGNING SCHEDULE

Wednesday July 17th Preview Night time 

6:00 – 7:00 Ragnarök – Walter Simonson (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) 7:00 – 9:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Bobby Curnow  (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) (*Conference exclusives obtainable!)

Thursday July 18th 

10:15 – 11:00 Rick & Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons – Jim Zub 11:00 – 12:00 Dungeons & Dragons: A Darkened Want – B. Dave Walters 11:00 – 12:00 Surfside Women – Kim Dwinell (*Ebook debut!) 11:00 – 12:00 Purple Panda & Moon Bear – Jarod Rosello (*Ebook debut!) 12:00 – 1:00 Clyde – Jim Benton 12:00 – 1:00 V-Wars – Jonathan Maberry 12:00 – 1:00 X-Information – Sam “Mister Sam” Shearon 1:00 – 2:00 Star Trek: Yr 5 – Brandon Easton, Jim McCann, Jody Houser, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, J.J. Lendl (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) 1:00 – 2:00 Coin-Op Comics – Maria & Peter Hoey  2:00 – three:00 Ragnarök – Walter Simonson (*Conference exclusives out there!) 2:00 – three:00 Ghost Tree – Bobby Curnow three:00 – Four:30 Locke & Key – Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) Four:00 – 5:00 Highwayman – Koren Shadmi Four:00 – 5:00 Limbo Lounge – Dave Calver 5:00 – 6:00 From Hell – Eddie Campbell 5:00 – 6:00 Transformers – John Barber, Fico Ossio 6:00 – 7:00 Transformers/Ghostbusters – Erik Burnham  (*Conference exclusives out there!) 6:00 – 7:00 Gears of Warfare – Creator Rod Fergusson, Narrative Director Bonnie Jean Mah

Friday July 19th

10:00 ­– 11:00 Clyde – Jim Benton 10:00 ­– 11:00 Johnny Boo ­– James Kochalka 10:00 – 11:00 Star Wars Adventures ­– Delilah Dawson, Chris “Doc” Wyatt, Kevin Burke (*Conference exclusives out there!) 11:00 – 12:00 Star Trek – Mike Johnson, J.Okay. Woodward, Scott Tipton 11:00 – 12:00 Surfside Women – Kim Dwinell (*E-book debut!) 11:00 – 12:00 Penny Nichols – M.Okay. Reed, Greg Means 12:00 – 1:30 They Referred to as Us Enemy – George Takei, Concord Becker, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) 2:00 – three:00 Star Wars Adventures – Chris Fenoglio, Cavan Scott, Arie Kaplan, John Barber, Derek Allure, Tony Fleecs, Michael Moreci, Mauricet (*Conference exclusives out there!) 2:00 – three:00 Highwayman – Koren Shadmi three:00 – Four:00 Usagi Yojimbo & Ragnarök – Stan Sakai & Walter Simonson (*Conference exclusives out there!) three:00 – Four:00 Canto – David M. Booher, Drew Zucker (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) Four:00 – 5:00 Locke & Key – Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) (*Conference exclusives out there!) Four:00 – 5:00 Street of Bones – Wealthy Douek 5:00 – 6:30 Wynonna Earp – Melanie Scrofano, Katherine Barrell, Chantel Riley, Greg Lawson, Emily Andras, Beau Smith (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars)

Saturday July 20th 

10:00 – 11:30 Wynonna Earp – Melanie Scrofano, Katherine Barrell, Chantel Riley, Greg Lawson, Michael Eklund, Emily Andras, Beau Smith (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) 11:00 – 12:00 Sh*t My President Says – Shannon Wheeler 11:00 – 12:00 God is Disenchanted in You, Apocrypha Now! – Mark Russell 11:00 – 12:00 Gumballs – Erin Nations 12:00 – 1:00 Ragnarök – Walter Simonson (*Conference exclusives out there!) 12:00 – 1:00 Star Pig – Delilah Dawson (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) 12:00 – 1:00 Sonic The Hedgehog – Jennifer Hernandez, Caleb Goellner 1:00 – 2:00 Locke & Key – Gabriel Rodriguez  (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) 1:00 – 2:00 Marilyn Manor – Magdalene Visaggio  1:00 – 2:00 October Faction – Steve Niles  2:00 – Four:00 They Referred to as Us Enemy – George Takei, Concord Becker, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott (*Conference exclusives out there!) (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) Four:00 – 5:00 Ghostbusters – Erik Burnham, Keith Dallas, Cavan Scott (*Conference exclusives out there!) Four:00 – 5:00 Johnny Boo – James Kochalka 5:00 – 6:00 Transformers – John Barber, Fico Ossio, Mairghread Scott, Brendan Cahill 5:00 – 6:00 Care Bears – Agnes Garbowska (*Conference exclusives out there!) 6:00 – 7:00 Transformers: Galaxies – Tyler Bleszinski (*Get a free signed promo poster!)  6:00 – 7:00 Marvel Motion: Captain Marvel – Sam Maggs (*Get a free signed promo poster!)  6:00 ­– 7:00 Marvel Motion: Spider-Man – Fico Ossio 6:00 – 7:00 Eve Stranger – Philip Bond 6:00 – 7:00 Pink Panda & Moon Bear – Jarod Rosello (*Guide debut!)

Sunday July 21st

10:00 – 11:00 Sons of Chaos – Chris Jaymes (*Guide debut!) 10:00 – 11:00 Usagi Yojimbo – Stan Sakai (*Conference exclusives out there!) 11:00 – 12:00 Locke & Key – Gabriel Rodriguez  (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) 11:00 – 12:00 Night time Strikes – V.J. & Justin Boyd 12:00 – 2:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Bobby Curnow  (*Ticketed signing, see worker for particulars) (*Conference exclusives out there!) 1:00 – 2:00 My Little Pony – Sara Richard, Tony Fleecs, Thom Zahler 2:00 – three:00 Goosebumps – Jen Vaughn, Denton Tipton, Chris Fenoglio, Jeremy Lambert 2:00 – three:00 Canto – David M. Booher, Drew Zucker (*Conference exclusives obtainable!) three:00 – Four:00 Sonic The Hedgehog – Jennifer Hernandez, Evan Stanley (*Conference exclusives out there!)

The Prime Shelf part of the sales space can be crammed all weekend with extra nice creators, too!

And for the youngsters, take pleasure in shock visits on Saturday and Sunday by Cheer Bear and Grumpy Bear of Care Bear: Unlock the Magic fame!

PANEL SCHEDULE

IDW Publishing: The Subsequent 20 Years Thursday, 7/18/19, 12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m., Room: 9

The previous is prologue! IDW’s 20th anniversary celebrations lead right here—as we set the course for the subsequent 20 years of comics and extra! IDW Editor in Chief John Barber leads a energetic panel wanting behind-the-scenes at what’s coming subsequent and the way we’re getting there, that includes New York Occasions bestselling writer Delilah Dawson, Surfside Women’ Kim Dwinell, and extra favorites—plus prime secret visitors speaking mind-blowing new tasks. All this and a no-holds-barred Q&A!

IDW Video games: Different Individuals’s (Mental) Property Thursday, 7/18/19, 2:00p.m. – three:00p.m., Room: 9

Popular culture is nearly constructed upon the inspiration of mental properties, and geek fandom likes to delve deep into the lore of the fictional worlds that we love. So how do corporations get the prospect to create merchandise with different individuals’s I.P.s, and what does it take to ensure a product goes to please die-hard followers? Be a part of Jerry Bennington and Spencer Reeve (IDW Publishing), and David Preti and Geoff Skinner (CMON Restricted), as they talk about creating video games and merchandise based mostly on beloved I.P.s like Batman The Animated Collection, God of Conflict, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bloodborne, and Dragon Ball Z.

Star Trek: Yr 5 – The Author’s Room Thursday, 7/18/19, 11:00a.m. – 12:00p.m., Room: 28DE

Step into the Author’s Room of the critically acclaimed Star Trek: Yr 5 comedian collection! Be a part of collection writers Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Jody Houser, Brandon Easton, and Jim McCann as they talk about their collaboration on the primary problems with the collection and the wild locations the Enterprise will go on its means again house.

IDW & Hasbro: Transformers – A Daring New Universe Thursday, 7/18/19, 10:00a.m. – 11:00a.m., Room: 29AB

Celebrating 35 years of everybody’s favourite Robots in Disguise, IDW Publishing and Hasbro are proud to current a daring new universe with the launch of a number of new TRANSFORMERS titles! Be a part of artist Livio Ramondelli (Transformers: Galaxies, Optimus Prime), author Tyler Bleszinski (Transformers: Galaxies, Vox Media), Hasbro’s Michael Kelly (VP, International Publishing), Erik Burnham (Transformers/Ghostbusters), and some shock friends as they speak about what’s new in Transformers comics, announce upcoming tasks, and speak about the way to make the subsequent 35 years of TRANSFORMERS nice! This Extra Than Meets the Eye panel is moderated by IDW Transformers editor David Mariotte.

Creating for Change: Tackling Massive Points with Nice Books Friday, 7/19/2019, Four:00p.m. – 5:00p.m., Room: Four

On this thrilling period of comics storytelling, marginalized communities, voices, and subjects are being delivered to the eye of audiences in all places. Be a part of creators Marc Andreyko (Love is Love), Concord Becker (Himawari Share, They Referred to as Us Enemy), Regine Sawyer (Ladies in Comics NYC Collective), and extra friends for a considerate dialogue on the utility of sequential storytelling for exciting significant debate, and dare we hope… change. Moderated by They Referred to as Us Enemy co-author, Justin Eisinger.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Street to 100 Friday, 7/19/19, 2:00p.m. – three:00p.m., Room: 23ABC

Be a part of moderator Patrick Ehlers as he talks with TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, author Tom Waltz and editor Bobby Curnow as they share behind-the-scenes tales concerning the creation of the longest operating TMNT comedian ever! The staff will even share advance appears on the upcoming points resulting in the monumental milestone #100 problem which comes out this fall along with different information from IDW Publishing’s TMNT line!

Highlight on Joe Hill & Gabe Rodriguez: Locke & Key Spectacular Friday, 7/19/19, 12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m., Room: 32AB

Locke & Key co-creators Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez re-unite to debate the collection’ impression, the all-new con-exclusive Locke & Key comedian, the approaching Netflix streaming collection, and the (robust) probability of much more new L&Okay comics, too! Come be a part of the authors and moderator/Locke & Key editor/IDW CCO Chris Ryall for a celebration of the landmark collection in all its varieties!

IDW Presents: Highlight on Walter Simonson & Stan Sakai Saturday, 7/20/19, 10:00a.m. – 11:00a.m., Room: 23ABC

Two business legends for one low worth! Walter Simonson and Stan Sakai want no introduction,  however Scott Dunbier will give them one anyway! Come for the newest information on their creator-owned masterworks Ragnarök and Usagi Yojimbo, keep for fascinating tales of comedian business lore, Norse legends and feudal Japan! A must-see panel for any fan of those two gifted, and longstanding artists. LATE ADDITION ADDED BONUS: The equally legendary Louise “Weezie” Simonson shall be becoming a member of the enjoyable!

IDW & Oni Press: Rick & Morty vs Dungeons & Dragons Saturday, 7/20/19, 12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m., Room: 25ABC

Oni Press, IDW, and Dungeons & Dragons are busting out the twenty-sided die for a second roll at Rick and Mortyvs. Dungeons & Dragons II: Painscape this fall, and we’re giving Comedian Con attendees an unique sneak peak! The world’s biggest role-playing recreation returns to plague the world’s most dysfunctional animated household within the newly introduced second collection! Fan-favorite dice-dependent author Jim Zub is joined by editor Chase Marotz, and Wizards of the Coast recreation designer Nathan Stewart for a full hour assured to be extra enjoyable than any line for conference exclusives!

George Takei: They Referred to as Us Enemy Saturday, 7/20/19, 1:00p.m. – 2:00p.m., Room: 25ABC

In his brand-new graphic memoir They Referred to as Us Enemy, the beloved actor, writer, and activist George Takei revisits his haunting childhood in American focus camps, as certainly one of 120,00zero Japanese People imprisoned by the U.S. authorities throughout World Conflict II. Expertise the forces that formed an American icon — and America itself — on this gripping story of braveness, nation, loyalty, and love. You’ll hear firsthand from George Takei, in addition to his co-authors Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott and artist Concord Becker, about this darkish chapter of our nation’s historical past, its influence on Takei’s astonishing life, and its pressing relevance for at the moment’s world.

SYFY and IDW Leisure: Wynonna Earp Saturday, 7/20/19, 5:00p.m. – 5:50p.m. Room: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Saddle up, Earpers! SYFY’s hit collection and the 2018 Individuals’s Selection Award Winner for Greatest Sci-Fi/Fantasy Present is again. Simply because a mind-blowing season finale put an finish to Bulshar and the Earp curse, doesn’t imply Wynonna’s carried out kicking demon-ass or placing up one hell of a battle to rescue Waverly from the Backyard of Eden. Be a part of the forged and creators of the award-winning collection based mostly on the IDW Publishing comedian e-book created by Beau Smith, as they tease the upcoming 4th season and look again on the present’s most hell-raising moments.

IDW: Comics for Youngsters! Sunday, 7/21/19, 10:30a.m. – 11:30a.m., Room: 23ABC

Ever marvel what it takes to make an all-ages comedian? Ever need to attempt your hand at making your personal? Be a part of Kim Dwinell (Surfside Women), James Kochalka (Johnny Boo), Sam Maggs (Marvel Motion: Captain Marvel, My Little Pony), Jarod Roselló (Purple Panda & Moon Bear), Evan Stanley (Sonic the Hedgehog), and IDW Publishing for a behind-the-scenes take a look at how your favourite comics are made! It’s positive to be a morning filled with enjoyable actions, secret surprises, and far, far more! And bonus: a free comedian for each child in attendance!

IDW Publishing: Artist’s Editions & Extra! Sunday, 7/21/19, three:00p.m. – Four:00p.m., Room: 32AB

Settle for no substitutes! The one and solely Artist’s Version panel is right here! The format pioneered by Scott Dunbier has blossomed into its personal business, with beautiful unique artwork books on cabinets worldwide. However for the data on the Actual McCoy, that is the place to be! Be a part of Scott and a particular visitor or two, for inside information, and bulletins of upcoming Artist’s Editions, Artisan Editions…and extra!

IDW CONVENTION EXCLUSIVES

Solely out there for decide up at IDW’s SDCC sales space #2729 all through the conference!

COMICS

Canto #1 New cowl by Drew Zucker $10 every, Restricted to 250 copies (*Restrict 1 per individual)

Care Bears #1, Con variant Emblem-free Cowl by Agnes Garbowska $5 every, Restricted to 500 copies

GI Joe Actual American Hero #264, Con Silent Grasp Variants Toy Packaging Cowl of Snake-Eyes, 5 totally different designs $25 every, Restricted to 100 copies every day Every day, we’ll launch 100 copies of one of many totally different Silent Grasp variants that includes the varied toy packaging paintings of everybody’s favourite Ninja, Snake Eyes! Come again every day to construct the set!

Locke & Key: Nailed It one-shot, Con variant New Cowl by Gabriel Rodriguez $5 every, Restricted to 1000 copies

Locke & Key: Nailed It one-shot, Deluxe Con variant Emblem-free Premium Cowl by Gabriel Rodriguez $10 every, Restricted to 500 copies

Sonic Tangle & Whisper #1, Con variant New Cowl by Evan Stanley $10 every, Restricted to 500 copies

Star Pig #1, Con variant Spot-Shade Cowl by Francesco Gaston $10 every, Restricted to 250 copies

Star Trek Yr 5 #1, Con variant Unfavorable Painted Cowl by Greg Hildebrandt $10 every, Restricted to 500 copies

Star Wars Adventures #23, Con variant Emblem-free Cowl by Tony Fleecs $10, Restricted to 500 copies

TMNT #93, Con variant Blue Line Cowl by Kevin Eastman $10 every, Restricted to 500 copies

***JUST ANNOUNCED*** TMNT #95, Shock Reveal Con Variant Cowl by Dave Wachter $100 every, Restricted to 200 copies (*Restrict 1 per individual) Because of the current storyline in TMNT: Metropolis At Conflict, we’ve got created a singular “Spoiler Reveal” variant of TMNT #95 to commemorate the most recent Turtle, Jennika! We’re bringing 200 copies of this ebook and limiting it to 1 per individual. Not listed on the CCI Exclusives web page, however discover it at our sales space #2729!

Transformers/Ghostbusters #1, Con variant New Cowl by Dan Schoening $10 every, Restricted to 500 copies

Usagi Yojimbo #1, Launch Tour variant New Cowl by Stan Sakai $10 every, Restricted to 150 copies

Wraith #7, Con variant Photograph Cowl from NOS4A2 TV present $10 every, Restricted to 500 copies

BUNDLES

Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary Bundle Pack, Four diff one-shots New covers by Dan Schoening $40 every, Restricted to 500 packs Decide up all Four of our Ghostbusters 35th anniversary one-shot comedian, every with a brand new “Film-Poster” themed cowl by Ghostbusters artist Dan Schoening!

GI Joe Silent Grasp Variant Final Bundle, 10 comics in 1 bundle Numerous artists & Toy Packaging artwork $200 every, Restricted to 50 bundles As an alternative of coming every day to select up the ultra-rare Silent Grasp Variant comedian for that day, get all 5 common Silent Grasp Variant comics (that includes numerous Snake Eyes Toy Packaging artwork) and get a BONUS sixth cowl of Snake Eyes that’s ONLY obtainable on this bundle! We embrace Four uncommon GI Joe variants from the previous yr, to make this the bundle you MUST personal on the conference!

TMNT 35TH Anniversary Bundle, Field set plus free variants Covers by Kevin Eastman $50 every, Restricted to 100 bundles Have fun the 35th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by getting the 35th Anniversary Field Set of key reprints of Mirage TMNT #1-Four plus the Raphael one-shot! As a bonus, we’re together with THREE free Kevin Eastman TMNT variants from the previous few years at NO further cost!

Usagi Yojimbo & Ragnarok 2-pack, Connecting Virgin Variants New covers by Walter Simonson & Stan Sakai $20 per pack, Restricted to 500 packs Right here’s your probability to personal 2 restricted version variant comedian books that includes a spectacular jam picture of creators Stan Sakai and Walter Simonson drawing every others’ signature characters, all coloured by Laura Martin! These 2 virgin comedian books have colour paintings on the entrance, and the inked model on the again! Seize them each and meet the creators through the present!

Wynonna Earp Deluxe Pack $20, Restricted to 150 packs Decide up a Wynonna Earp Deluxe pack, containing a current Conference photograph variant, a RARE restricted giveaway photograph variant, and a number of other bonus comics that includes photograph covers of your favourite Wynonna Earp forged members!

TRADES/ HARDCOVERS

Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters TP, Con variant Sketch Cowl by Alex Ross $20, Restricted to 250 copies Legendary painter Alex Ross supplies a con-exclusive sketch cowl to this commerce paperback! This commerce paperback of Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters, by Eric Powell, is simply in time for the most recent launch of Godzilla: King of Monsters in film theaters, and the 55th anniversary of Godzilla!

Star Trek vs. Transformers TP, Con variant Animation Cel Cowl by Derek Allure $20 every, Restricted to 250 copies

Surfside Women Quantity 2, Present debut Cowl by Kim Dwinell $15, 100 copies on the present

They Referred to as Us Enemy Hardcover Version, First launch at SDCC! Cowl by Concord Becker $30 every, 300 copies on the present Get the hardcover model of George Takei’s gripping memoir, They Referred to as Us Enemy, detailing his childhood the place his household was despatched to a Japanese American interment camp throughout World Warfare II. Obtainable for Preorder – Click on Right here!

They Referred to as Us Enemy Signed and Numbered Hardcover Version, First launch at SDCC! Cowl by Concord Becker $75 every, 300 copies on the present Get a particular signed and numbered hardcover model of George Takei’s gripping memoir, They Referred to as Us Enemy, detailing his childhood the place his household was despatched to a Japanese American interment camp throughout World Struggle II. This Signed and Numbered version comes with a bound-in signature plate signed by your complete artistic workforce, together with George Takei! Obtainable for Preorder – Click on Right here!

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe Quintessential Assortment HC, Signed/Numbered variant Cowl by Tom Scioli $40 every, Restricted to 200 copies This particular deluxe launch hardcover collects your complete Transformers vs. GI Joe storyline written and drawn by visionary creator Tom Scioli, and comes with a bound-in signature plate, which is signed by Scioli and numbered to a scarce run of 200 copies.

Walter Simonson Star Wars Artist Version, Con Foil Stamp variant Cowl by Walter Simonson $125 every, Restricted to 100 copies This particular Artist Version, with a foil stamped cowl by creator Walter Simonson, incorporates an exquisite run of Star Wars comics within the early 1980s that comics legends Walter Simonson and Tom Palmer collaborated on, earlier than the discharge of The Empire Strikes Again.

MERCHANDISE

Locke & Key Emblem & Emblem Enamel Pin Set Crafted by Israel Skelton $20, Restricted to 100 units

Locke & Key Duplicate Keys, 5 re-issued designs Crafted by Israel Skelton $26 every, Restricted to 100 per design

Ragnarok & Usagi Yojimbo Jam Lithograph $20 every, restricted to 250 copies Personal the 24” by 18” lithograph that includes a spectacular jam picture of creators Stan Sakai and Walter Simonson drawing every others’ signature characters, all coloured by Laura Martin! Every lithograph will include a poster tube, and you will get it double signed at our sales space through the conference!

Zombicide TMNT pack #1, Con variant plus free Commerce Paperback Designed by CMON Video games $20 every, Restricted to 1500 It’s an outbreak of high-flying, Zombie-killing, ninja motion because the TMNT invade CMON’s hit board recreation, Zombicide! This SDCC unique pack #1 incorporates Four characters from TMNT finished within the iconic Zombicide fashion! Additionally, you will get pack #2 solely on the CMON Video games sales space #4928.

Writer – IDW Publishing

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Comedian-Con Worldwide: San Diego (SDCC)

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The post San Diego 2019 – PopCultHQ appeared first on Reel Insight.

[allspark]

It’s time for our weekly Diamond Comics Shipping List! Check out some great titles IDW has in store for us next week like Transformers: Unicron, Optimus Prime, Rom & The Micronauts, My Little Pony, Sonic the Hedgehog, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more! All coming your way for March 28th!

OPTIMUS PRIME #18

John Barber (A/CVR B) Livio Ramondelli (A/CVR A) Kei Zama

“The Falling,” Interlude: Who is Onyx Prime? Leader of beasts, and one of the original Primes who led Cybertron, Onyx has been missing for millennia. Yet, his schemes go on. Where did he come from, and how will his reappearance change Cybertron forever?

FCBD 2018 TRANSFORMERS UNICRON #0

John Barber (A) Alex Milne (CVR) Sara Pitre-Durocher

Not a whimper, nor a bang-the end comes with a squall of entropy shrieking from the ravenous maw of death itself. The message is clear: Unicron has arrived. The Transformers lock into a desperate bid to save Rom’s homeworld from the world-killer – but why has Unicron chosen this world on his path to Cybertron… and Earth? The biggest story in the history of Transformers starts now: for Unicron’s arrival can mean nothing less than the end of a universe.

TRANSFORMERS TILL ALL ARE ONE TP VOL 03

Mairghread Scott (A/CVR) Sara Pitre-Durocher

The fate of Cybertron lies in the hands of Starscream and Windblade as each tries to win allies and support in order to gain control over the Council of Worlds. After the costly victory against the Titans, Iacon is in shambles and Starscream finds himself on shakier ground than ever. The key to his political (and likely literal) survival rests in the outcome of a very unlikely event: the trial of the Council’s first official war criminal-Chromia of Caminus! Collects issues #9-12 and the 2017 Annual.

ROM & THE MICRONAUTS #4

Christos Gage (A) Paolo Villanelli (CVR A) E. J. Su (CVR B) Giannis Milonogiannis

Asymmetric Warfare! Newly emerged from Microspace, Rom and the Micronauts seek out Baron Karza and his Dire Wraith allies. But it may be too late to save Earth from being consumed by a dark god from beyond our dimension!

MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #65

Thom Zahler (A/CVR A) Andy Price (CVR B) Sara Richard

Princess Celestia disguises herself to live amongst ordinary ponies for a day. What she learns about her subjects, and herself, will surprise her!

MY LITTLE PONY LEGENDS OF MAGIC TP VOL 02

Jeremy Whitley (A) Tony Fleecs (CVR A) Brenda Hickey

The origin of Equestria’s most famous pony heroes continues as they come together to face the greatest evil any have ever encountered! Will they be able to overcome their differences to defeat an enemy that knows all of their weaknesses? Collects issues #7-12.

BACK TO THE FUTURE TIME TRAIN #4

Bob Gale, John Barber (A/CVR A) Megan Levens (CVR B) Philip Murphy

Doc and the Brown family venture ever deeper into the 1939 World’s Fair as a case of mistaken identity puts Jules and Verne in the crosshairs of German spies!

DUCKTALES #8

Joe Caramagna (A) Antonello Dalena, Andrea Greppi, Gianfranco Florio, Michela Frare, Luca Usai (CVR A&B) Marco Ghiglione

Scrooge finally finds someone he trusts to run his business while he’s out adventuring: Manny, the Headless Man-Horse! Mrs. Beakley is called back into spy duty by British Intelligence, but when she isn’t available, she’s replaced by Webby and Lena Le Strange!

DUCKTALES MYSTERIES & MALLARDS TP

Joey Cavaleri (A) Luca Usai, Graziano Barbaro, Various (CVR) Marco Ghiglione

Scrooge’s treasure hunts can lead to some pretty spooky places, and spooky comes in all sorts of packages! But whether they’re trying to outwit the ghost of Nostradogmas, discover the creepy secret of the Pumpkin People, or solve the mystery of a town where not everything is what it seems, Scrooge and the gang have it covered. Collects issues #3-5 of the ongoing series.

GEARS OF WAR RISE OF RAAM #4

Kurtis J. Wiebe (A) Max Dunbar (CVR A) Ryan Brown

One of the most iconic villains of the Gears of War universe takes the spotlight! Years before he became the bane of humanity on Emergence Day, RAAM rose through the ranks to take leadership of the Locust Horde armies thanks to his intelligence, strength, and ruthlessness. Now, witness that swift and brutal ascent in… The Rise of RAAM!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #2

Ian Flynn (A/CVR B) Adam Bryce Thomas (CVR A) Tyson Hesse

Sonic’s new adventure continues, and when he comes across another town in need of saving, his old pal Amy arrives just in time to join the fight! The banter is fun, and the stakes are high, but things get really serious when Amy presents Sonic with a big request: rejoin the Resistance!

SPIDER KING #3

Josh Vann (A/CVR A) Simone D’Armini (CVR B) Simon Roy

This issue follows the Viking queen Sigrid as she attempts to assassinate Aarek the Wolf and prevent a catastrophic, intergalactic war. But Sigrid is unprepared for the new and improved Aarek, who has bonded with an alien parasite to become the Spider King.

STAR WARS ADVENTURES #9

Sholly Fisch (A) Jamal Peppers (CVR A) Chad Thomas (CVR B) Nick Brokenshire

Droids take center stage in both stories of this comical and exciting adventure! C-3PO might be in over his head as he takes on a new job, and IG-88 is determined to capture his crafty bounty!

STAR WARS ADVENTURES #9

Sholly Fisch (A) Jamal Peppers (CVR A) Chad Thomas (CVR B) Nick Brokenshire

Droids take center stage in both stories of this comical and exciting adventure! C-3PO might be in over his head as he takes on a new job, and IG-88 is determined to capture his crafty bounty!

FCBD 2018 STAR WARS ADVENTURES

Cavan Scott (A/CVR) Derek Charm

In this all-new story set before Star Wars: A New Hope, feared bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM finally have two of the biggest scoundrels in the galaxy in their sights! Timed to follow hot on the heels of Star WarsDay 2018!

STRETCH ARMSTRONG & FLEX FIGHTERS #3

Kevin Burke, Chris “Doc” Wyatt (A) Nikos Koutsis (CVR A) Aluir Amancio

The Flex Fighters are on the run with a giant Mantis monster in tow! Will they be able to save the Mantoid before it’s too late?

TMNT ONGOING #81

Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman (A) Brahm Revel (CVR A) Dave Wachter (CVR B) Kevin Eastman

“Kingdom of the Rats,” Part 1. New York City is in ruins after the Triceraton Invasion. Various groups jockey for control in the power vacuum. But there is one who doesn’t care about power, only chaos… the Rat King! Will the TMNT be able to stop him from doing the unspeakable?

TMNT USAGI YOJIMBO EXPANDED ED

Stan Sakai (A/CVR) Stan Sakai

Revisit the critically acclaimed crossover comic between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi Yojimbo! This special extended edition comes with new features including the rare Mirage-era story The Treaty! A new cover by Stan Sakai and additional extras!

UNCLE SCROOGE #35

Giorgio Fontana, Thad Komorowski (A) Marco Mazzarello (CVR A) Andrea Freccero (CVR B) Paco Rodriquez

“A Tale of Two Biddies!” It’s Valentine’s Day in Duckburg, and Scrooge faces a firestorm from two dastardly dates-Klondike goldminer Glittering Goldie and brassy business-gal Brigitta MacBridge! What have they got that Scrooge hasn’t got? Wouldn’t you like to know? •   Continues this beloved series’ legacy numbering at #439!

WALT DISNEY SHOWCASE #2 MICKEY MOUSE

Alberto Savini, Jonathan H. Gray (A) Giampaolo Soldati (CVR A) Andrea Freccero (CVR B) Davide Cesarello

“The Secret of Gold City!” Deep in a Wild West boom town, everyone knows the 19th century legend of “Mickey the Kid” and “Six-Gun Goofy”! Now our modern-day Mouse and Goof trace their ancestors’ trail into a web of mystery and danger…

  Join the IDW Hasbro Shared Universe related conversation here in our Comics Discussion and Reviews section and here for all other franchises, superheroes, or general comic book discussions! Not a member? Join our community by creating your own free account here! Or jump right into the live chat on our Discord server!

IDW Comics Shipping List for April 11th! It’s time for our weekly Diamond Comics Shipping List! Check out some great titles IDW has in store for us next week like 

[iamspok]

Top 10 Video Game Sidekicks

Modern day gaming is a much more collaborative experience, geared towards often fast-paced, multiplayer or co-operative gameplay, whether you like it or not the days of the story mode is in it’s twilight with many of the bigger developers now opting to either forego the traditional single player experience or incorporating it into an overall online mode (see Destiny, Titanfall, Star Wars Battlefront) and while gamers have pushed back, there is no doubting that the further into the future we get, the more integrated we are.

But for many years, there have been characters who were designed to help you on your path and simulate that collaborative experience, some of which became beloved heroes of the gaming community and some, well, not so much (I personally still have nightmares about Natalya from Goldeneye and her casual stroll through a hail of AK-47 gunfire)

This article is dedicated to the characters that made the game a better experience, whether it be for gameplay or purely for the story, they live on with the legacy of each game on the list.

Dogmeat (Fallout)

The idea that dog is man’s best friend always seems to have been prevalent in everyday life but never has it been more important than in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout.

Dogmeat would do anything to protect you, he would attack anyone or anything at anytime, he sniffs out valuable items that aid your survival in this unforgiving world, he will follow a scent for miles and he is your only remaining family, if that’s not enough to earn this dog a place on this list, then you obviously aren’t a dog person.

Cortana (Halo)

Cortana is the first blockbuster sidekick on this list that was introduced to the world in the incredibly successful Halo.

The supercomputer would assist you by hacking rogue alien systems, providing tactical assistance and decoding transmissions essential to your mission and gives Master Chief his only human link (ironic) in the entire game.

To put into perspective how successful this sidekick would become, she now resides on tens of millions of PC’s around the world as a virtual assistant that helps operate the Windows system, if that’s not a sign that you’ve been important, I don’t know what is.

Otacon (Metal Gear Solid)

‘’Snake, you of course know the saying ‘one for all, all for one’. It’s from ‘The Three Musketeers’ - the book, not the candy bar’’

In one of the most intense gaming series of all time, often with cut-scenes that were obscenely longer and more detailed than anything that had come before it or since, Otacon brought a lighter tone to the world of Metal Gear Solid.

With his often ill-timed explanations of totally random subjects (see pre-ripped jeans, daylight savings, Chinese proverbs) he became a cult favorite amongst hardcore MGS players, the fact that he used to help Snake through various missions with his codec updates is only an added bonus that gets him on this list.

Weighted Companion Cube (Portal)

‘‘It’s just an object..it doesn’t even do anything’’ said absolutely no one who has ever played Portal. This little cube was pretty much your only ally in the entire game, starting out as just a lump that you would use to hit switches or complete a puzzle it eventually became a friend (yes, I said a friend) and as the game presented more challenging obstacles it became invaluable.

Then came the incinerator, I struggle to think of anything else in pop culture that felt as crushing a blow for the loss of something that was not even alive in the first place (maybe Wilson from Castaway)

Godspeed trusted companion cube, we will meet again.

Yoshi (Super Mario World)

Step aside Luigi, because Yoshi is the one true sidekick to Mario.

First introduced in 1990, Yoshi first came about simply as a mode of transportation for the famous brothers but soon became very useful on their adventures. You could ride him (which was cool as hell anyway) you could sacrifice him to get over obstacles or just throw him away when he wasn’t needed, he would help you take care of those pesky enemies and I defy you to name any other sidekick that pooped out power-up’s at the rate he did.

He’s stuck with the series over the years and has even managed to get a few game’s of his own (Yoshi’s Island, Yoshi’s Story, Yoshi’s Wooly World to name a few) which is something that only one other character on this list has managed to accomplish, impressive.

Claptrap (Borderlands II)

Let's be honest, usually when you have a sidekick whose main purpose is to provide comic relief it falls flat on its face, but in the world of Borderlands, it is exactly what you expect and what you need.

Despite the fact he raised an army and tried to kill you at the end of Borderlands, by the time you come across him in Borderlands II all is forgiven after a few minutes, mainly acting as a guide through the wastelands of Pandora, the game quite literally would not have been the same without him. Not just satisfied to be the life and soul of the party, Claptrap will also open doors for you and help you open those magical loot chests that you lust after.

Leonardo Da Vinci (Assassins Creed 2)

Assassins Creed 2 was an excellent game, ranking as either many gamers favorite of the franchise or most important, it overhauled the game mechanics from the original which had been hailed as a storytelling master stroke, but showcased cumbersome climbing and fighting physics that often made the game feel like a chore, it’s hard to put into words just how much this installment lit a fire under the series that has since become a juggernaut, reaching as far as Hollywood.

Among the riveting missions, the outlandish, often villainous supporting characters and mysterious storyline set in the various visually stunning cities of Italy, you had the chance to meet the one and only Leonardo Da Vinci.

At first you’re excited about how he fits into the narrative of the story but when you realize that he’s building you item’s that the game hasn’t presented to you before, the real fun starts. First, there was the hidden blade, he then introduced you to some new fighting techniques, which in a game like Assassins Creed is very important to keep things fresh, along with the ability to poison enemies (honestly, is there anything more satisfying than poisoning just one guard in a group and seeing him go crazy? no) but this all lead up to arguably the best mission of the game in sequence 8...WHERE YOU FLY OVER THE ROOFTOPS OF VENICE IN A GIANT DAMN WOODEN BIRD!

Tails (Sonic Series)

There may be no more important entry into this list than Tails. In 1992 when the beloved character was first introduced, gaming culture was still in its relative infancy on the mass market and was about to take a big upward swing over the next few years and Sonic The Hedgehog would play a major role in its development.

Sonic would become one of the most popular games on the Sega mega drive and its marquee title, with its addictive side scrolling action and it’s fast-paced boss fights, it was in the rarefied atmosphere only shared by Super Mario Bros at the absolute crux of the gaming community, but where Mario had his trusty Luigi, Tails would be a more useful sidekick to Sonic, his power of flight would occasionally be invaluable for successfully completing a level and without him, there would be no biplane to take down Dr. Eggman’s wing fortress.

I’m sure anyone reading this article who had a younger sibling and had to share a mega drive would also agree, Tails is the best!

Ellie (Last Of Us)

Although being a playable character later on in the game and spawning a spin off (Left Behind) there could have been no list without the incomparable Ellie from The Last Of Us.

This is widely regarded now as the greatest video game of all time and the character of Ellie provides a huge reason for this, as you navigate the post-apocalyptic world following an outbreak that ravages the United States, you lose your family and your hope for a new humanity until you are introduced to Ellie, the 14-year old girl who could potentially hold the fate of humanity inside her.

A connection with any character in a video game this intense is incredibly rare as she becomes increasingly important, not just to the story but to you as the player and explains the mixed emotions at the end when Joel would essentially rather see the human race die then have Ellie taken away from him, totally fair in my books.

Elizabeth (Bioshock Infinite)

The best AI sidekick of all time? I would say so.

Bioshock has always been an immersive story-driven experience, through the underwater steampunk world of Rapture featured in the first 2 installments, gamer’s were presented an extremely dark, often terrifying experience as we learned to deal with the psychopathic enemies that lurked in the shadows, by the time Bioshock:Infinite was released, we were ready to ascend to the clouds of Columbia.

Often times, ’escort’ missions in video games are incredibly tedious so if I were to tell you that Infinite is basically one, long escort mission, many would simply not bother playing it but Elizabeth proves to be the most helpful and one of the most interesting sidekicks in video game history.

She keeps herself out of the way of danger, she tosses you supplies and ammunition when it’s needed most, she can find money and open locked doors and if you played the game on the hardest difficulty like me, she is absolutely necessary.

I can still say to this day that the feeling of accomplishment I had upon completing Infinite is unparalleled and Elizabeth is the very definition of what a video game sidekick should be.

[game-refraction]

Game Review: Sonic Mania (Switch)

I’m a gamer that grew up with the Sega Genesis, or if you don’t live in North America, it was also known as the Sega Mega Drive. It was my first console that I owned myself and the game that was packaged in the box at the time was the original Sonic the Hedgehog, the game that started it all. I played through it multiple times and it was a favorite of mine for years after. I remember the excitement that came with its sequel, Sonic 2, having a split-screen mode that my sister and I used to play it for hours on end.

Sonic has had a mixed history with the quality of his games, ranging from memorable hits like Sonic 2, Sonic Adventure, and Sonic Spinball, to poorly received titles like Sonic Free Riders, Sonic Shuffle, and especially 2006’s Sonic the Hedgehog, which was just plain awful.

Despite the barrage of poorly made games, Sonic has still endured and Sonic Mania is proof enough that Sega still knows how to make a good Sonic game, it just had to go back to its roots to do so.

Sonic Mania started out in 2016 as Sonic Discovery, a passion project that was put together by developers that had been working on various Sonic titles like the mobile ports of Sonic 2, Sonic CD, and various fan games and ROM hacks. When the title was first brought to series Producer, Takashi Iizuka, he renamed the project ‘Sonic Mania’, stating that the project was “by the mania, for the mania”.

This adventure takes place following the events of Sonic 3, making it almost an alternative take on Sonic 4 or something closer to being 3.5. Robotnik, or Eggman, as he is called in some parts of the world, has discovered Chaos Emeralds and plans on using them for his own personal agenda. While there isn’t any dialogue or story-centric scenes to convey what is actually going on, ala the more recent Sonic Boom series, the more classic Sonic games originally told their narrative through short encounters between Sonic, his friends, and Robotnik, and Sonic Mania brings back that very style of storytelling. Should you let the menu play for a while, you’ll be treated to a pretty awesome animated intro and there’s also one at the end that is shorter, but still pretty great to watch.

Sonic will Spin-dash and chase Robotnik through 12 zones; 4 original and 8 remixed zones from Genesis-era Sonic games. Each zone is comprised of two acts that will see you flying on the wings of a plane, gasping for air in the water-filled Hydrocity, and taking in the gorgeous and colorful visuals of Studiopolis. While the game can at times be gorgeous, I found Lava Reef to not nearly be as visually impressive as the rest of the game. The final zone, Titanic Monarch has some rather poor mechanics that just were not that fun and had me time-out several times just attempting to complete a single section of the level. While there are several mechanics in the game like spikes, specific enemy placement, or other threats that look to cut into your Ring based health, the final stage takes those mechanics just a bit too far and becomes almost too challenging, at least when compared to the other 11 zones featured.

Most locations in the game are massive with multiple paths and various ways to go about completing each level and frankly, it can take multiple playthroughs to see each and every section of every zone. There are various secret paths that will lead you to giant golden Rings that will transport you to a bonus stage where you’ll chase down a Chaos Emerald and should you collect them all? Well, let’s just say the results are rather “super”.

As you hit the checkpoints around the level with at least 25 Rings, you’ll enter in another bonus level, one where you will collect blue orbs and Rings in an effort to earn a medal. Earn enough of these and you can unlock some very cool content.

As has been the case with nearly every Sonic game thus far, Rings are your currency of health and Sonic Mania is no different. Taking damage will result in an explosion of Rings bouncing around that will have you scrambling to collect back as many as you can. You can assist in keeping those Rings intact with various shield power-ups or invincibility items that will keep Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, free from harm.

Playing Sonic Mania with a friend comes at you in two ways, single screen co-op and competitive split-screen multiplayer. The latter is similar to what Sonic 2 brought with it back in the day and while it is a blast to play, the split-screen mode is rather stretched and really could have been adjusted to just look better. The single screen co-op is still rather fun and in the case of having Sonic and Tails on the same screen, you can use Tails to fly Sonic around sections of the level. You can also just have Tails follow you in single player as well, should you just want the company.

Basic movement and combat for each of the characters is mostly limited to the ball-like form each character takes when jumping or spinning and this can damage most enemies that lack some form of defenses as a few do have protection from taking your typical type of attack. Sonic can Spin Jump, Spin Attack, and Spin Dash and Sonic Mania introduces the Drop Dash, a move I didn’t even know I had until the last few zones. This move allows Sonic to get a burst of speed instantly from jumping, even if it isn’t as powerful as his normal Spin Dash. Tails can fly and swim, and Knuckles has the ability to climb as well as glide long distances. These abilities do also adjust the difficulty as well with several pros and cons to the use of each character.

Sonic Mania features some very cool unlockables, modes, and various filters that mimic the look of playing on old CRT tv’s and it can really fuel the nostalgia even further when switched on. Many of the special moves that can be unlocked are only accessible when playing without the ability to save, which is rather bizarre. You can also press Y+B (on the Switch) at the main screen to unlock level select as well, should you be eager to retry a few stages.

With Sonic Mania revisiting not just the visual style of the classic and beloved Sonic games, its audio needed to balance that nostalgia and it does so with superb results. The fast-paced chiptune beats are the result of a love for the original Sonic music by Portuguese composer Tiago “Tee” Lopes, who has been posting Sonic remixes on his own Youtube channel for nearly a decade. The music feels authentic to what Sonic Mania is trying to do visually and even the original music for the new stages works well alongside remixes of the classic theme’s we’ve enjoyed for decades.

My experience with Sonic Mania hasn’t been 100% fantastic, but damn close. I’ve read reports of massive delays for taking screenshots with both the share button, power button and menu button taking upwards to 4 seconds to respond, and this is something that the developer is looking into. While my power button has a 1-2 second delay, the other buttons so far appear to be functioning as intended.

I have very few issues with the game that mostly revolve around how Sonic can die and it can lead to minor frustration when it happens. Everything from a time-gate to levels that can end your fun when you least expect it, to getting squished by platforms when they are barely even touching you, or the animations when falling or jumping that can leave you open to an attack. I’ve also mentioned my distaste of the death mechanics in the final zone that just feels far too cheap to really be anything well designed like most other locations in the game. I’m also not a huge fan of boss encounters not offering up at least a few Rings should you run out of them, but that one is just me being a bit picky, really.

I will say that I had my choice of which console to purchase Sonic Mania on and frankly, the Switch was the no-brainer choice for me. Playing it on the go, at work, and at home gave off feelings of not just playing a new Sonic game in HD, but that of playing Sonic games back in the day on the Game Gear, another Sega platform that had some fantastic Sonic games, which is I why I really prefer playing Sonic Mania in my hands on the Switch.

Sonic Mania is as love-letter to a classic game as you can get. When a small team is given the ability to rely solely on their passion to make a solid product without the game feeling rushed or packed with industry-wide greedy business practices, you can get a wonderfully crafted experience like this. If you have ever enjoyed any of the classic Sonic games or platformers in general, then you owe it to yourself to buy this game right now, it’s nearly pixel perfect and quite frankly, the best Sonic game ever made.

Sonic Mania was played and reviewed on a digital copy purchased by the reviewer.

All screenshots were taken on the Nintendo Switch.

Game Review: Sonic Mania (Switch) was originally published on Game-Refraction