Saturday, March 23, 2013

NERDCULTURE SMACKDOWN! POKÉMON OF THE WEEK! MAR 23-MAR 29/13!

#519 PIDOVE, #520 TRANQUILL, #521 UNFEZANT

Time for me to take a look at some Pokémon from Generation 5 that, because of their dull normal/flying for like the fifth time or more pigeon design, I've mostly ignored. Oddly enough, I actually knew the names of these Pokémon (mostly cuz I just started playing Black 2 again) and I hope I can glean something compelling from these feathered fellows.


WORD OF THE DAY! 3/23/13!

dating sim [deyt-ing-sihm]
noun
1. A video game subgenre, usually Japanese but slowly seeing exposure abroad, that simulates a romantic experience. The game play can have a multitude of mini-games and puzzles, but most have the objective of playing as a character that is courting several characters to try and achieve a romantic relationship.

EX. The pic above doesn't really sum up a "dating sim" although it is a simulation of courting in a video game. For a hilarious dating sim, check out...


Hatoful Boyfriend is a dating sim where you are a human girl going to highschool with and dating talking pigeons. This is a satire of the often silly/bizarre/just plaid odd subgenre that often crosses the line into various perverse fetishes (like a game where all of the prospective dates have disabilities (I might talk about this one sometime)), stereotypical anime cliches (harem anime, tsundere, etc.), and odd translations that create something that to the "irony"-- I do not think that word means what I think it means-- loving gamer is a goldmine of humor.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

MIXED BAG. MAGICAL QUEST STARRING MICKEY MOUSE (SNES) REVIEW!


MIXED BAG. PRESENTS
MAGICAL QUEST STARRING MICKEY MOUSE (SNES)!

Developer: CAPCOM
System: Super Nintendo (1992)
Genre: Platformer

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/21/13!

 icon [ahy-kon]
noun
1. A picture, image, symbol or other representation of an object or idea.
2. An image or representation that stands for its object or idea by virtue of resemblance and/or analogy to it.
3. A person regarded as a representation or symbol of an organization, industry, or idea.

EX. Walt Disney was an American icon and Mickey Mouse, one of his earliest creations (made in collaboration with Ub Iwerks) at Walt Disney Studios in 1928, has stood the test of time to stand as a symbol of American family entertainment, animation, and fun. For many of us, Disney and Mickey represent something special in our childhood and that is why, besides the dozens of other reasons, they will remain icons.

For your enjoyment, check out these classic Mickey cartoons linked above and below... that I've seen in Theaters (@ Disney Land/World, Fantasia 2000, A Goofy Movie) except for the latest toon, Croissant de Triomphe.



Wednesday, March 20, 2013

WTF WED! THOR LOVES LOKI & JON LOVES ARIN & INTERNET LOVES CAT!


First up we've got a completely untimely and yet... somehow perfectly prompt toon from the mind factories of OneyNG (Hellbenders) about every filmgoer's favorite half-brother demigods, Thor and Loki. In the vein of a recently internet sucessful vidja Wingardium Leviosa Harry Potter toon, it starts off with a simple pun or play on words before snowballing into an avalanche of WTF.


Speaking of two brothers from another mother, I've got a classy Game Grumps fanimation about Jontron's and Egoraptor's... relationship. You might recognize the audio clip from a previously featured installment of Music Mon mentioning the scene where Egoraptor AKA Arin Hanson (who is engaged to a lovely Soozie Goose) loses his mind over a glitch in the terrible game Sonic '06 (that is currently in its 79th 10-20 min. installment). Check that scene out HERE.


And last but not least, in our grammatically awkward WTF Wed article, we've got a look at a another WTF video from Japan-- wait what? It's from CHINA?! WTF China...seriously? Anywho, the video is about a tabby cat going on adventure to find a herb to save his mistress's life only for it to turn out to be a pharmacy ad. Go figure.

 

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/20/13!

victim of circumstance
noun
1. An individual who suffers unfortunate and/or tragic consequences from factors beyond their control and/or knowledge.

EX. Bruce Wayne was just another victim of circumstance. Alongside his parents, Martha and Dr. Thomas Wayne, young Bruce was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shortly after leaving the cinema, after a viewing of The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, The Mask of Zorro, etc. (often at Christmas time), for whatever reason, the Wayne end up in a dark alley where a thug pulls out a gun and demands Martha's pearls. Something goes array and the crook ends up shooting Bruce's parents before booking it. His world is shattered and he spends years brooding over the feeling of helplessness that he couldn't do anything, until, eventually, he realizes with his money and access to resources/knowledge, Bruce could prevent other children from suffering the same fate and, through a bit of contrived stumbling, winds up picking the Bat as his symbol of fear/justice to become The Bat Man.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

WEEKLY ROUND-UP! 3/11-3/17/13!

WEEKLY ROUND-UP PRESENTS

7. POKÉMON OF THE WEEK! #434 STUNKY & #435 SKUNTANK

I know I gave these butt-faced skunks a lot of guff, but this cartoony rendering of Skuntank is growing on me... He just looks like such a grumpy little munchkin.

6. WORD OF THE DAY! 3/14/13! Grunt.

On that note, I suppose there are worse Pokémon to be paired with as a Team Rocket grunt than Stunky but I'd prefer something with a little more bite. What Poison or Dark Pokémon would you want to have as your evil starter?

5. WORD OF THE DAY! 3/17/13! Monorail.

Flashback: The second Word of the Day article I did for DSF was Simpsons-themed and included "cromulent" and "embiggen"! Check it out HERE!


4. MUSICAL MON! BOOMHAUER'S SONOVOX VS. TALI: QUARIAN DISNEY PRINCESS!

"Harumph. How can you read this? Where are the gun specs?"

3. WORD OF THE DAY! 3/13/13! Comeback.

I got some good mileage out of the Pokémon anime lately (but I don't really watch it which sorta feels like cheating).

2. WTF WED! MY LITTLE SPANISH SWIMMING PONY ANIME DS!

I was pretty proud of everything I talked about in this article that truly embodied a variety of WTF-- from plain old pony WTF to offensive WTF to cultural WTF. Good stuff.

1. MIXED BAG. CAVE STORY REVIEW!

Cave Story has probably lodged itself in the echelon of games that, rather than be a footnote in my game catalog, will stand the test of time and be something I go back to every two or three years. Like Super Mario Galaxy 1/2, Twilight Princess, Halo, etc. Also, if you haven't figured it out yet... CAVE STORY IS FREE! CLICK HERE! Download the game and the English Language Pack and start playing it ASAP.


WORD OF THE DAY! 3/19/13!

big & tall [big-and-tawl]
adjective
1. A term used to described plus-sized for overweight and tall people or a store that accommodates those customers.

EX. I'm only between 6'0-6'1 and, while I am overweight, I am not voluminous, but I do buy the smallest sizes in Big & Tall sections at stores. Mainly, because if you go to a chain store like JC Penny's, Big & Tall clothes are on sale or, during a sale, are even cheaper. This comes in handy for buying jackets (which usually you don't mind being a little big). That's how I got my leather duster.

Monday, March 18, 2013

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/18/13!


venture [ven-cher]
noun
1. An undertaking involving uncertainty as to the outcome, especially a risky or dangerous one.
2. A business enterprise or speculation in which something is risked in the hope of profit; a commercial or other speculation.
3. The money, ship, cargo, merchandise, or the like, on which risk is taken in a business enterprise or speculation.
4. A hazard or risk.

verb (used with object)
5. To expose to hazard; risk, etc.
6. To take the risk of; brave the dangers of, etc.
7. To undertake to express, as when opposition or resistance appears likely to follow; be bold enough; dare, etc.
8. To take the risk of sending.
EX. Today, is another venture. Everyday is a venture. Every instant is a venture. Every instant contains in itself an infinite number of possibilities. Your very will, your very self, your very soul-- the cosmic object that propels your existence shapes time and space in destructive and creative ways that are unfathomable and discernible. The reality you exist in, lucky for you, has decided to visit your amazing and fragile existence with a porridge of entertainment; not too cold, not too hot, but just right on time to gorge our eyes and ears with visceral stimulation. Your mind will be numbed, sated, and full for a time. 

Some may fear it, but I say let the hunger for reality and fiction never end.

MUSICAL MON! "EVERYTHING'S COMING UP GAME GRUMPS!"


What's that? I just talked about my love for the Simpsons yesterday and I'm following up with a fan song about everyone's favorite character-- well, everyone who appreciates the poor blue-haired bastard's awkward position as Bart's whipping boy-- but guess what kiddies, "everything is comping up Milhouse!" Because this week we got an awesome remix from one of my favorite youtube subscriptions, Cossbysweater, whom you may or may not remember from A Song For Ulvaak.


Atpunk01, liltommyj, and xXJerryTerryXx are three of the most prolific and profound remixers in the Game Grumps community. I've shared several of their works before on Music Monday and, as if to grant a wish I didn't even know I wanted, they've come together to produce a delightfully dense collaboration mixing and blending their styles into something that is truly stirring. Good job.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

WORD OF THE DAY! 3/17/13!

monorail [mah-noh-rehyl]
noun
1. Mono= one. Rail= rail.

EX. If you didn't know, I'm a huge Simpsons fan (amongst other Fox animated shows).

Most Simpsons fans would probably agree that one of the best episodes of the Simpsons is "Marge VS. The Monorail" in Season 7. It involves a huckster tricking the townsfolk out of a million dollars to build a monorail; it has cameos from Leonard Nimoy, as himself, and Phil Hartman as Lyle Lanley (which is always a bonus). It also has one of Matt Groening's favorite Simpson's moment...


Something you might not know is that Australians love their Simpsons. In fact, while my oldest Simpsons memories are of the Tree House of Horror (which I have some on an old VHS mix tape), I became a fan by renting tapes from the local video rental chainstore that would lead to me owning about a dozen seasons on DVD, several mix DVDS, and various paraphernalia (like a TV tray I fashioned to be part of my desk).

On that note, I love the online comments of this Australian newspaper below about the monorail.