Super Return of the Jedi (Super NES, 1994)

Luke Skywalker is back, and his lightsaber seems to have doubled in size and changed colors, possibly due to his close proximity to Leia.

...Eww.

Super Empire Strikes Back (Super NES, 1993)

This game is even better than the first. Much like the movie.

Remastered post, now with Nintendo Power scans and added awesomeness.

Super Star Wars (Super NES, 1992)

This game is excellent.

Remastered post, now with Nintendo Power scans and added awesomeness.

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Nintendo 64, 1996)

The third major N64 game is a fun trip. It's got issues, sure, but it manages to succeed as a game on the strength of the flight levels and a bit of charm. This is a side-story that takes place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Shovel Knight, Pt 3 - Finale

And now, the exciting conclusion. This is going to be a test to see how many NES game references I can make in one post, so be warned.

Shovel Knight, Pt 2

The under-sea lair of Treasure Knight looks pretty rad. It reminds me of that underwater reactor place in Final Fantasy VII. Or maybe it was VIII...it had archways and stuff.

Shovel Knight (Everything, 2014)

It's time for A Shovel Knight Thanksgiving: A trio of posts for the weekend. This is a game I've been wanting to cover on here for a while. It's an indy sensation from 2014 that I was a bit late to the party on; didn't get around to it until mid-2016. It has taken me 15 months to get around to doing posts on the game, but one thing is for sure: This is absolutely the kind of game I like covering on here. Let's get to it.

The Mega Man Awards (Classic and X Series)

It's TIIIIIME to take another look at the Mega Man series (classic and X) and talk about the best and worst of the saga. Having just played the entirety of the series in the past year, my memory of it is fresh enough to make the tough calls. Let's do this.

Note: I'm including the Game Boy classic series in with the "normal" classic series. Not included: Remakes or spinoffs like Maverick Hunter X, the Legends games, Mega Man Soccer, or Rockman and Forte.

Mega Man X8 (Playstation 2, 2004)

 

This is it, the culmination of the X series. Isn't 8 a weird number to end on?

The Corona Jumper Halloween Special

ANY QUESTIONS?

Mega Man X7 (Playstation 2, 2003)

This is debatably the worst game in the X series. I think Mega Man X6 is more of a chore to play, but it's close. My question is...who is that weird robed hologram in the background of the title screen? It doesn't resemble any of the characters in the game.

Mega Man Classic Series Extravaganza

Set aside a few hours and join me for the ultimate smorgasbord of Mega Man classic playthroughs. Also, tune in for the Mega Man X7 post soon...once I finish suffering through it.

Mega Man X6 (Playstation, 2001)

 Hoo boy. Finally got to this one.

Mega Man X5 (Playstation, 2001)

Mega Man X5 is a game that I once considered to be the best game of the X series. ...it isn't. It's far from it. It's also far from the worst, but a number of bone-headed mistakes keep it out of the top tier. Join me as I play the final game in this vaunted seri... what's that? Capcom went behind the series creator's back and made three more after this? Huh. Well, at least they finally wrapped up the storyline with Wily and all that. What? They didn't, and the last two games completely drop the storyline in question? FUUUUUU-
 

Donkey Kong Country 3 Playthrough

Join me for a video speed(ish) run of Donkey Kong Country 3, one of the last major Super NES platformers.

Super Metroid Speed Run (2017 Run)

Today on Solar Eclipse Day, it's only fitting that I post my latest Metroid-related speed run. This one was so much fun that I think I might start making speed runs of the game a semi-regular thing just to see how far I can push the timer.

Inappropriate Entrance Themes

Today I'm amassing all of my Inappropriate Entrance Theme videos. The idea behind them is exactly what it sounds like: I'll take entrance video footage for a particular wrestler (or wrestling stable) and set it to (what should be, on paper) completely inappropriate music. Sometimes, the inappropriate music in question ends up being way too appropriate.

Mega Man X4 (Playstation, 1997)

For the first time ever, I cover the X series debut on the original Playstation. This was RAD when it first dropped. Does it stand the test of time? Either way, it's more fun than Mighty No. 9.

Mighty No. 9 (Everything, 2016)

Well, it's better than nothing.

Top 15 Biggest Troll Enemies

 The idea behind this list is to look at regular enemies rather than bosses; I feel like bosses get plenty of lists and mentions, yet regular enemies go largely unsung. What are the most difficult/annoying regular enemies I've ever faced in games? That's the subject of today's list, so let's have at it. I give you...the Top 15 Biggest Troll Enemies.

How far can I get without dying in the Ninja Gaiden trilogy?

The answer? Not very far, as it turns out. Videos within.

Tetris Attack Playthrough

Wild Arms 3 Part 3 is on the way! In the meantime, check out my impromptu playthrough of Tetris Attack. This game meant a lot to me as a kid, and got me interested in a way no other puzzle game managed to back then.

Metroid 2: Return of Samus (Game Boy, 1991)

This was the second game I ever owned (after Kirby's Dream Land). And now it has an unofficial remake out plus an official remake in the works. This makes me happy, to say the least. Metroid 2 was the first game that really pulled me in and showed me that games could be deeper than what I thought as a kid.

A Smorgasbord of Videos II

Smorgasbord of videos here. No big whoop.

The Top 11 Opening Menu Themes

Time for a very unorthodox list. These are what I consider the best opening menu themes in games - not necessarily title screen music, but some of these also play on the title screens of their respective games. Fighting game character selects don't count, nor do Mega Man type stage selects. All that counts are opening menu themes, and there are a surprising amount of good ones out there (mostly in RPGs). These are my 11 personal favorite menu themes, and your mileage may vary. Let's have at it.

Tekken (Playstation, 1995)

 With Tekken 7 finally releasing, I figured it'd be a good time to check out the game that started it all. I never played this when it was current (started with Tekken 2). Join me as I play the origin story of the Mishima family, that cat wrestler, and whatever the hell Yoshimitsu is.

TNA Impact (Playstation 2, 2008)

Today I'm going to take a look at Impact Wrestling's one console game. It really surprises me that this game hasn't gotten any kind of follow-up in the six years since. The sales weren't terrible and while it got bad reviews, that has never stopped game companies from releasing follow-ups before. Besides, they could make more of these on the cheap by just copying and pasting all of the assets like game engine and crowd graphics and so forth. In any case, I don't know what to expect from this game, so let's jump in. NOTE: Now with video footage added in.

Super Smash Bros Brawl (Nintendo Wii, 2008)

The previous game was just a melee. A donnybrook, if you will. This one is an all-out BRAWL.

Super Smash Bros Melee (Game Cube, 2001)

Fast-forward a mere two years and the series now has Gamecube Intensity. The N64 original was a pretty cool concept, but this is where that concept truly gets realized: The best way to sum up Super Smash Bros Melee is to run up to someone and flying punch them.

Super Smash Bros (Nintendo 64, 1999)

This game is just like The Purge. For one night a year, it's legal for Nintendo characters to murder. Time for Kirby and Pikachu to settle their long-standing feud... by bathing in each other's blood.

The First Hour of Prey

That's right, I played some Prey. Awesome intro credits and some shocking twists within the first few minutes. More after the jump.

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Part VII

As Link battles a knight miniboss, I can't get over that one heart by itself on the second row. I need to get a couple more hearts before the final boss. Unfortunately, the final boss happens TODAY.

Wrestlemania 33 Highlights

I made another veedio

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Part VI

 The Temple of Droplets features puzzles where you use sunbeams to melt ice. The amount of imagination that went into this game knows no bounds.

Mass Effect Andromeda (Finished)

I play Mass Effect Andromeda. Now updated through to the end!

I Play Mortal Kombat 2 With My Girlfriend

My God, we're STILL annoying.

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Part V

Our next stop is Lake Hylia. That isn't it on the left there. It's a lot bigger than that, and it's our next destination.

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Part IV

The hat speaks. Forget about what to wear, I'll be happy if this brash punk can get through a formal occasion without making a drunken scene.

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Part III

"...The tongue tornado!"

Wait, this is the swordplay class, right?

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - Part II

This might well be my favorite 2D Zelda. It's so picturesque and moody in a good way. I really like the shrinking mechanic and how it alters your perception of the world.

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Game Boy Advance, 2004)

This game came out two days after the 2004 presidential election.

Ouch.

Mega Man Zero 4 (Game Boy Advance, 2005)

Time for the shocking conclusion of the entire Mega Man classic/X/Z series. Unlike the first three, this game is kind enough to offer the player an easy mode. This is a series that was in dire need of an easy mode just to provide accessibility to non-hardcore players. There's a time and a place for easy mode, and this was the time and place. That said, I think some games have gone overboard in the modern era by giving us easy modes where it's literally impossible to die (Final Fantasy XV, Mass Effect Andromeda). That's a story for another day.

Mega Man Zero 3 (Game Boy Advance, 2004)

I once said that Mega Man Zero 2 was possibly the hardest Mega Man game. I was wrong, because this one is harder. Yep, each Zero game seems to be even more difficult than the one before it.

Final Fantasy XV Demo Videos

Today I'm posting looks at the two Final Fantasy XV demos. Both of these were pretty fun.

Mega Man Zero 2 (Game Boy Advance, 2003)

This is Mega Man Zero 2. Probably the most hardcore Mega Man game of all time. It'd make the original Mega Man on the NES weep. It'd make Mega Man X6 cry. It'd make the first Mega Man Zero run for its life. Mega Man 9 might be about on the same level as this one, but even that very difficult game gives the player more breaks. Enough about the difficulty though. With a fairly emphatic end to Neo Arcadia in the first game, where can the story go from here? Let's find out.

Mega Man Zero (Game Boy Advance, 2002)

It's been a while since I did an entirely new post, but we're back with a bang. This is a fantastic Mega Man offshoot from 2002 that the Game Boy Advance got (and later a DS compilation came out, so we've got no excuse for not checking it out even now). This is, in a way, the "true" sequel to Mega Man X5, taking place after a time jump in a world where X as we knew him is no more and Zero...looks completely different for some odd reason. Originally, this was intended to continue the story of Mega Man X5's apocalyptic satellite ending, with society barely rebuilding. Once the other branch of Capcom went and made Mega Man X6, they had to revise this story a bit to accommodate it. As a result, the other three MMZ titles all kinda veer off in another direction. Let's get to it.

Pokemon FireRed: The Let's Play

A smorgasbord of videos on Pokemon FireRed to cap off the Pokemon fest. Had my girlfriend with me on some of these, and went solo on others. Join me for Pokemon Generation 1 one more time!

Shaq-Fu (Super NES, 1994)

Shaq-Fu is a legendary game starring one of the NBA's most beloved players: Shaquille O' Neal. It exposes his secret double life, which consists of saving orphans from nefarious aliens and looking out for his neighborhood. A Boston Celtic (and formerly LA Laker and Orlando....uh...Magician), Shaq recently celebrated his birthday at the Boston Children's Museum with a bunch of kids. So basically the Shaq in the game is pretty similar to the real one... just with mad Kung Fu skills. With everything he does for this city, I'm surprised that Shaq isn't an honorary Boston Red Sock.

All of this should not be confused with former Chicago Bulls superstar Dennis Rodman's double life, which consisted of penis tattoos and doing drugs that haven't even been named yet. To put this in perspective, if we could get back all the money that was wasted keeping Rodman under lockdown at Animal Control, the United States would be on Mars.

I Play Mortal Kombat With My Girlfriend

My God, we're annoying.

Super Metroid - No Death Run (2016 Run)

A smorgasbord of videos as I attempt to plow through the game without saving or losing. Eventually I'll try this again and make it a full-on speed run, because I know I can do better than this.

Pokemon: Generation III (Epilogue)

Wait, didn't I finish Pokemon before the New Year? Not quite. I've got Pokemon FireRed videos on the way, plus there's one more thing to do in Pokemon Emerald. That's right, I'm going after the former champion. It's time to take on the deadliest Pokemon trainer in Hoenn: Steven.

Mega Man X3 (Super NES, 1995)

The end of the Super NES trilogy arrives with a bang. This is by far my least favorite of the three as it fixes a lot of what wasn't broken to begin with (while breaking the boss AI). Join me as I slog through it for your amusement.

Mega Man X2 (Super NES, 1994)

A year after the previous game, we got this one. Since I didn't play Mega Man X until about eleven months after it was released, this meant I got to basically go right from the first game to the next. As a result I had the benefit of directly comparing the two, and I'd go so far as to say this is the better of the two. Mega Man X is more appealing in a lot of its designs, and the fortress levels are definitely better, but other than that I prefer Mega Man X2's gameplay and music by a slight edge. They're still essentially tied at the top of the X series for me. This is a game that I can essentially replay at any time and have fun.