Elfen Lied - Anime Review

Here's a review of the Anime series Elfen Lied that I wrote a while back for Telewatcher.com:

A lot of the reviews for the anime series Elfen Lied on the Internet would have you believe that the series is nothing but senseless violence and nudity just for the sake of creating shock value, but that is not the case. Elfen Lied is an excellent anime series about the darker, and often inhumane and inhuman, side of humanity.



Elfen lied is a short anime series (only 13 episodes) about a race of mutants, called diclonius, who’s entire existence is seemingly to kill humans and destroy mankind. The plot centers around Lucy, a diclonius who escapes from a research facility and develops a split personality (named Nyu) as a result of being shot in the head as she made her escape. I’m going to try to keep this review spoiler-free.

Click here to read the rest of this review.

Subbed vs. Dubbed Anime

One major point of contention in Otaku circles is whether dubbed or subbed anime is better. Both side of the argument have their own reasons for preferring one over the other, though fans on either side generally disregard any arguments made by the other.

I wrote an article for Telewatcher a while back that both Sub and Dub fans should read to put an end to this argument once and for all:

There is much debate in the anime community over whether subbed or dubbed anime is better. Some fans prefer to watch their anime in it’s original form, whereas others would rather hear dialogue in their own native language. Whichever they prefer, anime fans tend to get into very heated arguments defending their choice as the proper way to watch anime.

Read the rest of the article at: Subbed vs. Dubbed Anime: Which is Better?

RockBand 3 for the DS = FAIL!

I looked into buying RockBand 3 for the DS when we were getting the Wii version. However, after reading reviews and looking at the game, I was not impressed at all.

I wrote a full preview/review for Gameolosophy.

When I heard that there was going to be a Nintendo DS version of the new Rock Band Game, I admit, I was a little excited. I already played the first two DS Guitar Hero games and had fun with those. Since I like the Rock Band series more than Guitar Hero, I expected that the Rock Band game for the DS would also be better than the Guitar Hero DS games.

How wrong I was. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that Rock Band 3 on the DS doesn't even have the one thing that actually made Guitar Hero work as a portable version; instrument peripherals. Though the Guitar Hero DS games did get some criticism for the odd "Guitar Grip" (and the nickname "Accordion Hero"), it did make the game a lot more fun than it would have been if there hadn't been a guitar peripheral.  

Read the rest of this review at Rock Band 3: DS Version – is It Worth Playing?

Review of a Generic Vampire Manga

Have you ever read a book that was so bad, you wanted to write a review of it as soon as you managed to drag yourself, kicking and screaming, to the final pages of the book? The Reformed, an OEL manga by Christopher Hart, was one such book.

I originally posted this review at: The Reformed – Vampire Manga Review | Bookstove

I picked up a manga at Borders last week called The Reformed by Christopher Hart. I normally don’t read things about vampires out of principle, but Borders was having a buy 4 get 1 free sale on manga and there were only four books that I wanted to get my boyfriend for his birthday. I figured I’d find a single volume manga for myself to read between classes as I don’t want to commit the time or money to a longer series, and The Reformed seemed kind of interesting (mostly due to the fact that the female lead has my name).

The Reformed is pretty much what you’d expect from a one-shot OEL (Original English Language) manga about vampires. It’s fun to pick out the cliches and pathetic attempts at “originality.” Though I don’t read much about vampires, even I could tell with in the first few pages that this manga wasn’t going to offer anything original.

The Reformed centers around a vampire who (shock!) falls in love with a human woman. The story starts out with the vampire, Giancarlo, saving Jenny the prostitute and taking her back to his home. This plot point seemed way too much like the beginning of V for Vendetta (the comic, not the movie).

Anyway, you find out later that Giancarlo is responsible for a string of hooker killings. I don’t know why he only likes the blood of hookers, he just does. It’s best not to think too hard about this book. Of course, Jenny is somehow different from the rest of the prostitutes and he falls in love with her and sleeps with her and doesn’t even think about killing her. The fact that he shows compassion for one person out of 6.5 billion shows that he has a conscience. Oh, he does free his servant by giving him back his soul near the end of the book as well. What a great guy.

The story ends the same way as any other book that’s supposed to be about romance. The last panel contains what was probably meant to be a huge surprise, but anyone who’s ever read a book involving two characters who fall in love and sleep together can see it coming from the beginning.

The plot is paper thin, predictable, and extremely generic. The characters are also extremely generic and flat. The story seems to progress way too fast without room for any real character development, though I guess that is forgivable given that it is a single volume. It seems like the only reason behind the two character’s relationship is the fact that Giancarlo is a male and Jenny is a female and they simply fall in love for the sake of falling in love (though I guess the target demographic, teen girls, can probably relate to that sort of relationship, so maybe that was the point). All we really know about Giancarlo is that he is a vampire who supposedly has a conscience and is in love with Jenny, and all we really know about Jenny is that she is in love with the vampire.

The artwork in The Reformed is alright. Nothing spectacular, but it could have been a lot worse. I tend to focus more on the story and dialogue than the artwork when I’m reading manga anyway, so even the best artwork in the world can’t save a weak plot. The artist, ANZU, is from Singapore, I believe.

In the afterward, the author talks about his inspiration for the book. One day he apparently came up with a super original idea all by himself: “What if a vampire had a conscience?” *yawn* it’s been done to death already. Ever watch Angel?

I think I know what the real inspiration was. Money. It’s obvious that this book was simply an attempt to cash in on the vampire fad created by Twilight. I can respect that. It makes sense to write about what people will buy, and right now books with hollow plots and Vampires are in demand.

If you are 14 and are into the whole Twilight fad, you will probably love The Reformed. The rating says ages 16+, but I think most readers over the age of 16 would expect a bit more from their manga. There wasn’t really anything in The Reformed that I really thought warranted a 16+ rating anyway, other than possibly the implied sexual encounter (nothing too graphic at all) and vampire violence. If you are over the age of 16 and prefer manga with any amount of substance, you can probably find something better to read.

Apple Announces New iPad

Apple finally officially announced their long-awaited "iPad" tablet PC yesterday. The wi-fi version of this product will be available in late March, but a 3G model is coming in April. The price starts at $499, which is reasonable for Apple.

The iPad is essentially what would result if an iPhone Touch and a MacBook had a baby. Or simply and overgrown iPod Touch.

The iPad has most of the key apps that ship with the iPhone and iPod Touch, including Safari, YouTube, Mail, and Maps. It also comes with the app iBooks, making the iPad a direct competitor to other ebook readers on the market, such as the Kindle. Apple is already seeking people to develop iPad apps to be ready for its release.

The iPad uses the same multitouch technology as the iPhone and iPod Touch. It also uses a touch screen keyboard, though there will also be a "keyboard dock" available to be used with the iPad.

I kind of want one. I don't really really have any practical use for it, since I already have a MacBook, an iPod Touch, and a netbook, and I don't think there's really anything the iPad can do that at least one of those devices can't, but it still seems cool. Since it's so thin and the entire thing is just a giant screen, I'd be afraid that it would break too easily though. Plus, I don't exactly have an extra $500 to spend on random things like this.

Thoughts on Mario

I've been thinking about Mario lately. Who would think of a game involving a plumber who has to save a princess from a turtle? I think they must have been high or something when they came up with the idea. Especially when you consider the fact that mushrooms are a powerup and the games take place in the Mushroom Kingdom.

(in a reefer-induced surfer voice) "Dude... you know what would be totally rad? If there was like this plumber... and he was Italian... and then there was this princess that he was like totally into, but she kept getting kidnapped by this giant turtle... and the plumber could like run around the Mushroom Kingdom using these green sewer pipes for travel, since he is like a plumber and stuff. And then he could take these 'shrooms and turn giant. That would be a totally awesome game! ... Wait a minute... where am I? My hands are like... enormous!"

Of course, I guess the Japanese don't need drugs to come up with f-ed up stuff. Either way, Mario is still awesome.

That's really all I got for today's post.

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road review

A lot of people probably see The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road as a game for younger gamers, but I think that even the most experienced RPG fans could enjoy this game, especially those who are also fans of The Wizard of Oz (obviously).

The game starts out similar to the movie, but with anime-style graphics. Dorothy must travel along the yellow brick road to reach the Wizard's castle. Sadly, there are no munchkins in the game. Along the way, you meet the Scarecrow, the Lion, and the Tin Man. It takes maybe an hour or so to reach the Wizard and you can only save in Oz's Castle, so you shouldn't start the game unless you have time to get to the save point.

The game has gotten some criticism for the plot being different from the movie, but if you actually pay attention to the second half of the title, "Beyond the Yellow Brick Road," you would expect the game to take place mostly AFTER Dorothy and the gang have traveled along the yellow brick road. From my understanding, the game is based more on the books than on the movie, though I've never actually read the books.

After you reach Oz's Castle, he will instruct you to go to different areas of Oz to find magical eggs so that he can take the power away from the "evil" witches. Once you get the egg in one area and clear the stage, you will be able to go on to the next stage. Each area is named after a season (there are three stages per season, with the exception of Winter) and you must fight the corresponding witch at the end of the last stage in each season. I'm not going to spoil the game, but there is still more you have to do after beating the last witch and getting the 10th egg.

The controls in the game are done entirely by using the stylus. You move by moving the stylus on a track ball on the screen and input commands in battle via buttons on the touch screen. This is useful if you don't feel like actually holding the DS while playing.

Each character has it's own affinity, which means that they are each best against certain types of enemies. Ghost-type enemies are weakest against Dorothy, water-type are weakest against Scarecrow, shell-type are weakest against Lion, and plant-type are weakest against Tin Man. Yeah, I'm not sure how the game developers picked these elements or why a certain character is better against each one either. The affinities do seem kinda random. A lot of the monsters can be killed with one attack. For the first few stages, the enemies seem to be interesting, but you quickly realize that new enemies are simply the same monsters you already saw in a different color.

Each character also has a "ratio" number and you can have up to 4 each turn during battle. Dorothy's and Scarecrow have a ratio of 1, Lion 2, and Tin Man 3. So, for example, you can have Dorothy attack 4 times, Lion twice, Tin Man once and Scarecrow once, Lion once Dorothy once and Scarecrow once, or any other combination that adds up to 4.

Aside from saving the game, you can ask to be healed and buy and sell items in Oz's castle. After you complete each Season, there will be new equipment for each character available to purchase with your coins. Each character can have a weapon and armor. You can also find some weapons and armor in treasure chests in various stages, but the purchased ones seem to be better.

The game is insanely easy, but it's still fun and addictive. I would recommend it to gamers of any age or skill level. Well, female gamers anyway. I don't really know a lot of men who are into the Wizard of Oz. It might not be very challenging but you will still have fun playing and will want to continue playing until you beat the game, which shouldn't be hard as it only takes about 20 hours or so to complete.

 The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

World's First Sex Robot

A company has recently developed what they are calling "the world's first sex robot." No, this company, True Companion LLC, is not Japanese, but rather, is based in New Jersey. The robot, named Roxxxy, is designed to engage the user in conversation, as well as sex, but does not feature life-like movement.

The "robot" is simply a rubber doll with touch sensors and pre-recorded vocal sounds. It must be connected to a laptop (which is included with the doll) to work. I'm not so sure that this can even be described as a robot, as it cannot even move on it's own. Roxxxy cannot even move her head or lips to speak (sound comes from an internal speaker).

The tagline on the True Companion website is "Always turned on and ready to talk or play." According to founder Douglas Hines, "Sex only goes so far — then you want to be able to talk to the person." Obviously he hasn't met most men.

Hines claims he was inspired to create the robot after his friend died in the 9/11 attacks:

That got him thinking about preserving his friend's personality, to give his children a chance to interact with him as they're growing up. Looking around for commercial applications for artificial personalities, he initially thought he might create a home health care aide for the elderly.
source

Wait... What!?! How do you go from robotic version of your dead friend and health care aids to sexbot? I suppose a sex robot could be a form of health care aid, but I don't think it would be approved by most nursing homes [insert bad mental image of your grandparents here].

Apparently there was too much paperwork involved and the creator had to look to other markets. I mean, what sells better than sex?

The sex robot is simple marketing, according to Hines, and his project is really about creating a companion. The broader goal of the company is to make artificial personalities mainstream and expand beyond sex toys.

According to the True Companion website (not going to post a link, since I'm not sure if Blogger allows links to "adult only" websites, but it shouldn't be that hard to find), Roxxxy can even have an orgasm, which I'm guessing is guaranteed to be just as authentic as most real women's orgasms. They are also apparently releasing a male version of the robot soon. No, I'm not going to order one. I'm not that pathetic.

Japanese Man Marries Video Game Character

A man in Japan recently married the woman of his dreams, Nene Anegaski. The only problem is that she doesn't exist, except in the form of some pixels on a screen and lines of code in a video game.

The Japanese man, known only as Sal9000, met the love of his life on the Nintendo DS dating simulation game Love Plus, which is apparently only available in Japan (thank god!). The two of them got married last November in a livecast ceremony on the Japanese video sharing site Nico Nico Douga. The bride, Nene Anegaski, even made a speech.

I wonder how the honeymoon went. I'm not sure that the DS has the appropriate ports to consummate the marriage. Maybe there's a special add-on in Japan that plugs into the GBA slot (if he's using a DS Lite). I'll you visualize that...

I guess Love Plus isn't any worse than games like My Boyfriend for the DS, which I assume is the same basic thing, but for 12 year old girls instead of 30 year old men (sad, lonely, 30 year old men). No one can give me any shit for using a dating site to meet my boyfriend after this. At least he actually exists! (though I guess the people who use dating sites to meet people who live in different states or countries without ever actually meeting them in person before getting serious are just as pathetic as the Japanese guys who date video games. Either way, the person might as well not exist).

Here is a video featuring footage of the wedding:

And here is an interview with the man and photos of the happy couple: Video game wedding: a letter and photos from the bride and groom

This blog post deserves a new tag, Japan. I think I'm going to start covering f-ed up things from Japan in this blog now.

ATTN: TFSource Buyers; Credit Card Info Could Be Compromised

I got a call from my bank today stating that there was some fraudulent activity on my debit card. The suspicious charges were $1.00 from APL*ITUNES and $1.13 from APL*MOBILEME. That card has been cancelled, obviously.

It was clear that these were bogus charges, since I never buy anything from iTunes, and I honestly wasn't sure what MobileMe was until I Googled it, despite the fact that I use a Mac (it's a thing to sync your iPhone, Mac, and PC apparently). It seems that these hackers have an Apple fetish or that they want to smear Apple in the process of scamming a bunch of people. Perhaps they simply figured that enough people actually use iTunes that enough of them wouldn't notice until larger charges started appearing.

Upon further research (and a link my boyfriend sent me to a forum post on a site I rarely check anymore, TFW2005, a Transformers forum) I found out that the hackers most likely got my information from my TFSource.com account, which I stupidly used my debit card on instead of PayPal. I haven't purchased anything there since May 2009, but I was dumb enough to leave my debit card number in my TFSource account. A lot of other TFW2005 members, including those who have not used their compromised credit card for any website other than TFSource, have reported the same fraudulent charges, so all signs point to TFSource being the source of the fraudulent activity.

It seems as though the people who stole the credit card numbers are using them to purchase computers and such, so it is very important to cancel your card as soon as possible if you notice anything suspicious, least you end up losing thousands of dollars. Even if you haven't ever purchased anything from TFSource, other websites might have been compromised as well, so you should check your accounts anyway just to be safe.

In the meantime, it is still safe to use TFSource if you are into Transformers, but be sure to use PayPal rather than a credit card. I'm sure it's not their fault (other than having crappy security) and they are one of the best Transformers sites I've found. I definitely would not use a credit card there, or on any other website (other than things like Amazon, half.com, and PayPal) anymore, especially since most sites allow you to pay by PayPal.

I also did a quick Google search of the fraudulent charges, and there have been similar frauds going on for months. If I had to guess, I'd say it's the same hackers getting a hold of different databases. I believe TFSource is just one of many compromised sites in this scam.

High-Def Motion Sensing Nintendo DS is in the Works

Apparently a high-definition, motion sensing Nintendo DS is in the works. There will be twice as many lines of resolution in the new version, according to an interview with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, as well as a motion sensor.

Iwata has confirmed that the new DS is currently being developed and will feature high-definition video display and motion-sensing capabilities. 

As someone who gets so close to the screen while playing my DS that I actually get fixated on the lines of resolution while trying to play a game, I can appreciate a future move to HD for the system, despite the fact that I find HD TV entirely unnecessary.

Since DS sales are currently at an all-time high in the United States, the new version of the DS won't be available anytime soon.

Read the article about this on PCWorld.

Blogger Now Supports Amazon Associates Integration

I've had an Amazon Associates account to post product links into my blog for a while now. Blogger has recently added Amazon Associates integration for blog posts to make it easier to post product links into entries. I haven't had much luck with the program so far, and I doubt the integration will make readers more willing to click on links and buy things, but since it's easier now, I might as well post Amazon links more frequently.

Before the integration, you had to go onto the Amazon website and locate the items that you wanted to feature in your blog by hand, click the "link to this page" link on the Amazon Associates toolbar and edit the information to copy and paste into blog entries (which had to be done from the "Edit HTML" view).

Now that Blogger has integrated Amazon Associates into the posting interface, you don't even have to leave Blogger to get Amazon links.

To get started, first go to the "Monetize" tab of your blog and click on "Amazon Associates." You will be given the option to use an existing Associates ID or to create a new one if you don't already have one.

If you already have an Amazon Associates account, simply check that option to set up Amazon Associates with your blog. Once it is all set up, you can then post links directly into your entries as you write them. You don't even have to copy and paste anything. With this new system, simply highlight some text in your post, for example, "Harry Potter" and click "Go" on the Amazon box that now appears next to the post that you are writing. A list of products matching the highlighted text will appear. For the "Harry Potter" search, I chose a box set of books 1-7. To get the link, I simply clicked the blue "Link" box under the product.

What happens when you click one of the other blue boxes? For my second search using the new Amazon Associates feature, I will use the text South Park

When I click the "Image" box under the first search result, South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season, I get an image of the product that links to the product's page on Amazon.

And finally, if I search for The Wizard of Oz and click the "Link+Image" box under the result I chose, I get this little box next to the paragraph featuring a picture of the item, a text link, pricing info, and an "Amazon" button linking back to Amazon.com.

All three options are the same as if you were to go to the Amazon site directly and get the links, with some minor differences.

First of all, for the text links, I noticed that there's not a weird space after the link anymore (Never mind. It's still there, it just doesn't show up in Preview now). When you copy the link from Amazon and paste it into a webpage, there is always a space after the link that you can't get rid of.

I've never tried to post an image-only link before, but I imagine that it's the same.

The thing I noticed about the Link+Image is that it is automatically left-justified with the paragraph wrapping around it. When you copy and paste, the product gets it's own little paragraph. There also doesn't seem to be a way to customize the background and text color of the product info when you get the link through the Blogger interface.

Aside from Amazon Associates integration, it appears that Blogger has made some other minor changes to the way its users post blog entries. The biggest thing I noticed is the preview. It now displays a preview over the blog entry, with a button at the bottom to close out of preview.

Xbox Live Mobile?

According to a recent article on PC World, Xbox Live may be heading to mobile devices. This may coincide with the launch of Windows Mobile 7, which is expected for a late 2010 release. We all knew that Microsoft would enter the portable gaming market eventually. The only question was "when?" (and "how?")

Job postings on Microsoft's website show that the company is looking for a program manager and software tester. Both positions would focus on the integration of Xbox Live and Windows Mobile (if you are interested in those jobs, go look on the Microsoft site yourself. I'm not going to track down links to help you with your job hunting!)

In July, Microsoft confirmed that they would, in fact, pursue mobile gaming for the Xbox platform. At the time, Microsoft corporate president, Shane Kim, didn't know yet if they would develop a game-specific device or enable gaming capabilities on mobile phones.

But will Xbox Live actually be integrated into Windows Mobile for use on any Window's Mobile device, or will there be an entirely new handset made specifically for Xbox Live gamers. Either of these options could compete directly with the iPhone.  

Either way, I'm sure the thing would be digital copy only in terms of game software. Add that to the fact that I don't do much online gaming (and by "not much" I mean I've never played an MMO that wasn't free and browser-based) and that it's Microsoft, I'm not interested.

Will 2010 be the "Year of the Mac?" Does it Matter?

Will 2010 be the "Year of the Mac?" Galen Gruman asked this question in an article on InfoWorld. Apparently, every year since the mid '80s has seen predictions that the next year would, in fact, be the year that Macs finally become mainstream computers.

"It's almost a pathetic assertion: This year, the Mac will break out of its ghetto and become a mainstream computer for individuals and businesses alike. That unfulfilled desire is foretold every year and has been since the mid-1980s, when Apple's then-groundbreaking computer was quickly sidelined by the IBM PC and, later, Microsoft Windows."

But I thought Macs were already "mainstream." Maybe PCs still outsell Macs, but they are still far from obscure. Most businesses, schools, and universities already have at least some Macs in use. Macs are hardly "ghetto." Actually, I'm not sure any computer could be described as "ghetto."

I was going to make a point by showing the high percentage of Mac users to visit this blog, but Google Analytics shows that only about 20% of my visitors over the last month have visited using a Macintosh OS. But still. That's 1/5 of the visitors.

Despite the economic recession, MacBook sales have grown in 2009, and we all know those don't come cheap. During 2009, Apple's revenue rose 12%. For the quarter ending September 30th, Apple's net profit was $1.67 billion (source).

Anyway, according to the "2010: Year of the Mac?" article, one reason to suspect that Macs will become the mainstream computer in the coming year is the fact that Apple switched to the Intel chip (like four years ago!), which allows windows applications to more easily run on Macs. If that were the case, I'd guess that 2007 would have been The Year for Mac.

Other reasons include the fact that the MacBook Pro is becoming the first choice of professionals, people are increasingly able to choose their own computers for work, and that Macs are less expensive to support than PCs.

I don't know why Mac users are so obsessed with the idea of their computer of choice becoming #1. I use a Mac, and I would prefer that less people use them. I'm not trying to be elitist, I just don't want more people to start programing viruses for Macs. The fact that there are less Mac viruses out there was one of the main selling points in my decision to get a Mac when I wanted a new laptop a few years ago. I'm switching to Linux as my main OS as soon Macs get popular enough for computer viruses to be a major threat. I'm not going back to Windows unless Microsoft comes out with something truly awesome.

Besides, a lot of Mac users do act like elitist snobs when it comes to their computers. You'd think that they would still want PCs to be the choice of "normal" people. If everyone had a Mac, they wouldn't be able to turn their nose up at the majority of computer users who aren't part of their little Apple cult. Once something becomes common place, you don't get to act as arrogant about it.

I do like to start Mac vs. PC fights, though, just to get reactions (I really don't care what kind of computer you use). It's not as much fun online as in real life though, since you don't get to see the frustration on the other person's face. People get so defensive about their OS. There are a lot more important things to argue about... like which video game console is best.

And now for one of my favorite videos on the subject:

W00t 'n Such Shop

I just created a store for this website via Amazon's aStore. The link is on the link bar at the top of my blog and in an ad on the right sidebar (it may move in the future). I'm still working on adding items and categories, but right now the store contains video games, comic books, computers, iPods and more.

Here's the link: W00t 'n Such Shop

NES Emulation App for iPhone Approved, But Quickly Removed

Imagine the joys of playing NES games on your iPhone or iPod Touch. What could possibly be a better way to kill time while waiting for quitting time at work? Sure you could buy an handheld NES emulator or get a flash cart to run emulators on your Nintendo DS, but using your iPod Touch would open a whole new world of possibilities in which your boss would never know you're playing video games (if you are, in fact, allowed to listen to music at work). This was almost a reality. Almost.

According to an article by Lex Friedman of MacWorld, Apple recently approved an NES emulator app, but then removed it soon after. The app, Nescaline, would have allowed you to play any NES ROM on your iPod Touch or iPhone, including homebrew games. The app even came with five of these homebrew games.

Nescaline’s developer had thought of everything: You could tap on objects to simulate firing upon them with the Light Gun; you could use a multitouch virtual controller; you could enter Game Genie cheat codes…

Apple initially removed the app without explanation, though later they did apparently call the developer, Jonathan Zdziarski, to tell him that the app was removed "because it was an emulator." There are, however, still other video game emulation apps available in the App Store.

It's understandable that Apple wouldn't want something that could allow people to play illegal copies of games in their App Store, but it seems like they are approving an awful lot of apps that they later feel the need to remove. Do they even look at apps and consider any possible legal problems before approving them? Or do they simply approve anything that comes across their desk and let the lawyers and protesters sort them out later? Remember the Shaking Baby app? What about Zombie School?

Retro Duo - First Impressions

I got a Retro Duofor Christmas. If you don't know, the Retro Duo is basically an NES and SNES put together in the same system. It's perfect if you no longer have a working NES or SNES, or if you simply want to save space. Based on what I've read, it's the best clone system available.

There are plenty of other similar NES/SNES clone systems out there, but after reading reviews online, the Retro Duo seemed like the best choice, which is why I asked for it. I haven't run into any compatibility issues with it so far after testing every game I have (other than the lack of NES Zapper support). The Retro Duo supposedly plays games that other clone systems can't. It is even supposed to play PAL SNES games as well, but I don't have any PAL games to test.

It only supports Super Nintendo controllers (but I read online that they are working on an adapter to be able to use NES controllers on the system as well, which would also work with the Zapper. No idea when or if that will be released). The retro duo does come with SNES clone controllers in colors to match the system (I got red and black. I thought it looked cooler than the white and blue, even though the color scheme is completely different than the original SNES system).

The Retro Duo controllers do feel a bit cheap compared to the original SNES controllers, but they aren't as bad as some reviews I've read make them out to be. The biggest difference is that the X and Y buttons aren't concave like on the original controllers. Once I get into a game, I don't really notice the difference anyway. I haven't decided if I'm going to buy actual SNES controllers for it or not yet. The Retro Duo controllers aren't that much different from the real thing and they match the system.

The NES cartridge slot is a bit tight and it can be a bit difficult to remove NES games, but that's not a big deal. As long as you are gentle with the carts when removing them (rather than violently yanking them out) there shouldn't be a problem. You should be gentle with game systems (and any type of hardware, really) anyway, if you want them to last.

There are apparently some slight sound and color differences between the Retro Duo and the original systems, but I haven't really noticed anything that seems too off to my eyes and ears. Of course, I don't own either original system (hence why I wanted the Retro Duo) and I don't know anyone who still owns an NES (as far as I know. If I do, I've never been to their house...) so you can judge that for yourself if you are thinking about getting one. To me, game play is more important than sounds or graphics anyway (at least until I don't have sound, if you remember my post about my Sega Genesis).

It also has a tiny footprint. I have one of those plastic 7-drawer carts to keep some of my games and consoles in, and the Retro Duois small enough that I have plenty of room left in it's drawer to store some NES games in the same drawer (since the smaller drawer that I allotted to SNES and NES games is apparently too small since I didn't take into consideration that I'd be getting more games for Christmas when I partitioned the available drawers to certain game systems).

Well, I guess I'm going to wrap this up. I have a bunch of SNES and NES games to play, not to mention a new DS game.

Jesus, Drawn to Life, and Blasphemy

I started playing Drawn to Life for Nintendo DS over a year ago. I still haven't finished the game, since I haven't played it in over a year, but I did find a photo I took of the character that I created (I'll give you a hint, his birthday is tomorrow).

Since in the game, I was basically God ("the Creator"), I thought that it was only appropriate that I create my only son, Jesus, as the hero of the game.

Happy Birthday, Jesus... Please tell your daddy not to strike me down with lightning.

Happy Festivus!

Happy Festivus to all of my readers!



The comment section of this post may be used for the airing of grievances (since you'll probably get in some kind of trouble if you try that at your family dinner).

Mom Calls 911 Because Son was Playing Grand Theft Auto at 2:30 AM

Apparently some woman in Boston had so little control over her son, that the only way she could get him to stop playing Grand Theft Auto was to call 911.

Boston mom calls 911 over son's video game habit
By Associated Press

POSTED: 04:17 p.m. EST, Dec 21, 2009

BOSTON: Police say a frustrated Boston woman called 911 to say she couldn't get her 14-year-old son to stop playing video games and go to sleep.

Police spokesman Officer Joe Zanoli said Monday the mother called for help around 2:30 a.m. Saturday to say that the teenager also walked around the house and turned on all the lights.

Two officers who responded to the house persuaded the child to obey his mother.

Zanoli says the mother's 911 call over video game obsession "was a little unusual, but by no means is it surprising — especially in today's day and age when these kids play video games and computer games."

The Boston Herald first reported the 911 call, saying the boy was playing the popular "Grand Theft Auto" game.

Source

How bad of a parent do you really have to be to have to call 911 just to get your kid to stop playing a video game at 2:30 in the morning? I mean, if you're going to allow a 14 year old to play Grand Theft Auto, that's kind of your first sign that you have no business being a parent. He has no trouble getting his mother to buy him an M or AO rated game. Of course that kid is going to think he can do whatever he wants and walk all over the parent.

Also, what I want to know is how did the kid walk around the house and turn on all the lights if he was so busy playing a video game? Maybe it was the PSP version.

Seriously. How stupid are people these days? I still think that people should have to get a license of some sort before they are allowed to have kids.

I guess it could be worse. He could have been out actually stealing cars and dealing drugs and killing prostitutes at 2:30 in the morning.