jdodson | Cheerful Ghost

Digital Foundry Retro Covers The Epic History of Tetris!

If I was making a desert island list of games Tetris would top the list. Tetris has a very simple premise yet the core gameplay is wildly fun and hard to master. Many of you might not know but Tetris was created in Russia and that fact led to its very rocky start. DF Retro has an excellent doc video that covers all of the games historical beats including its launch on Gameboy, which was the first time I ever played it.

"DF Retro returns with a visual tour through the history of Tetris. From 1984 to 2018, John examines nearly 30 versions of Tetris across multiple generations of consoles!"

What Do You Want Peter? The New Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer Shows The Post Endgame MCU

The new Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer isn't new by any stretch but I decided to post it here after Avengers: Endgame has had more time at the box office because this new trailer contains more than a few Endgame spoilers. I'm not going to talk about the implications of the trailer here, but if you want to discuss all of that, let's have at it in the comments.

All that said, I wasn't sure if I was going to be interested in the MCU in a post Endgame world and it seems from this trailer, I am. I'm not sure if this is an opening night film, but something I will want to see in theaters for sure. What about you?

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/08/2019 at 04:48am

I'm 100% buying into the hype. Spider-Man is one of my favorite characters, so I was already planning on seeing this, but after seeing this trailer, this became an opening night movie for me. I will probably avoid any more trailers now!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/08/2019 at 03:23pm

That's a really good idea

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/08/2019 at 10:40pm

At 1:53 in the video, behind Mysterio, it looks like there's some furry dude, and behind Peter, it looks like someone with horns. Might it be some European festival that's going, or perhaps a multi-dimensional bar where they're talking? It seems odd that Mysterio and Peter would be at a bar without masks on... or I could just be seeing things lol

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/09/2019 at 10:56pm

I am still all in with the MCU

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/10/2019 at 03:54pm

🕷🕸

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Before Donkey Kong Country There Was Sega Aladdin!

Aladdin on the Sega Genesis only had a six month development window but what shipped was an incredible platformer worthy of the legendary cartoon. Ben Paddon takes a look at the game as well as the other ports surrounding it as well as how Virgin Games worked alongside Disney animators to make the game look incredible. The Aladdin game was Directed by David Perry who went on to mastermind Earthworm Jim as well as a host of other classic titles and Ben talks about that and how the game engine of Aladdin was used in a lot his work and beyond.

The Design of FTL & Into The Breach

FTL: Faster Than Light is one of those games I'll be playing here and there until I'm a grey beard and the followup Into The Breach is just as incredible looking, I just haven't played it yet. I'm holding out hope that it will come to the Switch and until then I'm a fan from the sidelines. Noclip, the amazing purveyors of YouTube game documentaries recently caught up with Subset Games at GDC and filmed a design discussion of FTL and Into the Breach. It's a good teardown of both games and how developers Justin & Matthew got their start in the industry.

The Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Trailer Looks Incredibly Campy

There is quite a bit one could say about the new Sonic the Hedgehog trailer but I want to focus my thoughts down to one basic thought. I love campy movies. Movies that are intentionally or unintentionally made with a nod and wink that revel in the underlying silliness of the premise can be some of the coolest theater experiences. The first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog seems to hat tip to the fact that this movie is gonna dial the camp factor to 11. Also, I wasn't interested in this film until I saw Jim Carrey doing his "Ace Ventura but with a bit more restraint thing" and I absolutely love it. Perhaps I'm a soulless nostalgia zombie tethered always to the 90's. Or maybe I just love stuff that looks like fun. Jim has taken a bit of a break from acting recently and it didn't make sense to me why he decided to jump back in with this role but after seeing how much fun he's having on screen, I really get it.

I'm not sure I'm going to see this film in theaters but to be fair to myself, I might. This movie could be a horrible train-wreck or something quite different and at this point I'm not entire sure which it will be. That said, a film that has the audacity to make Gangsters Paradise it's first trailer featured song is brave and I for that alone it gets my respect.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/02/2019 at 01:56pm

I think the problem with Sonic is that he looks like a mascot, or someone wearing a Sonic track suit. I can't get part how bad he looks in this.

But, the effects look like they'll be cool, and the sounds are perfect. Jim Carrey was my hero growing up, and he does have a lot of Ace vibes in this role, so maybe that'll eventually draw me in. My guess is this probably ends up on Netflix quickly, and I'll see it then.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/02/2019 at 04:17pm

Honestly I like campy movies and so-good-it's-bad movies so when this hits streaming services it may be worth a peek.

It's interesting though that a lot of people are saying that the saving grace of the trailer was Jim Carrey, and maybe he was, but the one thing holding me back from that is that Ace Ventura style Jim Carrey. Those movies are nails-on-a-chalkboard levels for me. I LOVE most of his work, and he's clearly a genius at what he does. Truman Show, Man on the Moon, The Majestic, he can play funny and heartfelt really well at the same time which can't be easy. And I loved Liar Liar, in college my roommate and I watched that like once a month. Even The Cable Guy which doesn't seem to be remembered well always gets laughs out of me. I guess at least the Ace movies aren't Me Myself and Irene which was just... ugh, I digress.

That said, Jon you described it as "with a bit more restraint" which may help. I much prefer Jim Carrey in this trailer than I did in the Ace movies so I'm optimistic for that part at least.

But yeah, I think this movie was made by fans based on some of the nods. When he goes down to slow-mo and makes a comment about his fitbit he has the pose that Sonic makes in the genesis games when you put the controller down for a while and he gets impatient with you.

So yeah I'm hoping for something fun and campy, or at least bad enough so that it's good again.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 05/02/2019 at 05:46pm

It actually looks kind of interesting. I love Jim Carrey, too, he's real funny.

Also wonder why they used "Gangstas Paradise" in the trailer, seems kind of odd.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/02/2019 at 06:42pm

> Also wonder why they used "Gangstas Paradise" in the trailer, seems kind of odd.

Cynic in me says because marketing for this is aiming __ALL__ of what this is on nostalgia aimed purely in the 90's. "Ohhh remember Sonic?" "Ohhh remember that Coolio song?" "Oh remember Jim Carrey?" "Oh remember Sega?"

Or maybe they just too a list of things you shouldn't do and did that. Frankly I thought the way the mixed the audio levels higher and lower based on what people said to be really distracting but then again this trailer blew up the Internet which seems like a wild success to me. Perhaps the genius of this trailer is in how bonkers it is, which anymore is a great way to get the word out.

NEXT UP A MARKETING VIDEO FOR CHEERFUL GHOST WHERE I TALK TO A BIRD FOR 1 MINUTE WHILE I PLAY SEMI-CHARMED KIND LIFE ON REPEAT WHILE EFRANKENBERRIES!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/02/2019 at 06:43pm

That might sound like a take-down of the trailer, but it's not, just honestly looking at what it is or at least how it seemed to me. Also it worked, but I'm that kind of old person that this trailer seems aimed at.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/02/2019 at 06:58pm

> NEXT UP A MARKETING VIDEO FOR CHEERFUL GHOST WHERE I TALK TO A BIRD FOR 1 MINUTE WHILE I PLAY SEMI-CHARMED KIND LIFE ON REPEAT WHILE EFRANKENBERRIES!

Shit I'd give you money for that.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 05/02/2019 at 09:50pm

LOL Good point, Jon. It's funny because the other day I heard Vinny listening to that song and wondered why. Now I know, he was watching the trailer. He agrees w/ me on this, too, I don't know why Jim Carrey is Dr. Robotnic and funny like Ace Ventura. Dr. R isn't a funny character, but he is in the movie because of Jim Carrey of course. It's odd, still kinda cool though.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/03/2019 at 02:20am

Looks like the power of a lot of fans complaining online has led to a design change:

https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/05/02/sonic-movie-director-vows-to-fix-hedgehog-design

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/03/2019 at 05:44am

That's great to hear!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/03/2019 at 04:30pm

Yeah, maybe. Not sure it would have meant anything for the box office and i'm not sure each person complaining means another ticket sold because they are addressing it.

What it might mean is the art team dying to make this happen in 5 or 6 months. I can see why the art team made Sonic that way, it sort of makes him human like and somewhat real-world practical. I've seen the fan renders of what they'd do and he has toothpick arms and legs. I get it why people are complaining, but it seems off to me. Like... Sonic seemed odd to me but I moved on.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 05/03/2019 at 07:13pm

I was fine w/ the Sonic in the trailer, but the internet really has done well to change him. Here's a pic. There may be more on this guy's Twitter account, I haven't looked too in depth. https://twitter.com/LarryBundyJr/status/1123418428906381317

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/03/2019 at 07:46pm

Now I've seen a conspiracy that this was all simply brilliant marketing, and that they weren't planning on releasing the movie with Sonic like this, but they made him look like trash for the publicity. Whilst that's highly unlikely, I want to believe it ;)

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/03/2019 at 08:06pm

> Now I've seen a conspiracy that this was all simply brilliant marketing, and that they weren't planning on releasing the movie with Sonic like this, but they made him look like trash for the publicity. Whilst that's highly unlikely, I want to believe it ;)

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GRWbIoIR04c/maxresdefault.jpg

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 11/13/2019 at 09:52am

The redesigned one has been released! https://youtu.be/szby7ZHLnkA Check out the comparison: https://youtu.be/gxoGRVKFUvg

Travis Admin wrote on 11/13/2019 at 06:15pm

Yeah it looks better. Well. Sonic looks better. The movie, eeehhhhhhhh... I don’t think I’ll see this one 😂

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 11/13/2019 at 08:04pm

I might see this just out of appreciation to the studio for hearing our complaints and fixing it :)

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Borderlands 3 Gameplay Reveal

Gearbox had a Borderlands 3 event recently where they unleashed a lot of information about the new game including gameplay. If you are a super fan of Borderlands the included video is a must watch and includes a showcase of the new Sanctuary starship hub, the first intro level with Claptrap and co-op. It seems that all the guns in Borderlands 3 have alt fire modes where you could have a pistol that fires regular bullets and it's alt fire mode shoots grenades.

Graphically the game looks like Borderlands with a bit more resolution and detail and a higher frame rate. Rand Pitchford boasted that this is the biggest Borderlands game yet, but I didn't get a sense for how big that would be. Hopefully at some point they let us know, but as of now, this looks like a solid follow up to one of the best shooter games around.

Watch All Three GrandPooBear's Speedrun Sessions in Portland!

GrandPooBear is one of the best Mario Speedrunners in the world and he recently came to Portland to the Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade for his first ever Speedrun Sessions. He brought along Oatsngoats as well as Andy to speedrun Super Metroid and Link to the Past and I was able to make it to the event with some friends. In a nutshell, it was a really fun night and watching these events live has been one of my highlights in gaming. Poo closed the event to an incredibly warm audience that was whooping and cheering as he beat Grand Poo World 2, one of the hardest Kaizo Mario games i've ever seen.

I'm sharing Poo's Speedrun Session above for Grand Poo World 2 but I recommend you also watch Oats and Andys run link below.

Super Metroid 100% Oatsngoats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdRzZ5too_c

Link to the Past No Sword Andy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go03qZCWDsw

I interviewed Poo before the event, I encourage you to check it out below.

https://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/4060/speedrun-sessions-is-coming-to-portland-my-interview-with-grandpoobear

Fun Fact: You can see Cheerful Ghost user Will Ball to the right of Spikevegeta (the guy in the Mega Man II shirt) in the YouTube screenshot before you hit the play button.

Retro Tech: Marques Brownlee Reviews The Gameboy After Never Having Played One Before

Marques Brownlee is one of the best tech reviewers on YouTube. His focus is the latest smartphones, headphones and at times AV gear. He just released a new video in a series he calls Retro Tech where he takes a look at old tech and reviews it and in the first episode he looks at the classic Gameboy. The Gameboy has been reviewed before but Marques video is interesting because he reviews it from an entirely fresh perspective as he's never actually played one before. Along the way he interviews a lot of people in tech that have history with the Gameboy and looks at some of the peripherals of the system and its legendary indestructibility.

"The Game Boy is the most popular handheld gaming console ever. It allowed us to take games like Tetris, Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda with us on-the-go, changing the gaming industry and our free time forever. On the 30th anniversary of its release, Marques Brownlee unboxes and explores how the Game Boy came to be, it's impact on society, and why it's leaving us feeling so nostalgic."

Capcom Home Arcade Brings The Arcade Home On October 25th!

Capcom is looking to get into the retro-system nostalgia movement with a very unique offering called the Capcom Home Arcade. It features some of the best Capcom arcade titles and is a dual arcade stick lapboard emulation device meant to be played with a friend. Priced at $260 it looks to be a fairly premium device for the 16 pack in titles it comes with, that said if the hardware is top notch this could be a pretty good value. The Capcom Home Arcade features 1944: The Loop Master Alien vs. Predator, Armored Warriors, Capcom Sports Club, Captain Commando, Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness, Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, Eco Fighters, Final Fight, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, Gigawing, Mega Man: The Power Battle, Progear. Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting, Strider & Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo which is enough to keep you and your friends busy.

Besides looking incredibly pretty, the home arcade boasts that it will support wifi to allow leaderboards of the games featured on the system. Looks like the system is powered over USB and requires an HDMI connection so both cables must run along to the television. I wonder if the price tag is to cover the extremely long HDMI and USB cables that need to be included for this thing to work?

It would have been awesome to get some of Capcoms Marvel licensed games but I imagine licensing that might have been prohibitive. Capcom Home Arcade will Haduken its way to your living room on October 25th.

http://www.capcomhomearcade.com/home

The Mega Sg is The Latest Zero Lag 1080p Retro Sega Remake From Analogue!

If you love retro games and want a pristine HD experience usually you can buy a clone system that emulates the games well but can introduce latency or emulation artifacts you might not want. Typically Speedrunners and folk that prefer playing on original hardware play retro games as they were originally intended but those retro systems are limited to analog video, something that doesn't look great on modern displays. Analogue decided to solve this problem by not emulating the original video game hardware in software but by creating chips that recreate the original systems bit for bit. To-date Analogue has released a version of the original NES, Super Nintendo and now Sega Genesis that runs the original games in crisp 1080p and with zero input lag. DF Retro has a new video up that compares the Mega Sg to the original Sega hardware and it looks like the Mega does really well and even surpasses the original system in many ways.

Metal Jesus also has a good review of the system too, so if you need more metal in the review, this is a good one to watch too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufhJ89wAYrs

https://www.analogue.co/mega-sg/

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