For Valentine’s Day this year, we tried something new: painting! Besides my few bouts with brushes in art classes, I had never really considered trying my hand at creating on canvas. My girlfriend had the wonderful idea to hit up the local art store so we could spend a relaxing afternoon together brushing our cares away.
Having our own sets of canvas, we both had the freedom to choose our own project ideas. I couldn’t help but use this as an opportunity to create some pixel art. I follow several instagram accounts who do this kind of stuff, and I’m always super impressed with how their work turns out. Naturally, I settled on something related to Mega Man.
The first step was drawing a grid. I took extra care to measure so my art would be directly in the middle. I didn’t want anything to be slanted, so I was cautious about making sure my ruler remained level with the edges.
Once I had my grid and my outline, I simply needed to fill in the squares with the proper color. Another reason I chose this 1UP icon was because I knew it only required a few hues. It’s hard to tell, but I actually used three shades of blue on Mega Man’s helmet. I also had to do a few layers of white for his eyes to cover up the penciled in “W’s” I put on those squares so I knew which color to use there. I stopped penciling in letters after that because I found it difficult to cover the lead.
A few days later, I went over the black again to make sure it was completely solid. The other colors had kind of a swirl to them, and I loved the way that looked. So, I kept it. After consulting a friend about the background, I decided to go with a neutral-ish gray. Again, I initially thought the background would be solid, but I was really liking how the brushwork looked, so I continued with this circular pattern. I think this method helped to make Mega Man’s icon pop in the center of the drawing.
Overall, I’m beyond happy with how this turned out. It took a bit of time, but it’s such a relaxing activity. Both my girlfriend and I agreed that we should make this a regular thing, and now we’re looking into cheap ways to stock up on supplies. What should I make for my next one??
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art. Do you create your own pixel or video game-themed art? I’d love to see it! Leave me a reply below with a link to your art page. Also, be sure to subscribe to my blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox.
My girlfriend had a birthday recently, and one of our first experiences hanging out together involved watching the Disney classic A Goofy Movie. Surely, back then we were thinking that After Today we’d be hitting the Open Road because of how well we could see things Eye to Eye! To honor the occasion, I decided to create a crayon art spread of our favorite characters from the film. Which one is YOUR favorite? Enjoy!
GoofyRoxanneMax GoofBobby ZimmeruskiPowerlineBigfootP.JStaceyPeteNeeds some color…Needs background colors…The final product!
A Goofy Movie came out on April 5th, 1995 and was directed by Kevin Lima. It starred the voice talents of Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Jim Cummings, Kellie Martin, Rob Paulsen, Wallace Shawn, and Jenna von Oÿ.
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! Which characters do you want to see me draw in my next post? Leave a reply below. Also, be sure to subscribe to this blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
Can you believe it?! 50 posts! I launched my website in the late summer of 2019 and began publishing regular blog posts at the beginning of 2020. It all started with my idea to create monthly themed Top Ten lists about video games based on some sort of pun (Jam-uary, Food-uary, Blarch, Ape-ril, etc.). Of the 50 posts, exactly half of them are dedicated to Top Ten lists related to gaming.
So, to celebrate this milestone, I’d like to take a minute to shoutout the games that have reappeared over and over again in my postings and explain why these games can be at the forefront of my mind. Oh, and to clarify some ground rules about this post, I’m only including games that I’ve talked about more extensively these past two years (my apologies to the games on the lists about Fire, Health, and Rain!!). Without further ado, please enjoy my “Most Mentioned Games!”
Why do I like X so much? Because X is dashing! No, I don’t mean he’s handsome. I mean that once he obtains the leg upgrade, he can physically dash around stages. This mechanic adds a whole new layer of speed and action to completely set the series apart from the classic Mega Man games.
One reason it’s so easy to come back to Mega Man X (besides it being one of my all-time favorite games) is the variety of animals that are represented by each of the boss characters. In the first entry alone, you have a monkey, an armadillo, an octopus, a beetle, a chameleon, an eagle, a mammoth, a spider, a dinosaur, and a dog! Now, multiply that by the eight games that exist in the X series (not counting Command Mission) and that’s over 64 animal types that I could potentially include in an article! Oo, you know what? This gives me a sweet idea for starting a Mega Man-themed zoo…
Admittedly, I’m not a die-hard fan of the Pokémon series. I owned Blue, and I remember playing it almost to completion but I gave up when I got to Victory Road. At that point in the game, I think I was overwhelmed at the fact that I needed to go back to grind levels for all the Pokémon types I had been ignoring throughout the journey. I have since deleted my save file, and I doubt I’ll give it another shot.
Despite this experience with trying to catch ’em all, I can’t ignore the vast number of themes, creatures, and characters that have appeared since the series began way back in 1998 (1996 for Japan). I’ll add that whenever I tell my Pokémon-savvy friends about my new blog ideas, they’re quick to let me know if something from the game might be a good candidate. With the recent release of Pokémon Legends Arceus, I’m finding myself drawn to the potential Breath of the Wild-like experience. So, who knows? Maybe later this year I’ll be on my way to becoming a Pokémon Master once again!
I grew up with Nintendo products, so my eyes always lit up whenever I went over to the house of a friend who owned a Sega Genesis. Compared to my original NES, the colors popped, the attitude was edgy, and the music was boppin’. Playing Sega always made you feel like you were getting away with something.
Over 30 years later, Sonic is still as relevant as ever. Sonic CD (1993) was one of the only games my Grandma owned when she first bought a computer, and I couldn’t get enough of the incredible soundtrack. Later, when the heralded hedgehog was added to Super Smash Bros for 3DS/Wii U in 2014, I decided to forego my Diddy Kong-ing of the past, and I picked up Sonic as my new main. My friends weren’t used to a character who could “go fast,” so it wasn’t long before I was the top contender amongst my fellow gamers (though, it didn’t last). More recently, I finished Sonic Mania (2017) for the Nintendo Switch and found it to be the nostalgic experience I always wanted out of a Sonic game. Finally, while I haven’t yet seen any of the new movies featuring one of my favorite childhood actors, Jim Carrey, as Dr. Robotnik (Dr. Eggman?), my Sonic t-shirt is at the ready. “If I’m strong, I can fly. I can reach the other side of the rainbow.”
I grew up in a college neighborhood and when I discovered that my student neighbors had Tetris on their computer, I suddenly was always wandering through their door to play their games. This excitement was heightened when I learned that one of them, like me, also owned a Nintendo Entertainment System. After crushing me in several rounds of football (I forget which one) and ruining my spirit forever, I noticed a shiny gray cartridge peaking out from my neighbor’s stack of possessions. Startropics? I must try it! He was kind enough to let me borrow it but not before making sure that I left with the original box and its contents. Huh. That’s weird. Why would I need all this extra stuff? No matter. New game to play!
Before we get into the nitty gritty, I’ll just say that the environment of Startropics is tropical, bright, and shrouded with an overarching mystery that invigorates any young Goonies lover’s sense of adventure. On top of that, the music holds a melodic charm that continues to get me groovin’ to this very day. I even went as far to create my own musical lead sheet for the main dungeon theme so I could play it at jazz gigs!
Well, it turns out that the developers of this game were literally thinking outside the box, making for some of the most creative and nostalgic experiences I’ve ever encountered. At a certain point in your quest, you are asked to input a code into your Sub-C underwater vehicle in order to further operate the machine. You literally could not close the text box until you’ve completed this task. What the heck? Did you see a code in the world somewhere? Did you talk to someone with important information? Oh no. Did you miss it??? Nope! It was in your *real world* box along with the instruction manual the entire time. Startropics breaks the 4th wall by including an *actual* physical letter from the main character’s Uncle Steve that contains a SECRET MESSAGE which can only be revealed by submerging the paper in water. I was so lucky to have a Mom who figured this out for me and was completely blown away when she and I took a few minutes to try it out. Sure enough. The code was there. We solved a REAL mystery! For this reason alone, Startropics reigns high on my list of gaming experiences. I’ll never forget it!
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (Game Boy 1992)
In terms of plot, Mario games as of late have gotten incredibly lazy. Back in 1992, however, developers were keen to give us something new with each subsequent adventure that followed the courageous plumber. This idea especially rang true in the Super Mario Land series for Game Boy which brought our main character to strange lands to face off against a fresh set of villains.
Also, Nintendo’s marketing department literally tried to hypnotize us into wanting to play their games.
Enter Wario: the most twisted, psychotic and chaotic antagonist we’ve ever seen. He is our master! Mario is my enemy! Being the disobedient children that we were, we wanted nothing more than to defy this weirdo by doing exactly the opposite of what he said. We WILL get the six golden coins, and we WILL reach the palace!
In order to find these coins, we had to traverse through six vastly different zones all with their own unique sets of characters and creatures. It is for this reason alone that Super Mario Land 2 is so easy to come back to time after time. Why, in the three blog posts I listed above, the only reason I included this game was because of the Space Zone, Pumpkin Zone, and Tree Zone! I’ll argue, though, that each of these locations have distinctive features that make them memorable in their own right. All that’s left now is to find a way to include the Turtle Zone, Macro Zone, and Mario Zone. Honestly, after listing them here, I’ve already got some ideas brewing!
Having been enthralled by the full-motion video of Final Fantasy 7 on the original PlayStation, I chose to forsake my Nintendo heritage and become a Sony kid. So, while my friends were experiencing the four-player action of GoldenEye 007 and Mario Kart 64, I was enjoying titles like Crash Bandicoot, Croc, and Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. 15 years later, I lived with a friend who owned an N64, and a used copy of Banjo-Kazooie just happened to be the right price one day when I was browsing Amazon. This was my chance to go back and see what all the fuss was about!
Well, to no surprise at all, I found Banjo-Kazooie to be exactly the pleasantly delightful experience that everyone boasted about it in the late 90’s. Now, I’m not one to get overly excited about collect-a-thon types of games, but the developers of Banjo made one particular design choice that blew Super Mario 64 out of the water: your characters are not taken out of the level/world after you collect a jiggy. Finally! I could immerse myself complete in each area without having to select a new mission every time I wanted to jump back in. Because of this design choice, I had a genuine desire to fully explore the setting, meet all the characters – and yes, even collect all the things. By the end of the game, getting 100% (save for a few honeycombs) wasn’t a chore. I relished in both the opportunity and challenge to find everything. And, of course, as a musician, I couldn’t *bear* the thought of missing a note!
An epic RPG spanning seven eras with the potential to reach 12 different endings, Chrono Trigger was one of the biggest adventures I had ever completed at the time (preceded by Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy 4, and Secret of Mana). What set CT apart from these other games was the element of time travel. Naturally, with Back to the Future being my all-*time* favorite movie, I was drawn in immediately to the seemingly endless possibilities presented in Chrono Trigger. Of course, I never owned the game, so most of my experience with it occurred at a friends house and was usually accompanied with deep, philosophical discussions about the impacts of our actions in the past (well, “deep” for a kid).
One such action in my past that had an incredibly positive impact on my future was when I *accidentally* borrowed Chrono Trigger from this same friend. Truly, it was not on purpose! I had spent the night at this person’s house, and as a joke, I was hastily cramming all of his Super Nintendo games into my bag pretending that I’d leave his home with all of his stuff. I emptied the bag in front of his eyes, and he was satisfied that I returned everything. To my surprise, though, one game still remained when I got home that day. Lo and behold! Chrono Trigger was still with me! I felt terrible and let him know immediately. Thankfully, he was okay with letting me hang onto it for the time being. So, with new game in hand, I dove in hard and tried to get as many endings as I could while the opportunity lasted. I’m convinced I achieved all of them, and if I were to look up a guide about how to get the endings now, part of my brain would say to me “Ah, yes, I definitely remember that.” As a result, Chrono Trigger has stuck with me, and especially whenever I hear the fantastic music, I immediately jump back into my mind-Epoch to travel to the era when I was just a kid living out my Back to the Future dreams.
My hype for EarthBound likely began in July of 1995 when I received volume 74 of Nintendo Power. What made this issue so special? Scratch and sniff advertisement! Yes, this particular magazine contained an ad for EarthBound boasting that “this game stinks.” Included were the legendary pictures that, upon being scratched, would smell like pizza or whatever else was on the page. The nearby excerpt went on to say that the now SNES cult classic is “the first Role-Playing Game with B.O.” while the back of the ad simply recited “EarthBound: It’s like living inside your gym shoes.” Okay, I’m officially intrigued. (I’ll note here that volume 73 had the first official 10-page article about the game).
The game was quirky. I was quirky. It was a match made in Heaven. I quickly set my heart on being the first (and possibly only) person in my small circle of friends to own such a creative piece of art. It was a big deal, too, because we didn’t have the money to buy a lot of games, so I often felt like I was the last person to get their hands on something unless we were renting it for just a few nights.
As luck would have it, I must have gotten Christmas or birthday money or something because a short time later, my parents and I were at Toys R Us, and I caught a glimpse of the giant green box which held the holy cartridge along with its coveted strategy guide. It’s possible that the game was on sale or I had a coupon, too (it normally retailed for $70). In any case, EarthBound was now mine, and I was going to play the belch out of it.
Play the belch out of it, I did! EarthBound became one of the few RPGs where my characters reached level 99. I also went out of my way to get super rare items like the Gutsy Bat and Sword of Kings which both only had a 1 out of 128 chance of being dropped by specific enemies. Not only that, but I’d often load up my final save in the game just so I could defeat Giygas over and over again. There was just something so special about getting to that last part of the battle where Paula’s prayers were not only heard by your in-game friends all over the world, but the game personally invited you, the player, to join in the fight with your own well-wishes for the desperate heroes. The experience was unforgettable, and I love now reminiscing about all the glorious times I had with EarthBound.
Speaking of games that involved praying for your heroes on the brink of defeat… Final Fantasy 4 was the first RPG that I ever encountered with some major substance to its story. Per usual, I was hanging at my friend’s house (yes, the same friend where I “borrowed” Chrono Trigger), and we were subjugated to watching his older brother play all the games that were too “complicated” for our young, feeble minds. Truly, the way my friend’s brother played FF4 made it completely impossible to understand what was going on. He would mash through dialogue boxes, wander aimlessly on the world map, and think way too hard about his command choices in battle.
So, yes, maybe my young mind wasn’t able to really comprehend what was happening in the story, but that didn’t stop me from fully absorbing all of the incredibly genius music that accompanied every aspect of the game. His wandering aimlessly on the world map meant more time for me to hear the Overworld Theme. His thinking way too hard about his command choices in battle meant more time for me to hear the Fight Theme. If I was really lucky, I’d get to hear the music when he was riding a chocobo (my favorite!).
I connected hard with these pieces, and to that end, the seeds of my love for this game had been sown. When I finally had the opportunity to play the game for myself, it didn’t take much extra effort to throw myself into the story with such amazing melodies to accompany the experience. I remember that Final Fantasy IV (I’ll point out also that it was called Final Fantasy 2 for us Americans) occupied my head space so much, that in 3rd grade, I’d ask my teacher if I could be excused from class so I could go to the computer lab and write stories where my friends and I were characters in the game. I specifically recall that my friend Travis was a Dragoon Knight who we discovered in a cave on the moon! I never finished the story. If only I still had access to the file. The sci-fi fantasy world would have been changed forever!
It’s no mystery. For many of us, Super Mario 64 was our first foray into games with fully 3D environments, and seeing one of our favorite characters exploring the world in this new way had a major impact on our conditioned, 2D minds. That isn’t to say that 3D graphics didn’t exist at all before the Nintendo ULTRA 64 came along (“Ultra” being the original name for the system). I had played first-person shooters like Marathon, Doom, and Wolfenstein 3D that had their own ways of creating a 3D environment. I had also briefly tried my hand at the original Alone in the Dark game, which was likely a precursor to horror games like Resident Evil with its fixed camera angles to hide those creatures that were lurking just around the corner. But, Super Mario 64 felt so much more freeing, and of course, Nintendo did their darndest to get us excited about this new generation of gaming.
Apart from the Nintendo Power hype that showed off all of the projects coming to the N64 (Zelda, Pilotwings, and Blast Corps were the three others that stood out to me), the big N wanted to make sure we could get our hands on the system to try it out by setting up kiosks in stores all over the country. I’m certain that my first experience with SM64 was at a Shopko or a Prange Way or maybe some other dated retail outlet. I knew I had to have more, but I also knew we probably couldn’t afford the system. So, I did what any child would have done at the time – I begged my parents to rent an N64 from our local game/video store.
Somehow, it worked! I was beyond excited. We hooked up the system in our basement, and I couldn’t wait to get started. One problem, though: N64 controllers are……different! I knew how to hold an Atari joystick, a NES controller, and a SNES controller. I even understood how the controls worked for most arcade games. Look at this thing, though…
If you were seeing this for the first time as a child, you’d be confused, too (and I’ve even seen adults from recent YouTube videos who have done retro gaming videos who were holding it wrong). So, to explain my thought process… our trusty D-Pad is on the left. That must mean that our left hand goes on the far left and then our right hand is utilizing the buttons on the right. Oh wait, the D-Pad doesn’t do anything. Ah, this middle joystick controls Mario. But… but, surely I don’t move my hand away from the left side of the controller. That’s where left hands belong! I guess you just have to awkwardly reach your thumb all the way over to the joystick. Ah, this must be a controller for adults and I’m just a little kid.
So, there I sat in my parent’s basement extensively playing Super Mario 64 for the first time with my thumb stretched waaaay over to the joystick to make Mario move. I spent the entire weekend playing like that. I’m not sure where I learned how to properly hold the controller (if you really don’t know, you just put your hand on the grip next to the joystick and basically ignore the entire D-Pad area of the controller). I had a great time with the system, but perhaps from this incident alone, PlayStation was the better choice for me after all.
Zelda Games
“Well, excuuuuuuuuuse me, Princesss!” Zelda games have been a staple in my life ever since playing the original at my cousin’s house. Moreover, The Legend of Zelda cartoon segment was one of my favorites during the Super Mario Bros Super Show (I loved especially that they used actual sound effects from the game). I also owned a few Zelda books that I purchased at our elementary school Scholastic Books Fairs. And, I even still have a Link pencil eraser from the 1st grade (it’s literally on my desk right now as I’m typing!). Below are the four games that have showed up several times over the last couple years.
I put roughly 140 hours into Breath of the Wild finding every shrine (with only a little online help for the last two or three). I still haven’t completed all of the DLC content. Admittedly, I will not be going back for all the Korok seeds. It’s a game filled with discovery where three hours can pass by in an instant. Hurry up, sequel! I want more!
Regularly appearing in the top five of my all-time favorite games, LttP is an adventure I can return to time after time and always enjoy. I love the music, I love the world, and it’s just the right amount of challenge. I even made some LttP-themed tile art back when Mario Paint was a thing. More recently, my friends and I have added an extra layer of competition by holding “speedrun” parties in which we’d all play the game at the same time to see who could complete it the fastest. I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up winning our first and second events, beating the game in just under four and a half hours. Furthermore, when A Link Between Worlds was released for 3DS in 2013, I was thrilled to once again visit this version of Hyrule and explore the land using the game’s new gimmick which turned Link into a literal piece of art who could attach himself to the walls.
Since I was a Sony kid, I generally missed out on most N64 titles – including Majora’s Mask. There were a few times when I tried to the play the game on an emulator, but the experience was slow and my controller was not suited for the job. So, when I learned that the game was going to be remastered for the 3DS, I went for it right away. I was so glad I did! Although frustrating at times (and some stressful boss fights where I’d literally win with just seconds left to go), I really enjoyed the Groundhog Day-esque gameplay.
With the limited time that I had, I found that I would sit down each session and set clear goals for how I would use that time. I’d think, “Okay, today, I’m just going to go east and see how far it goes” or “Let’s follow this person and try to learn their routine.” I became deeply curious about the town and the world surrounding it. I doubt I could play Majora’s Mask again, but because I relived those three days so many times, the game has found a comfy home in my brain.
I may have owned the original PlayStation, but a few N64 games did manage to slip through the cracks. My sister owned an N64, and I was surprised one summer to learn that she also possessed Ocarina of Time. So, that year, I spent some extra time at my Mom’s house in order to finish the game. Is it the the masterpiece that everyone has hyped it up to be? As I’ve hinted, Zelda games have a habit of building incredible worlds coupled with incredible music, and this one was no different. Likewise, seeing a classic character make the jump to 3D echoed my experience with Super Mario 64. It was also my first experience with a game that used the “Z-targeting” system for combat.
When the game was remastered for 3DS in 2011, I picked it up immediately. I loved the ability to use the system’s gyro controls in order to aim the bow and slingshot. One of my favorite battles was fighting Phantom Ganon in the Forest Temple by casually spinning around in my office chair.
Link to the Past, I think, will always hold the top spot for me, but Ocarina of Time is not far behind. In case you’re curious…
5. Minish Cap 4. Ocarina of Time 3. A Link Between Worlds 2. Breath of the Wild 1. Link to the Past
Thanks so much for taking time to read my article! Have you enjoyed the first 50 posts? Which one was your favorite? Leave me a comment below and let me know! Also, if you want to see the next 50, be sure to subscribe to this blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
I’m not sure what exactly inspired me to write this article, but driving through the beautiful mountains of Wyoming has certainly helped. Every once in awhile, I’ll spot an old tunnel carved out of the side of a mountain and wonder where that tunnel might lead. Many of these tunnels have railroad attached to them, but these passages are no longer in use. I’ve never seen a train go through them. Naturally, I was reminded of several games that had mines or mine cart sections in them, so I sat down and came up with the Top Ten instances of Mine Carts in video games. Enjoy!
10. Hugo (TV Phone-In Game 1990-1995)
Phone games before there were phone games.
Remember that one time when you could play video games on your TV from your corded phone? My first experience seeing a “TV phone-in game” was when Nickelodeon did their Nick or Treat Halloween game shows during Halloween of 1995. Lucky contestants who were able to get through would have the opportunity to navigate an eery neighborhood on their home television by the touch of a dial in order to win prizes. Very rarely did I see anyone win.
Hugo was doing this type of gameplay years before Nickelodeon ever gave it a shot. In Hugo, you control a 220-year-old Troll who adventures through a mine cart maze before searching onward in a quest for treasure. Callers would use buttons on their phone to decide whether the character would move up, down, left, or right and try to steer the creature out of any oncoming danger.
This game, which originated in Denmark, became so popular that it eventually appeared in over 40 countries, and it even got ported to several modern gaming systems after its TV run was through.
9. Temple Run 2 (Android/iOS 2013)
“Danger” is my last name. Well, part of it.
Following the success of the original game from 2011, Temple Run 2 expands on the “endless running” genre by adding sharper turns, zip-lines, waterfalls, and mine carts. Touch controls are again utilized as Guy Dangerous (which sounds more like a warning to teenage girls) flees from a giant monkey named Cuchank in his pursuit for coins of many colors. The only things stopping him are pits, flames, buzzsaws, and dead ends!
Since there’s technically no end to this game, it can be easy to get addicted when trying to see just how much further you can get compared to your last attempt. Or, in my case, you can get really bored with the repetitive gameplay when you realize that the only thing that coins can get you are access to more characters. In any case, this is the perfect game for Swiper. Swiper, start swiping!
8. African Mines in Ducktales (NES/Wii U 1989/2013)
“Curse me kilts! One false move, and I’m a roast duck!
Looking for the Giant Diamond of the Inner-Earth, Scrooge McDuck explores the massive depths of the African Mines to add to his riches. In order to obtain it, though, he must overcome the terrible controls of the mine cart section! I died so many times just to a mistimed button push, and that frustration is only heightened in the original game when it’s unclear where you can jump. The 2013 Remaster was slightly more forgiving, but I still had similar issues mostly stemming from the fact that Scrooge doesn’t retain his momentum while he’s in the cart and you have to use your directionals buttons to make sure he jumps to safety. Either way, I muddled through and faced off against the Terra Firmie King in the Great Games, and lo, I collected my Giant Diamond! Bless me bagpipes!
7. Magitek Factory in Final Fantasy 6 (Super Nintendo 1994)
I’m gone.Pretty sure this screenshot is from the GBA version – much more clean!
You’ve been snooping around the Magitek Factory and learned the truth about Magicite. What’s that laugh? Oh no! Kefka’s coming! Cid, the lead researcher at the facility, decides that your only chance at escaping is by conveniently hopping into this nearby mine cart that leads directly outside. But, wait! This is a Super Nintendo game so first we need to go all Mode 7 up in here!
Retrospectively, the Mode 7 graphics during this escape sequence have not aged well, and it’s more like you’re looking at a pile of mud being infinitely flung at your face. But, at the time, the hype was real! Actual 3D(ish) graphics of us traveling down a track at high speeds! Final Fantasy 6 used this effect several times during the game, and I applaud the folks at Squaresoft for taking this leap to expand on the worlds in their games. Certainly, the sequel to this game wouldn’t have been as all out if we didn’t see the strides they made in its predecessor. Just beware of stray Magna Roaders.
6. The Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Super Star (SNES 1996)
The best offensive is a good defensive.
Kirby’s his name and collecting treasure is his game! In this Kirby Super Star sub-game, Kirby mistakingly falls down a hole but suddenly decides to channel his inner Wario when he realizes that the cave is filled with all sorts of valuable goodies.
One interesting fact about the collectibles found here is that many of them contain references to other franchises. For example, the Whip is from Indiana Jones, the Gold Coins are from the Goemon series, and the Screw Ball (Screw Attack) is from Metroid.
The Great Cave Offensive is also used as a stage in Super Smash Bros for Wii U in which players can take advantage of the mine carts that are strewn about the area.
5. Wario’s Gold Mine in Mario Kart 8 (Wii U 2014)
Mine, mine, mine!
One of my favorite tracks in Mario Kart 8, Wario’s Gold Mine takes players on a journey through the depths as Shy Guys cheer you on from the sideline. It seems like Wario’s mining operation is paying off, too, as carts of gold can be seen making their way down the tracks, and they even become obstacles if you get too close. I especially love the shortcut in this level that’s over a jump to the far left which takes you to a cave with a bunch of speed boosts.
I hope those Shy Guys are getting compensated for their work. No doubt, they’re working for Wario. Maybe in the next Wario Game, we will see a Shy Guy strike complete with a dramatic recreation of “Seize the Day.”
4. The Coal Mines in Super Mario RPG (SNES 1996)
Mole money, mole problems.
The mine cart minigame of Moleville Mountain is required at first in order to rescue two mole children who have become trapped in the Coal Mines. However, once the serious business is out of the way, Mario is free to return again and again (at the price of 10 coins) to travel the track as much as he pleases.
I used this part of the game as an excuse to collect some fast cash when I was running low on funds. Additionally, your team is rewarded if you’re able to beat your record each time you play it. Good thing there are a healthy supply of Mario Kart-esque speed boost mushrooms lying all over the track!
3. Ellmac fight in La Mulana (Various 2006)
Not to be confused with Olmec from Legends of the Hidden Temple.
Guardian of the Temple of the Sun, the giant lizard-like creature, Ellmac, chases down our hero Lemeza Kosugi (who is definitely not Indiana Jones or inspired by Indiana Jones at all…) as he tries to escape via mine cart in a lava-filled cavern.
Back when I was doing Let’s Plays, this fight, while incredibly frustrating, ended up being one of my favorite moments in the game (which I still have yet to finish). I enjoyed having to really pay attention to the boss’s attack pattern while also needing extraordinary spacial awareness as a I controlled my character on the track. Over time, I experimented with different weapons, subweapons, and movements in order to take down the beast. Eventually, I went back to my trusty close-range knife and was so surprised to see Ellmac taken down so quickly.
If you have a minute or 40, check out my video where you can see in real time how I fought this guy!
2. High Tide Ride in Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze (Wii U 2014)
Mine cart levels have been a thing in Donkey Kong Country games ever since the original in 1994. The very first mine cart stage was called “Mine Cart Carnage” (which was also the inspiration for the title of my YouTube video in the last entry) and it was exactly the kind of high-energy platforming that we needed back in the early 90’s to set itself apart from Super Mario World. In fact, I remember this level used an extensive part of Nintendo’s advertising in order to draw people in to their newest franchise.
Twenty years later, enter Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze, a sequel to the 2010 Wii game, which adds a whole new dimension to its mine cart levels. While the 2010 game did have its own share of mine carting, I found the controls to be somewhat inconsistent and the levels were far too long for my taste. In Tropical Freeze, our Kong companions are thrown into the dangers of High Tide Ride, a daring journey that starts on the beaches of Donkey Kong Island and ends in a network of underwater caves. Easily, the best part of this level is when the player is faced with a series of parallel tracks that our character must jump between in order to avoid a variety of obstacles. I especially love how the camera is manipulated in so many ways to change how we are seeing the perspective of the stage.
If this is where the DKCR franchise is headed in terms of their mine cart levels, I can’t wait to see what future installments have in store!
Honorable Mentions:
Pinocchio (Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis 1995)
Shoutout to SNES drunk for bringing this one to my attention!
The Selenitic Age in Myst (Mac OS 1993)
Handcar Havoc in Mario Party (N64 1998)
Rickety Coaster in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii 2011)
1. Rail Chase (Arcade 1991)
Look out! Behind us!
I know I’ve already mentioned Indiana Jones several times in this article, but this game is the end-all closest that we will ever get to feeling like we are actually inside that mine cart scene in Temple of Doom. I have no doubt that this game was inspired directly by that film and it even has themes of rescuing people of Indian descent.
What sets this game apart from any other arcade experience is the fact that the seat came with its own set of hydraulics that would move to and fro along with the action. Pretty advanced technology for 1991! I first played this game at a local skating rink when I was in elementary school, and it completely blew my mind. There is not a second of down time as you are constantly blasting away at the obstacles in front of you. Meanwhile, the top of the screen tracks how far away you are from a trio of Jason Voorhees worshippers. If they get close, Fat Albert shouts “Hey, hey, hey!” followed by a huge warning that flashes on the screen: “Look out! Behind us!” Suddenly, the camera turns around, and the trio is directly behind you equipped with a shield and a giant hammer aimed at your face. Anxiety rides high knowing that no matter what you do, you can’t possibly outrun these guys and eventually you will have to face them.
Since the 90’s, I have yet to see this game back in arcades. A sequel arcade game was released in 1994. As far as I know, there is no other way to play it. If you happen to find it, give it a shot. And bring a friend. It is one of the best multiplayer experiences to date!
Thanks so much for taking time to read my article! Can you think of any instances of mine carts in some of your favorite games? Let me know in the comments! Also, be sure to subscribe to this blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
The original Star Fox game was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in February of 1993. It was groundbreaking in that it was the first game to use the “Super FX Chip” to create 3D graphics on a console known for 2D sidescrollers or “Mode 7” effects. Nearly 30 years later, the series is still going strong with the most recent main-line game being released in 2016. Fox, Falco, and Fox’s nemesis, Wolf, also appear in the current iteration of Super Smash Bros.
Wanting to continue my crayon art into the new year, I decided to sit down and create the panel that you see below. Enjoy!
Fox McCloudPeppy HareFalco LombardiSlippy ToadThe final product!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! Are you a fan of Star Fox?Which game is your favorite? Leave me a comment below! Also, if you’re enjoying my content, consider subscribing to my blog via e-mail so you can have posts delivered directly to your inbox.
Starting in about 2005, I decided to keep track of every video game I had ever beaten including the date and time of completion. I would even make notes about how the game was completed and added details like the difficulty level or percentage rates if applicable. I used my memory to recall games I had finished since starting college and went even further to try to list games that I had completed in my childhood. In total, I now have 188 beaten games on my list. It’s always fun for me to go back and see everything I’ve played throughout the years.
This year, due to a number of circumstances, I was not able to play too many games. However, I did manage to finish a few, and I’d love to share with you the six that made it onto my records for 2021!
Ecco the Dolphin 3D Remaster (6/20/2021)
Originally released on Nintendo 3DS (2013); Sega (1992)
When I saw that the 3D Remaster of Ecco the Dolphin was on sale on the 3DS eShop, I picked it up right away. I had always wanted to play this game, but as a Nintendo kid, I never had access to it. I remember seeing the box art in the stores or rental shelves and being enamored by the environments depicted on TV/Magazine advertisements. After finally finishing it, all I can say is that I’m glad I decided to wait for this remaster.
Ecco is HARD. I don’t know how anyone was able to have the patience to finish this game back when it first came out. The only reason I was able to beat it was because the 3D Remaster offered a “Super Dolphin Mode” which gives you complete invincibility and infinite oxygen. Additionally, the 3DS grants you the power to use save states, so I didn’t have to mess with the clunky password system. Is this cheating? Nope! It’s an option I can select that’s part of the game, and I’ll take it. Even as a super dolphin, the game is still incredibly challenging as I navigated expansive mazes and tried to manipulate rocks or shells that would open up new passageways. Overall, I’m glad I was able to finally experience this game in a way that was accessible for me.
Mario vs Donkey Kong (6/21/2021)
Originally released on Game Boy Advance (2004)
I was fortunate to buy my Nintendo 3DS from a friend’s ex who happened to get her system when it was first released. Because she had gotten it so early, it included Nintendo’s “Ambassador Program” which rewarded players with 20 free games for those who purchased a 3DS at the $249 price point before it was quickly dropped to $169. Mario vs Donkey Kong was one of these free games.
I likely started playing Mario vs Donkey Kong the same year that I bought the system, which means that this game has been almost a 10-year project for me. I played it off and on over the years, and while I enjoyed it, it didn’t always keep my attention for long. It was the kind of game that I’d play for a few minutes when I didn’t have anything else to play. Maybe I’d finish a level or two and then I’d put it aside. Well, this year, all my work finally came to a close. I only needed help with one level and was lucky to have a friend whose brother had been a speed runner of the game. I remember how we made an awkward Facetime call to him to try to show him what I was doing. He could barely see (or remember the level), but soon he was able to walk me through it. An hour or so later, it was over! Final thoughts? Truly, this game hasn’t left a lasting impression on me, but as always, I’m glad I got some entertainment out of it.
Gargoyle’s Quest 2: The Demon Darkness (8/27/2021)
Originally released on the NES (1992)
I did not expect to ever play this game but when I found out that I’d no longer be able to (easily) use my credit card for the 3DS eShop anymore, I decided to go shopping for some last-minute game grabs. Gargoyle’s Quest 2: The Demon Darkness caught my eye because I had played the first Gargoyle’s Quest on Game Boy when I was a kid, and I remembered liking it. Yet again, I am thankful to have played this game on a system where I could make use of save states because in true classic gaming fashion, this game is not forgiving. I remember one particular jump where if you didn’t press the button at juuuuust the right pixel, you’d fall into a lava pit and die. I tried this jump at least ten times before I finally made it. Had I been playing the “normal” way, I would have been sent way back to my previous save and it would have taken a considerable amount of time to simply get another opportunity at trying again. As an adult, I just don’t have time to play games like I did as a kid.
I got about as much enjoyment out of this game as I thought I would. It didn’t necessarily rekindle any nostalgic feelings that I had from my time with the first game, but I found it to be a much better experience than the Game Boy counterpart. Can’t really go wrong with Capcom!
Mega Man 11 (10/30/2021)
Originally released on various platforms (2018)
Speaking of Capcom, right here is the MAIN reason that I bought a Nintendo Switch! That’s right. I purchased Mega Man 11 back in 2018 when it was first came out long before I ever owned the system that I needed to play it (I don’t have any of the other systems on which it was released either). However, at the time, I was just about to enter grad school and knew that I couldn’t spend money on too many extraneous activities. So, Mega Man 11 became my ultimate motivator, my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, my flag at the top of a conquered mountain. It worked out perfectly, too, as rumors of a “new” Switch populated my newsfeed over the course of my studies. Shortly after earning my Master’s degree, the release date for the Nintendo Switch OLED was announced, and I knew that my moment had come. It took me a week to finally find one at normal price in the store, but as as soon as it was in my hands, I popped in Mega Man 11 right away.
Was it worth the wait??? Well, it’s a Mega Man game! In particular, I was excited to finally see the cut scenes that inspired my Dr. Wily crayon art from one of my earlier posts. Other than that, gameplay was typical, and that’s exactly what I want from this classic series. Now, when will we get Mega Man 12?!
Metroid Dread (11/13/2021)
Originally released on Nintendo Switch (2021)
With the Switch OLED being released on the same day as Metroid Dread, I couldn’t leave the store without also bringing this game home with me. While I’m not into Metroid games as much as some of my other friends, I’ve found a lot of fun in all of the 2D iterations of the series (except the original NES game. No thanks to farming for energy). Knowing that Metroid Dread came from the same team that gave us Samus Returns on the 3DS a few years earlier meant that I was about to embark on a journey that would not disappoint.
The game was fantastic and the vibrant colors popped on the vivid OLED screen. Metroid has always done a good job of making the player feel like they’re slowly getting more and more powerful over time with the discovery of each new item. Just when you think you can breeze through an area, the game throws in a new challenge to keep you on your toes. I especially appreciated the boss battles which forced me to really pay attention to their patterns in order to be successful. It took me two separate play sessions to defeat the final boss, but the experience was so rewarding because I knew that a large part of my achievement came from the work I put in learning how to approach each phase. Hands down, this was the best game I played this year!
A Short Hike (12/24/2021)
Originally released on various platforms (2019)
While Metroid Dread may have topped my list for the year, A Short Hike wins the award for “Most Warm Fuzzies.” A friend recommended this game to me, and when I saw it on sale for $5.99 on the eShop, I couldn’t say no. I’m so glad I got it! The goal is simple: my bird character simply needs to get to the top of a mountain in order to have cellphone reception. On the way, you encounter all sorts of friendly characters who are enjoying their time on the island in their own ways. The graphics for this game are incredible, and the island is full of new things to discover around each turn.
One of the more rewarding aspects of the game involves the collection of “golden feathers” that allow you to gain height by flapping your wings for each one you’ve gathered. Soaring over the island becomes more and more awe-inspiring as you’re able to reach new altitudes. I’d often find myself looking for the highest point I could reach at the time and jumping off just to get that amazing feeling of gliding over a beautiful landscape. Seriously, I can’t recommend this game enough. Grab it today. You’ll be so happy you played it!
Thanks for stopping by to read my post! What are some games that you finished this year? Did any of them stand out to you? I’d love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below. Also, consider subscribing to my blog via e-mail so you can get content delivered directly to your inbox!
Oh gaming trees, oh gaming trees – how lovely are thy branches! We put up our Christmas tree shortly before Thanksgiving (mostly because we knew we wouldn’t even be in town to enjoy it over the holidays), and now that the big day is here, I imagine many of you who celebrate have been gathered around your own classy conifers. When it comes to games, though, some trees deserve an extra loop of tinsel to recognize their greatness. Below are the Top Ten trees in video games!
10. Villager’s Timber – Super Smash Bros 4 (3DS/Wii U 2014)
It’s going down, I’m yelling timber.
Villager should go into farming with his ability to create a fully-grown plant in just a few moves! Though, his tree disappears rather quickly, that’s still plenty of time for him to chop it directly into your face. When I first saw Villager use this attack in Super Smash Bros 4, I kept thinking to myself, “There’s no way I’ll ever get close enough to this tree for that to do anything to me!” Well, some of my finer Villager opponents proved me dead wrong. Villager is a lumberjack and he’s okay. He sleeps all night and he works all day.
The origin of Villager’s move. Money does grow on trees!
9. Death Peak – Chrono Trigger (SNES 1995)
Slickest trade in history.
This scene is one of the most iconic moments in maybe any game ever. In a major flex for the time, the events of Chrono Trigger kills off the main character of its own game and forces your other party members to take the lead. However, this is a game about time travel – so there must be a way to remedy this!! I won’t go into too much detail here, but I love that it becomes YOUR choice to try to End Game your way out of this situation. You could play the rest of the game without rescuing your main character. Truly, that’s the heart of Chrono Trigger – it is a game about choices and how they can change the future. So, what did you choose when you played this game??
8. End Screen – Dr. Mario (NES 1990)
The true prequel to “Alien.”
Did you know that the viruses in Dr. Mario are actually aliens?? That’s right. When you clear certain levels in the game, you get this cut scene with the viruses sitting atop a lush tree. On normal difficulties, random objects might fly by while the ambient music plays in the background. If you beat it on the hardest difficulty, though, the screen turns to night time and a giant UFO appears above. Then, the viruses are pulled up into the ship before it returns to the stars. So, why were the viruses on the tree? Were they waiting to be rescued all this time? Does this make Dr. Mario the bad guy??? I have questions.
7. Tree Zone & Tall Trunk Galaxy – Super Mario Land 2 & Super Mario Galaxy (Game Boy 1992; Wii 2007)
Remember that one time when Mario killed Big Bird from Sesame Street?
Mario games have TWO iconic trees in the series, and I couldn’t choose! I’d like to believe that elements from the Tree Zone in Super Mario Land 2 inspired elements in the Super Mario Galaxy series. Not only does Galaxy1 & 2 have the tall trees but they also have the giant beehive. I’ve recently started playing Super Mario Odyssey, and I could have very easily thrown the Wooded Kingdom on here, too!
6. The Giant Tree – Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES 1992)
Treebeard’s Cousin.
Need a lift? All you have to do is defeat the monsters inside this giant tree and it will take you across the forest to Windia. I didn’t know it at the time, but this scene has pretty obvious connections to The Lord of the Rings. Next thing you know, your main characters will be asking you for second breakfast.
5. The Mana Tree – Secret of Mana (SNES 1993)
Luka, I’ll restore you! Want to save your game?
There are 15 games total in the Mana series, and to explain the entire history behind the Mana Tree itself would take me several Christmases. Most gamers are familiar with 1993’s Secret of Mana for the Super Nintendo, and that is where I first encountered the massive Mana Tree. Since I can’t tell you everything, I’ll at least give you a couple weird facts. Apparently, the mana tree can give birth to humans. Also, if anyone tries to mess with it, you’ll be attacked by a dragon. If you destroy the dragon, mana will be lost forever. Let’s just hope James Cameron never finds out about this.
4. Kong’s Treehouse – Donkey Kong Country series (SNES 1994)
Hoooooo hoooo! (Merry Christmas!)
It’s not just a tree. It’s a treehouse! We first see the inside of DK’s treehouse in Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo. What does he keep in his treehouse? There’s a picture of his girlfriend Candy Kong, some art of a sailboat, a few spares tires and loads of bananas. I guess King K. Rool didn’t steal everything after all.
For this one, I thought I’d also point out the Ripsaw Rage level from Donkey Kong Country 3 which has Dixie and Kiddy Kong racing up the trunks of tall trees in order to avoid extinction a la Fern Gully.
Ripsaw Rage from Donkey Kong Country 3.
3. Freezeezy Peak- Banjo Kazooie (N64 1998)
Every year since playing this game, I’ve tried to fly through our tree topper.
Finally, we have a real Christmas tree! Quite fitting for the theme, we also have a giant snowman, a Charles Dicken’s-like holiday village, and presents! Banjo Kazooie really knew how to get us into the holiday spirit. Oh, except for racing Boggy the Bear in a sled. Screw that part.
2. Whispy Woods – Kirby’s Dreamland (Game Boy 1992)
Well, how would you like to have someone come along and pick something off of you?
Holy cow this guy has been around. Whispy Woods has appeared in 25+ Kirby games! Notably, he was the first boss in the original Kirby’s Dreamland for Game Boy, and he has since been the go-to first boss in most subsequent games. Other appearances includes him as an obstacle in Kirby’s Dream Course or a general background character in Kirby’s Air Ride. Whispy Woods also gives advice about the environment in many episodes of Kirby: Right Back at Yai! Move over, Captain Planet.
Honorable Mentions:
The World Tree – Faxanadu (NES 1987)
The Old Tree – The Addams Family (SNES 1992)
Grandpa’s Training Tree – Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES 1990)
The Christmas Tree – We Were Here Together (Steam 2019)
Wood Man – Mega Man 2 (NES 1988)
1. The Great Deku Tree – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64 1998)
Thou hast verily demonstrated thy courage…
Perhaps the most iconic tree of all, the Great Deku Tree kicks off Link’s adventure in Ocarina of Time by asking our hero to rid the curse that has been growing inside of him. Afterward, the GDT tacks on that Link should also go ahead and save all of Hyrule while he’s at it, too. Truly, I love that the Deku Tree is no doubt a throwback to the very first dungeon in the original Legend of Zelda for the NES. Since then, the Deku Tree has continued to be a part of the series also appearing in The Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild. Now all it needs is a string of lights and some ornaments to get with the season!
Deku tree inspiration?
Thanks for stopping by to read my list and happy holidays! Do you agree with my choices? What are some notable trees in games that you think should be included here? Leave me a comment to let me know. Also, be sure to subscribe to my blog via e-mail to get content delivered directly to your inbox!
Cowabunga! I have been a Ninja Turtles fan since first seeing the original animated series in elementary school. I had the action figures, I played the video games, and I even sport an awesome pair of TMNT pajama pants that I continue to wear to this day (thanks, Mom). Semi-recently, I’ve been gathering collections of the old comics so I can delve even further into the history of these heroes in a half shell, and I’m hoping to check out the new The Last Ronin miniseries as soon as it’s available.
I finally had some time to sit down for another crayon art project. Below are my renditions of a few of the characters from the classic 1987 animated series. Enjoy!
LeonardoApril O’NeilDonatelloThe Shredder (Oroku Saki)Master Splinter (Hamato Yoshi)KrangMichaelangeloCasey JonesRaphaelMid-project progressJust needs some color now!The final product!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my art! Which Ninja Turtles character was your favorite? Who are some characters you’d love to see me draw in the future? Leave me a comment below. And, be sure to subscribe to my blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
Have you finished your holiday shopping? Or are you just getting started?? Since I’ve been browsing for the perfect gifts, I’ve been thinking back to all the times I’ve spent gold, rupees, or gil during all my virtual travels. Which shops were the most interesting to visit? Below are the Top Ten choices for notable stores in video games!
10. Shops – Dragon Warrior(NES 1986)
Don’t want to buy anything? But thou must!
While there’s nothing overly impressive about the shops in Dragon Warrior, I have to include them because they were my first ever experience with commerce in a video game. Sure, Mario collected coins – but he never spent them! Here, our hero can buy such fine commodities as herbs, torches, and dragon’s scales in addition to your standard weapons and armor. Later on, there are shops for magic keys that will let you access all the doors you’ve been seeing locked up throughout the game. Want to buy lots of something? I hope you love reading!! You can only buy one item at a time, and there is a ton of text accompanied with each purchase. Yes, it was cumbersome – but I’ll never forget my first time!
9. Merchants – Diablo 2(Windows/Mac OS 2000)
You have quite a treasure there in that Horadric Cube (because it can store a few more things).
There are a plethora of merchants scattered throughout the world of Sanctuary, and all of their shops look like an episode of Hoarders. Just look at this screen! There is stuff everywhere. What I appreciated about the Diablo games was their D&D-like approach to holding items. If you can’t fit something into your predetermined grid of squares, then you’ve clearly run out of pocket space! Another interesting aspect about Diablo merchants is how every one of them wants to give you their entire life story. Just listen to what the first merchant in the game has to say to you:
“I am Akara, High Priestess of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye. I welcome you, traveler, to our camp, but I’m afraid I can offer you but poor shelter within these rickety walls.
You see, our ancient Sisterhood has fallen under a strange curse. The mighty Citadel from which we have guarded the gates to the East for generations, has been corrupted by the evil Demoness, Andariel.
I still can’t believe it… but she turned many of our sister Rogues against us and drove us from our ancestral home. Now the last defenders of the Sisterhood are either dead or scattered throughout the wilderness.
I implore you, stranger. Please help us. Find a way to lift this terrible curse and we will pledge our loyalty to you for all time.”
Okay, um, that’s cool. But, can I just buy some potions?
8. Beedle– The Legend of Zelda series (first appeared in The Wind Waker; Gamecube 2002)
Fun Fact: Beedle is accidentally listed as “Terry” in UK/Irish instruction manuals.
Appearing in SIX mainline Zelda games, Beedle always has a healthy supply of unique items for our silent protagonist. While he is generally accessible by boat (Windwaker, The Phantom Hourglass) or by land (The Minish Cap, Breath of the Wild), traversing to his Airshop in Skyward Sword can be somewhat of a nightmare (Spirit Tracks is just barely better).
Skyward Sword already ranks as my least favorite Zelda game (yes, I like Zelda 2 better!). In order to get to Beedle, you first have to slingshot a projectile into a bell at the bottom of his flying house. Then, he’ll lower a rope that you can climb. However, if his house is in a weird spot, then it’s very likely that you won’t even be able to reach the rope. If this happens, then you have to reset the screen in order to get him flying around again. To make matters even more annoying, if you should choose not to buy anything from the shop, Beedle will drop you out of the building via a trap door in the floor. How’s that for customer service? I’m sending this to corporate.
7. Store – Kid Icarus (NES 1986)
It looks like you actually only have three things.
I don’t know why my mind went there, but every time I went into a shop in Kid Icarus, I always read the shopkeeper’s text in the voice of Bobcat Goldthwait – making extra sure to give emphasis on “EV’rything.”
How do you pay for your desired items? With the bloody hearts of your fallen enemies! I would really like to know the story behind how hearts became standard currency in games like this. Furthermore, Pit’s white tunic is awfully clean for carrying around so many organs.
I love how all shops are also equipped with a pit of flames that can actually hurt you should you decide to bathe yourself. Maybe we should be adding this feature to Target or Walmart for those rowdy customer interactions.
Speaking of rowdy customer interactions, it’s a little-known fact that Pit can actually “intimidate” the shopkeeper by pressing A and B on the second controller. If you meet a certain criteria, the owner may reduce his prices. However, if you’re not “intimidating” enough, the prices will skyrocket! Again, we should definitely be applying these concepts to the real world. Piss me off? Now you’re paying double!
6. Arms Mart – Jump Raven(Mac OS 1994)
Welcome to Arms Mart!Butthead on our ass!
I’ve been waiting to talk about this game for a long time and am so excited to finally get it on a list! Jump Raven came out in 1994, and young me thought it was the most BA of all the games. Taking place in a futuristic New York and sporting a heavy metal soundtrack, you control a bounty hunter driving a souped-up hovercraft who has been tasked with retrieving the DNA of endangered species by blowing up the criminals who stole it. Alongside you is your trusty, hand-picked, foul-mouthed co-pilot who can help with navigation or artillery. A highlight of the game for me was being able to interview each candidate in order to select the best one for your style of playing (I always went with Dogstar because he swore the most).
When it was time to shop, a woman would appear on your hub and ask you to “standby for rendezvous” (at the time, I didn’t know what rendezvous meant). Then, a giant ship would appear above you, and you’d have to avoid enemy fire as you tried to dock your hovercraft into the bay of the floating vehicle. “Welcome to Arms Mart!” greeted the woman in her eccentric, English accent.
Here, you could purchase lasers, bombs, rockets, and other weapons for your hovercraft. The selection screen always reminded me of games like Fantasy Zone, Super Off Road, or Rock and Roll Racing, and many games have since used this same type of layout for their shop screens. While there’s nothing terribly exciting beyond that, I always enjoyed the few minutes of reprieve from the ensuing chaos that awaited below when you finally exited the shop.
If you haven’t before heard of Jump Raven, then you should definitely “standby for” a “rendezvous” with this game!
5. Long Library Shop – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night(PS1 1997)
Oh, it’s you, Master Alucard. What do you need?
I don’t typically think of a library as my go-to place to purchase my essentials. I imagine that the Master Librarian has been around so long, though, that he just happens to have gathered an insurmountable amount of items – making him a perfect candidate to be on an episode of Romanian Pickers.
Upon encountering him for the first time, he says, “I cannot aid one who opposes the Master.” Leonardo da Vinci, I mean, the Librarian quickly changes his tune when Alucard tells him that he “won’t go unrewarded.” Money talks – and I guess Dracula’s followers aren’t that faithful after all. I hope the Count doesn’t find out about this!
Also, the music here is a total bop:
4. The Fourside Department Store – Earthbound(SNES 1994)
Fear and respect that escalator!
Four floors of shopping extravaganza! Just be sure to double check that there aren’t any Department Store Spooks that are haunting the building before you get started. When Ness and company first enter the Fourside Department Store, they are warned by a mouse that the lights will get turned off. What? That’s crazy! Business seems normal, and the party is free to explore the full variety of shops. There’s a toy store, sports store, burger shop…heck, there’s even a sketchy arms dealer who sells bombs in a back room.
Upon trying to leave, however, the lights do indeed turn off and Paula is kidnapped by a green blobby-looking creature. Forced to fight an onslaught of electric guitars, albums, and cups of scalding coffee, Ness and Jeff must now make their way back to the top floor in order to rescue their companion. This sounds like the grounds for a future lawsuit.
After everything is said and done, the spook is defeated, Paula is safe, and business is back to normal. What was the cause of this strange incident? Well, in true corporate fashion, the media reports that this was all caused by the mouse who predicted the blackout. Always blame the little guy!
3. The Merchant – Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube 2005)
What are ya buyin’?
Okay, so I’ve never played Resident Evil 4, but after seeing clips of this guy, I now need to add it to my wishlist. Paul Mercier, who also voices Leon in the game, does such a fantastic job bringing this character to life. He grew up in Maryland but eventually went on to study at the Royal Shakespeare Company at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. It’s evident that this training has paid off, and he now has an extensive list of other games for which he has contributed his talents.
Anyway, I’ll let you equally revel in the glory that is the Resident Evil 4 merchant. Check out the clip below to hear all his best quotes.
2. Williamette Parkview Mall – Dead Rising (Xbox 360 2006)
Do they have a Starbucks?Throwback to when I worked in a mall and people would ask me where stores were instead of consulting the map.
Move over Mall Madness! The Williamette Shopping Mall truly has everything you could ever want. Jewerly? Try Josh’s Diamonds. Books? Hop over to Contemporary Reading. Film? Find it at Cam’s Cameras. There’s just one problem, though. The entire building has been taken over by a hoard of zombies!
My time with this game was limited to a couple play sessions over at my cousin’s house, but oh my gosh I was blown away. Nearly any item that you pick up in the stores can be a weapon against the undead. Toy light sabers, baseball bats, golf clubs – it’s all par for the course. My personal favorite is grabbing the lawn mower and plowing over large groups of white walkers.
Certainly, if it weren’t for the plague, this place would be a great place to shop. I love, too, that all the while you’re hacking off the heads of the walking dead, the mall’s delicate muzak is tinkling lightly throughout the loudspeakers. Thank you for shopping!
Honorable Mentions:
The Super Shop – Clash At Demonhead (NES 1989)
Always welcome!
Neko – Secret of Mana (SNES 1993)
Cute – but overpriced.
Shop – Fantasy Zone(Arcade 1986)
Highway to the Fantasy Zone. Ride into the Fantasy Zone. Big wings keep on turnin’.
Mabe Village Town Tool Shop – Link’s Awakening(Game Boy 1993)
Just don’t get caught stealing, THIEF!
Nook’s Cranny – Animal Crossing Series (Nintendo 2001-2020)
Dr. Seuss would be proud of the rhymes.
1. Tem’s Shop – Undertale(Steam 2015)
tem go to colleg and make u prouds!!!
That’s temmie and dis is their friend temmie!!! The residents of Temmie village are bursting with cuddly cuteness that will challenge every cat video on the internet.
It is Tem’s absolute dream to go to college so they can “pursu higher education.” But, they will never get there without your help! You can contribute by buying tem flakes, or you can buy tem flakes that are on sale, or you could also buy tem flakes that are “expensiv.” If tem flakes aren’t your thing, you could simply place one order of “tem pay 4 colleg” for 1000G. Lucky for Tem, “cool leg” only lasts for 10 seconds and doesn’t include any student loans.
Having returned with a shiny new degree in TEM STUDIES, you can now buy the Temmie Armor which is “so goods” that you have to “promise to only buy if you really needs it.” Whether you do or not, I’ll leave that choice to you.
In the meantime, Tem now wants to go to “gradskool” and has to choose between funding her education or buying your DogResidus. I don’t know, Tem. If it were me, maybe wait a few years before you do the grad school thing. Go for the DogResidus. You’ve earned it!
Thanks for stopping by to read my article! What are some iconic stores or shops that you remember in your favorite games? Let me know in the comments! Also, be sure to subscribe via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and we’re all still recovering from the massive amount of food that we put into our bodies. Crafting a feast fit for royalty, my girlfriend and I successfully dominated our first-ever attempt at roasting a turkey. We may be eating leftovers for awhile… In the meantime, it’s time to relax – so sit back and enjoy my Top Ten list of birds in video games!
10) The birds of Angry Birds (Mobile 2009)
He doesn’t look so angry.
Who knew that a phone app from 2009 could spawn such a massive franchise? I never got into this game because I had already spent plenty of time playing similar titles over on ebaumsworld.com. But, the rest of the world poured so much money into this game that we now have books, movies, and even a TV series. Next Thanksgiving, we’ll have to pull some recipes from the Angry Birds cookbook that apparently is a thing.
9) Birdfaces from Super Mario Bros 2 USA (NES 1988)
The eater becomes the eatee.
You’ve just defeated Birdo by chucking its own eggs directly into its face. Now it’s time to lift the glowing orb that was inside its stomach in order to…open the mouth of a disembodied bird head? Super Mario Bros 2 was not a dream. It was a nightmare – and Birdfaces were direct evidence of this fact. To make matters worse, the game spends 6 worlds teaching you that Birdfaces are portals to the next level…until you get to world 7. A lone Birdface stands before you with its glowing key orb seemingly unprotected. Awesome. Lift the orb. Walk right in. NOPE! IT’S ALIVE! This Birdface flies off the wall and begins an onslaught of revenge. I hope you’re ready to play the entire level over again.
8) Pidgey from Pokemon Red/Blue (Gameboy 1996)
Pidgey used gust. It was super effective!
When I played Pokemon Blue, Pidgey ended up being my main through-and-through – and it was also the first or second Pokemon that I had ever caught. I figured that one was probably good enough and proceeded to play the rest of the game with just a party of an overpowered Pidgey and…the others. Of course, this meant that I had to go back and grind when I finally ran into difficult fights. I made it all the way to Champion Road and decided to quit the game because the grinding was so severe. To this day, I’ve never finished Pokemon. I’m hoping the same won’t be said come this January…
7) Storm Eagle from Mega Man X (Super Nintendo 1993)
Your flight has been cancelled.
Fighting Storm Eagle for the first time immediately gave me Link’s Awakening Evil Eagle vibes. Both bosses fly at you from off screen, both blast you with gusts of wind that you must push back against, and both battles have the risk of falling off the edge. Storm Eagle, of course, is infinitely more cool because he doesn’t have a Grim Creeper riding on his back.
6) Falco Lombardi from Star Fox (Super Nintendo 1993)
“Eyes forward, Fox!”
Known for his snarky attitude and blunt comebacks, Falco is a reliable pilot on the Star Fox team. If Falco was being attacked by enemies, I genuinely wanted to help him out – unlike some other members who were flying by my side (::cough:: Slippy ::cough::). I love that he’s also a playable character in the Smash Bros series appearing as early as Super Smash Bros Melee. There was a time when I tried to learn him as one of my main fighters, but I never got the hang of him and mostly found myself just dashing off the side of the stage. Perhaps I should stick to having him as a companion in the air.
5) Kaepora Gaebora from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64 1998)
At all costs, avoid selecting “No.”
I could make a list of birds from the Zelda series alone (I apologize in advance for the amount of Zelda on this list). The owl from Ocarina of Time is iconic in that it talks forever and a simple slip of the hand can extend your play session by several minutes if you accidentally ask him to divulge the plot again. It’s interesting that Nintendo chose to use this character as a way of advancing the story when recent Zelda games have done such a good job of letting the player discover the story on their own. A wise, old owl? I’d rather spend my time with this guy:
4) Kazooie from Banjo Kazooie (N64 1998)
“Can it talk?” “Better than you can, Goggle Boy!”
While it can be argued that Banjo is the main character of Banjo-Kazooie, it is Kazooie who makes this game so fun. Without Kazooie, there’d be no witty banter (well, I guess that isn’t entirely true…). Without Kazooie, there’d be no Talon Trot. Without Kazooie, there’d be no flying! Honestly, maybe we need a Kazooie solo game. Sorry, Banjo. You can go back to Diddy Kong Racing.
3) Cuccos from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES 1991)
On the next episode of “When Animals Attack!”
A classic case of curiosity killing the cat, we all fell for the cucco’s trap when we realized that it couldn’t be killed. “How many hits does it take???” we wondered. The answer is infinity. Cucco is the alpha and the omega. Bow to your new Lord, the Cucco. You dare defy the Cucco? FEEL ITS WRATH! PETA is watching.
2) Squawks from Donkey Kong Country (SNES 1994)
When Dad asks you to hold the flashlight.
Easily my favorite animal buddy in the Donkey Kong Country series, Squawks has held a long list of jobs. In the first game, he simply lit the way for you in some of the darker levels (um where the heck was he for Blackout Basement??). The second and third game gave him a stronger role in which he could fly you around a la Tails and also spit projectiles at your enemies. Cool! Seems like he’s getting better and better with each new game! What will they do with him next???
Oh, he’s an item now………..
Honorable Mentions:
The Sand Bird from Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube 2002)
Mr. Sand Bird, bring me a coin.
Banana Birds and the Banana Bird Queen from Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! (SNES 1996)
“After I’m finished with K. Rool, he won’t even be able to look at a banana again.“
The Flute Boy’s Bird from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES 1991)
An upgrade from being whisked away by a tornado.
Crimson Loftwing from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii 2011)
Give a little whistle.
1) Chocobos from the Final Fantasy series (first appeared in FF2; Famicom 1988)
Kweh?Kweh!
My love for the chocobo runs deep! I remember the wonder of discovering a chocobo forest for the first time back when I was in elementary school during my time with Final Fantasy IV. Of course, my friend and I had no idea how to pronounce their names (we would put the emphasis on the second syllable). Regardless, we were enthralled with all the different types of birds we were seeing. The white ones could heal us. We could ride the yellows ones. And…what’s this? Smells like chocobos?? Hmmmmm, well….try this carrot, I guess? OMG A FAT CHOCOBO! Okay, it wasn’t really that exciting because the fat chocobos just acted as storage boxes for items. But, it was a big deal at the time. By far, what I loved the most about the chocobos was the MUSIC. I would ride around the map for as long as I could just to let the track loop. With each new Final Fantasy game, I appreciated so much hearing the new variations on the theme. Take a listen below to my first experience with the theme in FF4 and then my favorite variation from FF9.
“Chocobo Theme” from Final Fantasy 4
“Vamo Alla Flamenco” from Final Fantasy 9
Thanks for taking time to read my list! What are some of your favorite instances of birds in games? Let me know in a comment below. Also, if you’re liking my content, consider following or subscribing to this blog via e-mail to have content delivered directly to your inbox!
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