La-Mulana EX Vita Code: We Have A Winner!

Posted on March 7, 2015 by geelw

As my scratchy throat woke me up to get it some more tea with honey, and I kicked and almost tripped over the box I put the names in when I got up (Memo to self: next time, make sure the box in on a table and not the floor!), I’ve decided to pick a winner for the La-Mulana EX Vita code. The funny thing is, one of the names I wrote popped out of the box when I kicked it and I was going to declare that person the winner (hey, I was kind of half asleep!). But I decided to redraw the winner just to be fair… and actually picked the same name again. Not easy to do when you pick facing away from the box the names are in while in a dark room with your eyes shut. Anyway, congratulations go out to:

Nate V.! (applause)

Check your email, mister!

As for you non-winners, listen up (and put down those torches!). Stick around if you happen to:

a) likes indie games and could use an instant mini-backlog
b) are a Star Wars fan who likes oddball collectibles

I have a couple of interesting giveaways in the works soon you may want to be a part of. No spoilers here, but it’ll be fun to see what happens…

Random Art: “I Coulda Had A Hirschfeld!”

Posted on March 6, 2015 by geelw

Art copyright Don Orehek

So, if you’re old enough and happened to be a New Yorker (or in NYC) during the 1970’s and into the 80’s, there was a chance you could walk into a certain place at a certain time of the year and have a caricature drawn by a world famous (or nearly world famous) cartoonist for FREE. Yes, that’s right. Before the days of “Pay me!” comic convention art, ebay, and heck, the internet, a lucky few locals and tourists smart enough to find out about the event could queue up at The Manhattan Savings Bank for it’s yearly (National) Cartoonist’s Show.

I’d heard about this back in the early 80’s and wanted to go, but never could find time to get downtown until 1987 when I was working in Manhattan. If I’m not mistaken, a friend of mine had gone either the previous year or the year before and lucked out big time, getting Al Hirschfeld to draw him. Who wouldn’t want a Hirschfeld for nothing? I recall not knowing who was going to be at the 1987 event, and with only an hour for lunch, I figured (correctly) that the more popular cartoonists would get the longest lines. I don’t remember every artist at the event (there were no cell phone cameras back then and I didn’t think to pack a camera with me on a warm summer day to record history), but I eventually made it in front of three of them and the results you’re seeing below the jump…
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Random Art: Unfinished Business- Incomplete With Too Much Heat

Posted on March 6, 2015 by geelw

Thankfully, other than a few more days next week of colder temperatures, it would seem that this stupid winter has run its course*. I generally don’t get too ill during the season (or I don’t get sick at all), but the last couple of weeks have been rough thanks to wide temperature variations from day to day and the dopey new boiler put into the building about a year or so ago that works all too well. Hey, some like it hot, but I think constant indoor temperatures in the early summer numbers haven’t been the best thing for me. Of course, in a city where too many people don’t have proper heat, complaining about it being too warm in the apartment is a bit odd. On the other hand, one result of all that heat has been my wretched throat condition over the past week or so. It’s clearing up okay, but I certainly didn’t get much sleep last night thanks to all that water and tea with honey I’d sucked down to sooth my fur throat. I guess the good thin is I got more exercise running back and forth to the bathroom than I got walking through the freshly fallen snow yesterday. Ah-ha-ha.

Eh, have a very incomplete tree sketch. I may as well post something more interesting than this post.

*Of course, watch me be totally wrong if we get hit with a last gasp snow blitz right before spring hits. I’ll be the one screaming so loudly your windows shake no matter where you are when that happens.

It’s All Black & White in This Humble Weekly Bundle Must-Buy

Posted on March 5, 2015 by geelw

They may look kind of “vintage” to some of you, but that’s how these indie games roll in this week’s Humble Weekly Bundle. It’s all about black and white games (with splashes of color in a few cases) and some interesting genre choices that run the gamut from claymation adventure to an intentionally seriously disturbing look at mental illness. Seven games for a ten dollar minimum is dirt cheap, particularly for the creativity and passion that went into all these titles. I’ll say no more save for your purchase helps support charity and it’s a given that you’ll enjoy everything here if you’re the open-minded gamer who likes to mix things up a bit. Forget about Fifty Shades of Whatever, folks- sometimes, back to basics are what works the best.

Final Symphony: TBT Classics to Some, Totally New Favorites for Others

Posted on March 5, 2015 by geelw

(thanks, IGN!)

It’s been out for a few weeks now, but Final Symphony, featuring music from Final Fantasy VI, VII, and X performed by the London Symphony Orchestra is sitting in the #4 spot on the Billboard Classical Chart. Nobuo Uematsu‘s timeless music from the Final Fantasy series gets new arrangements from the master himself and is powerfully played by one of the most famous orchestras on the planet.

If you’re new to the game soundtrack thing, this digital LP may not make you want to pick up a controller and go seek out those older games (that requires a bit of work non-gamers may not want to tackle). But your ears will thank you for exposing them to something different whether it’s inside or outside of your comfort zone. Get it on iTunes (link above), Google Play or Amazon for somewhere between eight and ten dollars.

Best of Toy Fair 2015, Newbies Edition: Life Is Wabi-Sabi

Posted on March 5, 2015 by geelw

Note to new trade show exhibitioners: Outside of appointments where I walk away with something to review on the site or someone promises to shoot over samples later, the best way to get me to stop at your booth is to jump out in front of me and say “Hi!”. If that fails (and it usually doesn’t), feel free to use a tripwire or other handy item that gets me to stop, look and smile. Whenever that’s happened at Toy Fair, I’ve always seen stuff that makes me want to write cool things about. Here are a few of this year’s products and people that reached out at the right moment:

Meeting the Life is Wabi-Sabi crew was a highlight of the show because Aaron Castillo Jr. and Marilyn bought that Big Island spirit from Hawaii all the way to NYC, braving the record-breaking cold weather to introduce their SUPER cute line of buttons, magnets and plush kitties. Seeing that big-eyed imperfect cat stopped me in my tracks and made me smile for a few reasons. There’s just something wonderfully zen about that cat that makes you want to pick it up and stare back for a spell.
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Mezco’s Talking Mega Scale 15″ Chucky: “Best Friends Forever”… But Not One of the Good Guys

Posted on March 5, 2015 by geelw

Well, now. Chucky’s back in action, this time in a new Mezco Toyz figure bound to scare up some sure sales among collectors when it ships out this September. Be very polite and don’t forget to wave and smile back, now. You really wouldn’t want to get Chucky angry with you, not even a little bit.

Mezco’s latest take on the classic horror villain from the Child’s Play and Chucky films stands 15″ tall and features real cloth Good Guys clothing, 11 points of articulation, a plastic knife and his trademark flaming orange hair. Did I mention he also talks, saying seven phrases from the movies? Well, he does. Nope, “I Can Talk” isn’t from any of the films, but seeing that in the image below made me immediately chuckle and think “Well, I can run away while you talk!” as well as “Exit, Stage Left!”

Anyway, you can pre-order the Talking Mega Scale 15″ Chucky by clicking away on that handy link I’ve provided. It’s $94 worth of scares coming your way, but you knew that from the moment you laid eyes on him. Make some room for him, or he’ll be pretty upset when he arrives and has to lurk about in his shipping box while you clear out that space you should have beforehand. If he starts yapping away in that box before you get to opening it, that’s not a good sign at all…

Donsuemor Delivers Today’s Delicious Diversion

Posted on March 5, 2015 by geelw

So. That’s the view outside living room my window here today. There’s about oh, 4 or so inches of snow on the ground and it’s still coming down. It’s not that bad out, but considering I woke up still not completely over my yucky throat stuff, I wasn’t looking forward to heading outside. After some medication, a bowl of soup and yeah, yeah, a cup of coffee to kick me in the pants, I was still feeling a bit out of sorts.

And then the intercom rang, buzzing me out of my haze. Who the heck could it be on such a lousy day? Fed Ex? Hmmm. The Rolodex inside my fuzzy head started spinning as I wondered what was coming up in the elevator. I wasn’t expecting any games, I just got a nice movie delivery from MVD and any other surprises I couldn’t quite think of in my somewhat toady condition. It’s a good thing my memory wasn’t working correctly, folks… Continue reading →

Want a La-Mulana EX Vita Code? I’m Sharing My Pain With One of You

Posted on March 4, 2015 by geelw

If you happen to have a PlayStation Vita and haven’t picked up La-Mulana EX yet, you’re missing out on a few things:

Your character dying while getting attacked from all sides by cheap enemies.
Your character dying during a boss fight with something over ten times your his size.
Your character dying after you missed a pinpoint jump because you panicked and jumped again to certain doom (oops!).
Your character dying because you’re really not that good at these retro action/platform games but keep playing them anyway.

Get the picture? Okay, I’m only partially kidding. This game is hard as heck AND I’m not as fast on those buttons as I used to be. Pygmy Studios’ handheld port of this excellent throwback to the MSX days is out now and I have a spare code to give away. If you want it, just post in the comments below and I’ll RANDOMLY pick ONE winner. You need a Vita as well as access to the North American PSN shop, as that’s where the code needs to be redeemed. I guess that’s US and Canada entries only. Unless there’s a secret Canadian PSN shop I don’t know about. Let’s see now… it’s Wednesday, correct? Let’s shoot for a contest close of 11:59PM on Friday. I’ll pick one of you guys or gals at random and shoot you over your code. Get it? Got it? GOOD> Now, go enter already! No need to post an essay or reason you want to win at all, folks. Just an “I’m in!” gets you a chance. Good Luck!

Want to WIN a Merchbro Link For President T-Shirt? Read On!

Posted on March 4, 2015 by geelw

Hey! Do you live here in the U.S. of A.? Do you like to win random prizes because who doesn’t like to win random prizes? Are you a fan of The Legend of Zelda series? Excellent. Well, the folks down at Merchbro.com want TWO of you lucky Americans to win a nice Bella+Canvas 3001 Unisex T-shirt (that one in the photo to the left – male model not included). All you need to do is click here or on that photo to enter and use the entry code fanboydestroy when prompted.

Winners will be chosen as RANDOM and nope, you can’t enter more than once. Play nice, now. US residents only, please! Merchbro will handle the notification of winners and shipping out of prizes, so make sure you have an actual US mailing address they can ship to!