I was thinking of only plugging Acapella Nintendo (which, btw, if you don’t like, you have no soul), but since Metafilter had the first honours, I thought I’d plug something that may have been missed and almost equally awesome: Jake Kaufman’s Arrangements, including video game tributes, and even acapella treatments. Specifically, Michael (MP3), a rap acapella from Maniac Mansion. Jebus! Thanks to easysay3k for pointing it out. Read more »

If somebody were to do it first, the Japanese are sure to be front in line. With all the advances in technology these days, it was only a matter of time until they (specifically Sakakibara Kikai) created a man-powered walking robot–mecha, if you will–seemingly plucked straight from anime and video games. This page has videos of the mecha walking/sliding/turning… it looks rather precarious. Then of course, a shooting example, as there is a machine gun in its left arm, but it only shoots those pink cushion balls, I do believe. Anyway, I’m not a Japanese expert. I ran this page through my Japanese-speaking sister and she thinks it seems legit. Read more »

This is blood for blood and by the gallons. This is the old days, the bad days, the all or nothing days. They’re back!Marv, Sin City Nothing better can sum up the premise of fan boy Robert Rodriguez’s latest film foray. Such is his devotion to this work that he gave up his Director’s Guild membership to have non-member Frank Miller co-direct. Rodriguez pal, Quentin Tarantino, also joins in the fun. Frank Miller’s Sin City—and if there was any doubt of the source material, the opening credits makes no mistakes—is film noir revitalized. Busty broads, busted convicts, and busted heads all have their turn to shine, making this two-hour long Read more »

So what is it—are video games harmful enough that game makers are liable for the violent actions of their players, or therapeutic enough for even hospitals to use? A recent study in Adelaide is leaning towards the latter. Compared with when their dressings were changed under the cover of painkiller drugs alone, the children reported much less pain when they were allowed to also play the computer game. The average pain score with drugs alone was 4.1 out of 10, compared to 1.3 out of 10 with drugs and use of the computer game. If this is the case, I wonder what it will mean to those anti-video game zealots Read more »

Microsoft has enlisted Hironobu Sakaguchi, credited with creating the legendary “Final Fantasy” series of role-playing video games, to make two games for the next Xbox game console, the company said Thursday. Interesting news, especially around EA and 3DO founder Trip Hawkins’s recent prediction: My magic eight ball says [Nintendo] will be acquired by Microsoft within five years.” Of course, Nintendo officially denies any of these rumours. Wow, I never thought I’d see the day. As a giant fan of the Final Fantasy series, and especially its beginnings in Nintendo, this news comes to be a little bit of a surprise. Sakaguchi is a legend and Microsoft seems determined to raise Read more »

I had reviewed the excellent Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life graphic novel here at FG back in late October. I knew it was magic when I read it, and apparently, Shaun of the Dead and Spaced director Edgar Wright Jr. seems to think so, too. Comic Book Resources first spread the rumour, and O’Malley responded with an enigmatic statement: “There are movie rumblings. It’s pure chance, the divine whimsy of Hollywood, and I’m sure you know I never wrote towards that, and I continue to write completely divorced from the idea of this possible movie process, but it does exist and I’m not resistant to it.” Finally, Joe Nozemack of Read more »

To keep with my video game themed posts lately, I’m going to plug the excellent OverClocked ReMix community site. OverClocked ReMix is a website dedicated to reviving the video and computer game music of yesterday, and reinterpreting that of today, with new technology & capabilities. This site’s mission is to prove that this music is not disposable or merely just background, but is as intricate, innovative, and lasting as any other form. It’s become one of my favourite sites on the internet of all time. I love listening to re-imagined pieces of video game music in original piano compositions or conversely, classical music turn into club dance tracks! If you’re Read more »