I have always been a huge fan of some of the retro looks that GameTrailers does in its numerous original videos. They do a really good job of taking a unique glimpse into some old favorites, and re-capping some lesser known facts about the games we’ve always known and loved.
Enter Pop-Fiction, their brand new gaming series where they test out gaming’s unsolved mysteries, one at a time. Think of it as a Mythbusters for old school games. Their first episode takes a look at the fabled Chris Houlihan room in Link to the Past. Very entertaining video, for sure.
So what are some of your favorite urban legends in video gaming? I think one of my favorite would have to be the Ermac character in Mortal Kombat.
I wouldn’t necessarily call myself an audio commentary guy, really, but there have been a few times where listening to audio commentary for movies has greatly enhanced my appreciation of the film. Aliens, for instance, is pretty spectacular to listen to, even though James Cameron can be a douche at times. Likewise, Serenity’s commentary track with Joss Whedon is a must-hear, as well as anything with Bruce Campbell in it. 
You’re feeling restless. You want to play some video games, but you’re not really in the mood for anything that you’ve been playing recently. Try as you might to entertain yourself, nothing seems to get the job done. Suddenly, you get the idea to put in an old favorite, something you haven’t been back to in quite some time and haven’t had the heart to sell. You put it in, get excited as the old familiar screens pop up. Within a few minutes, though, you notice something. The magic is gone. This game doesn’t feel nearly as great as it did all those years ago. Wtf?
Man, after the huge amount of response we got to the thread about 
These days, I just don’t get a lot of time to replay games all that often. I’m so busy that as soon as I finish a game, I go right past it and move on to the next. I very rarely take the time, even when I’m in the midst of playing it, to stop and enjoy what’s going on with the experience.
As nostalgic as it is to pick up an old game and go retro for a bit, often times it’s a bit risky. While we do love those old games and the kinds of flavors they bring to us, games have progressed so much in terms of gameplay, design and more obviously, graphics. That’s why you never know what you’re going to get when you pick up an old game. Will you find a title that has gotten better with age like a fine wine, or pick up a clunky mess that was only good because it was the first of its kind, and has since been passed by much better endeavors?
Shadow Complex is a fun game. It is probably one of the best games I’ve played this year so far. Considering that it’s an Xbox Live Arcade game that only cost $15, that’s quite impressive. It plays in the sidescrolling style of Metroid or Castlevania, but sports some incredible graphics a la the Unreal Engine. It’s open, fun and full of secrets. They simply don’t make games like this anymore, and I’m loving it.
I’m flying to Florida this weekend for some much needed vacation, and if there’s one thing I’m not looking forward to its the flight. Being a rather big dude makes flying a completely uncomfortable affair, not to mention that I hate the way flying makes me feel. The one thing that makes the experience more bearable is portable gaming of some kind, be it the PSP or Nintendo DS.
Over the years, gaming has produced quite a few fond memories for me. There are the emotional moments, the rushes of pure adrenaline, the challenges, all of these things have created a slew of experiences for me to draw from. However, there’s another thing that gaming is great for, and that’s memorable quotes.