Shawn Lucas is the self identified "Noob of All Trades". He is married and the father of three boys, two of whom help with their own podcast every couple of months. Raised on Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, he enjoys all games and will play all of them to the best of his ability, which is often average at best. Currently, he is most interested in Magic, Heroclix, and other games that he can play with Chris and his sons.
As I wrote in the previous two articles, the end of school kicked my ass this year. It probably did last year, too. But, this year is fresh in my mind, so the ass kicking feels fresher. That means that any videos related to Mario in May come next month. But, I wanted to keep the page active, I present Mario Top 10: 5 to 1. What’s going to be number one? Actually, you may be surprised by number 3.
5 – Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Lest you think from my low ranking of SMB2 that I shun them trying new things in the series, I present you with the first game in the top 5. This game took some big swings with what you can do in a 3D game and mostly hit. The main complaint is that the camera issues continue to plague the games, actually made worse by the high flying game play. But the fun of slingshotting Mario all over the galaxy more than makes up for that minor inconvenience.
4 – Super Mario 3 (First Played – SNES)
As we get closer to number one, it becomes more and more difficult to rank these games. I know number one, but the gap between 5 and 4 is greater than that between 4 and 2. Really, any ranking of these games is possible, depending on my mood on that particular day. This game topped my list for a few years until they took the game and improved it in every way. More on that in a bit.
3 – Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)
I told you that I’d zig when you think I might Zag. Unlike the other games up here, I never considered this one my favorite in the series. But, I like it more than Galaxy. I know that’s not an opinion shared by many. What can I say? I appreciate the wackiness of this game and look forward to a similar game or a return on the virtual console.
2 – Super Mario World (SNES)
This game took everything great about Super Mario Bros 3 and improved upon it. For the longest time, this game topped my list. Even now, I pick it up and play it to relive all of the fun that it brought me as a teenager who bought my first console with my own money. Never underestimate that feeling.
1 – Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)
This game blew me away in a way that no other did before or has since. They took everything great about Mario and moved it into the 3D gaming world seamlessly. Okay, not seamlessly. The camera was janky as hell and I missed Luigi. But, I still had a ridiculous amount of fun with this game and it’s the first one that I pursued a 100% completion.
The Verdict
That’s my Mario Top 10: 5 to 1. What do you think? What did I get wrong? Which games would you include instead? With over 40 years of games to choose from, you can’t go wrong with many of them. How many entertainment franchises can say that?
You know what you’re getting from us. Decent content and inexplicable two week hiatuses from that content. The end of the school year always kicks my ass and this year is no different. But, I’m back with Fallout Episode 4 and a plan to finish the series by the end of June and our celebration of all things Fallout. No sign of Max or Thaddeus in this episode because it concentrates on The Ghoul, Lucy, and Norm.
As mentioned above, this Fallout episode 4 concentrates on a smaller list of characters. This allows them to advance two main narratives; what happened in Vault 32 and Lucy’s trek to find her father. Thought, if I’m being honest, this part of that trek feels more like a side quest than a main quest. That’s not bad, mind you. Because, it serves to develop Lucy’s character a little bit. But, more on that in the next section.
Norm and Chet stumble upon the remnants of Vault 32. Surprisingly, this is where most of the plot of the series develops. They learn that the residents of the vault, driven mad by something, most likely either killed themselves or each other. In some cases, maybe both. When Chet theorizes that the madness drove them to let in the raiders, Norm corrects him. They opened the door from the outside.
Then, the biggest bomb of the episode. They used Rose McLean’s (Norm’s and Lucy’s mom) Pip Boy to open the door. Does that mean that she’s still alive? That she’s worked with the raiders? I mean, she could still be dead and they stole her Pip Boy. But, they seem to be setting us up for the fact that she’s still alive.
Character Profiles
The Ghoul: He continues to show himself to be a completely selfish individual who sees everything and everyone around him as tools to be used to advance his own goals. I was wrong. He didn’t want to kill Lucy. Instead, he wanted to use her as a bargaining chip to get more vials. I know I should hate the world for what they made him, but I just find myself hating him. Maybe they can redeem him eventually.
Lucy: She fights against the monster that the Wasteland wants her to become. A couple of times, back against the wall, she succumbs to the darkness. She never intentionally hurts anyone, even purposefully missing when shooting at the Super Duper Mart burn outs. She bites The Ghoul’s finger off, but I feel nothing but contempt for that shit bird. Additionally, she often atones for her acts or the reasons for them are egalitarian. Unlike The Ghoul, who is just a cartoon villain at this point, Lucy’s character has layers.
Norm: Betty says the quiet part out loud. Norm is one bad mamajamma (hush yo mouth) and he proves it by staking out Vault 32 and coming out with the reveal of the episode. He reminds me of myself when I play the games. Always searching. Always questioning. Never satisfied with the surface explanation of everything. I can’t wait to see what else he uncovers in the vaults.
Snip Snip: Voiced by Matthew Berry and with many of the laughs in this episode, Snip Snip nearly meets a tragic end before being resurrected for Lucy’s escape plan and then discarded like so much trash by the end of the episode. I hope to see more of them in the future.
Supporting Characters: The stoner warlords in the Super Duper Mart made me chuckle a couple of times. I laughed out loud at the air conditioner comment. Chet gets a starring role with Norm, but serves mostly as a foil to keep him from learning the truth.
World Building and Setting
We get a Super Duper Mart. When they walked up to it, I thought of the first time I went into the Mart in Fallout 3. I got killed by some raiders because, for some reason my dumb ass never considered that they’d use it as a hideout. The show never fails to impress with their attention to detail when dealing with important places from the games. They also showed some of the horrors that befell some residents of the vaults. We all knew that it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorn farts down there, but it gets real dark real fast as Chet and Norm explore.
They also live up to the title of the episode. Ghouls get some love in the episode. We see several in the moments right before they go feral. The Ghoul tells us that he’s been around “a long time”. 219 years? When Roger mentions that he’s turning after only 27, that makes me respect The Ghoul a bit more. But, just a bit.
Themes and Social Commentary
The main theme of Fallout episode 4 explores the idea introduced in earlier episodes about how quickly things go wrong. Vault 32 fell after over 200 years. We can only guess what happened right now, but it looked quick. The two dudes in the Super Duper Mart get their faces eaten off in less than a minute. The Ghoul drops in a heartbeat and that allows Lucy the upper hand and escape.
They push the narrative of it’s not the action that counts, but your reaction to it. The Ghoul chooses to be completely selfish and survive that way. Lucy, on the other hand, mostly keeps her innocence and kind nature in spite of the horrors that she’s endured. I mean, give her 219 years of wasting away in a debilitating fashion and who knows.
Narrative Pacing, Structure, and Soundtrack
Music serves a slightly different purpose in this episode. Instead of matching the music with the scene (it happens once or twice), the music works to enhance the mood of the scene. Because they still use period pieces for the music, it fits in just as well. To prove my point, at least one person put together a YouTube playlist of the music. While I could just use that for my videos in the plot summaries, I like the thrill of the hunt.
I wrote in the last article that I liked when they switch rapidly between the different stories. That happens in this episode as well. and it keeps everything moving. It also allows them to put breadcrumbs into the story and make us think that maybe the stories ultimately connect somehow.
The Verdict
Fallout episode 4 advances the story, develops the characters, and gives us some great music along the way. Even without Max this time around, I still enjoyed the episode. Halfway through the season and things are still looking good for the show. I can’t wait to see how they wrap things up.
As mentioned in the previous article in the series, I recorded the game play for the first video. Then, things (as they do) got crazy. So, I decided to put off finishing the videos until next month when school ends. As a result, this article for Mario Top 10: 10 to 6 will have its companion video next month as well. For now, enjoy this trip through Mario history with me. This time, with the added bonus of ranking the games.
10 – Super Mario Bros. 2 (First Played SNES)
After playing the masterpiece that was Super Mario Bros., I expected great things from this one, too. Then I played the game and, dear Lord, what the hell was that? I understand changing game play to suit a new game. Also, I get trying to keep things new and fresh. But, this game was neither of those. This was simply a reskin of another game with the Mario name. And, for me, it just didn’t work. In retrospect, I don’t hate the game as much, but in any top list, this one will always be at the bottom.
9 – Super Mario Land (Game Boy)
Honestly, this game is no better or worse than Super Mario Bros. 2. I flip flopped a bit between the two of them. This game only gets the edge because of the nostalgia of playing Super Mario Bros on the original Game Boy. The graphics are terrible. The controls are abysmal. Yeah, this should have been number 10.
8 – Super Mario Bros. (First Played Arcade)
I threw many a quarter away in this machine when the Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter games were several players deep. Along with nearly everyone else, I died numerous times at that first Koopa. Eventually, I played it with tokens instead of quarters at the local Putt Putt arcade. I got a little bet better, but couldn’t get further than the 3rd or 4th level. Then, my parents got us an NES for Christmas and I played the game at home. It continued to surprise me into adulthood as I learned about the secret exits. Just a solid game overall.
7 – New Super Mario Bros (Wii)
This is the first game that my kids and I played together. The nostalgia of playing with my brothers combined with the new excitement of introducing the boys to the wonders of multiplayer Mario. Add to it all that the game allowed you to bounce off of your teammates and this offered hours of joy that I’d love to relive.
6 – Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
I got the chance to relive it some when Liam picked up Super Mario Wonder for the Switch. He and Quinn played through during Christmas break. One night, they invited me to play. But, I let them have their moment. Next time, we’ll have to play and get Aiden to play too.
The Verdict
Super Mario Top 10: 10 to 6 brings some old and some new. Join us next week for the top 5. Which game do you think will end up number one? If you know anything about me, it should be an easy answer.
A week late, but I finally finished my comics articles for this month with Marvel Comics May 2024. But, I still consider that a win. With how nuts things at school went over the last two weeks and summer coming in about a month, I just need to hold the line until then. Hopefully you all understand. I promise to make the summer far more productive. Until then, enjoy what I content I can provide.
Amazing Spider-Man #47 and #48 (Legacy #941 and #942)
Writer: Zeb Wells, Artist: JRJR. I promised to avoid ASM until Zeb Wells no longer wrote the book. However, if I skipped this one and Incredible Hulk (because the art is just not great, that left me with only 3 comics for Marvel May 2024. While not as offensive as some of the recent stories, these issues don’t give me the good Spidey vibes that I enjoy. Still, I hold onto hope that the worst is behind us. My verdict: Decent.
The Avengers #13 (Legacy #779)
Writer: Jed McKay, Artist: Francesco Mortarino. I saw that Marvel put McKay on X-Men starting with the new series. When I looked it up, Redditers seem to think that means that an Avengers vs. X-Men crossover is imminent. I don’t know about that, but this issues is probably one of the weakest ones of McKay’s tenure so far. Not bad, by any stretch, but not as great as most of the issues in this run. Now, the Blood Hunt tie in that I have no interest in reading. My verdict: Good.
Fantastic Four #19 (Legacy #712)
Writer: Ryan North, Artist: Carlos Gomez. Marvel took Guardians away from me again. And no She-Hulk this time around means that the most consistently great book in the lot is Fantastic Four. This one reads like an old noir crime novel that eventually reveals as a bungled attempt by Trapster to use a cosmic cube. An absolute blast from cover to cover. My verdict: Great.
The Immortal Thor #10 (Legacy #771)
Writer: Al Ewing, Artist: Carlos Magno. As you know, I loved Ewing’s Hulk. He wrote the book so masterfully and told a story for the ages. It took me some time to warm up to this version of Thor, but I enjoyed the last two issues and think I finally understand what he’s trying to accomplish here. And, I’m fully on board with it. My verdict: Great.
The Incredible Hulk #11 and #12 (Legacy #792 and #793)
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Danny Earls and Nic Klein. I mentioned Hulk earlier. The story of this title is amazing. I never thought it possible, but PKJ not only continues the horror vibe of Ewing’s Hulk, he actually amps it up a few levels. But, the art is so bad that it detracts from my enjoyment of the book. Spidey’s starting to come around with the story. Maybe they’ll finally find another artist for this one. My verdict: Story, great. Art, let’s move on.
The Verdict
I actually enjoyed all of the books this month on their own for different reasons. Spider-Man is crawling back to respectability. Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Thor all continue their good runs. And, the Hulk’s storyline is fabulous. Now, if only Marvel can iron out the slight wrinkles.
Last night, I finally got brave enough to attempt basecoating Stormcast Eternals models. I also (b) remembered, and (c) set the time aside to make sure that they got done. You may remember a couple of weeks ago, I spent far too much time doing the undercoating of the models. Then, as mentioned, I meant to pick right up with the next step. But, I got gunshy.
A First Attempt
Eventually, you just gotta “nut up or shut up.” And, you know me. Eventually, whether motivated by fear or courage, I always choose the former. If I’m being honest, some of my reticence comes from a pursuit of perfection. Even yesterday, while painting, they stress, “Don’t worry about messing up. You can always paint over it later.” Yet, several times I wiped up my mess with a paper towel. As you can see, there’s really not all that much for me to be worried about. I think I did a pretty decent job for my first time using this particular technique.
That Splash of Color
I felt a massive sense of pride when I completed the undercoating and removed them from my pile of plastic shame. Multiply that feeling by at least a thousand now that they have those little touches that the blue paint gives them. Next, I plan on working with the Leadbelcher to highlight them more and bring some color to the Kruleboyz. Look for that update most likley next week.
The Verdict
I joined the Age of Sigmar subscription with the intent of both learning the game and developing my painting techniques. So far, I succeeded on both counts. Now that I conquered my fear and perfectionism to start basecoating Stormcast Eternals models, I can keep working on the paints and pepper in new tutorials and playthroughs. Who knows? Warhammer might find a place on the YouTube page.
I meant to post the Mario Honorable Mention article yesterday. I wanted the video to accompany the article. Then I thought I might post it today. However, with no time to narrate the video, I needed to make a decision, so I posted the article without the video. I plan to release the videos next month once school lets out and I have the time. The other plan this week was the comic articles. Smack dab in the middle of it I’m putting the Marvel SNAP May 2024 article.
New Locations
Other than Scarlet Witch, Magik or other characters who change the location, I don’t see the point of Cancun. On the other hand, Panoptichron works very well with quite a few strats in the game. I can see people having a lot of fun with that one.
New Characters
Blink
Image 1 of 5
On Reveal: Swap the last card you played with a higher-Cost card from your deck.
I played Blink to finish the weekend quest. I like the targeted abiilty and thin she’ll slot nicely into my On Reveal or Wong/Odin deck. When I watched a streamer unlock Nocturne, I said, “I don’t know if she’s good, but she looks like fun.” That more or less paid off as expected. Sage can give one hell of a payoff, Namora is another decent On Reveal and Sasquatch is going right in both my “Ones” deck and my Skaar deck. He’ll get played easily in both decks.
The Verdict
After two months of less than stellar updates, last month and Marvel SNAP May 2024 bring some fun back to the game. I gave up trying to collect the conquest variants and this one doesn’t excite me none, either. But, I like the rest of it and with Deadpool most likely coming in July, I don’t see myself giving up the game again any time soon.
I finally recorded the game play and put together the video for my Mario Top 10 Honorable Mention. I still need to narrate and post it, though. To be perfectly honest, none of the videos might be completed until after school ends next month. But, I wanted to keep to my promise of Mario in May. So, I wrote this article with the disclaimer that the video comes sometime next month.
Donkey Kong (1981)
I never played Donkey Kong in the arcade. As you all know, I’m an old guy who (mis?)spent his teenage years in an arcade and the movie theater and McDonalds across the hall at the Millcreek Mall. However, I played mostly fighting games at the time. Think Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Virtua Fighter and, yes, even Primal Rage. Sometimes, when hanging out in the arcade after Putt Putt, I put a token into Pac-Man or Gauntlet. It wasn’t until recently, when I discovered the cabinet at The Quarters, a local barcade, that I picked up Donkey Kong. Now, every time we go, I try to surpass the high score.
Donkey Kong Jr. (1982)
On the other hand, I owned Donkey Kong Jr. for my Atari 2600. At some point, I must have played it on the NES, too. Because I remember the terrible Atari graphics. I also remember the much better NES graphics. In either case, I enjoyed the game much more than the original Donkey Kong. I still do. The added challenge of the different height platforms as well as climbing vines and moving targets made the game much more enjoyable in my opinion.
Mario Bros (1983)
Back when I tried to launch Mario in March last year, I wrote about my history with the Mario franchise. As part of that, I recorded some video of the early games in the series. One of those videos showed the Atari 2600 version of Mario Bros. Again, as an old man gamer, that’s when I got my start in video games. And, at the time, I was happy for the opportunity to play all of these arcade classics at home. Hell, even today, I own an emulated Atari 2600 system and purchsed Circus Convoy for it.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
The only game released in the last two decades, I discovered this one working overnights. Before we got busted for napping on the job, they allowed us little perks for the inconvenience of having to stay awake. One of them was the ability to play our portable gaming systems. I bought an emulator cart for my GBA and loaded this game. The rest, as they say, is history. I love the puzzle game with the Mario game play. I nearly put it in the top 10 even though it’s not a traditional Mario game.
The Verdict
Each of these titles in the Mario Top 10 Honorable Mention holds a special place in my heart and represents a different era in my gaming life. Since I restricted myself to the more traditional type games in the actual top 10, I needed a place to show them off. Let me know if you have any others that you’d add.
I started comics last week with the TMNT #150 celebration. Then, the wheels fell off and I shifted my focus. But, I knew I wanted to return to comics this week. I also remembered that I never covered the Marvel SNAP season for this month. So, in true 2 Generations Gaming fashion, I rebranded my blunder as all part of the plan. Practically, we waited a couple of days for DC Comics May 2024.
Since I only received six DC comics this time, I plan to dedicate a single section to each title similar to how I write the Independent articles. Fear not. This looks like a blip in the road, not “the end of comics” as I fear will happen sooner rather than later. But, as I also say, as long as they continue to churn out good stories, I’m here.
Action Comics #1064
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. When I saw the preview for this mini event, I wanted to see what Williamson planned. The first issue exceeded even my lofty expectations. A standard “day in the life” of Lois Lane beginning quickly gives way to an invasion of Czarnians. While everyone thinks Luthor has a hand in the chaos, it soon becomes evident that Brainiac is involved. My verdict: Very good.
Catwoman 64
Writer: Tini Howard, Artist: Carmine di Giandomenico. I enjoyed the Nine Lives story so far. Sure, it’s cheesy and cliche. But, it’s also fun. That’s all that I ask of a story. I don’t care about the actual content or tone of the story necessarily as long as it’s fun. And, this one fits that bill. This issue feels more like a filler, but Howard still tells an engaging and fun filler issue that makes me want more. My verdict: Decent.
Detective Comics 1084
Writer: Ram V, Artist: Javier Fernandez. Ram V tries to bring back some of the noir vibe from early Batman and Detective Comics. He mostly succeeds, but it feels like something is missing. It just doesn’t work all the way for me for some reason. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Ram V writing Batman should work. My verdict: Decent.
The Flash 8
Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez and Vasco Gorgiev. I liked Spurrier’s introduction to Flash. Not as much as Joshua Williamson’s run, but I thought good things might happen. Unfortunately, I just can’t get into the book right now. I’m not sure what it is. Like Detective Comics right now, it just feels like something is missing. Maybe it’s me. My verdict: Decent.
Superman 13
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. Okay, this is what I’m talking about. Lobo and Supes teaming up to track down Braniac, who is harvesting powers, or souls, or something. I missed that part, I think. In any case, this story is fun. I said earlier, I like fun. And, Williamson brings fun to spare. My verdict: Great
Wonder Woman 8
Writer: Tom King, Artist: Daniel Sampere. Yes! Yes! A thousand times! Yes! This is the Tom King that I know and love. I think I mentioned last month that his story looked like it might finally be starting to pay off. And, it did in this issue. He taps into the history of the character while starting to carve out a place for himself in the mythos. I think he finally figured out the character and we can expect great things going forward. My verdict: Great
The Verdict
DC Comics May 2024 brings some surprises. Not all good. But, I still think that the books, overall, are in good hand. While I’m unabashedly a Marvel zombie, I still keep a flame alive for DC and want them to do well. So, they’re not in the same shape as Marvel (or, honestly, even the Spawniverse) right now, but they’ll get it figured out.
Check out the mothership for these and other books.
What do we know about the second Mario movie? Well, we know there’s going to be one. That’s about it. They announced the news a couple of months ago on Mar10 day and followed up with little else.
What Do You Think About the Trailer
There is no trailer currently
Will It Be A Direct Sequel?
We don’t know that.
Will the Stars from the Original Return?
If it is a direct sequel. If not, maybe. But, we don’t know that.
What Will the Plot Be?
We don’t know that.
Will there Be Another Attempt at an EGOT?
“Peaches” nearly broke into the Billboard top 50. By charting, it made the song eligible for a Grammy. Jack Black’s performance of the song, along with his role as Bowser in the movie (which he easily can reprise in a TV show and Broadway musical adaptation) should have garnered him an Oscar nomination. So, in closing, we don’t know. But, we can hope.
When Will the Move be Released?
We do know that. April 2026. Wait, what? Not on Mar10 day? WTF.
The Verdict
The second Mario movie exists. Well, it will. The rest of it? Well, we don’t know that yet.
All of this information comes from nowhere. If you don’t believe me, follow the link.
I admit that I may not be the best ambassador for this particular message. I only joined The Turtles on this journey back when Armaggedon Game released. But, I must say that I enjoyed that journey the most out of any comic book in the last five years. So, I take a break this month from the Spawniverse to say good-bye to this era with an article just about TMNT #150.
The End Via The Beginning
Nice round numbers always mean something big for comic books. However, as books rise into the thousands or Spawn becomes the longest running non DC or Marvel book, those numbers start to mean even more. Because we can’t do anything in this country without some sort of promotion, the more that it means is often simply monetary. How much can we squeeze out of our readers in the name of nostalgia?
The Turtle’s “Road to TMNT #150” never felt like that. It never felt like anything more than a genuine celebration of the end of a very good storyline. And, the book proved it. No collection of “featured writers and artists” telling quick hit stories. Just a single double issue to wrap it all up in a nice little bow.
The book contains nods to several of the important developments in The Turtles’ history, including their mutation. One of the Batman titles did something similar with one of their celebration issues. I actually loved that issue. What can I say? As much crap as I talk, I’m a sucker for nostalgia just like anyone else.
A Word About Opinions and A-Holes
When I went to figure out which issues of the main book tied in with the Armaggedon Game timeline, I came across a couple of Reddit posts where people claimed not to like the story. No, everyone has a right to their opinion and I won’t judge anyone here for what they think about the story. I, for one, liked it and it put me onto my journey with The Turtles. For that, I’m eternally grateful.
All I will say is this. Many of the responses said that they stopped reading after issue 100. Sophie Campbell took over the writing duties then. Again, I make no implications or accusations here. I drew my own conclusions from this and I welcome you to do the same.
Okay, Back to the Review
In addition to the nostalgia of the story, I liked how they dealt with the story of future Donatello. One of the other criticisms I read about Armageddon Game is that the ending felt rushed. That’s at least actually a valid criticism. A lazy one, but valid. I have a feeling some might say the same about this one.
Nevertheless, I liked the story and the conclusion. Rushed or not, it put a nice bow on the saga of future Leonardo. Not only that, but the final scene tugged at my heart strings. I’m also a sucker for all’s well that ends well and love triumphing over all. Yeah, I’m a big ole teddy bear.
The Verdict
While some on Reddit might argue that the recent stories in the book are uneven, I think we all can agree that TMNT #150 serves as a fitting send off for this run of The Turtles. I saw that Jason Aaron is taking over. Of course, I texted Chris about it. He said, “I don’t see Aaron as a TMNT writer.” I tend to agree, but I will see what he offers before making a decison.
