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Digital Playground, On the Tabletop

2024 Gamer Resolutions

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Introduction

This article might be a little half baked. I just came up with the idea a couple of days ago. Also, I generally don’t do resolutions as a rule. But I threw it on the calendar to keep me updating the page on a regular basis. The momentum of the new year always carries me to at least April, so hopefully that happens again. Now, finally sitting down to write it, I came up with a couple of things to discuss. So, in no particular order, I present my 2024 gamer resolutions.

Resolution 1 – Clear the Backlog (Some)

As I understand, resolutions need to be realistic and attainable in order to be effective. Since I only have one year and my backlog consists of a pile of shame for ever console as well as buy and forget purchases on Steam, I want to set the goal at five games taken off the list. Top of this list is Hades. I’ve been slowly working my way through this game for the better part of 4 years. I now have new found inspiration from the fact that I started and finished the story of Pikmin 3 in less than a week. Having my own Switch definitely helps with this one. While a recent addition, I think that I can finish Spider-Man no problem because I’m obsessed. It just becomes a race if I can do it before Aiden. Probably not. Lastly, I don’t think I ever finished Diablo III and I know for a fact I never finished any of the Fallout series.

Chris recommended you. Liam bought you for Christmas. I owe it to them both to finally finish you.
Is a game really part of your backlog if you just bought it? Philosophical questions like this are part of the reason I never finish a game.
Oh, Skyrim. You were there for me when I was an unemployed stay at home dad. Now that I’m working, I let you sit on the shelf and collect dust. Oh, cruel fates for us both.

2 – Stream or Share Gaming Content

This one keeps coming up every so often. As part of my desire to try to build a community around the page, I want to stream and make the YouTube page more active. Every now and then, I find ways to accomplish this for a time, but it always falls to the wayside as one of the first things to go when things get busy. Maybe with this resolution guiding me, I can actually make it happen this year.

3 – Support Indie Developers

This one wont’ be a problem. I love exploring new games by smaller companies. Initially it started from the games that Humble Bundle provided. However, I like the games so much that I often search for them first on Steam when I need something new to play. A game for two to five dollars that brings me hours or days of entertainment is worth the price every single time.

4 – Explore Gaming History

While we love our history here at 2 Generations Gaming, we rarely focus exclusively on that. Maybe in August, our anniversary, we can set aside some time to look at the history of all different types of games. The Retroid Pocket makes that easy for video games. Reddit and other search engines can bring me back to the golden ages of different tabletop games as well.

5 – Introduce Friends and Family to Games

I make no secret about my desire to introduce my family to Dungeons and Dragons. I tried once, but failed miserable. Then I tried to come up with ways to make it better, but the interest waned. Quinn and I played a couple of sessions and that was fun. But, I really just want to have a monthly session with them for an ongoing campaign.

I also wrote recently that both Chris and Christine showed interest in Warhammer. I need more experience with that to show anyone else how to play. But, I suppose we could play through the tutorials together and learn at the same time. The family that plays together stays together.

The Verdict

I think I have a good list to 2024 gamer resolutions here. Something for every aspect of my gaming life. What about all of you out there? Do you have any 2024 gamer resolutions to take into the new year?

Digital Playground

Gaming Gifts 2024

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Introduction

As often happens in the family, many of the gifts this year involved games and gaming. I purchased an Atari 7800+ for myself that Christine suggested that I put aside for Christmas. I wondered if the boys would even care about it. Surprisingly, they all said, “Cool!” when they saw it. However, it remains in the box. That’s because Aiden went above and beyond this Christmas. He bought us all a PS5 with the Spider-Man games and Minecraft. While we start there, those aren’t the only gaming gifts 2024.

Atari 7800+

I finally caved to the pressure and nostalgia a few months ago. I saw that Atari advertised the 7800+ with a new game and controllers for a good price. I thought, why the hell not? I bought all those cartridges when I bought the Retron emulator. Plus, the 2600 and 7800 have a robust homebrew scene. And, we all know how I feel about the guys over at Audacity games. It felt like a no brainer. I played some of the Bentley’s game to test it out but, like I said, it remains in the box for now still under the tree.

Sony Playstation 5

I wanted to play these games since they released 6 years ago. Then, Insomniac came out with a second one and that reignited the fire. I guess it finally registered with Aiden because he purchased a Playstation 5 for all of us for Christmas with these games. We have all been taking turns playing through the game and watching each other play the game. Numerous times, we’ve said, I love playing this game. Aiden, the other day, said, I’m obsessed with this game. It truly is remarkable. The same way that the Arkham games made you feel like Batman, this one puts you in the Spider Suit and that’s something I’ve wanted my whole life. This one is going to get a ton of play. Hell, I even invited Chris over for some Madden or NHL soon.

Retroid Pocket

I can’t remember how I discovered this little gem. But, it immediately caught my eye and I ordered one. I played it a few times, even using it to capture game play footage for the YouTube channel and some articles. Then, I showed Liam that it emulated GameCube games. He more or less commandeered it. But, that’s okay. Because I have a problem, I just ordered another one for myself that should be arriving sometime this week. I also, for some reason, threw in one of the minis to my order. Hey, I told you. I have a problem.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Probably the console that received the most play from me during this vacation is my Switch. I swapped out Hades a couple of weeks ago for Pikmin 3. I played that up to the final level in the game this week and hope to beat it in the next day or two. After that, I plan to focus on Hades to finish that one out.

The Verdict

Some great gaming gifts 2024 for the 2 Generations Gaming family. Plenty to take me into January and the “New Year, New Games” theme. I hope you all received the gifts you wanted this year and that they bring much joy in the year to come. We will be here multiple times a week to talk about the games we enjoy.

Digital Playground

Steam is a Gift 2024

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Introduction

Recent events inspired me to open my laptop again. One, Aiden bought a PS5 for Christmas. Yesterday, Quinn booted up Minecraft. Once he finished, Aiden showed off his realm. So, I decided to load up Minecraft on the laptop and see if I could join his realm. I ran into some technical difficulties that I hope to troubleshoot today and try again. In spite of all that, I also loaded up Steam. I went looking for Skyrim. You may remember that I once spent 80 hours in a week playing Skyrim. That caused me to evaluate my life and prioritize going outside. Regardless, that’s one of the reasons that Steam is a Gift 2024.

A Revolution in Gaming Distribution

I know some disagree (including our very own Blonde here at 2 Generations Gaming), and I see their point, that digital downloads represent a positive development in gaming. For better or worse, though, Steam led the charge into digital downloads as the standard. No installation media or load times. Simply download the client and purchase and install the games.

Not my downloads.

Then, load a game and play to your heart’s content. The client also allows for cloud based saves and automatic updates. Most often, the game updates in the background or during off peak hours to ensure that you never miss any play time due to an unexpected update. One complaint is that sometimes you wonder where and why the update happened. Street Fighter games that are 30 years old suddenly receive an update? WTF?

The Power of a Growing Library

Since I bought the laptop that runs Steam almost a decade ago, I check there first when a game releases. We rarely purchase new consoles (other than the PS5 this year) when they release. But, having access to Steam and the games there makes the risk of FOMO almost nil. Truly, Steam is a gift 2024.

The real charm of Steam, though, is the access to the independent titles that keep me entertained for hours on end. Whether part of a Humble Bundle or random encounter, I always give these titles a try. More often that not, they deliver. Plus, you feel good about supporting an individual or small group of programmers. They are needed for a healthy and thriving community.

Community and Connection

Speaking of that community, Steam offers many ways to connect with your fellow gamer. Each game has a page where you share screenshots and stories. You build a friends list where they share their games and exploits with you and you with them.

Aside from the story, what brings me back to gaming is the community. Back when I first started my adult video game career, I found World of Warcraft. I still stay in touch with some of the people that I met on that game. I never met a single one of them in real life, but I consider them all friends and even family in some cases.

I experienced nothing like that from Steam so far. However, in supporting the independent programmers, I received some correspondence to try a new game or review a movie or television show they produced. I know that I’m not unique in that. But, it still feels good to be included.

Steam Sales, Mods, and the Workshop

One of my friends first alerted me to the famous Steam sales that happen several times a year. I rarely take advantage of them as much as I do the Humble Bundles. Nevertheless, I peruse them and drool at the prices for games that I want to buy. They figured out a way to keep your attention focused on them and that’s half the battle.

They also accomplish that with the Workshop. Even without the resources to program your own game, you still have an impact on that game through the development of mods. Mods have been a part of my gaming experience since DOOM. Then, in the time of The Sims, I got obsessed. I downloaded every furniture set and add on that I found useful.

While I haven’t used many mods inside of Steam, I appreciate what people created. Hell, some of them have even created essentially new games using the technology.

I really want to play this one.

The Verdict

I think I made the case for Steam is a gift 2024. From the top games to indy favorites. A growing community of like minded gamers (sound familiar?) and regular sales. Plus, that community gives you more through mods they developed.

Digital Playground

2024 Look Back on PC/Console

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Introduction

Of the three main gaming genres, I paid the least attention to this one in 2024. Aiden, again, stole the XBox to put in his room so that he could play Minecraft again. He also commandeered my laptop for the same purpose. So, I mostly used that laptop to update my USFL Distant Replay page. The other laptops, I installed various Linux distributions and used them in my coding exercises. Our 2024 look back on PC/Console might seem lacking.

And, so, the majority of my console experience this year came as a result of my new Nintendo Switch and Retroid Pocket emulator. Both technically mobile devices. Nevertheless, I plan to bring you an actual article later in the week. So, I want to set the scene with this one. Join me on the eve of Christmas for opportunities missed.

Train Sim World

The other day, during an impromptu family movie night, we watched The Polar Express. This brought up two things. One, I think the boys want to go to the train show at the Big E this year. Second, it reminded me of this game. After returning from Germany, I became obsessed with this game and the Euro Truck Simulator. I even considered trying to put together a weekly train/truck Tuesday stream. I mean, there’s still time, but I need to load up the games again and figure out the best routes to run for optimal scenery and fun.

Console of Christmas Past

Earlier in the year, they suckered me into ordering an Atari 7800+. I say that, but I willingly placed the order and eagerly anticipated the arrival. Upon that arrival, I immediately plugged it in and played the included game. My wife saw and asked, “Is that for Liam?” I hadn’t considered that, but now it sits under the tree as a present for the boys from 1982. Naturally, I’m including myself as one of the boys.

Minecraft

Every year, during Christmas break, I pick up Minecraft again to see what new things they introduced to the game. Sometimes, I also play it during other breaks and summer. A few years ago, I loaded the game full of mods and went nuts. Last year, I built out a massive farm in front of my dwelling. Stay tuned to see what happens this year.

The Verdict

Our 2024 look back at PC/console reads more like a wish list. That’s okay, though, because that’s what the holidays and end of the year are all about. So, in that spirit, Happy Christmas to you and yours. Can’t believe I’ve been talking to myself on the internet for over 10 years. Here’s to at least 10 more.

Digital Playground

Mobile Gaming is a Gift 2024

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Introduction

From my last article, you know that I bought myself two gifts this year, a Nintendo Switch and a Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. Truly, mobile gaming is a gift 2024. Both brought me much joy. I always held a soft spot for mobile gaming ever since my parents bought us Game Boys for Christmas one year. I never owned a Game Gear, but I bought myself a Game Boy Color.

Then, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance. I bought several consoles over the years, including the SP NES version shown in the picture below. That thing got me through 3 years of working overnights in a halfway house for errant teens. Before that, I learned how to solder to put a backlight in my original GBA. And, much of the reason that I played it so much is that I owned a ROM card that allowed me to try many different games on the system. Plus, the games were almost always good.

In keeping with that tradition, the Retroid Pocket became my chosen mobile gaming experience this year. It replaced my daily phone habit of playing Hearthstone and Magic the Gathering. As I discovered new uses for the console, I became more excited about the possibilities.

What is this Thing?

Version 1.0.0

What are those possibilities? Yes, I just practiced the worst type of journalism with a question for a title and a question for the opening of this section. But, I promise that I come by this honestly. Maybe you had those questions? If not, I would have. I’m a naturally curious person.

So, the Retroid pocket family of handhelds, the version 4 pro shown above, are a line of Android powered gaming devices. This provides you with the full suite of Android apps in addition to the various emulators that people developed for the system. Without going into too much detail, I found out that it gives me the ability to relive games up to the “sixth” generation of consoles.

While it looks like any other number of mobile gaming devices (most notably the Switch), that’s part of it’s charm. I’ve seen other mobile PCs that might be more powerful, but they also don’t look very portable or have the best battery life. That was the biggest draw for me when researching the possibilities.

It’s Actually Mobile

I took the Retroid Pocket on our Cape “camping” vacation. We used to tent. Recently, though, we’ve reserved a yurt for these trips, so we have access to a roof, running water, and electricity. So, at the lower end of “glamping”. One of the main reasons that mobile gaming is a gift 2024 in the form of the console is that I can fit it in my back pocket. Also, as Liam said the other day, the battery life on this thing is great.

When I opened the box and started working with the device, I only expected it to be able to allow me to relive my childhood. Play some old Atari and Game Boy advance games wherever I wanted. True enough, initially. However, as I worked more with the system, I found it to be much more powerful that expected. I showed Liam the new additions to the library, and he’s played the thing almost exclusively for the last week or so. I might have to buy another one.

As others succumbed to the iCult, I continued to stubbornly cling to my roots as an Android faithful. What can I say? I know they only give the illusion of control (unless you root, and who has the time for that?) but that illusion proves quite powerful. Because one of the reasons that I stick with Android is the customization offered. The Retroid Pocket is no different. In addition to the normal customizing, the addition of the controllers offer even more ability to make the device your own.

My Experience with the Retroid Pocket

Even with the large amount of customization, the system more or less comes out of the box ready to play. They include a powerful front end that finds and installs emulator cores for you for nearly any system you can imagine. Then, you just need to rip and upload some roms from your games and you’re good to go. Some of the newer and homebrew games include a rom with the cartridge purchase, making that easier.

As mentioned, the Pocket gave me the ability to relive memories from my childhood to early adulthood. I was talking with my brothers in the wake of my mother’s death and we talked about the year we received an NES for Christmas. That led to a discussion of games that I had forgotten and the ability to go back to play those games. I also told a story a few months ago about how my cousins had an NES and Legend of Zelda. That, in a lot of ways, inspired me to ask our parents for one.

Owning the system helped me to advance the web page, too. One of my most viewed recent videos of modern Atari games came from directly recorded gameplay on the console. I’ve used clips and screenshots from the games on our Instagram page. It is quite possibly the perfect mobile gaming console on the market today.

Why Mobile is Still Important in 2024

Gamers have always wanted access to their games on the go. I, especially, love to bring my games with me. From the old magnetic board games we played in the car to my first Game Boy and then the Game Boy Advance, I always brought games with me wherever I go. I first learned about “mobile PCs” when Steam announced the Steam Deck. I preordered one, but then couldn’t justify the expense.

Especially when I learned that the battery life is abysmal and I repaired my old gaming laptop, I had no reason for another, even smaller PC that I’d have to keep plugged in more or less. Fool me once and all that. Well, while reading about other mobile PCs, I learned about the Retroid Pocket. I did some more reading and realized that’s exactly what I want from a mobile gaming console right now. I also bought a Switch for a similar reason.

So, in the sea of smart phones, mobile PCs, and hybrid consoles, I chose the my Retroid Pocket 4 Pro for my mobile gaming is a gift 2024. It gives me (and my son Liam and probably Quinn when he discovers it) exactly what I need from a mobile gaming experience.

The Verdict

I highly recommend you purchase one of these consoles. I have yet to find a reason to regret my own purchase. If you want something portable that lets you experience the glory days of retro gaming, there is no other choice, as far as I’m concerned. Let us know what you think in the comments or on social media.

Digital Playground

2024 Look Back on Mobile

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Introduction

As I started to implement the theme months over the last couple of years on the page, they evolved and changed. Not always for the best, as we saw with Frightober this year. But, always trying to make thing better around here, I tweaked the format slightly again this year. Two years ago, I simply announced my games of the year. Last year, I announced the contenders and then wrote an article about the winner. This year, I went more with a nostalgic look back before I talk about how my experience with gaming changed this year. This is my 2024 look back on mobile gaming.

Out of the three gaming genres that I play most (PC/Console, Mobile, and Tabletop), this one changed the most. I went from playing several games daily to only a few and then finally logging into two games on a semi regular basis every month. That’s my phone usage. Let me explain what changed.

A Gift to Myself

Because I am an adult male with adult motivations, I put together a reward system for myself to keep from calling into work last year. In addition to the stressful teaching duties, I took on two classes and department coordinator responsibilities. My very adult plan to keep myself going to work included ice cream for every full week, a Lego set for every month, and a Nintendo Switch for making it the entire second semester without taking a “mental health day”.

While I just treated the reward system with snark and some condescension, it worked. I made it through the second semester and bought myself a yellow Nintendo Switch like the one in the picture up above. I wanted a Switch of my own for a few years now and this finally gave me a reason to go through with the purchase.

Initially, I used it to play more Hades, probably my favorite game of the last few years. Then, more recently, I started up Pikmin 3. Initially, I wanted to include it in my puzzle games posts on Instagram. Then, I remembered how much I enjoyed the game. So, I kept playing. I plan to get deeper into both games over Christmas break.

The Real Reason

I don’t remember when or how I learned about the Retroid pocket. But, I quickly became obsessed with the idea of having all of my former games in handheld form. I ended up buying this first as a way to scratch the Switch itch. Initially, it worked. I transferred all of my Atari games to it and then built out my GBA library. Eventually, I expanded out to Sega Genesis and NES and SNES.

More recently, I discovered that it emulated PS1 and PS2 games faithfully. Of course, I started playing GTA3 and Fatal Frame as a result. The big news, though, for my family, is that it also works for Gamecube games. After I played Super Mario Sunshine (Chris guess that was the first game I got for it), I found Luigi’s Mansion. Liam discovered that and he’s been playing it ever since. I don’t think I’m ever going to see it again.

The Verdict

The 2024 look back on mobile initially started out as a lamentation of the fact that I no longer use my phone for gaming. However, it quickly establishes that’s because I branched out into other forms of mobile gaming. With the Switch and Retroid Pocket, I foresee a coming year of many different games.

Digital Playground

Thank You Nintendo and Sega

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Introduction

The last day of Thanksgiving brings an article that I’ve been planning and crafting for almost the entire month. I hope that it lives up to that hype and doesn’t disappoint. When I came up with the “Thankful for….” series, I knew I wanted to say thank you Nintendo and Sega. Like other gamers my age, both played a huge role in my teenage and early adult life.

Those who come back to the page often know this story. But, I told it again texting my brothers for Thanksgiving. We owned an Atari 2600 forever. My parents fought against buying us and NES, but finally broke one year and got it for Christmas. It came years too late and I then got a job and rendered it obsolete by buying an SNES. But, it still remains a good memory and one that gave my brothers and I a smile in the face of the death of our mother.

Nintendo vs. Sega: A Battle for the Ages

Nintendo took a side character from Donkey Kong and gave him (and his brother suddenly?!) their own title. This title went on to spawn a genre that persists to this day, the side scroller. If you told me at the time that this game would bring literally thousands of clones and also birth other genres, like Metroidvanias, I’d never have believed you. Yes, we all know that I’m not the most visionary among us, so that’s no surprise. But, seriously, the games involved running sideways and jumping to avoid things. And, yet, I dumped quarter after quarter into that very game. I used that as one of my arguments to my parents when I asked for the NES. We spend this much and it saves me this much.

One of those clones came from Sega, a video game company that showed true promise. They made fun games that toiled in obscurity (sound familiar?) in the shadow of the Nintendo behemoth. To whit, I never even knew that Sega made a console before the Genesis. I discovered them when they made the bold decision to finally stand up to their bully in the console wars. Part of that stand came with a redesign of their blue (not yet mascot status) hedgehog as a supersonic (yes, pun intended on their part) alternative to the slow and plodding running sideways and jumping to avoid things of the Mario games.

As you see from the video, Nintendo responded to Sega’s claims that Mario is too slow and boring. They added new powers and, more importantly, put a run meter into the game. This worked because even though I started as a Sonic fan, Mario rules my gaming memories. The games are just much more deep and detailed than the Sega counterpart. Don’t get me wrong, I like much of what Sega did, but Nintendo made Mario into a true icon.

Beyond Mario and Sonic

Both companies obviously expanded their libraries beyond Sonic and Mario. Nintendo started their habit of allowing any and all development companies to throw shit at the wall and hope for the best. Sega held their cards closer to the vest and mostly just allowed polished games and franchises on their consoles. But, I plan to concentrate only on the best of the best games in this article.

Thank you Nintendo and Sega for these franchises that endured and followed me through life. Again, I became a staunch Nintendo fanboy when they dropped the pretense and released Mortal Kombat II unmolested. They repeated offered better graphics and more fun gameplay than Sega. Even so, it surprised and saddened me when Sega decided to stop manufacturing consoles.

Nintendo 64 and Sega Dreamcast

When I think of one of the seminal times of my gaming life, that death of Sega still feels fresh and raw in my memory. Being part of the problem when I purchased a Sony Playstation instead of a Sega Dreamcast as my first console as a grown adult, I obviously helped in that demise. However, as a young person not fully versed in the insanity of our money culture, I still expected Sega and their consoles to be a part of my life for the duration.

Thankfully, Sega stuck around long enough to give us one last Mario v. Sonic showdown into the three dimensional realm. You can argue the merits of this transition. Many, including some of my most esteemed colleagues made a living doing just that. For this article, I argue neither for nor against it. I simply include them as a monument to the fallen and a reminder that nothing in life is permanent. Oof, that got philosophical.

Thank you Nintendo and Sega for great games, as always.

Both Companies Innovate and Survive

Nintendo famously went away from the bro culture that gaming became and started developing their consoles as more family oriented. They pioneered the use of motion based gaming with the Wii, revolutionized mobile gaming with the 3DS and WiiU, and then put it all together in their piece de la resistance, the Nintendo Switch. Again, I started the 3D console wars with Sony, moved to Microsoft, and ended up firmly back in the Nintendo camp.

Meanwhile, Sega focused on making great games for other systems, thereby removing the loss leading nature of gaming systems. They pivoted to a more pop culture focus for their characters, releasing several successful cartoon series. Finally, they triumphed over Nintendo in creating a “cinematic universe” for their mascot in the form of three movies and at least one television show. Nintendo eventually responded with a movie of their own and a soon to be released sequel.

The Verdict

No matter the setting, both Nintendo and Sega brought my great joy in my life. Sure, I mourned when Sega stopped making consoles and wondered if Nintendo could survive the leap to 3D gaming. But, that made me shout with excitement even louder when both survived and grew into their new roles in the ecosystem. I look forward to decades more with these two industry giants. One last time, for now, thank you Nintendo and Sega.

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Digital Playground

Thank You Atari

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Introduction

As mentioned previously, Frightober died on the vine this year due to unforeseen circumstances. But, we promise to come back bigger and better next year. We also pledge to make Thankful for Gaming bigger than ever this year. I started with comics earlier this weekend. Now, today, I kick off the thankful with Thank you Atari.

Those who spend any time here know that both Chris and I are old men gamers. Me slightly older than him. As a result, I grew up with both the Atari 2600 and 7800 in the house. Whenever I get a new computer, the first thing I do is download the Stella emulator to play those games. A couple of years ago, I bought one of the Retrokin Atari systems. Just this year, I bought one of the 7800+ systems from Atari.

Okay, But, Why?

Aside from the obvious nostalgia and memories that the games bring back, they’re genuinely just fun games. When I first got the Retrokin to work, I spent a good half hour playing Frostbite until I achieved a score of almost 200,000. I then went on to time out in PItfall (something first accomplished while sleeping over my grandmother’s apartment when younger) and beating Superman, a game that I barely played when younger.

Sure, the graphics are terrible and the game play is repetitive. But, that’s why I love these games. You can have your speed runs. I want a good old fashioned high score battle any time. No pause button. Only one button and a joystick. So tests the mettle of a man. Okay, sorry, I got a bit carried away there. But, those are the reasons that I like the games. It takes away all the pomp and circumstance and gives you games stripped down to the simplest terms.

Doesn’t It Get Boring?

Well, sure, of course it does. But, you can say the same about modern games. How many times can you mine for diamonds or beat the other team in Madden by 75 before you walk away from those games? At least, in my case, I have these games to fall back on when the modern game becomes too much to bear.

Additionally, I don’t want to speak out of turn, but how many other systems will have a thriving homebrew community 40 years later? Command such respect that the company updates the software and recreates the hardware for a third generation? Granted, gaming changed and many developers release their own emulators to preserve older games. But, that takes the power out of the hands of the hobby programmers some. Plus, they continually attack those hobbyists and try to enforce decades old copyrights. How much longer until the emulation industry dies altogether?

Thank You Atari

Fun and engaging games that are almost half a century old. Homebrew games by the dozens. New releases even this year by some of the best and brightest programmers from back in the hey day. What more do you need to convince yourself that the answer to “Have You Played Atari Today?” is a resounding yes each and every day?

Digital Playground

Marvel SNAP November 2024: War of the Nine Realms

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Introduction

Frightober fell apart this year. After a promising start, things blew up due to several unforeseen circumstances. As a result, I also needed to rework the Noob’s Book Club schedule once again. I went an entire month without updating. Sorry. I will explain more with the episode coming this weekend. In spite of all that, I remain committed to getting back on track this month, starting with Marvel SNAP November 2024.

While not a first for me, I never even loaded the game last month. So, coming back might be a bit of a learning experience. Then again, this is Marvel SNAP we’re talking about. As long as you still play cards on a battlefield of three locations, I’ll figure it out. Ugh, that sounded bitter. Sorry.

New Locations

I like Valhalla. Anything that gives me a chance to abuse On Reveal cards sounds fun. Time to dust off the old Odin deck and see what shakes out. Yggdrasil just buffs power at another location. I mean, it might be fun with the one that decreases power by one each turn. But, that’s just the math geek in me laughing at all this action for ultimately nothing. Otherwise, I don’t see a huge advantage from the location.

New Characters

King Eitri

Image 1 of 6

Activate: Draw a card that didn’t start in your deck.

Fenris Wolf is the ultimate troll card, especially for someone like me who always seems to end up on the short end of the stick against disco or destro decks. Bringing back someone’s Infinaut sounds like a blast. Sutur goes right in my Skaar deck, but I don’t know which card I’d swap it in for. Eitri and Gorr are just decent cards by themselves. I think the two that I’ll have the most fun with, though are Malekith and Frigga. Especially Frigga. That recursion ability makes me unreasonably happy. Combine it with a double or triple effect and it gives you an embarrassment of riches.

The Verdict

While Marvel SNAP November 2024 offers neither compelling characters nor earth shattering card effects, I still want to come back to the game this month. So, I’ll make an effort to find the fun in the season. I don’t see anything for December yet, so I don’t know if will continue, but at least it’s a start.

Images SNAPped from here.

Digital Playground

Noob’s History with Castlevania

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A Journey Through the Night

Along with Metroid, Castlevania ranks as one of the most iconic video game franchises in history. With every new game, it first revolutionized the side scrolling genre before redefining how an RPG looks and what it can do. Therefore, this Frightober, I bring you Noob’s history with Castlevania.

Hell, there’s even a genre of games called Metroidvania that highlights games that count both as inspiration. So, on this trip into gaming horror’s past, it makes sense to visit the Belmont family. As always on the page, I intend to introduce the games. Don’t take this, in any form, as a comprehensive collection or history of Castlevania. Additionally, I welcome any input for games that you enjoy that I missed.

The Origins: Birth of a Vampire Hunter

Castlevania got its start on the SNES in 1986. You take control of Simon Belmont, a member of the Belmont vampire hunting family. Like others before you, you take on the mission to find and defeat Count Dracula in his castle. No small feat, to be sure. Luckily, in addition to your impressive lineage, you also come equipped with a trusty whip.

As you play the game, you upgrade the whip to deal more damage. That allows you to more efficiently and effectively deal with stronger enemies. You also can pick up secondary weapons in the game that give you even further advantage against the more dangerous or devious of Dracula’s minions. As with the previous game in our trip to the past, Splatterhouse, the side scrolling nature of the game may turn modern gamers away. I implore you to try the game in spite of that.

Unlike Splatterhouse that only offers the side scrolling action, Castlevania (and especially later games in the series) allow for 2 dimensional motion by climbing stairs or descending into caverns. This added movement opens up new strategies for fighting enemies and boss fights. One of the things you need to figure out is when to ascend and when to crouch back on the ground.

Evolution of the Series on the NES and SNES

The second game previews some of the RPG elements further explored in future games. It gives you more freedom to explore towns and interact with the townspeople. They give you hints and point you along your way as you embark on your quest. I like the more open nature of this game, but understand the decision to make the next two games in the more traditional style of the first game.

Upon opening the third game, it gave me a familiar feeling. It looked and felt like the first game. Not a complete recreation. However, they took the Super Mario tact of going back to what worked in the first place after trying something new in the second game. I can’t argue with that decision. I like when people try new things. But, I also like the familiarity of knowing what to expect from a game when I start it. If I got deja vu from the third one, then Super Castlevania IV looked almost exactly like the first one with better graphics. That’s an oversimplification, because the game isn’t a shot for shot remake. But, it owes much to that first game.

A Brief Discussion About 3D vs. 2D

After being born on the NES, it grew up on other Super Nintendo consoles. However, unlike franchises like Mario and Zelda, Castlevania stumbled some on the Nintendo 64. I played through some of the first level (for the first time) to prepare for this article and I said to myself, “I can’t believe we ever though these games looked good.” The graphics are awkward, the animation is clunky, and it just doesn’t give off much of a Castlevania vibe at all.

Luckily, the Playstation version of the game, more than made up for that misfire. Symphony of the Night is considered by many to be the best entry in the series. Granted, it went back to the roots as a side scroller, but it brought in the RPG elements of the second game to give it a more robust feeling. What can you do? Some franchises just took longer to adjust to 3D. Some still haven’t.

The World of Castlevania

Music: From the first game, they enhanced the atmosphere of the game with unsettling and, sometimes, downright creepy music. Every time you load one of the games and hear that theme song start, you know that you’re in for an epic battle with the legions of undead and, finally, Dracula.

Aesthetic: Likewise, the graphics of the game evoke a particular style of horror. Drawing from the old monster movies of early Hollywood and the legacy of Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley. The backgrounds, the monsters, and the weapons all add to that style. When you get that dagger or crucifix, again, you know you’re in for one hell of a battle.

Dracula’s Castle: The castle itself can be considered a character in the story. It shifts from game to game and, sometimes, level to level. This all adds to the unsettling feeling of the games. In addition, this offers new and different challenges in each game. For puzzle lovers like me, that’s probably the biggest selling point.

Where to Start

Depending on your preferred game style, the series offers many starting points. Retro gamers might just start at the beginning with one of the online emulators that offer the NES or SNES games, depending on how far you want to go back. Old guy gamers who remember certain systems but somehow missed the Castlevania games on that system can pick one of the games that I highlighted here. Or, you can jump on with the Game Boy Advance trilogy.

Even if you shun the old games for the new, there’s Castlevania for you. Unfortunately, though, the most recent console games released for the PS3 generation. However, they released a couple of games on mobile for those who want the familiarity of that particular gaming device. If you happen to start playing the series, let us know which game and if you plan to continue.

The Verdict

Hopefully Noob’s History with Castlevania gave you some idea of the scope and influence of the games. We didn’t even talk about the games in pop culture, including the Netflix series. Perhaps, we can revisit at some point and bring you some of that content and more. If we missed one of your favorites, let us know. We’ll cover it in a future article.