Had it Happened: Nintendo Play Station (part 2)

This is a continuitaion of an alternate timeline first proposed here: http://vidgameanalysis.blogspot.jp/2017/04/had-it-happened-nintendo-play-station.html

My Top 11 Pokemon Gym Leaders

You've read the title, so you know what you're reading. These are my favorite Gym Leaders in the entire Pokemon Franchise. But since Sun and Moon doesn't include traditional Gyms, I have counted the Trial Captains and Kahunas as Gym Leaders. Let's get started...

Fallout 4's Biggest Flaws

I've made it no secret that I friggin' LOVE Fallout 4. It's not the BEST game ever, and according to a friend of mine, it isn't the best Fallout either. In fact, when I told him F4 was my first Fallout, he said "that's why you like it." So that got me thinking about Fallout 4's many faults; the more I thought about it, the more flaws and faults I found in the game. So I compiled a list of what I thought were the WORST flaws in Fallout 4.

Regarding the N-word

He said it, that Swede said one of the worst words in the English language. The N-word, a word with a harsh and cruel history of violence towards Africans and people of African descent, all because of their skin color. It is a word that does not belong in the vocabulary of good, decent folk. I am of course referring to a recent event where PewDiePie, the most subscribed and most watched Youtuber in the world, had uttered the word during a livestream. His usage of that word has rightly invited criticism against him, and what I hope to be a mature discussion of said word.

Remembering Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

Though the Tony Hawk franchise is pretty much dead these days thanks in no small part to the dismal trainwreck that was Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5, it does one well to return to a simpler time when the Tony Hawk franchise was THE hot selling commodity of the 90's. And to me, no game perfectly encapsulates the fading spirit of the 90's better than Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, one of the best games I ever played.

Is Sonic Making a Comeback?

A year ago I was of the opinion that Sonic the Hedgehog was on its way to becoming irrelevant. All the evidence pointed to that conclusion: lagging game sales, a fandom of ill repute, unpopular changes to the cast, and a cartoon based on these unpopular changes. But now, in 2017, I find myself eating humble pie. The Sonic Boom cartoon has proven itself to be surprisingly smart and funny, with Knuckle's speech on feminism becoming deservedly viral. The game Sonic Mania is receiving rave reviews, most notably from famed Youtuber VideoGameDunkey, who gave the game a perfect score, a rarity for him, Does this mean Sonic is making a comeback?

It's too early to say "yes," and Pokemon Go's fall to irrelevancy has made me more cautious about betting on the future (I had foolishly believed Pokemon Go was going to bring back Pokemania). Sonic's heyday is long gone; the Golden Age is over. But perhaps a Silver Age can begin? I like to think that, if Sonic media can keep up and IMPROVE on the momentum made by the Sonic Boom cartoon and Sonic Mania game, we will be seeing Sonic not just be relevant again, but BIG.

What Sonic needs is the following:

1. 2D platforming games in the style of the Sega Genesis, but with HD sprites and all new levels.
2. More cartoons like Sonic Boom, which combine humor with action.
3. A second cartoon like the old Sonic Sat-Am cartoon, treating the Sonic mythos seriously.
4. A movie that's actually GOOD.

Will Sonic become relevant again? It's my hope that he will. The year 2016 was supposed to be the 25th anniversary of Sonic; so far, the "5" anniversaries have been disappointments for Sonic fans, while the "10" anniversaries have given fans great and memorable games. Here's hoping the year 2021 will see Sonic back to SOME level of his old fame. I want Sonic's 30th anniversary to be celebrated, not ignored!

An Analysis of GamerGate

This is my FINAL piece on GamerGate. It is also a continuation of my previous piece, "Gaming Going Right?"

I had originally intended this to be a dispassionate, objective view on GamerGate, its history, and its influence. But as I put pen to paper, I couldn't help but notice a far more important topic creep up: how GamerGate served as a microcosm of the rise of the alt-right in real world politics. And let me not mince words: had people paid attention to GamerGate, they could have prevented Trump, Brexit, Marine Le Pen, and other calamities.