Monday, January 31, 2011
Retro Releases - Week of 1/31/11
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Awesome Retro Finds of the Week 02: Rewind
So since I don't have anything for this week, I'll post some finds from a couple of weeks ago, before I launched this blog.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Sonic Snuggie
Every morning after a big storm, our condo building requires that we vacate the parking lot for a couple of hours to allow the plows to do their job. The last time this happened, my boyfriend and I decided to kill some time at the mall. Now, when it's this cold outside, I don't want to be at the mall. I want to be curled up on the couch, sipping hot coffee, cuddled under a warm, cozy blanket. Comfy and fuzzy blankets are in my list of top ten favorite things, after all.
So imagine my delight when my boyfriend pointed out this cool item! Perfect for a snowy winter day, it was a Sonic the Hedgehog fleece blanket.
I was going to model it myself, but I a good digital camera. |
There's something ironic about Sonic, the "fastest thing alive", being plastered all over a Snuggie, arguably the "laziest thing alive". Sometimes it surprises me where I find licensed video game properties. As for this imitation Snuggie (or as the box calls it, "cozy blanket with sleeves") it's made of a soft fleece and is more than long enough to cover your legs. Just like with the original Snuggie, I find the sleeves to be cumbersome and the lack of any fasteners on the back make it impossible to move around (contrary to what the Snuggie commercials suggest.)
Out of curiosity, I looked online to see what other retro video game-related blankets with sleeves were on the market. Here are four more that I found:
It's a Snug-gie! Mario! If Sonic has one, you know Mario had to have one too! His was probably first, actually. And I think the fabric may be better quality. And no matter how many times you wash the thing, it really stands the test of time. Also, it doesn't turn into a were-hog at night.
Pac-Man! I actually really love this one, it's so retro-looking!
Street Fighter IV! Not a retro game, but definitely a retro franchise! Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li are all here. And look, the guy on the box is probably playing Street Fighter IV right now! He's smiling to himself because he knows how stylish he looks while he's doing it.
Kingdom Hearts! Wait... not retro whatsoever. Errr....
So I know what you're dying to know: Where can I get one of these awesome, backwards robes? The answer is... well, I don't know. I got my Sonic Snuggie at F.Y.E. where it was on clearance. They also had the Kingdom Hearts one in stock, but both seemed to be on the way out. I've heard reports that you can find these in Hot Topic as well, though I didn't see any the last time I was in. A quick Google search seems to link most finds back to eBay, for waaaaaay more than you should be paying for these. I'd recommend doing your own search, as they seem to be popping up in random web-based stores as well.
Stay warm this winter, everybody!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
Once upon a time, I was thumbing through a game magazine, when a picture of a crying tomato-esque baby caught my eye. Another picture beside it showed an angry pepper-headed man. What was this? I wondered. I read the title: Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. As a kid, that was so delightfully bizarre to me. I had to play this game!
"Oh God! Does anyone have any peanut butter?" |
A persimmon, apparently. |
Don't let the beetles get you! |
So many anthropomorphic vegetables, and not one ounce of educational value. |
Combat = rock, paper, scissors. |
Retro Releases - Week of 1/24/11
Monday, January 24, 2011
Awesome Retro Finds of the Week 01: Miniature Edition
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Retro Releases - Week of 1/17/11
Metal Slug X is an enhanced version of Metal Slug 2. Metal Slug X was originally a 1999 arcade game, and was then ported to the Neo Geo and Playstation home consoles. This "run and gun" shooter is now available on PSN for $5.99. Metal Slug X can also be found as part of the Metal Slug Anthology, currently out for Playstation Portable, Wii, and Playstation 2.
Mega Man (Japan Only - Playstation, 1999)
Mega Man (originally for the NES) was ported to the PSX in Japan around 1999. It's now available for download as a Japan PSOne Classic for $5.99 ($3 with a Playstation Plus membership.) This specific port of Mega Man can also be found as a part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection, which is available on the original Xbox, Gamecube, or Playstation 2.
Welcome!
I decided to start this blog to discuss some of my favorite old-school games and incite warm, fuzzy feelings of nostalgia amongst myself and other gamers. Not only that, but this blog will also be one of discovery: there's nothing better than going back and discovering an awesome old gem of a game. I'll be playing some games that I missed, and will talk about those experiences too.
I'm sure there'll be more things to come as the blog develops, but as of right now, that's pretty much the basics: find retro games, play retro games, and talk about retro games.
I hope you enjoy my blog and GAME ON!