2020
05.17
From Official Nintendo Magazine. This article originally reached a readership of over 100,000.
Put down that Easter egg. Honestly, you’re going to make yourself sick if you eat any more chocolate. The Day of Rabbit-Themed Confectionery has came and went so, while your blood sugar returns to normal, why don’t we have a look at another kind of Easter egg? By that we mean those from Nintendo games.
Easter eggs are a long-running tradition of game developers placing hidden secrets and sly references within their works. We aren’t talking cheat codes or unlockables meant to reward players, or glitches that were never intended for public manipulation. The eggs in question are little touches that are put there on purpose but have no bearing on gameplay or progression, intended simply as something to bring a grin (or contorted expression of confusion) to a gamer’s face. For instance, did you clock Majora’s Mask hanging on the wall in A Link Between Worlds? Or Earthbound catchphrase ‘fuzzy pickles!’ appearing in Animal Crossing: New Leaf? These mean nothing in the grand scheme of things – just a nostalgic nod to the past for eagle-eyed players. Continue reading “Nintendo’s Greatest Easter Eggs” »
2020
05.17
From Official Nintendo Magazine.
What? It’s Evolving!
2003 was a pivotal time for Pokémon, in more ways than one. Already well on the way to its current standing as Nintendo’s second-biggest franchise after Mario, it found its mainstream popularity beginning to wane as its main demographic became teenagers and gradually began to surrender the series to the ages. It would eventually regain popularity, partially in a haze of sepia-toned, 8-bit nostalgia, but a current generation growing up with modern versions, while perhaps aware of its historic significance, will never experience the bona fide phenomenon that was Pokémon in the late 1990s. Continue reading “Pokémon OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire Preview” »
2020
05.17
From Playboy.com
It was a cold, dark, stormy November night in the heart of the city, days after Halloween. My friend and I were taking shelter at my place, freezing rain beating down on the windowpanes and tree branches casting spidery shadows across the living room, the wind howling like a lone wolf. A late-night beer and Wii U session proved a reliable distraction from the weather, as did one of our chats about the gaming industry. Nothing heavy or particularly insightful – usually just discussing how the last boss in EarthBound is actually a foetus or seeing who can do the best impression of the ubiquitous merchant from Resident Evil 4. That’s about as cultured as we get.
Continue reading “Maiden of Black Water Will Connect You With Japan’s Morbid Past” »