Geeky stuff – Page 6 – DaveGladow.com

WhoDatJedi Podcast: State of the MCU: Where are we going with all of this?

“Loki” and “Black Widow” are in the books. So what’s next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Let’s discuss!

WhoDatJedi Podcast: Is ‘The Mandalorian’ getting TOO much appreciation now? Also, let’s catch up!

We got back in the saddle this week. We got into why we were on hiatus, talked about the newest Star Wars content, and we even asked if “The Mandalorian” is too hyped at this point.

Gasp!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time — Retro Gaming Essentials (No. 16)

I’ve gravitated to brawlers for a very long time, basically since they first started popping up in arcades in the mid-1980s.

The brawler — if you need a primer — is a genre of video game that involves beating up a bunch of bad guys who keep coming at you. Also sometimes referenced as a “beat ’em up” — though I shy from that designation as that to me denotes more of a one-on-one fighter like Street Fighter II — it essentially boils down to mashing punch and kick buttons, often with a teammate(s) helping you, through several stages until you defeat the big bad, probably/possibly rescue a family member/significant other, and live happily ever after (until the sequel).

There’s probably something to unpack there about why I enjoy these games as much as I do [insert analysis about wish fulfillment in regards to settling conflict with one’s fists HERE], but the appeal of the genre runs much deeper than simple violence.

To me, it’s all about how communal they are.

Brawlers, you see, are short, and since multiple people can generally play, they become communal by their very nature. That makes a good brawler a tremendous bonding opportunity, in the same way a sports title can be. You can gather with friends, have a quick, fun experience together, and then move on to other interests or part ways.

Gaming is just more fun when it’s done together.

But brawlers might be even better for cooperative play than sports games. In sports titles, you’re often taking on your friends and family. You’re opponents. In a brawler, you’re united against a common foe. Teamwork carries the day. And while “friendly fire” can be a fun aspect to that sort of experience too, it’s ultimately most rewarding to team up and defeat the game together.

So yeah, I like these kinds of games a LOT. And yet, when I sat down to think about which games are some of my all-time, can’t-miss recommendations, not many were emerging at the top of my list … for various, sound reasons.

Streets of Rage and Double Dragon haven’t aged all that gracefully.

Final Fight and Streets of Rage 2 were never really my jam at the time, so they don’t have that “first love” appeal.

Battletoads? A smidge too tough.

The Golden Ax series? A little too niche.

And honestly, most other arcade brawlers that came along afterward just felt too derivative.

Which is how we ended up with a licensed arcade port sitting here at No. 16.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
Genre: Brawler
Released: 1992
Platform: SNES
No. 24 on GamesRadar’s Best SNES Games of All Time

WhoDatJedi podcast: Preaching patience to Pelicans fans, ‘Bad Batch’ fans, and ‘Loki’ fans too

The theme of the week is patience.

Ms. Pac-Man — Retro Gaming Essentials (No. 15)

The list that I’ve been putting together of games every person should play — the retro gaming essentials — has thus far mostly taken on a personal bent, focusing primarily on games I personally enjoy a great deal. These are, after all, games I am personally recommending to as wide an audience as possible. It would stand to reason they are my personal favorites.

My relationship with Pac-Man is … more complicated than that.

Have I derived fun from playing the series? Absolutely. I have fond memories of playing the games in arcades and pizzerias growing up. The games were just always THERE, whether one played them or not, always in the background, running through gameplay footage and piping noise out into the room. Pac-Man games were a constant. They were reliable. They were present.

That’s comforting.

But gun to my head, is any Pac-Man game getting listed when I’m asked for my personal favorites?

Eh, probably not. At least not for a long time.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t think people should play, or that folks won’t get enjoyment out of them. These are, by definition, ESSENTIAL games.

And the best game in the series is Ms. Pac-Man.

Ms. Pac-Man
Genre: Maze
Released: 1982
Platform: Arcade
No. 5 on Time’s 50 Best Video Games of All Time

WhoDatJedi podcast: What are the best space battles in Star Wars?

This one’s pretty straightforward. Got a favorite? There’s a pretty definitive Top 2.

WhoDatJedi Podcast: ‘The Bad Batch,’ the military, and what we can learn from both

After a few episodes of “The Bad Batch,” the new animated Star Wars series on Disney+, it’s pretty obvious that themes of the military are going to be a big part of the show.

But just HOW big, and moreover … are they going to get it right?

We talked about that this week on the WhoDatJedi podcast.

WhoDatJedi Podcast: Live movie discussion: ‘Attack of the Clones’

With the ongoing release of new episodes of “The Bad Batch,” it seems a good time to go back to the roots of the clones in Star Wars cinema. With that in mind, the WhoDatJedi crew sat down to record a commentary track of “Attack of the Clones,” the much maligned middle chapter of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

WhoDatJedi Podcast: A review of ‘The Battle for Endor’ (yes, we did that), critique for a lack of Star Wars marketing, and some ‘Bad Batch’ impressions

May the Fourth came and went and … not much happened.

Is that a problem? We discussed that, “The Battle for Endor,” and more!

WhoDatJedi Podcast: Star Wars trivia extravaganza (and some thoughts on Disney theme parks)

To celebrate 75 episodes — and May the Fourth! — we recorded this episode in-person at Zony Mash, asking Star Wars fans in attendance trivia questions.

A good time was had by all.