Brightened Video Game Box Art

We live in a time where video game box art is often uninspired, often having a lone male protagonist looking all serious and holding a gun. Why, when there is such diversity in gaming is this the case? Well, someone on Twitter has taken exception to this and using clip art and other simplistic alternatives has recreated numerous video game covers to make them bright cheerful and just downright happier!

The last generation of gaming was guilty of producing some very generic video game art.

Using the royalty free art of illustrator Takashi Mifune from irasutoya.com Twitter users have created a community turning po-faced covers into a riot of colour and fun. Check out some examples and then head on over to Twitter to see much more!

R-Type Animation is Mindblowing

I love hand drawn animation and I love R-Type, so when they combine I am suitably excited. R-Type was released by Irem in the arcades in 1987 and when I first played it at Heathrow Airport it held me in awe. The huge sprites, detailed Giger-esque enemies and wonderfully realised alien environments made other shmups of the time look dated. R-Type still stands the test of time well and I play it occasionally on my Master System.

Paul Johnson, an artist and animator, must have been a huge fan too as he has made a R-Type animation in the Japanese anime style. It is not finished yet but what has been made is impressive. Check out the video and keep up with his progress at his Twitter page (linked below)

Sega Megadrive Classics Hub

SEGA seems to be upping its game with its recent announcement of a brand new online hub where you can log in and play some of the greatest Megadrive games from yesteryear. SEGA removed a whole wave of sub-par ports from iOS about a year ago and promised to do better and this seems to be a part of that promise. They are promising that Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2 and Revenge of the Shinobi will be emulated perfectly to replicate the original machine. In SEGA's own words:

The SEGA Mega Drive Classics Hub will be launching on Steam April 28th as a free update & there's no need to purchase games you already own on Steam to use it!
The new-look system is based on a bedroom of an early nineties SEGA fan with dynamic time-of-day conditions, retro SEGA paraphernalia, a shelf full of MEGA Drive games (including the ones you own) and of course a CRT TV! That’s not all, every single MEGA Drive game will now feature Steam Workshop support allowing you share modified versions of your favourite retro SEGA titles!
In addition to these new features, the new SEGA Mega Drive Hub also includes:
- Spot-on emulation
- Local co-op for games that support it
- Optional graphic enhancement filters
- The ability to save at any point in the gameplay
- Full controller / keyboard support

The list of games available are:

Golden Axe™
Altered Beast™
Comix Zone™
Ecco the Dolphin™
Gain Ground™
Shinobi™ III: Return of the Ninja Master
Vectorman™
Crack Down™
Shadow Dancer™
Space Harrier™ II
Ecco™ Jr.
Alex Kidd™ in the Enchanted Castle
Bonanza Bros.™
Super Thunder Blade™
Kid Chameleon™
Ristar™
Galaxy Force II™
Columns™
Eternal Champions™
Fatal Labyrinth™
Bio-Hazard Battle™
Columns™ III
Sword of Vermilion™
Virtua Fighter™ 2
Ecco™: The Tides of Time
Alien Storm
Decap Attack™
Flicky™
ESWAT™: City Under Siege
Golden Axe™ II
Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole
Shining Force
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
Streets of Rage 2
Alien Soldier
Light Crusader
Gunstar Heroes
Streets of Rage
Shining Force II
Shining in the Darkness
Beyond Oasis
Dynamite Headdy
Golden Axe III
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
Streets of Rage 3
Revenge of the Shinob
Vectorman 2
Wonder Boy in Monster World

All in all this seems to be a step in the right direction and alongside the 3D remakes being released for the Nintendo 3DS, it finally seems like SEGA is getting its act together... about time for a company with a marvelous gaming legacy.

Starfox Animation Leaves You Wanting More

To promote their new game Star Fox Zero Nintendo have released a 15 minute animation. I never realised how much I wanted an animation based on this property but thinking about other anime series like Gundam and Macross it does seem like a no-brainer. In Nintendo's own words:

Fox, Falco, Peppy and Slippy are back to save the universe in the Star Fox Zero for Wii U, available 4/22!
Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins was produced in collaboration with Shigeru Miyamoto, and Production IG and WIT Studios.

Check out the video below and see if you'd like to see a whole series commissioned, I would!

Studio Ghibli Adapts 12th Century

Studio Ghibli is famed around the world for its masterful animation, films like My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service are much loved for their creativity and beauty. Now Ghibli have released a brand new video based on the 12th and 13th century Choju Jinbutsu Giga, 'The Scrolls of Frolicking Animals'. These scrolls are some of the earliest examples of imagery and the Ghibli video keeps to the style and spirit of the original scrolls. It is a wonderful short film and should be seen by lovers of animation everywhere!

Everybody's Gone To the Rapture Soundtrack on Vinyl

Last year I played Everybody's Gone To the Rapture and whilst I loved the first person exploration game I found the brooding atmosphere, layered storyline and central mystery came second to the amazing soundtrack. The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, which is no surprise as it comes from Jessica Curry, composer of Dear Esther and Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs. There are many video game soundtracks I've enjoyed over the years, but my enjoyment of them has been influenced often by my playing of the game, and even though I loved this game the music stands apart and is exceptional; it stands alone as a piece of work. Some of the scores are so deeply emotional that it breaks your heart to listen to it. The pieces are full of a whole spectrum of emotions; joy, love and profound sadness... sometimes in the space of just a few moments.

The standout tracks for me are All The Earth, The Sleep of Death, The Mourning Tree, A Choice, An Early Harvest, Aurora, The Pattern Calls Out, The End of All Things and I Am Not Afraid. These tracks are often slight variations on what has been played before but are part of a wonderful cohesive whole. I am not the most spiritual person but this album spoke to me on a profound and deep level and that surely is a sign of a beautiful album.

If you like classical music and renaissance English music then this is the album for you. Actually, if you just like good classical music then this album is for you!

Psychonauts Retrospective

Psychonauts is an excellent game which was created by Double Fine in 2006 amidst a chaotic birth. The game was highly regarded and critically lauded but didn't sell well enough to have a sequel at the time. Now 10 years after the original Psychonauts 2 has been announced and the internet has gone wild at the news. There is a wonderfully produced documentary looking at the origins of Psychonauts and a look at the sequel.

Skelator's Best Insults

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe hasn't aged well. At the time I'd consume all the episodes and watch it religiously but nostalgia cannot gloss over the fact that boy is the animation bad and the cartoon poor. However something that hasn't aged is Skeletor's insults, he has mastered the art of the BURN! Watch some of Skeletor's funniest, punniest, most ridiculous insults in the history of cartoon.

Mysterious Cities Of Gold Season 3 Premiere

I have a deep love for the Mysterious Cities of Gold and after an okay season 2 which picked up midway through the episodes it is with bated breath that I have waited for any announcements regarding the third season.  Well at the 19th FIFEM Festival (Festivale International Du Film Pour Infants) in Montreal the new season is being kicked off with a premier of the first 3 episodes. Living in England I'm obviously not able to go but I hope that the new series arrives soon as I need closure after 2 cities of gold were found and now the hunt is on for the third in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past Complete in Reverse Order

Awesome Games Done Quick 2016 was a great showcase of skill but in this video Andy and Superskulj race through A Link to the Past in reverse order by using glitches, level skips and pixel-perfect mirror warps to work backwards from Ganon to the Armos Knights. By the end the game is so glitched out that only a game reset will suffice. The skills required to achieve this by both players is incredible so if you have a couple of hours spare check out the pure skill of these players in this classic game.

Video Game Mandalas

''Mandala'' is a Sanskrit word meaning ''circle'', and they are usually complex abstract designs that are usually circular in form. Mandalas generally have one identifiable center point, from which emanates an array of symbols, shapes and forms.

Wanderweird has created his own mandalas but instead of being inspired by mythologies or sacred texts he has been inspired by video games. The mandalas are all painted acrylic on canvas and show a phenomenal amount of detail. In his own words:

SACRED MYTHOLOGIES is the title given to the series of video game mandalas I've been working on since 2013. Video Games were the mythology and meditation of my impressionable childhood, and I feel that these stories are just as deep and important as any Eastern or Western mythology. Each design is meant to entirely encompass one game, implementing all enemies, weapons, items, and bosses, usually set into a playable maze, complete with various hidden Easter eggs. 
 

Here is an example of the work that can be purchased from Wanderweird, impressive eh? There are lots more examples available from his website.

The results are amazing and I highly recommend that you check them out.

LINK- Wanderweird Video Game Mandalas

Pocket Code

Pocket Code is a free app that allows you to create and share the games you make. The app uses Catrobat programming, which is similar to Scratch and the Hour of Code website. All Catrobat programs uploaded to the Pocket Code site can be downloaded by anyone under a free open source license to maximize learning, remixing and sharing them freely. I have been experimenting with the app myself and hope to integrate it into my Future Technologies club soon. Give it a try yourself, what do you have to lose?

Artcade- The Book of Classic Arcade Game Art

For people of a certain generation the arcades were a magical place full of noise, excitement and colourful art. Over the years with the dwindling of the arcade scene the marquee artwork and the arcade machines themselves have all but disappeared and their legacy has been left to fade away. However after being successfully backed on Kickstarter Tim Nicholls has worked diligently to scan and restore the artwork back to its former glory and will be releasing the book, Artcade- The Book of Classic Arcade Game Art, in April 2016. I for one am going to buy a copy and will hopefully review it here.

Telltale Games: Story Mode

Complex is a creative collective from America and they have created an insightful documentary looking into the life of Telltale. Since its startup in 2004 Telltale has gone from strength to strength and changed the conversation on what a game can be. The documentary is free to watch on YouTube and having just watched it I can say it is definitely worth it if you like Telltale's work or just have an interest in story telling in video games.