#The legend of Zelda has evolved. Mario has evolved.

[kelpiemomma]

Taking a break from MHS2 (my beloved) to start on Monster Hunter Rise and holy shit the RANGE between those two games. Gamefreak could never. Mhs2 is definitely geared more towards kids (ignoring the whole. Killing monster schtick.) but the graphics, system, and story difference in Rise... I am so desperate for an Xbox so I can play rise on an Xbox instead. I'm getting the hang of it on my switch but I feel like I'd be better off on the Xbox 😂

Also the battle difference 🙃 I am Dying so much. I need to upgrade my gear but I refuse to use anything but my beloved dual blades (speeeeeeeed!) and I am currently unable to upgrade them further

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x44 - Jureimon of the Lost Woods / Trash Day

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Pinocchimon kidnapped Takeru wanting to play a twisted game, but then the grown-ups at FOX took his guns away and gave him a firm scolding. While Pinocchimon was busy, Takeru broke all of his other toys and fled the coop.

Before we begin, an interesting note on this episode's title. Today's episode is 迷いの森のジュレイモン Mayoi no Mori no Jureimon.

Mayoi no Mori is a popular recurring element of Japanese media. It translates to the Forest of Uncertainty or Forest of Indecision or some such. It's the idea of this labyrinthine and possibly even supernatural forest that, once you enter, you may never find your way out of. A place where people go missing and are never heard from again.

It shows up in a lot of places in Japanese media, though it often gets translated a bunch of different ways. Legend of Zelda calls it the Lost Woods. The Mario franchise has used names like "Forest of Illusion", "Forever Forest", or "Maze Woods". Final Fantasy has used terms like "Mazewood" or "Phantom Forest". Naruto called it "The Bewildering Forest". The subtitler for this episode called it "Forest of Doubt".

But they're all different attempts at localizing the same persistent concept: Mayoi no Mori. Throughout Japanese media, this idea persists of a thick, unnavigable forest where the souls of those who made the mistake of entering are doomed to forever wander, searching in futility for a way out that will never come.

I suspect it may be related to Aokigahara, Japan's famous Suicide Forest. But I don't know.

...

...so, let's have fun exploring that!

We join the Chosen Children searching for Yamato, who wandered off into the woods at the end of last episode.

Taichi: HEY!!! YAMATO!!! Sora: YAMATO-KUN!!! Gomamon: GABUMON, WHERE ARE YOU!?!? Hikari: Onii-chan, what do you think happened to Yamato-san? Taichi: How should I know!? What's his deal, anyway? Agumon: He might have been kidnapped by Pinocchimon! Koushiro: Judging by his abrupt disappearance, that's a likely conclusion. Jou: ...no. I don't think that's what happened.

The kids briefly bring up the cliffhanger from the dub and then Jou dismisses it. We're not going to spend too much time pursuing that as a possibility because the audience already knows Pinocchimon was moping in his playroom at the time.

The dub's had a week to stew on that as a cliffhanger, however.

Tai: MATT!!! HEY MATT!!! T.K.: MAAAAAATT!!! Sora: MATT, WHERE ARE YOU!?!? Kari: I'm worried. What do you think could have happened to him, Tai? Tai: Matt's a big boy; He can take care of himself! Agumon: Now, wait a minute; What if he was kidnapped by Puppetmon? Izzy: Yeah, he might have been. Or something worse! Jou: No, it wasn't anything like that.

Taichi responds sharply to Hikari's question in both versions, but there's a bit of a disconnect in Tai's response. Taichi is pissy and dismissive about why Yamato disappeared, but makes no indication that we shouldn't be looking for the guy. Tai sounds like he doesn't think we should be searching for Matt at all.

An odd choice given that his is one of the three voices calling for Matt a moment ago.

Jou recaps the kids on what he saw last episode. We see a silent flashback of Yamato's departure, with Jou noticing him.

Taichi: You saw Yamato leave!? Why didn't you stop him!? Jou: Because I thought he was just excusing himself for a moment. I'm sorry. Taichi: Well, forget it. At least now we know he wasn't taken by Pinocchimon. Agumon: But then where did he disappear to? Sora: Now that I think back, didn't Yamato-kun seem to be acting a little strange to you?

Sora conjures up a flashback to Yamato's Digivice and Crest refusing to function.

Piyomon: Gabumon wasn't able to evolve back then. Palmon: Yeah, but even so....

In the dub:

Tai: What, he just walked away!? And you didn't even try to stop him!? Joe: Well, no! Was I supposed to? I mean, I thought he was just going to go use the bushes! Or something. Tai: Huh. This is weird. I mean, it's one thing if he was kidnapped but why would he just disappear on us like this? Agumon: I'll say! He's been gone way too long for just a potty break. Sora: Wait a minute! Is it just me or has Matt been kinda strange lately?

They have Izzy talk over the second flashback to silence-break it.

Izzy: Come to think of it, he has been acting a little high-strung. Biyomon: Remember when Gabumon had that Digivolving problem? Palmon: (gasp) Yeah! I bet there's a connection!

This dialogue deviates a bit from the original, but not in a negative way. It flows really well. I especially like Palmon's organic response to Biyomon here.

Suddenly, Hikari hears something again. As with last episode, we don't hear whatever's caught her attention; Just a shimmering effect in the audio. Whatever it is, Hikari whips around too late. It's gone, if it was ever here to begin with.

Tailmon: What's wrong, Hikari? Hikari: I heard a voice again. Taichi: (runs up) A voice!? Was it Yamato!?

Taichi's quiet for a moment, listening for Yamato but hearing nothing.

Taichi: Were you hearing things?

This is another visual pun, like the one from inside Whamon. Taichi asks "Soramimi ka?" Soramimi is a Japanese expression that means "air in the ears" and is used to describe mishearing something. Upon asking the question, we cut briefly to Sora and Mimi exchanging awkward glances.

Koushiro: He couldn't have gone far. Taichi: You're right. Let's go!

Taichi rallies the group together and they head out to resume their search. Except Hikari, who stays behind briefly, answering the question now that the others aren't around to hear her.

Hikari: ...no, it wasn't Yamato's voice. Tailmon: (concerned) Hikari?

OMINOUS.

In the dub:

Gatomon: Kari, what is it? Kari: I thought I heard a voice out there. Tai: A voice!? Was it Matt!? (beat) Tai: I don't hear anything.... Come on, Kari! Don't you start losing it too! (Sora and Mimi exchange glances) Izzy: He couldn't be very far away, you know. Maybe we should look for him. Tai: Yeah, I suppose. Okay, guys; Let's go. (The group starts walking, except Kari) Kari: Gatomon, it wasn't Matt's voice I heard! Gatomon: Who's was it?

A small tonal difference here at the end; Hikari's basically talking to herself, with Tailmon beside her worrying. Kari addresses Gatomon to explain herself. But the important point still gets across in both versions. Hikari keeps overhearing somebody who is not yet accounted for in the story.

We leave the group here to join Yamato, storming off with Gabumon hot on his trail.

Gabumon: Yamato! What's wrong!? Yamato, listen to me! Yamato: (glower) ... Gabumon: Yamato....

While they're walking, we pan out to see Pinocchimon and Jureimon watching them from across the pond.

Pinocchimon: Hehehe! That guy is so stupid for breaking off from the rest! It's like he wants me to kill him! Jureimon: Of course, sir. Pinocchimon: Since I know he won't play with me anyway, I guess I'll give him what he wants and murder him. Jureimon: Please wait a moment, Pinocchimon-sama. I have an idea, sir. While you're dealing with the rest of the Chosen Children, your loyal servant Jureimon will handle this one! Ho ho ho ho!

Vulgar mouth on Pinocchimon. The show has used a lot of euphemisms to dance around the word korosu, which means to kill or murder or slaughter, since that word's considered vulgar in children's entertainment. Its favorite euphemism is taosu, which means to defeat or demolish.

We heard a lot of taosu last episode, such as discussing whether or not to "destroy" Kiwimon.

But Pinocchimon here drops two separate instances of its compound form koroshitai, combining korosu with shitai meaning "I want to verb". He's pulling no verbal punches; He intends to murder this child.

In the original, Yamato gives Gabumon a total cold shoulder, refusing to answer him entirely. The dub uses the last shot of Gabumon to let Matt talk to him.

Gabumon: Matt, come on! I'm all for exercise but I'm really not built for long distances! Matt! Where are we going? Matt: Just... away. I need some space! (Pan out to Puppetmon and Cherrymon) Puppetmon: Hehehe. Aww, the poor little kid needs a little space. Someplace far away from his nice little friends and closer to ME!!! Cherrymon: I agree completely. Puppetmon: I'm not waiting! I'll put him out of his misery! Those DigiDestined kids really bug me! Cherrymon: Wait a minute, Puppetmon! I have a better idea. You can take care of those other DigiDestined children if you want to but, as for this one, leave him to me! I'll have him climbing up a tree before I'm through with him! Hahaha hahaha HAHAHA!!!

I like Puppetmon's twisted retort to Matt "needing space".

But I'm sad to lose "Since I know he won't play with me...." That line was a nice callback to the previous episode, conveying that Pinocchimon is still salty about what happened with Takeru.

"I'll put him out of his misery" is a solid translation for Puppetmon's second line, since obviously Fox isn't going to let Puppetmon's language be as unapologetically violent as Pinocchimon's. The last bit is just Evil Space Filler, though.

As an aside, Jureimon's vocal performance is a deep and bellowing old man who speaks in a respectful and wizened tone. Cherrymon's going for Marlon Brando's Don Vito Corleone from The Godfather for some reason.

Yamato finds a place to finally rest and talk through why seeing Takeru be self-sufficient bothered him so much.

Yamato: I... I've always thought about Takeru. Takeru is... He can't take care of himself without me. Or, I thought so....

Yamato flashes quickly through various clips of Takeru over the course of the series, since they first noticed the snow falling at camp.

Yamato: Before I knew it, he'd grown up. And me? He doesn't need me anymore. (Flashbacks end) Yamato: It's not just Takeru, either. Taichi, Sora, Mimi, Jou, Koushiro... Everyone's changed so much since we came to the Digimon World. They've gotten stronger. Gabumon: (affirming) Mm. Yamato: But, next to them, look at me. I'm the same person I always was! I haven't changed at all! Gabumon: That's not true! You also-- Yamato: What's wrong with me!? This isn't who I want to be! Gabumon: Yamato.... Yamato: I can't stay like this! I have to change! I HAVE TO GET STRONGER!!! And for that to happen... I can't stay with the others.

This would, of course, probably be why his Crest wouldn't shine earlier. Sympathetic though Yamato's reasons are, he's not exactly expressing the virtue of Friendship here. He's wallowing in self-doubt.

The dub slips its first commercial break between scenes, which is a good place for it. Then we come back to Matt's doubts.

Matt: You ever feel like a third wheel, Gabumon? That's what I feel like. All this time, I thought I had, like, a purpose, y'know? To look after my little brother. (Flashbacks) Matt: I thought T.K. wouldn't be able to survive without me watching over him. Suddenly, it's like he's growing up. He doesn't need me anymore. Oh, and it's not just him. (Flashbacks end) Matt: It's everybody, man. I mean, when I think of Tai and Mimi and Sora and the others, this place has changed them for the better. They're stronger now. It's almost like they Digivolved or something. Gabumon: Hm? Matt: But you see, the problem is, I haven't. I'm still stuck in the same place. I haven't changed a bit. Gabumon: You may not see it, Matt, but you've changed a lot! Matt: Oh please, Gabumon. Give me a break. I'm the same jerk I always was! Gabumon: Hey, come on.... Matt: It'll never happen! Not this way. I've finally got it figured out! If I'm ever going to change, I've got to do it on my own! On my own... The others can't help me.

This is pretty much perfect. It his every last beat of the scene while being flavorful and interesting to listen to. 10/10 no notes.

Jureimon suddenly reveals himself with a hearty laugh.

Jureimon: AH HA HA!!! Yamato: WHO'S THERE!?!?

Jureimon calmly walks out to meet Yamato and properly introduces himself.

Jureimon is a Perfect-stage Virus-type Plant Digimon. He's one of the two Virus Perfects for the Wind Guardians, both of whom are pre-evolved forms for Pinocchimon himself.

His name comes from the Japanese word 樹齢 jurei, which means "the age of a tree". He's the Ancient Tree 'mon. The word jurei, sounded out loud, sounds super close to cherry - Something I don't think was lost on his creators, given that they filled his branches with cherry fruit. He's an ancient tree, but specifically a cherry tree.

Which means the dub's choice of "Cherrymon" fits well into the characters' lip flaps while still being evocative of his design.

Jureimon: My name is Jureimon. Yamato: Jureimon? Narrator: Jureimon. Called the Lord of the Deep Woods, this Perfect-stage Digimon lives deep within the forests. His special attack is Cherry Bomb.

A note about Jureimon's title. He's called 樹海の主 Jukai no Omo. The word of interest here is Jukai, which doesn't mean "forest". Rather, it more directly translates to "Sea of Trees" and refers to an especially dense part of a forest.

It. Um. It's also a term for Aokigahara. Jureimon is the Lord of places like Aokigahara.

...

And now he's talking to Yamato, in the midst of an emotional crisis.

Gabumon: You work for Pinocchimon, don't you!? Jureimon: Now, now, calm down. I didn't come here to fight. I am just looking for someone to talk to. Ah ha ha!

This is going to be bad, isn't it?

In the dub:

Cherrymon: Well, well. Look what we've got here. Greetings, nature lovers. (Cherrymon reveals himself) Cherrymon: What? You mean you've never seen a talking tree? Matt: ...not many. Gabumon: (rundown) Be careful. That's Cherrymon, Lord of the Forest and the best reason for the existence of termites. Gabumon: Stop right there or I'll turn you into toothpicks! Cherrymon: You really shouldn't be that rude. Calm down, my fighting days are over; I only want to talk with you. In fact, you might even say I've turned over a new leaf. Ehehe Haha!

"The best reason for the existence of termites" got me. XD It's the casual, matter-of-fact way he slides that into the rundown. Fantastic delivery.

Gabumon has all of his hackles up right now and he is absolutely right to. We are at war and he does not trust the enemy combatant emerging from the deep woods for a friendly chat.

Meanwhile, the other children continue their search for Yamato. Koushiro's using his Digivice to try and track Yamato's, but getting no results.

Koushiro: The Digivice isn't reacting. It doesn't seem to be functioning properly in these woods. Tailmon: I think we should take a break somewhere and wait for him. Everyone needs some time alone once in a while. Taichi: No, we have to find Yamato quickly. We can't do this unless all eight of us are together! Jou: But we're all tired. We should find a place to sit down and rest our legs. Mimi: (quietly, distressed) So the eight of us could stay together and fight... They all.... Palmon: Mimi.... Sora: Mimi-chan....

Quite a bit going on in this scene. We start with the discovery that the deep woods seem to be blocking the signals from their Digivices so they can't find each other.

Senpai and Team Leader have very different ideas of what we should do from here, with Taichi wanting to push the group to exhaustion out of a sense of urgency for fighting the war.

Taichi invokes what Gennai told them before they returned to Tokyo: They can only fix the distortions if all eight of them are together. That's why we had to get retrieve Hikari, and it's why we can't be splitting the party like this.

But Taichi is still trying to be Drill Sergeant and not considering the valid points that Tailmon and Jou are both making.

(That said, given what Yamato's talking to right now, they probably should hurry up and find him. Taichi's right but not because of the words coming out of his mouth.)

Meanwhile, Mimi remains traumatized from their various friends and Chuumon that gave their lives for the children's sake. The road they've walked to reach this point is paved in pixel dust.

In the dub:

Izzy: Mm, it's no use. I'm getting nothing. For some reason, the Digivices aren't working in this forest. Gatomon: You know, I'm not so sure we should be trying to find him. Everyone needs to be alone sometimes. I should know! Tai: I'm not gonna let him break up this team! We're gonna find him whether he wants us to or not! Joe: We're always walking around searching for someone; I've never done so much walking in my life! Mimi: Yeah, it's disgusting. My calves are starting to look like a bodybuilder's! Palmon: Like a what!? Sora: (dismissive) Oh, Mimi....

...okay, so all of this sucks. Well, Izzy and Gatomon are fine. Good job, you two.

Tai's being even more unreasonable than his Japanese counterpart. He offers no reason for why it's so urgent that we find Matt right now. Just that we're gonna drag his ass back here and that's fucking final!

Then Jou and Mimi both have their lines swapped out for whining about their poor constitutions. This is especially egregious for Mimi because the fact that she's practically catatonic right now from trauma is an important part of her character arc, but the dub has her quipping about her "gross" leg muscles like it's just another day.

Suddenly, a loud voice echoes through the forest.

Pinocchimon: YOO-HOO!!!

Perched at the very top of a nearby tree, Pinocchimon calls down to them, startling the group.

Taichi: (gasp) Pinocchimon! Pinocchimon: Hi, Takeru! It's good to see you again! Takeru: Not for me, it isn't! I'm not playing with you anymore! Patamon: That's right! Pinocchimon: Idiot! Playtime is long over! GET THEM, GARBAMON!!!

Three such creatures slide out of the woods in their trash cans.

Garbamon is a Perfect-stage Virus-type Mutant Digimon. Next to Jureimon, they're the other Virus Perfect from the Wind Guardians, and the other pre-evolution for Pinocchimon. Their name, of course, comes from the word "garbage".

They're based, specifically, on a desktop Recycle Bin for deleting files.

All Garbamon: YES, SIR!!! Narrator: Garbamon. A Digimon based on garbage. Their special attack is Unchi Bazooka, but they're still Perfect all the same.

Another rare attack name to feature a Japanese word in it. Unchi means poop. Yep, we're doing that again.

Which is what that last comment is about; Garbamon is along the same vein as the various junk 'mons we've seen like Scumon or Numemon or Nanimon. But these guys are not the pathetic little bottomfeeder Adults of the original V-Pet lineups. These guys are Perfect-stage Wind Guardians and they will fuck your shit up.

In the dub:

Puppetmon: Yoohoo! Tai: Puppetmon!? Puppetmon: Hi, everybody! Hey T.K., did you miss me? T.K.: No, not at all! And I'm not going to play with you anymore, either! Puppetmon: No!? Well, fine! You're not a lot of fun anyway! Front and center, everybody! Garbagemon 1: (slides out) Yes, sir! Garbagemon 2: (slides out) Yes, sir! Garbagemon 3: (slides out) Yes, sir! Palmon: (rundown) Uh-oh, Garbagemon! They're as tough as they are mean! And they don't smell very good, either....

Palmon's diegetic rundown here is completely different. But it still gets across the idea that despite being gross, they shouldn't be underestimated.

Puppetmon here is more outwardly upset about T.K.'s rejection. I do like that the dub has him clearly still nursing that wound, only launching the ambush after he's freshly rejected again.

Once the rundown's over, the Garbamon take aim.

Garbamon: FIRE THE UNCHI BAZOOKA!!!

The Garbamon unload their first volley of their disgusting projectiles. The kids turn and run into the woods as the Garbamon let off a second volley. But then Palmon notices one person who isn't running.

Palmon: Mimi!

Mimi snaps suddenly, furiously snatching one of the poops out of the air as it sails towards her.

Mimi: WHAT THE HELL EVEN IS THIS!?!? ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

She is so done with being the target of long-range poop assaults. She throws it straight back at the Garbamon.

Mimi is not very athletic, so her toss doesn't hit anything. It lands on the ground about halfway between her and the enemy, then flops to a stop in front of the center Garbamon. Still, her outburst takes everyone by surprise. The Garbamon stare slack-jawed at her, ceasing their assault.

A brief shot of Pinocchimon going O_O shows that he, too, is stunned speechless.

Sora swings back, grabbing Mimi by the arm and snapping her out of her temporary insanity. The second Sora grabs her, Mimi's ferocity collapses and she just looks freaked out and terrified again.

Sora: Mimi-chan, hurry! Mimi: Uh-huh!

A powerful moment for Mimi but not one that accomplished much.

In the dub:

Garbagemon: Junk Chuckers ready, aim, FIRE!!! Joe: RUN!!! (The kids flee from the non-specific junk) Palmon: Mimi! Mimi: (catch) I WON'T BUDGE!!! Let's let them do the running for a change! (throw) Garbagemon: :O ... Pinocchimon: O_O ... Sora: Mimi, come on! (grab) Mimi: Yeah, good idea! I must be nuts; I touched that stuff!

Mimi's ferocity comes on the heels of being repeatedly targeted by poop-throwing Digimon. It's the culmination of her individual experiences with Scumon and various Numemon.

Dub Mimi's snapping fury is recontextualized to be general outrage over all the running from enemies they've had to do. This probably goes hand-in-hand with the dub's persistent efforts to not directly admit that the projectile in question is, and has always been, poop.

Though calling it "junk" is getting pretty close to coming clean.

I do, however, love the addition of "I must be nuts; I touched that stuff!" at the end. That's a great line for her to deliver after snapping out of it.

From here, we return to Yamato to hear his answer to Jureimon.

Yamato: Sorry, but I don't feel like chatting with you. Let's go.

Yamato and Gabumon start walking towards the tree line. Jureimon extends his hand, growing it to a large size to cut off Yamato's departure.

Yamato: Get out of the way! Jureimon: Now now, I told you to wait. You don't need to be so hostile. Oh ho ho ho! "What's wrong with me!?" "This isn't who I want to be!" Yamato: (gasp) Jureimon: It's important to step back from time to time and think about who we've become, to better understand ourselves. Yamato: You were listening in? Jureimon: Ho ho ho ho! I didn't need to listen in. Nothing happens in this forest that I don't know about. Yamato: Then tell me! What should I do now? Jureimon: You're asking me what to do? Children these days, always wanting their answers handed to them. They never try to think for themselves. That's the problem right there, if you ask me.

Okay, boomer.

In the dub:

Matt: No offense, but even if I felt like talking, it wouldn't be to a tree. See you around. (Cherrymon blocks Matt's departure) Matt: Hey, what's the idea!? Cherrymon: Young man, didn't anyone ever tell you you should listen to your elders? Or was it redwoods you should listen to? I can never quite get those two straight. But anyway, I digress. So, you're still stuck in the same place. Still the same old jerk you always were. Matt: (gasp) Cherrymon: Surprised, huh? Ah, I know all about it! Must be tough being in such a rut! Matt: You've been spying on me, huh!? Cherrymon: Hahahahaha! Listen to me, kid. I don't need to spy because there's nothing that happens in this forest that I don't know about. Matt: (skeptical) Huh. Alright then, if you're so smart, what am I supposed to do!? Tell me that! Cherrymon: Ah, simple as that, eh? Kids. You want all the answers just handed to you on a mahogany platter but you never want to do the hard work of looking deep within yourself, where all the answers truly lie!

Pretty solid, with some tree jokes thrown in for shits and giggles.

Seeing that this isn't going anywhere good, Gabumon tries to intervene.

Gabumon: Yamato! You don't have to listen to this guy! Let's go! Jureimon: Are you sure about that? If you want to get stronger, you'll have to improve yourself. Yamato: Improve myself? Jureimon: That's right. But it's easier said than done. You will need to have the determination to carry it out. Yamato: Determination? I have that. Tell me, how am I supposed to do it? Jureimon: (thinking) Ha! He's taken the bait....

Jureimon playing Yamato for an absolute sucker.

In the dub:

Gabumon: Let's go. Don't you listen to that talking firewood, Matt! Come on! Cherrymon: That's right, go on! But you'll never learn how to change. You'll always be what you are right now. Matt: (weakly) I want to change! Cherrymon: Yes, of course, but are you really ready? After all, change isn't always a pleasant thing. You might find out a few things that you wish you hadn't. Matt: I'm ready. More than ready. Enough talking, big guy! If you've got some answers, let's see 'em! Cherrymon: (thinking) Haha! He fell for it like an overripe fig.

A small change: Jureimon baits his hook by questioning Yamato's resolve while Cherrymon questions Matt's commitment to change.

Finally, Jureimon reveals exactly what Yamato must do to better himself.

Jureimon: YOU MUST DEFEAT YOUR RIVAL!!! Yamato: Rival? Jureimon: (points) Go take a look at yourself in that lake. There, you will see the rival you must defeat. Yamato: I must defeat... my rival.... Gabumon: Yamato....

Yamato approaches the lake, peering into its waters.

Gabumon: Ah! Yamato: Th... That's...!

Slowly but surely the image of Taichi emerges.

(Honestly, who else was it gonna be? Mimi? Hell no. Yamato'd best not come slinging this shit at her 'cause she's got a mean answer to that now.)

The dub's delivery of Cherrymon's pronouncement is incredibly undercooked. Jureimon screams it as a dramatic, climactic revelation. The apex of what this conversation has been building to. Cherrymon lays it out all casual.

Cherrymon: Alright, kid, I'll help you out. First off, you're gonna have to defeat your rival. Matt: My rival? Cherrymon: (points) There. In that lake, you will see the face of the one who is preventing you from becoming as strong as you could be. Gabumon: Where are you going? Matt: I know it sounds pretty bogus but... Might as well look. Gabumon: Listen, Matt. You don't really believe him, do you? (Tai's image begins to emerge) Gabumon: Ahhh! Matt: TAI!?!? COME ON!!! WHAT KIND OF TRICK IS THIS!?!?

Matt absolutely refuses to sell the idea that he's buying what Cherrymon's selling at all. He's basically rolling his eyes while being dragged around by Yamato's decision-making. The original keeps what's going through Yamato's head here ambiguous. He's considering Jureimon's words but doesn't appear to have committed one way or the other.

From here, we go to commercial and come back to the Garbamon chase.

Garbamon: Don't think you can escape! Take this!

The Garbamon form up, back-to-back, and rotate in circles firing their Unshi Bazookas into the woods. in all directions. This achieves nothing, and instead Adult evolutions of all the Partner 'mons emerge. Everyone but Angemon, Tailmon, and Garurumon, that is.

The Partner Digimon converge their attacks on the Garbamon, creating a huge explosion. This seems effective until the smoke clears and reveals no trace of their targets.

Taichi: Great work! (Smoke clears; Nothing there) Pinocchimon: Hahahahaha! Did you think those puny attacks would be enough to defeat them!?

(This is a Dragon Ball moment; Their absence proves they got away before the blasts hit. But Digimon disintegrate upon death so there'd be no trace of them either way; This doesn't really work.)

In the dub, the lead Garbagemon gets philosophical.

Garbagemon: Ha! Don't you know that wherever you go, there will always be garbage? Okay, ready guys? MAKE A MESS!!! (The Garbagemon spin and fire into the trees. The Partners emerge and blast them.) Tai: WAY TO GO!!! Joe: That trash is thrashed! Puppetmon: Hehehehehe.... (Smoke clears; Nothing there) Puppetmon: Great, you've totally ruined my garbage fun! I'm beaten! I'm going home! PSYCHE!!!

Oh my god. Remember "PSYCHE!!!"? The 90's/early 00's!

"That trash is thrashed". Nice wordplay, extra Joe line.

With the team's failure revealed, the assault begins anew.

Pinocchimon: Look behind you!

A Garbamon rushes towards the Children from... Wherever they got off to, taking aim with his poopzuka.

Mimi: No.... Garbamon: GOT YOU NOW!!! Mimi: NOOOOOOOO!!!

Mimi lets out a bloodcurdling scream, activating her Crest and Super-Evolving Togemon into Lilimon. Bursting into existence, Lilimon tackles Mimi and pushes them both out of the way of Garbamon's shot.

In the dub:

Puppetmon: Look behind you! Garbagemon: WRAHHH!!! Mimi: It's trash! Look out! Garbagemon: (takes aim) Here's mud in your eye!

The dub takes its second commercial break here instead of where the original put it. Fair; The original's commercial did come surprisingly early.

Then we return, replaying the shots from Mimi and Garbagemon's previous two lines.

Mimi: Oh no! Help! Garbagemon: JUNK CHUCKER!!! Mimi: NIGHTMAAAAAAAAAARE!!!

On the hand, screaming NOOOOOOOO is incredibly overwrought and cliche. On the other hand, screaming NIGHTMAAAAAAAAARE is just silly.

I think they were stuck on that one because of the lip flaps. The word for no is ie, pronounced "eee-yay". It's two syllables, with Mimi's lips moving between them. It's hard to get two syllables out of NOOOOOOOO.

Once Mimi's safe, Lilimon soars into the fight.

Lilimon flies straight for Garbamon, but a second Garbamon suddenly emerges from behind them.

Garbamon 2: You fell for it! Lilimon: Wait, what!?

The pair of Garbamon open fire at once. Lilimon deftly maneuvers between their shots, but then the third Garbamon pops up behind them.

Garbamon 3: NOT DONE YET!!!

Lilimon's line here made me a little sad, because she says "Uso!" which means "Lie". It's an expression of disbelief; In this case, she fell for their trick completely and is conveying her surprise and confusion.

But for a moment, I thought she said "Kuso!" which is a Japanese curse word and literally means "SHIT!!!" Which would have been very apt in this situation. Alas.

In the dub, the Garbagemon remain poetic.

Garbagemon 2: TWICE IS NICE!!! Lillymon: Ah!? (The Garbagemon shoot; Lillymon dodges) Garbagemon 3: TRASH THAT PETUNIA!!!

Well punned.

Unfortunately for the Garbamon, Lilimon finds her footing and goes back on the offensive.

Stepping on the face of the Garbamon in front of her, Lilimon bounds up into the air to meet the third.

Garbamon 1: Do I look like a stepstool!? Lilimon: FLOWER CANNON!!!

Lilimon shoots Garbamon 3 point-blank, vaporizing them into pixel dust.

In the dub:

Garbagemon 1: That chick is heavier than she looks.... Lillymon: FLOWER CANNON!!!

Something about the replacement gag is getting my hackles up but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Inspired by Lilimon's counterattack, Taichi steps up.

Taichi: Yes! Now!

In the dub:

Tai: Alright! Finish them off!

Greymon Super-Evolves into MetalGreymon and fires off his Giga Destroyer. One of the two remaining Garbamon is still stunned from getting stepped on, but the other counterattacks with Unchi Bazooka.

The poop ricochet's harmlessly off the Giga Destroyer missile, doing nothing to impede its path.

Both Garbamon go up in a massive explosion that blows Pinocchimon off his treetop perch. While Pinocchimon hangs on for dear life, the errant final poop lands squarely on his forehead, provoking a furious and agonized shriek.

From here, we return to Yamato and Jureimon.

Yamato: Taichi is... my rival...?

Suddenly, Yamato stands up and starts laughing.

Yamato: Sorry to disappoint, but I've never felt that way about him. Not even once! Jureimon: Ha ha ha! That lake reflects whatever lies in the heart of the person who looks into it. Yamato: What!?

Of course, we know Yamato's not being honest with himself here. We've seen the friction between the two boys throughout the series, especially where Takeru was concerned. He may never have contextualized Taichi as a "rival" but he and Taichi have been locking horns since File Island.

You can tell how little Yamato believes in his own claim by how quickly he abandons it. Yamato says "LOL nice trap", Jureimon says "It's not a trap", and Yamato replies "WAIT WHAT!?!?" and resumes falling for it.

Yamato looks into the lake again. Then, after a moment, he pulls his gaze away once more.

Yamato: (struggling) I refuse to fall for this.... Jureimon: Do not avert your eyes! Properly face yourself!

At Jureimon's urging, Yamato gives in and looks down into the lake again.

In the dub, Cherrymon calls in from offscreen like a game show host while Matt's confronting the ugly revelation of the lake, which sounds absolutely hilarious in his Godfather Voice.

Cherrymon: Behold! The face of your rival! Matt: (hesitantly) ...so you're saying I have to fight Tai, is that it? (Matt stands up and starts laughing) Matt: Ahahahaha! Nice try, foliage-face, you had me going there. But you'll have to do better than that. Cherrymon: Hahahaha! I had nothing to do with it! The Lake of Truth reflects only what is in a person's heart; Hence the name. Matt: (shocked) You've gotta be kidding! Cherrymon: Sorry, kid; It's never wrong. (Matt looks again, then averts his eyes) Matt: That right? Well, I've got news for you. It's off this time! Way off! Cherrymon: Well, you can argue with me all you want but you're really only arguing with yourself.

Remarkably different approaches from Jureimon and Cherrymon. You can really feel Yamato's youth in the original; The way he responds to the booming voice of an elder authoritatively telling him what to do on a complicated issue he lacks confidence in himself to know how to resolve.

Jureimon has managed to manufacture an atmosphere where he can speak to Yamato as if he were a domineering parent commanding his child. Yamato's insecurity and uncertainty has created a vulnerability for an older predator to exploit, by speaking in a confident and certain tone.

Cherrymon takes the opposite approach, appealing to Matt as more of an equal. He pushes the issue but he's gentle and even sympathetic, going so far as to apologize to Matt for what he saw in the lake.

Cherrymon weasels himself into Matt's grievances with Tai as if he were just a passing bystander and not, you know, the guy who told Matt to look in the lake to begin with. He's metaphorically kneeling down on Matt's level. Hey man, it really sucks about that thing that's definitely just a fact of life and has nothing to do with what I said or did.

Yamato bends. He returns his attention to the lake, while Jureimon keeps pressing him.

Jureimon: I understand. Though you are both Chosen Children, everything you and that boy Taichi stand for are complete opposites of each other.

As a subtle psychological cue, Jureimon says Taichi's name with a scoff, as if the word itself tastes rotten and hollow in the mouth. He's monotonous and matter-of-fact except when he spits out Taichi's name as a curse.

Flashback montage of Yamato and Taichi's clashes through the series. We start with their fistfight on File Island, when Taichi wanted to abandon the rest of the group to go see what's beyond the ocean. Then Yamato snapping at Taichi at Digitamamon's diner. Then wrap up with their bitter argument over the graves Mimi built.

(Yamato was in the right in 2/3 of those.)

Jureimon: Whenever Taichi says or does anything, you can't help but react to it. That's how strong Taichi's presence in your heart has become. Until you overcome those feelings, you will never grow beyond where you are now. You must fight Taichi. Only when you free yourself from the hesitation in your heart will you be reborn!

What makes this interesting is that Jureimon isn't necessarily saying that Taichi is holding Yamato back. But rather that Yamato's feelings for Taichi are holding him back, and that those feelings can only truly be settled when he finally lets them out and has it out with Taichi. He must face the truth within himself before he can evolve.

Yamato feels like he's trapped in his cocoon and unable to hatch. Jureimon tells him that he's unwilling to hatch because the direction he must hatch in goes through Taichi.

Jureimon is telling Yamato that he needs to destroy the shadow of Taichi's influence over his mind before he'll be able to grow as an individual.

In the dub, Cherrymon... (sigh) ...makes this about who gets to be the show's main character.

Cherrymon: It's about time you face the truth. The one you call Tai is your leader; Everything he says, you do. Everywhere he goes, you follow. And yet, in your heart, you resent him because you know you're just as qualified to be the boss as he is!

The dub cuts the File Island flashback before Tai and Matt can start throwing punches, like they did in that episode itself.

(Digitamamon flashback) Tai: STOP IT!!! Matt: WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, HUH!? (Mimi's graves flashback) Matt: WHO DIED AND LEFT YOU IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD!?!? Tai: Huh? What do you mean? Matt: I'VE JUST ABOUT HAD IT!!! (Flashbacks end) Cherrymon: Do not be ashamed of your resentment. Do not hide it. Embrace it, for in your anger lies your strength! Only when you recognize that will you at last be free to grow. To change. So face your rival! And prove you are his equal! Or better! By defeating him!

Cherrymon gives Matt a full-blown Emperor Palpatine Dark Side speech. You hate Tai because you deserve to be the team leader, not him, so let your anger grow and strike him down. Thanks, I hate it.

Fortunately, Gabumon is still not buying into any of this, and is ready to be the voice of reason.

Gabumon: That's a lie! It makes no sense at all! Taichi is your nakama. Don't be fooled, Yamato! This is a trap!

As a reminder, nakama is a group of people brought together for a particular activity or goal who form tight-knit social bonds with each other through their mutual pursuit of it. Like a military squad or a sports team.

Taichi himself started using the term to refer to the Chosen Children when he was getting the band back together in the PicoDevimon sub-arc. The term nakama was a big deal for Yamato and was part of what they fought about in the Digitamamon episode; Yamato internalizing and accepting Taichi and Jou as his nakama was what made his Crest of Friendship shine.

So Gabumon's tactical use of the word here is significant. The concept of nakama means a lot to Taichi and Yamato's relationship.

Yamato snaps suddenly as if breaking out of a daze.

Yamato: T-That's right! We're nakama....

Yamato turns on Jureimon furiously.

Yamato: A NAKAMA DOESN'T FIGHT EACH OTHER!!! Jureimon: Heh! Nakama, you say? You don't even believe that a thing like that exists. You can lie to the others, but you can't lie to yourself! Yamato: (suddenly quiet) ... Jureimon: Ha ha ha ha! A perfect picture of yourself, isn't it? Gabumon: YAMATO!!! Jureimon: Nakama. Tomodachi. Yuujou. Pleasant words, but they're all illusions. Nothing but a fleeting emotion. You can't let yourself be exploited by ephemeral things like that! Am I wrong, Yamato-kun?

Jureimon's list here is basically untranslatable because he says the same word twice. Nakama is commonly translated as "friendship" even though it has a much more precise meaning, as mentioned above. Tomodachi actually does mean friendship. And then Yuujou is also friendship, but more formally.

Yuujou, incidentally, is the specific word for Yamato's Crest. Yuujou no Monshou, Crest of Friendship. Jureimon picks that one for last because it has the most meaningful punch.

So trying to translate this list literally would be "Activity group with tight-knit bonds. Friendship. Friendship in a suit and tie. Convenient words, but they're all illusions."

A pragmatic translation would probably be something like, "Colleagues. Buddies. Friends." Switching the focus from the feeling to the objects of said feelings, while still ending on friendship for that punch.

The dub, again, is going to have to make this work without being able to lean on nakama. Though in this context, it'd be easy to just use the conventional "friends" translation. A bit of meaning would be lost, but that's pretty much doomed to happen since we couldn't use nakama in the Digitamamon episode either.

Gabumon: Don't listen! He's just trying to cause trouble! He's playing games with your mind. It's all part of some kind of trap! Tai is your friend, Matt. (Matt snaps out of it) Matt: He's my friend, yeah. He may not always act like it, but.... (Matt whirls furiously on Cherrymon) Matt: He's right! Tai is my friend. You don't fight your friends. Cherrymon: Friends? Ha! Now that's a good one. You don't even believe that such a thing really exists. Matt: Huh!? Cherrymon: Not in your heart of hearts, anyway. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Hit the nail on the head, didn't I? Gabumon: What's he mean? Cherrymon: Friendship. Loyalty. Comrades. Fine-sounding words, but that's all they are. Words. Delusions. And you're wise enough to see that now. You know that, ultimately, the only person you can depend on is yourself. Isn't that right, Matt?

Cherrymon starts with the meaningful punch and then lists out the other words from there, rather than building up to it. Odd choice.

He handles the friendship redundancy by translating the other friendship and nakama as "loyalty" and "comrades".

Yamato hesitates to answer Jureimon's accusations.

Gabumon: Is that true, Yamato? Yamato: I... I don't know. Gabumon: Yamato.... Jureimon: Listen, I will say this once more. If you want to improve yourself, you must fight Taichi. Unless you have the determination to do that, you'll never be able to change. Unless you face this trial, you will never become the person you want to be!

Now that Jureimon has vanquished Yamato's objection to his words, he doubles down and reiterates his line of attack. Pressing the issue again onto the now more vulnerable Yamato.

As Jureimon makes his pronouncement, the wind kicks up, picking off leaves from his branches that blow over Yamato. Symbolizing him becoming lost in the mayoi no mori that Jureimon embodies.

Yamato: I don't know what to....

Yamato falls to his knees, helpless.

Yamato: (voice breaking) Damn it.... What am I supposed to do!?

In the dub:

Gabumon: He's wrong, isn't he? Matt: (voice breaking) I don't know.... I... I don't know.... Gabumon: You don't!? Cherrymon: Alright, then! That's enough moping around for now. Look, kid, stop staring at your shoes; The choice in front of you is simple! If you truly want to change, to reach your full potential, you must defeat Tai. It's either that or be content to live your life following in the shadow of him forever. (Leaves blow from Cherrymon over Matt) Matt: What a choice.... (Matt falls to his knees) Matt: What do I do? Oh, what do I do!?

Cherrymon comes closer to the original topic this time around. But he still ropes in the dub's idea that Matt's just pissy he doesn't get to be team leader.

Also, Matt doesn't curse when he falls to his knees in the dub because of course he doesn't.

Yamato, here at the height of despair, pulls out his Crest.

Yamato: The Crest of Friendship. Why does someone like me have the Crest of Friendship!? Gabumon: Yamato! I understand, Yamato.... You should do what you think is right.

Yamato jerks up suddenly, having caught the tone of this conversation.

Yamato: (vulnerable) Gabumon...? Gabumon: Charging boldly ahead like Taichi does can't always be the right answer. There are some things that only you can do, Yamato. Yamato: Things that only I can do? Gabumon: Let's look for those things together. And if you do need it so badly... Then I will fight for you, Yamato! Yamato: (shocked) Gabumon...? Gabumon: Even if it means making an enemy out of the others, I will always be with you, Yamato! Yamato: (crying) Gabumon....

Gabumon's proclamation is so affecting, Yamato's Crest reactivates once more.

Gabumon doesn't agree with Jureimon. He hasn't agreed with anything Jureimon's said. He's still convinced that this is the wrong answer, and tells Yamato as much.

(And he's right. Gabumon is right. Yamato was right in two out of three of those clashes with Taichi! And others, like the time Taichi got weirdly misogynistic about Sora's parental issues.

Taichi struggles to empathize with other people. This is a consistent flaw of his, and frequently the spark that sets Yamato off because that is something Yamato does far better than Taichi. Jureimon has poisoned his mind into individualist ways of thinking when Yamato's greatest strengths come from what he brings to the collective good. That's why he has the Crest of Friendship.)

But out of love for his Partner, Gabumon is willing to walk down the wrong path hand in hand with Yamato.

In the dub, the Crest continues beeping and making malfunctioning noises when Matt takes it out even though it... It has no mechanical parts. It's a lanyard with a magic rock inside of it.

Matt: Oh, that's a laugh. Wouldn't you know it that my Crest had to be the Crest of Friendship! Gabumon: Matt... There's one thing he's right about. Whatever you're going to do, do it! Matt: But do what? Gabumon: You've got to hear what your own conscience is telling you and not listen to anyone else! Not Tai or Cherrymon or me! You've got to have faith in yourself, Matt! Matt: What if I make the wrong decision? Gabumon: I know that whatever it is, it will be the right one. Because I have faith in you. And whichever path you take, I'll be there with you. Matt: You mean that? Gabumon: You do have a friend. Never forget that. I'll always be there, Matt, no matter what. Matt: (crying) Gabumon....

This. Is entirely wrong. Dub Gabumon washes his hands of the entire (much shittier) moral conundrum on Matt's hands, telling him "I'll back whatever you decide and that's that." He makes no attempt to engage with the conflict resting on Matt's heart in a scene where he's supposed to be the voice of reason.

This is a bittersweet scene where Gabumon's devotion to Yamato is contrasted by him literally saying, "Yes, I will go fight our friends for you if that's what it takes." But he still makes clear that he disagrees with this course of action, and offers Yamato guidance about a better solution to Taichi's influence over his heart.

In the dub, Gabumon ironically agrees with Cherrymon. Original Gabumon says, "Bold and decisive action isn't always the right answer," and dub Gabumon is like, "You must make a decisive choice right now!"

Original Gabumon offers guidance, and Dub Gabumon says "You must figure your shit out yourself and accept no guidance from anyone, not even me."

Americans suck at recognizing when individualism is bad.

Then the dub kicks up the opening credits Digimon theme song as he evolves, like this is a triumphant moment... Before we head off to go betray our nakama and beat the shit out of Tai.

Speaking of which, Gabumon Warp-Evolves into MetalGarurumon.

MetalGarurumon: Let's go, Yamato! Yamato: Yeah.

MetalGarurumon and heads off with Yamato. As he does, both Jureimon and MetalGarurumon reflect on what went down here.

Jureimon: Ha ha ha! That went perfectly. Jureimon: (thinking) Still, I'm surprised by the strength of their bond. Pinocchimon doesn't have a heart like theirs, so he may still be defeated if he isn't careful. MetalGarurumon: (thinking) Yamato... I know how you really feel. You truly want to believe.... In nakama. In tomodachi. In yuujou.

MetalGarurumon quotes Jureimon's list from earlier, noting that even though Yamato doesn't think he cares so much, he does.

MetalGarurumon lost the battle because he misunderstood the turmoil that was raging in Yamato's heart. But he intends to win the war, because he understands Yamato's truth better than anyone.

In the dub:

MetalGarurumon: Ready. Lead the way. Matt: Right. (The pair head off) Cherrymon: Hahahaha! Yeah, I think that went rather well. Cherrymon: (thinking) Still, I'm surprised by the strength of the bond between them. It took every trick I had to undermine it. If Puppetmon isn't careful, this game could still be lost. MetalGarurumon: I meant what I said, Matt. Cherrymon was wrong! Friendship. Loyalty. They're more than just words, they're real! And they matter. I'm going to prove it to you!

It's... honestly not clear if MetalGarurumon is thinking or saying those words out loud. His lip flaps aren't moving because the original MetalGarurumon is thinking, not speaking. But his tone is conversational, rather than introspective.

In any case, MetalGarurumon makes his intent more clear here.

Both of these carry on from where the previous scenes left them. Original MetalGarurumon is determined to work through this together with Yamato and believes Yamato already has the right ideas in his heart.

Dub MetalGarurumon thinks Yamato well and truly does not believe in friendship, but wants to show him a positive example of friendship in order to sway the decision he makes for himself.

Both of which they intend to do by fighting Taichi/Tai because that's what Yamato/Matt mistakenly thinks he needs right now.

His work complete, Jureimon reports to Pinocchimon, finding him washing his face at a nearby creek.

Pinocchimon: Shit! How dare they throw poop at me!? They'll all pay! Jureimon: Pinocchimon-sama, my plan has worked out perfectly. Pinocchimon: What was your plan? Jureimon: The two Ultimate stages, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, are going to fight each other. Pinocchimon: Eh!? That sounds fun! Jureimon: If those two fight seriously, neither of them will come out unharmed. No, at best, they might even kill each other. Once the strongest are out of the way, you'll only have to pick off the weaklings. Pinocchimon: Great! I should hurry up and check that out! I don't want to miss such a Super Battle!

"Super Battle" is said in English, for a similar effect as snarking (TM) onto the end of a phrase.

In the dub, Puppetmon seems to be threatening the Garbagemon.

Puppetmon: Yech! Splattering me with their gunk. Those bucket-brains will pay for this! Cherrymon: There you are. The plan went perfectly, just as I thought. Puppetmon: Plan? What plan? Cherrymon: You should have seen it! I played that trusting sap like a violin. He's gonna do our dirty work for us, Puppetmon. Puppetmon: Well, sounds like a plan. Cherrymon: Any second now, we'll hear the sounds of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon locked in mortal combat. Puppetmon: You're serious!? Cherrymon: Oh, yeah. With any luck they'll destroy each other. With the two strongest Digimon out of the way, the rest will fall like rotten fruit. Puppetmon: Mortal combat!? This I gotta see! Let's go! What are we waiting for!?

That threatening remark might be meant for the kids but "bucket brains" sounds like a jab at the trash cans that the Garbagemon were in.

Were they shouting out the Mortal Kombat series?

I love Cherrymon's enthusiasm here. He runs up like a happy kid shouting "Look what I did! Look what I did!" The dub handles this scene pretty much perfectly.

Pinocchimon turns to go see the fireworks, but Jureimon has a warning for him.

Jureimon: Please be careful around the Chosen Children! If you don't take this seriously, even you could be defeated by them. Pinocchimon: (stops, suddenly serious) I... might be defeated...? Jureimon: They have something that you lack, Pinocchimon-sama. Pinocchimon: (quietly) I lack something? You're saying that I lack something? Jureimon: Yes, it's-- Pinocchimon: THERE IS NOTHING THAT I LACK!!! BULLET HAMMER!!! Jureimon: WAAAAAAUGH!!!

Furious at Jureimon's insinuation, Pinocchimon erases him with his Bullet Hammer. Jureimon lets out an agonized scream and disintegrates into pixel dust - taking his critical insight to the digital grave with him.

(Which Mimi will not be making.)

Pinocchimon: Hmph. I don't care who it is; no one gets away with making fun of me.

Pinocchimon's childishness has become his undoing. He misunderstood what Jureimon was trying to say, interpreted it as mean-spirited mockery, and retaliated with ultimate force before Jureimon could even get a word out to explain. Pinocchimon killed Jureimon in the midst of a temper tantrum.

In the dub:

Cherrymon: Wait a minute! We gotta be careful! The DigiDestined are strong! Stronger than I expected, and to underestimate them could be disastrous! Puppetmon: What!? Are you saying... I might lose? Cherrymon: I'm only saying that I think you should take them seriously. There's something about them. Puppetmon: Something? Hmm... You mean like something I might be missing!? Cherrymon: (backpedaling) Well, not totally.... Puppetmon: I have everything I need to take care of you! PUPPET PUMMEL!!! Cherrymon: OH THE HORROR!!! (Cherrymon disintegrates into pixel dust) Puppetmon: Huh. Man, that kind of negative attitude really brings me down!

You know, from my perspective going over both languages, there's something hilarious about the way Puppetmon keeps trying to rerail the conversation back to the original script but Cherrymon refuses to actually say the things he's supposed to be saying here. XD

Jureimon was trying to warn Pinocchimon not to underestimate their feelings for each other. Pinocchimon doesn't have a heart and can't truly comprehend the strength of the bonds they share - bonds which may be a threat to the entire "Pit them against each other" plan. If he doesn't play this carefully, Yamato may yet turn back against him.

That context didn't make it into the dub, so Cherrymon's forced to say the kids themselves are super strong; Maybe stronger than Puppetmon.

Similarly, Puppetmon's final line doesn't quite convey the childishness of the original. This is overall a weaker scene.

Meanwhile, against all reason, one of the Garbamon actually survived that Giga Destroyer.

It's the one that Lilimon stepped on. Bootprint still on their face, they pop out of their trash can.

Garbamon: Alright, fine. I give up. JUST KIDDING!!!

Garbamon picks up their trash can; A powerful vacuum begins pulling everything into it.

Garbamon: YEAH HAHAHA!!! There's a Black Hole in here! I'll suck all of you into it!

Most of the kids cling to tree to avoid being dragged in. Hikari and Taichi hide behind MetalGreymon's leg; He's dug his claws into the earth to stabilize himself.

Taichi: Damn it. They still had a trick like this up their sleeve.... Hikari: (loses her grip) ONII-CHAN!!! Tailmon: HIKARI!!! Taichi: HIKARI!!!

Hikari and Tailmon both go flying, though Tailmon appears to have jumped and can be briefly seen swimming through the suction to reach Hikari. I don't know what she's planning but she intends to try something.

We'll never find out how Tailmon intended to rescue Hikari, because Garbamon is suddenly killed by a surprise Cocytus Breath from behind. The black hole trash can freezes and shatters right alongside them.

In the dub:

Garbagemon: Okay, okay! I know when I'm beat! You win! I surrender! ...JUST KIDDING!!! HYA HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Garbagemon starts sucking everything into the trash can) Garbagemon: Trash Day; Everybody in the can! If you're lucky, you'll get recycled! Taichi: This nasty little creep's really starting to get on my nerves! Kari: (loses her grip) TAI, HELP ME!!! Gatomon: KARI!!! Tai: KARI NO!!!

Garbagemon doesn't mention the black hole inside the trash can, so it's not super clear what happens to things dragged into it. But it's still clear that getting dragged in would be bad, which is the important thing.

With the last Garbamon dead and MetalGarurumon revealed, things begin to escalate right away.

Tailmon: MetalGarurumon!

Yamato steps out from the woods; Everyone's ecstatic to see him. Taichi has the biggest smile on his face to be reunited with their lost nakama member.

Sora: Yamato! Taichi: (running over, ecstatic) YAMATO!!! Where have you been this whole time!?

MetalGreymon degrades back down to Agumon and sprints across the field, smiling as well.

Agumon: Thank you! That was really close, so thanks!

MetalGarurumon says nothing, but fires a warning shot. Blue lasers shoot from his eyes, exploding next to Agumon and startling him. The children all gasp in shock at the unprovoked attack.

In the dub:

Gatomon: It's MetalGarurumon! (Matt emerges) Joe: Matt!

The dub puts a commercial break here. We return right where we left off, with Joe's extra line basically filling in as the respective ends of the commercial. Joe popped in to shill products before we resume the scene. :P

"Matt, you're back! Have you heard about ice-cold Pepsi Zero?"

Joe: Matt! Sora: Matt, you're back! Tai: (running over, ecstatic) BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!!! Where you been, buddy!? (MetalGreymon powers down to Agumon) Agumon: Thanks for saving our necks but did you have to cut it that close?

Agumon is ungrateful and deserves to be shot with lasers.

Now that the stage has been set, MetalGarurumon faces off with Agumon.

Agumon: W-Why!? MetalGarurumon: Agumon, I challenge you! Evolve to Ultimate! Agumon: The hell!? Why do I have to fight you!?

MetalGarurumon answers his question with another warning shot, firing off two missiles that detonate to either side of Agumon.

Following the reaction shot when MetalGarurumon first shoots at Agumon, Taichi whips back around to face Yamato but says nothing. It honestly feels like he should say something here if we're going to the trouble of animating him turning back around and facing Yamato, so the dub puts one in.

Tai: What's he doing!? Agumon: Hey, what is this!? MetalGarurumon: What do you think!? It's a challenge! You might want to Digivolve, and fast! Agumon: What have you been eating out there in the forest!? You want to fight me!?

MetalGarurumon's more aggressive here than his Japanese counterpart. Original MG is laying this down as a formal challenge, using the stock shonen phrase shoubu da, which basically means "Compete with me!" Often times in shonen that competition is fighting, including this one, though it doesn't necessarily have to be. The point is simply to face one another in a contest that will decide a victor.

Dub MG is saying the same thing, but pushes it harder with more threatening language.

I love Dub Agumon's translation of Nandayo!? as a censor-friendly "ARE YOU ON DRUGS!?" Beautiful reaction line.

Sora the peacemaker tries to confront Yamato over this.

Sora: Yamato! W-What... What are you doing!? Taichi: Hey, Yamato! Hurry up and stop him! Yamato: (coldly) No. This will happen. Taichi: (shocked) This will happen...? You....

In the dub:

Sora: This is insane! Matt, what's going on!? Is this some kind of joke!? Tai: Matt! I don't know what he's doing but call him off now! Yamato: (coldly) No, Tai. I won't. Tai: What did you say!? You won't!?

Sora and Taichi are both too shocked and confused to form words properly. Sora stumbles over her "Nani" as she tries to create her sentence.

Taichi initially doesn't realize that Yamato's in on this too and thinks MetalGarurumon went crazy for no reason; When he realizes the truth, he repeats Yamato's raw line straight back to him as if he can't process that those words came out of Yamato's mouth.

As usual, the dub kids are quicker on the uptake. Sora and Tai don't understand why he's doing this but they have an easier time delivering their flabbergasted lines.

With Yamato unwilling to call off MetalGarurumon, all eyes return to Agumon.

MetalGarurumon: I won't miss the next one. Now, evolve to WarGreymon quickly! Agumon: (steeling himself) You're serious about this.

We cut to Jou, Koushiro, and Hikari watching with apprehension. Takeru calls out:

Takeru: Onii-chan!

But Yamato's gaze remains cold and he doesn't acknowledge his brother. Finally, we close on Pinocchimon watching from the treetop perch that got him shitfaced earlier.

Pinocchimon: Hehe! I made it just in time. This is sure to be loads of fun!

Will it be loads of fun? Find out next time, when things will definitely go well for Pinocchimon, who is lacking nothing.

In the dub:

MetalGarurumon: I'm warning you! Hurry up and Digivolve into WarGreymon because I won't miss next time! Agumon: (surprised) ...I think he really means it!

They use the various reaction shots to have offscreen characters continue talking.

MetalGarurumon: Well!? Time's running out, Agumon! T.K.: Tai, stop him! Tai: I wish I could, but there's only one person who can stop him!

Yeah, instead of calling out to Yamato in startled confusion, T.K. yells for Tai to make this stop. I have no idea why.

The episode then closes on Matt's silent stern face; Itself now a response to Tai instead of to Takeru. Pinocchimon's final bit is cut.

Narrator: Will Matt succeed in destroying the DigiDestined from within? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters.

This is how far off-track we've drifted. We've gone from "In order to break free from Taichi's influence over his heart, Yamato mistakenly thinks he must fight and defeat Taichi in a formal contest of arms," to "Will Matt SUCCEED IN DESTROYING THE DIGIDESTINED!?!?"

Assessment: This one's a lot of sitting and talking. The Garbamon fight breaks up the discussion a bit, but the focus of this episode is Jureimon and Yamato's conversation.

It is a long talk because, while it's true that Yamato and Taichi are diametrically opposed to one another, it takes a lot of convincing to turn Yamato temporarily into an honest-to-DigiGod shonen rival. They don't really have that kind of relationship. In fact, the scene where they unlocked these Ultimate forms for their Digimon was all about the ways their Crest attributes complement and strengthen one another.

Yamato does need to figure out the emotional blocks holding him back from the true expression of himself that slips out when he's not thinking about it. But this ain't it, champ. This is Jureimon's nonsense.

Jureimon is, honestly, a pretty cool villain. I took him for granted as a kid because he's a big tree that just talks for like ten minutes. But as the physical representation of mayoi no mori, he's fascinating. The episode namedrops those words in the title, but the inescapable forest of lost souls never really appears.

Because, of course, it's not a place. It's him. The deep unnavigable wood is the semantic web Jureimon weaves around Yamato over the course of their talk. He fucks up Yamato for basically the rest of the show. This sets Yamato on his final character arc: The path to his true self-actualization down the road.

A conversation which the dub handles decently well in places but makes critical missteps about important points, particularly pertaining to Jureimon and Gabumon's respective interpretations of Yamato's feelings.

[moonlight-tmd]

What are Team Prime’s favorite video games to play?

Good question!

Bee is the well-known gamer of the bunch- he has hundreds of games on his Steam account. From all those his favorite is Super Mario, no matter which game. He likes Legend of Zelda too. Surely he plays FNaF and in very into the lore. Secretly he loves singing games, but he can never play them cuz he's too deep in stage fright to do so.

Sari likes Overcooked and Minecraft, those are the games she's quite good at. And it's fun to play with friends.

Bulkhead is similar, he likes multiplayer games but with lore rather than for fun. It Takes Two is one of his favorites, followed by Splatoon games because painting. He also likes Scrap Mechanic, he likes to build stuff from scratch and watch it successfully go on and wreck some unstable build he made for this very reason.

Prowl is the occasional 4th member of the gamer trio, he enjoys peaceful and puzzle games. He loves Subnautica games,Sari got him an enlarged Switch with Animal Crossing games to play. He also plays ARK: Survival Evolved with the group, whenever he goes somewhere he'll always come back with a bunch of tamed dodos.

Optimus doesn't really play games but if he does, he will slay at strategic games. Sometimes he'll hop onto Stellaris and straight up murders entire colonies that are too close to his and enslave species on various planets. It's a little dakr indulgance of his, Bee does violence all the time in other games so why not?

Ratchet is even less of a gamer that Optimus. He tends to focus on actual important things that to indulge in something as time-wasting as games. However, on occasions he will be persuaded to play a group game with the rest and lemme tell ya, NOBODY can beat him at Wii/Mii Sports. Golf especially. He gets perfect scores everytime. "And that's what you call 'surgeon precision'." is a line he will say whenever he wins. Bee has made Docbot his arch-nemesis in tennis, their matches are relentles.

That's all i got, i have not played most of these games so excuse me if i got someting wrong.

[aelgkraft]

Gaming: A Journey Through Time and Technology

Gaming has come a long way since the inception of the first video game console in the 1970s. From the simplest pixelated graphics to the jaw-dropping photorealism of today's virtual worlds, gaming has transformed into a cultural phenomenon. In this blog post, we'll take you on a journey through the evolution of gaming, the advances in technology that have fueled this progress, and the impact gaming has had on our lives.

The Early Days: Pong and the Birth of the Console

In 1972, Atari's Pong revolutionized the gaming world by creating the first commercially successful video game. This simple, two-dimensional table tennis simulation was played on television sets and quickly became a hit, giving birth to the video game console industry. The Magnavox Odyssey, released in the same year, was the first home video game console, paving the way for future gaming systems like the Atari 2600 and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

The 8-bit and 16-bit Eras: Nintendo and Sega

The 1980s marked the rise of iconic gaming companies, Nintendo and Sega. The NES brought us timeless classics like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid, while the Sega Genesis introduced us to Sonic the Hedgehog. These 8-bit and 16-bit gaming consoles revolutionized the industry by offering more complex gameplay, better graphics, and the option to save progress.

3D Graphics and the Console Wars

The 1990s saw the dawn of 3D graphics in gaming. The Sony PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Sega Saturn battled for supremacy, each bringing groundbreaking innovations to the gaming world. Iconic titles like Final Fantasy VII, Super Mario 64, and Tomb Raider emerged during this era, taking advantage of the new technology to create immersive, three-dimensional gaming experiences.

Online Gaming: The Rise of Multiplayer and Esports

As the internet became more accessible, gaming evolved to include online multiplayer options. The 2000s saw the rise of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft and the advent of online console gaming with Microsoft's Xbox Live. This era also marked the beginning of esports, with competitive gaming tournaments garnering significant attention and prize money.

The Modern Era: Photorealism, VR, and Cloud Gaming

Today, gaming has reached new heights with photorealistic graphics and immersive virtual reality experiences. Platforms like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and high-end gaming PCs push the boundaries of what's possible in gaming. Simultaneously, cloud gaming services like Google Stadia and NVIDIA GeForce Now enable gamers to play on lower-end devices without sacrificing quality.

The Impact of Gaming on Society

Gaming has permeated every aspect of our lives, from entertainment to education and even therapy. Gamification techniques are used in various industries to motivate and engage users, while serious games are developed to teach complex subjects like history, science, and even surgery. Furthermore, gaming has connected people across the globe, fostering friendships and online communities that transcend borders.

Conclusion

The gaming industry has come a long way from the days of Pong, evolving into a diverse and dynamic form of entertainment that continues to push the boundaries of technology. With the rise of virtual and augmented reality, as well as advances in artificial intelligence, the future of gaming looks more exciting than ever. As we continue on this journey, we can expect gaming to further transform and shape our world in ways we can't yet imagine.

[thuidiumc4]

In making progress in my goals I simultaneously showed myself it was possible and then did the opposite. I instead of procrastinating did work that is due in like a week. I would never have done that before. However the two days fallowing I did anything but my other work even when I had the ability to be caught up.

The only thing I did do was finish inscription and add it to my list. I also added up everything from my list of every game I’ve played (definitely missing multiple mobile games that have no way of time tracking) but it came out to a total of 7729.63 hours. Again there are multiple things missing but that’s about 322+ days of just video games over my life.

I don’t regret most of those hours, some I do (1456 in overwatch), but overall it has been by far the hobby I have put the most into. I want to find another hobby of mine to do the same with and do something outside of screens.

This is only the top forty five but I have at least 54 games with 24+ hours in and many others that are under it

Organized by play time top 45

Overwatch/2 (1456)

Minecraft (486 [at least])

Monster Hunter World + Monster Hunter Iceborn (439.66)

Stardew Valley (411.6)

Ark Survival evolved (366)

Pokémon Go (11,006 Pokémon caught)[291.3].

Genshin impact (played on 76 different days hours unknown maybe 228).

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Seige (204.66)

Guild Wars 2 (186)

Clash royal (183)

Sea of Theives (180.5)

Hades (132.5)

League of Legends (120)

Roboquest (117)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (107)

Slime rancher (103.66)

Animal crossing new horizons (100)

Legend of Zelda breath of the wild (93)

Horizon Zero Dawn (82)

Supper Smash Brothers Ultimate (80)

Starwars Battlefront ll (77)

Apex (77)

Lego starwars complete saga (73)

Gunfire reborn (72.33)

Minecraft Dungeons (69)

God of war Ragnarock (68.66)

Halo mastercheife collection (64).

Mario kart 8 deluxe (60)

Jurassic World Evolution (52)

Skylanders swap force (46).

God of war (43)

Terraria (43).

Ghost of tsushima (41)

Bang dream! Girls band party (40).

Dead cells (39)

Rocket League (39)

Neir automata (37.3).

Astroneer (36)

Mario kart wii (36).

Tear down (35)

How to Train your Dragon Ds (32).

Bugsnax (30)

Skylanders trap team (28).

Human fall flat (27.5)

Hollow Knight (26)

There is at least another 1170+ hours in other various games

I think I’m going to do more widdling

[naina10]

Level Up: How Gaming App Promotion is Changing the Game Industry

In recent years, gaming has transcended its status as a mere pastime to become a dominant force in entertainment and technology. The rapid evolution of gaming—from arcade classics to the immersive digital worlds of today—has captivated millions and sparked a revolution that shows no signs of slowing down. In this competitive market, gaming app promotion is a key element that can determine the success of a game. Let's explore the fascinating journey of gaming and how strategic promotion is transforming the industry.

The Rise of Gaming: A Cultural Shift

The journey of gaming began with simple 2D games like Pong and Pac-Man, which were revolutionary in their time, capturing the imagination of a generation. As technology advanced, gaming evolved into a complex and multifaceted industry with genres ranging from action-packed first-person shooters to intricate role-playing games.

In the 1980s and 1990s, home consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and PlayStation made gaming more accessible, bringing iconic franchises such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, and Final Fantasy into living rooms worldwide. The 2000s saw the rise of online gaming, with platforms like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network allowing players to connect and compete globally.

Today, gaming is a global phenomenon, with esports competitions drawing audiences that rival traditional sports events. Titles like League of Legends, Fortnite, and Dota 2 have become household names, cementing gaming's place in mainstream culture.

Mobile Gaming: The New Frontier

The advent of smartphones has ushered in a new era of gaming, where anyone with a mobile device can enjoy a wide variety of games at their fingertips. Mobile gaming has exploded in popularity, offering a diverse range of experiences from casual puzzles to complex strategy games.

With millions of gaming apps available, developers face the challenge of standing out in a crowded market. This is where gaming app promotion comes into play, offering strategies to capture the attention of potential players and drive downloads.

Strategies for Effective Gaming App Promotion

To succeed in the competitive mobile gaming landscape, developers must implement effective gaming app promotion strategies. Here are some key tactics to consider:

App Store Optimization (ASO): App Store Optimization involves enhancing the app's visibility in app stores by optimizing its title, description, keywords, and visuals. A well-optimized listing can improve the app's ranking and attract more downloads.

Social Media Engagement: Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are invaluable for promoting gaming apps. Developers can create engaging content such as gameplay videos, teasers, and behind-the-scenes looks to generate excitement and build a community of fans.

Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with gaming influencers and content creators can significantly boost a game's visibility. Influencers have dedicated followers who trust their opinions, and a positive review or gameplay showcase can lead to increased interest and downloads.

In-App Advertising: In-app advertising allows developers to reach potential players through ads displayed within other apps. This can include rewarded ads, where players earn in-game rewards for watching ads, or interstitial ads that appear between gameplay sessions.

Cross-Promotion: Developers with multiple games can leverage cross-promotion to introduce new titles to their existing player base. Recommending a new game to players who already enjoy a developer's previous work can lead to increased downloads and engagement.

Community Building: Building a community around a game can foster player loyalty and engagement. Developers can create forums, social media groups, or Discord servers where players can interact, share tips, and provide feedback. A strong community can become a powerful asset for ongoing promotion.

The Future of Gaming and Promotion

As technology continues to advance, the future of gaming holds exciting possibilities. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are poised to redefine the gaming experience, offering players immersive and interactive worlds that blur the line between reality and fantasy.

Cloud gaming services, such as Google Stadia and NVIDIA GeForce Now, are also gaining traction, allowing players to stream high-quality games without the need for expensive hardware. This shift is expanding the reach of gaming to new audiences and opening up new avenues for gaming app promotion.

Conclusion

Gaming has come a long way since its humble beginnings, evolving into a cultural and technological powerhouse that captivates millions. As the industry continues to grow, effective gaming app promotion will remain a crucial element for developers seeking to stand out in a competitive market.

By employing strategies such as app store optimization, social media engagement, influencer collaborations, and community building, developers can increase their games' visibility and attract dedicated players. As technology advances, the future of gaming and promotion promises to be an exciting journey filled with innovation and creativity.

Whether you're a seasoned developer or an aspiring creator, understanding the dynamics of gaming app promotion is essential for leveling up your game and achieving success in the ever-evolving world of gaming.

[dorematrix1]

Console Gaming: A Journey Through Innovation and Entertainment

In the world of digital entertainment, console gaming stands as a beacon of innovation and immersive gameplay experiences. Since its inception, console gaming has revolutionized how millions across the globe interact with video games, blending cutting-edge technology with captivating storytelling and competitive gameplay.

The Evolution of Console Gaming

Console gaming traces its roots back to the early 1970s with iconic systems like the Magnavox Odyssey and the Atari 2600, introducing players to simple yet addictive gameplay experiences. Over the decades, consoles evolved from basic pixelated graphics to high-definition, lifelike visuals that rival Hollywood blockbusters. Each generation brought technological leaps, from the introduction of CDs in the PlayStation era to the online multiplayer capabilities of today’s consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

The Impact of Console Gaming on Culture

Console gaming has transcended mere entertainment, shaping pop culture and influencing generations. Iconic characters like Mario and Master Chief have become household names, while franchises such as The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy have garnered legions of dedicated fans. Console gaming has also become a social phenomenon, with multiplayer experiences enabling friends and strangers alike to connect and compete in virtual worlds.

The Rise of Esports and Competitive Gaming

With the advent of online gaming, consoles have become platforms for competitive play on a global scale. Esports tournaments attract millions of viewers, showcasing the skill and strategy involved in games like Call of Duty, FIFA, and League of Legends. Professional gamers have risen to celebrity status, earning lucrative sponsorships and endorsements, further cementing console gaming’s influence in the realm of sports and entertainment.

Innovation in Console Design and Technology

The evolution of console design has been marked by innovation and competition among industry giants. Each new generation brings sleeker designs, enhanced processing power, and innovative features such as motion sensing, virtual reality integration, and cloud gaming services. These advancements not only improve gameplay experiences but also push the boundaries of what is possible in interactive entertainment.

The Future of Console Gaming

Looking ahead, the future of console gaming promises even greater innovation and integration with emerging technologies. Concepts like augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and seamless cross-platform play are set to redefine how players engage with games and each other. As consoles continue to evolve into multifaceted entertainment hubs, the line between gaming, social interaction, and multimedia entertainment will blur, offering new experiences and opportunities for players worldwide.

Conclusion

Console gaming’s journey from humble beginnings to global phenomenon underscores its enduring impact on entertainment, culture, and technology. As we celebrate the past achievements and look forward to the future possibilities, one thing remains clear: console gaming will continue to captivate, inspire, and connect players of all ages and backgrounds for years to come.

In summary, console gaming is not just a pastime but a cultural touchstone that has shaped and continues to shape the way we play, compete, and connect in the digital age.

[shaan21]

Exploring the Most Successful Game Studios

In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of gaming, certain studios have not only achieved remarkable success but have also redefined the industry with their groundbreaking games and innovative approaches. These game studios stand out as pioneers, shaping the gaming culture and setting new standards for creativity, technology, and player engagement. Let's delve into the stories and achievements of some of the most successful game studios that have left an indelible mark on the gaming world.

Naughty Dog: Crafting Unforgettable Experiences

Naughty Dog has earned widespread acclaim for its mastery of storytelling and gameplay design. Based in the United States, Naughty Dog's portfolio includes iconic franchises like Uncharted and The Last of Us. These games are celebrated for their cinematic narratives, complex characters, and seamless blending of action and adventure. Naughty Dog's commitment to pushing technical boundaries and delivering emotionally resonant experiences has garnered critical acclaim and a devoted fan base, solidifying its reputation as a leader in the gaming industry.

Rockstar Games: Redefining Open-World Freedom

Rockstar Games has redefined open-world gaming with its Grand Theft Auto (GTA) and Red Dead Redemption series. Founded in the United States, Rockstar Games is known for its meticulous attention to detail, expansive game worlds, and immersive narratives that offer players unparalleled freedom and exploration. GTA V, in particular, remains one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed games of all time, showcasing Rockstar Games' ability to create cultural phenomena and push the limits of interactive entertainment.

Blizzard Entertainment: Crafting Worlds of Endless Adventure

Blizzard Entertainment has set the standard for multiplayer and strategy gaming with franchises like Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch. Based in the United States, Blizzard's games are renowned for their immersive worlds, strategic depth, and vibrant communities. Warcraft's legacy as a genre-defining MMO, Diablo's dark fantasy universe, and Overwatch's dynamic team-based gameplay have captivated millions of players worldwide. Blizzard's commitment to quality, innovation, and ongoing support has made it a cornerstone of the gaming industry, influencing countless developers and shaping gaming culture.

Nintendo: Innovators of Play

Nintendo stands at the forefront of gaming innovation with iconic franchises such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon. Originating from Japan, Nintendo has continually pushed the boundaries of what video games can achieve in terms of gameplay mechanics, storytelling, and accessibility. The introduction of the Nintendo Switch hybrid console further cemented Nintendo's reputation for innovation, offering players versatile gaming experiences both at home and on the go. Nintendo's commitment to family-friendly gaming and creative gameplay experiences has resonated with generations of players worldwide.

Square Enix: Masters of Epic Adventures

Square Enix has become synonymous with epic storytelling and visual artistry in RPGs and beyond. Founded in Japan, Square Enix is the creative force behind franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts. These games are celebrated for their rich narratives, intricate worlds, and memorable characters that have captivated players for decades. Square Enix's ability to blend traditional RPG elements with cutting-edge technology and innovative gameplay mechanics ensures its continued relevance and influence in the global gaming landscape.

Valve Corporation: Innovators in Digital Distribution and Game Design

Valve Corporation has left an indelible mark on gaming through its revolutionary digital distribution platform, Steam, and acclaimed game franchises like Half-Life, Portal, and Dota 2. Based in the United States, Valve's commitment to empowering developers and fostering community-driven content creation has reshaped how games are distributed, played, and enjoyed worldwide. Valve's influence extends beyond game development, as it continues to innovate with VR technology, esports initiatives, and new game experiences that push the boundaries of interactive entertainment.

Bethesda Game Studios: Crafting Immersive Worlds and Memorable Adventures

Bethesda Game Studios has carved a niche for itself with its expansive open-world RPGs and immersive storytelling. Based in the United States, Bethesda is renowned for franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. These games are revered for their vast, detailed worlds, player-driven narratives, and robust modding communities that extend their longevity and replayability. Bethesda's commitment to player freedom, exploration, and narrative depth has made its games beloved by millions of players worldwide, establishing it as a leader in creating unforgettable gaming experiences.

These game studios have not only achieved commercial success but have also left a lasting impact on gaming culture and innovation. Through their dedication to pushing boundaries, storytelling excellence, and game play innovation, these studios continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment and inspire the next generation of game developers. As technology evolves and player expectations grow, these studios remain at the forefront, driving the industry forward with their creativity, passion, and commitment to delivering unforgettable gaming experiences.

[findtechnologystudio]

Preserving Gaming History: The Role of Delta ROMs in Retro Gaming

In a planet where technology swiftly evolves, protecting the abundant past of games has actually become more and more vital. Much of the traditional games that specified the very early days of video gaming are actually no more simply accessible on modern gadgets. This is where simulators like Delta enter play. Delta ROMs permit players to relive their beloved retro games on modern gadgets, making certain that the legacy of these games survives on. In this particular write-up, we'll explore exactly how Delta ROMs are actually important to maintaining video gaming past history, talk about the role of emulators, and look into the specifics of utilization ROMs for Delta.

Understanding Emulation and also Delta ROMs

Emulation is actually the method of creating a video game system's equipment and software on an unique platform than it was actually initially developed for. A simulator mimics the functions of classic consoles, making it possible for aged games to operate on brand new equipment. Delta is actually an archetype of a powerful emulator made for iOS tools. With Delta, gamers may participate in titles from different traditional systems including the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and much more. Delta ROMs are digital duplicates of the initial video game information from these traditional consoles. By utilizing ROMs for Delta, gamers can easily take pleasure in a large public library of retro games on their Apples iPhone or iPad tablets. This electronic preservation is necessary because it makes certain that even when the original components becomes out-of-date, the games themselves remain playable for potential eras.

Installing Delta For Retro Video Gaming

Setting up Delta to play your favorite retro video games is actually a direct method, however it demands a few steps. To begin with, you need to have to install the Delta app on your iOS device. As soon as put in, the following step is actually to establish the various "cores" for the gaming systems you intend to emulate. Each primary is in charge of Emulating a details console, including the SNES or even Nintendo 64.

After setting up the cores, the very most essential step is obtaining the ROM reports. For case, if you would like to participate in classic SNES video games, you require SNES ROMs. Similarly, to enjoy Nintendo 64 titles, you'll require n64 ROMs. It is vital to keep in mind that while emulation itself is legal, downloading ROMs for games you do certainly not very own is actually looked at piracy. To stay within legal limits, ensure you just use ROMs from games you actually have.

As soon as you have your ROMs, you may incorporate all of them to Delta, decide on the necessary primary, as well as begin playing. Delta additionally delivers customizable commands, scam code support, and also a variety of video filters to enhance your retro video gaming experience.

The Value Of ROMs In Preserving Video Gaming Background

ROMs participate in an essential role in maintaining video gaming record. Numerous traditional games were launched on cartridges or even disks that can diminish as time go on. Additionally, the gaming consoles called for to play these games are actually ending up being more difficult to find and keep. By developing and also using ROMs, we can easily make sure that the video game data is actually kept in an electronic style that may be quickly kept, discussed, and used modern gadgets.

Delta ROMs, especially, produce it feasible for a brand new production of players to experience the classics. Whether it is actually the pixel-perfect platforming of Super Mario World on SNES or the groundbreaking 3D planets of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64, these video games could be enjoyed as they were actually suggested to be, thanks to emulation and ROMs.

Emulation: Uniting Recent And The Current

Simulators like Delta link the space between past and also present, offering a means to experience gaming past history firsthand. The benefit of playing traditional games on a cell phone can certainly not be actually overemphasized. It permits for gaming on the move, making sure that the happiness of retro games is never ever unreachable. Delta's easy to use user interface, paired along with its comprehensive assistance for a variety of gaming consoles, makes it a best option for retro video gaming aficionados.

Furthermore, the conservation of these games by means of Delta ROMs and various other emulators offers beneficial academic resources. Chroniclers, scientists, as well as video game programmers can easily research the evolution of video game concept, auto mechanics, as well as narration through possessing access to these digital archives.

In verdict, Delta ROMs participate in an essential task in protecting gaming background. By making traditional games accessible on modern gadgets, they make sure that the legacy of these video games withstands. As innovation remains to advancement, emulators like Delta are going to remain vital in bridging the space between the past and today, enabling both new as well as seasoned players to experience the ageless classics of the gaming world.

[sumoshopstore]

Why Nintendo Wii Accessories Are Worth the Investment

The Nintendo Wii, since its release in 2006, has remained a beloved gaming console, celebrated for its innovative motion controls and extensive library of games. Over the years, the Wii has gained a loyal following, partly due to its unique accessories that enhance the gaming experience. In this article, we explore why investing in Nintendo Wii accessories is a wise choice, both for avid gamers and casual players alike.

Enhancing Gameplay with Motion Controls

One of the standout features of the Nintendo Wii is its motion-sensing capabilities, which revolutionized how games are played. The Wii Remote, often referred to as the "Wiimote," allows players to interact with games in a way that feels natural and intuitive. Whether you're swinging a tennis racket, steering a car, or casting a fishing line, the Wiimote translates real-world actions into on-screen movements, creating an immersive gaming experience.

However, the magic of the Wii Remote is amplified with the addition of accessories like the Wii MotionPlus. This attachment enhances the Wiimote's sensitivity and accuracy, making movements more precise. For games that require intricate motion control, such as "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword," the Wii MotionPlus is indispensable, providing a level of control that standard controllers simply can't match.

Broadening the Horizon with Game-Specific Accessories

Beyond enhancing motion controls, the Nintendo Wii boasts a variety of game-specific accessories that can elevate your gameplay. Take the Wii Wheel, for instance. Designed for racing games, this accessory transforms the Wiimote into a steering wheel, offering a more realistic driving experience in games like "Mario Kart Wii." Similarly, the Wii Zapper, a gun-shaped accessory, adds a layer of immersion to shooter games, allowing players to aim and fire with greater authenticity.

Moreover, the Wii Balance Board opens up a whole new realm of possibilities. Originally packaged with "Wii Fit," this accessory tracks your balance and weight, enabling a range of fitness activities and games. From yoga and strength training to fun balance games, the Wii Balance Board makes exercising enjoyable and accessible.

Catering to a Wide Audience

The Nintendo Wii's appeal extends beyond traditional gamers. Its intuitive controls and diverse accessory lineup make it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels. Families can enjoy multiplayer games together, with each member finding something that suits their interests. For instance, while younger players might be entertained by games like "Wii Sports," which utilize basic motion controls, older players can dive into more complex titles that benefit from advanced accessories.

Furthermore, the Wii's fitness games and accessories like the Wii Balance Board have made it a popular choice for individuals looking to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine. According to a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, using the Wii Balance Board for exercise can improve balance and coordination, making it a valuable tool for rehabilitation and fitness.

Long-Term Value

Investing in Nintendo Wii accessories isn't just about enhancing the current gaming experience; it's also about long-term value. These accessories are designed with durability in mind, ensuring they stand the test of time. Even years after their initial purchase, many Wii accessories remain functional and relevant, particularly as the console maintains its popularity among retro gaming enthusiasts.

Additionally, the versatility of Wii accessories extends their usability. Many of these accessories are compatible with the Wii's successor, the Wii U, allowing for continued enjoyment even as gaming technology evolves. This backward compatibility means that an investment in Wii accessories today can continue to provide value in the future.

Fun Factor

Let's not forget the sheer fun factor that Nintendo Wii accessories bring to the table. The console's unique design encourages creative gameplay that often leads to laughter and memorable moments. Whether you're trying to outdo your friends in a heated game of "Wii Sports Tennis" or balancing precariously on the Wii Balance Board, the joy and entertainment these accessories provide are unparalleled.

In fact, some accessories have inspired creative uses beyond their intended purpose. For example, the Wii Wheel has been repurposed by some crafty players as a steering wheel for driving simulators on other platforms, demonstrating the ingenuity and adaptability of Wii accessories.

Reference: Journal of Physical Therapy Science. "The effect of a Nintendo Wii Fit exercise program on gait, balance, and quality of life in people with Parkinson's disease." (2015).

Conclusion: SumoShopStore – Your One-Stop Shop for Nintendo Wii Accessories

In conclusion, investing in Nintendo Wii accessories is a decision that pays dividends in enhanced gameplay, broader audience appeal, and long-term value. These accessories not only enrich your gaming experience but also offer unique ways to enjoy the console, whether through more precise motion controls or game-specific enhancements.

For those looking to expand their Wii accessory collection, SumoShopStore offers a wide range of high-quality options to choose from. With their extensive selection and commitment to customer satisfaction, SumoShopStore is the go-to destination for all your Nintendo Wii accessory needs. Dive into the world of Wii accessories and unlock the full potential of your gaming adventures.

[khanazru]

Inside the Giants: The Success Stories of Top Game Studios

In the ever-evolving world of gaming, certain studios have risen above the rest to become icons of innovation, creativity, and success. These top game studios not only shape the industry with their groundbreaking games but also inspire countless developers and gamers worldwide.

Join us as we delve into the captivating success stories of some of these giants in the gaming world.

Blizzard Entertainment: Crafting Worlds and Cultures

Blizzard Entertainment stands tall as a titan in the gaming industry, renowned for its immersive worlds and compelling narratives. Founded in 1991, Blizzard has created iconic franchises such as "Warcraft," "Diablo," and "StarCraft," each leaving an indelible mark on gaming culture. Their commitment to quality and storytelling has garnered a massive global fanbase, with games like "World of Warcraft" becoming cultural phenomena in their own right. Blizzard's ability to blend rich lore with engaging gameplay has solidified its position as a leader in the MMORPG and strategy genres.

Rockstar Games: Redefining Open-World Excellence

Rockstar Games has redefined the gaming landscape with its unparalleled dedication to open-world experiences and cinematic storytelling. Established in 1998, Rockstar achieved worldwide acclaim with the "Grand Theft Auto" series, known for its expansive cities, intricate narratives, and groundbreaking gameplay mechanics. The studio's commitment to pushing boundaries led to the creation of "Red Dead Redemption," setting new benchmarks for realism and player immersion in the Wild West genre. Rockstar Games continues to captivate audiences with its ambitious projects that blend cutting-edge technology with gripping narratives.

Nintendo: Pioneers of Playfulness and Innovation

Nintendo has shaped the gaming industry since its inception in 1889, evolving from a playing card company to a global powerhouse in interactive entertainment.

The Japanese company revolutionized gaming with iconic franchises like "Super Mario," "The Legend of Zelda," and "Pokémon," each contributing to Nintendo's legacy of innovation and creativity. Beyond consoles, Nintendo's handheld devices like the Game Boy and Nintendo DS have redefined portable gaming, making it accessible to players of all ages. With its intuitive gameplay mechanics and timeless characters, Nintendo continues to inspire joy and imagination in gamers worldwide.

Epic Games: From Unreal to Fortnite Phenomenon

Epic Games has made a significant impact on the gaming industry since its founding in 1991, initially gaining recognition for the Unreal Engine, a revolutionary tool for game development. In recent years, Epic Games achieved global success with "Fortnite," a free-to-play battle royale game that became a cultural phenomenon.

Through innovative monetization strategies and continuous updates, "Fortnite" not only captured the hearts of millions but also transformed into a social platform and virtual concert venue. Epic Games' commitment to empowering creators through Unreal Engine and fostering community engagement has solidified its status as a leader in digital entertainment.

The Legacy Continues: Inspiring Future Generations

The success stories of these top game studios highlight more than just financial achievements—they represent a commitment to creativity, innovation, and community. As technology advances and player expectations evolve, these giants continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in gaming. Their influence extends beyond entertainment, inspiring developers worldwide to create immersive experiences that resonate with diverse audiences.

Whether you're a longtime fan or new to gaming, exploring the journeys of these top game studios offers a glimpse into the passion and dedication driving the industry forward. From crafting expansive worlds to redefining player interaction, these giants continue to shape the future of gaming, promising exciting adventures and experiences yet to come.

Discover the stories behind the success of gaming's top studios and explore the worlds they've crafted. Join us as we journey into the heart of gaming innovation and creativity with "Inside the Giants: The Success Stories of Top Game Studios."

[maacsatara]

The Psychology Behind Successful Game Design

The gaming industry has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, captivating millions of players around the world. Behind every successful game lies a deep understanding of psychology. Game designers, including those trained at MAAC Academy, utilize psychological principles to create engaging, immersive, and rewarding experiences that keep players coming back for more. Understanding the psychological aspects of game design is crucial for creating games that resonate with players on a deeper level.

The Role of Motivation

At the core of successful game design is motivation. Games need to provide players with reasons to play, and understanding intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is key. Intrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it is inherently enjoyable, while extrinsic motivation involves performing an activity to earn a reward or avoid punishment.

**Intrinsic Motivation:** Games that leverage intrinsic motivation focus on providing players with enjoyment, challenge, and a sense of accomplishment. Games like "The Legend of Zelda" and "Super Mario" series are designed to be inherently fun, offering compelling narratives, engaging gameplay mechanics, and a sense of exploration and discovery.

**Extrinsic Motivation:** Extrinsic motivation in games often comes in the form of rewards, achievements, and progression systems. Games like "Call of Duty" and "Fortnite" use a variety of external rewards, such as unlockable content, badges, and leaderboards, to encourage continued play. These extrinsic rewards provide short-term goals that can enhance player engagement and satisfaction.

The Flow State

A crucial psychological concept in game design is the flow state, a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is a state of deep immersion and focus where players lose track of time and become fully absorbed in the activity. Achieving flow requires a balance between the challenges presented by the game and the player's skill level. If a game is too difficult, players may become frustrated; if it is too easy, they may become bored.

Successful games like "Dark Souls" and "Celeste" masterfully balance difficulty and player skill, creating a challenging yet rewarding experience that keeps players engaged. Designers can facilitate flow by gradually increasing difficulty, providing clear goals, and offering immediate feedback.

The Impact of Rewards and Reinforcement

Behavioral psychology, particularly the principles of operant conditioning, plays a significant role in game design. B.F. Skinner's work on reinforcement and punishment is evident in how games use rewards to shape player behavior.

**Positive Reinforcement:** Positive reinforcement involves providing a reward following a desired behavior, increasing the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. In games, this can be seen in the form of experience points, new abilities, or in-game currency awarded for completing tasks or overcoming challenges.

**Variable Ratio Schedules:** Games often use variable ratio schedules of reinforcement, where rewards are given after an unpredictable number of actions. This is seen in loot boxes or random drops in games like "Diablo" or "Overwatch." The unpredictability of the reward schedule creates a compelling loop, encouraging players to keep playing in the hopes of obtaining rare or valuable items.

Social Interaction and Community

The social aspect of gaming is another critical psychological factor. Humans are inherently social creatures, and many successful games leverage this by incorporating multiplayer elements, fostering community, and encouraging social interaction.

**Cooperation and Competition:** Games like "World of Warcraft" and "League of Legends" offer cooperative gameplay, where players work together to achieve common goals. Conversely, competitive games like "Counter-Strike" and "Rocket League" tap into players' competitive instincts, driving engagement through rivalry and the desire to improve.

**Community Building:** Social features such as guilds, clans, and online forums create a sense of belonging and community. Games that build strong communities around them, such as "Minecraft" and "Animal Crossing," benefit from increased player retention and word-of-mouth promotion.

Narrative and Emotional Engagement

Storytelling and emotional engagement are powerful tools in game design. A well-crafted narrative can evoke a wide range of emotions, from joy and excitement to fear and sadness, creating a memorable and impactful experience.

**Emotional Investment:** Games like "The Last of Us" and "Life is Strange" are renowned for their emotionally charged narratives. By developing complex characters and involving players in their stories, these games create deep emotional connections that drive player engagement.

**Immersion and Presence:** Creating a sense of immersion, where players feel as though they are part of the game world, enhances emotional engagement. Techniques such as realistic graphics, immersive sound design, and detailed world-building contribute to a sense of presence, making the game world feel real and compelling.

The Role of Choice and Autonomy

Giving players a sense of agency and control is another key psychological aspect of game design. Games that allow players to make meaningful choices and see the consequences of their actions tend to be more engaging.

**Player Agency:** Games like "The Witcher 3" and "Mass Effect" offer branching storylines and multiple endings based on player choices. This sense of agency enhances immersion and encourages replayability, as players may want to explore different outcomes.

**Customization:** Allowing players to customize their characters, play styles, and even game environments can increase their sense of ownership and investment in the game. Customization options in games like "The Sims" and "Skyrim" enable players to create unique experiences tailored to their preferences.

Conclusion

The psychology behind successful game design is multifaceted, involving a deep understanding of motivation, flow, reinforcement, social interaction, narrative, and player agency. By leveraging these psychological principles, game designers can create engaging, immersive, and emotionally resonant experiences that captivate players and keep them coming back for more. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, the integration of psychological insights will remain a cornerstone of innovative and successful game design.

[gamestudiosblog]

The Top 5 Best Retro Games Ever: A Nostalgic Journey

Exploring Games from the Past that Became Global Cultural Phenomenon

Over the past decades, the world of video games has evolved dramatically, with games becoming bigger and better with passing time.

However, for many (if not most) of us, the charm and simplicity of retro games hold a special place in our hearts. These classic games, which made way for modern games, still offer a delightful and nostalgic experience.

In this blog, we explore the top 5 best retro games ever, analyzing just how good they were. In these days of free online games and expensive high-graphic games, Let’s relive the charm of our childhood days, when these retro games were king.

These are not only games but cultural phenomenon that were later converted to browser games. Some are still available on various gaming websites.

Let's dive into the pixelated wonders of a bygone era that continue to captivate game lovers of all ages.

1. Pac-Man

Released in 1980, Pac-Man is one of the most recognizable and durable old-school video games ever made. With its titular character navigating a labyrinth, gobbling up pellets and dodging ghosts, this maze arcade game quickly gained popularity.

Reasons Pac-Man Is Ageless:

- Easy to understand but demanding gameplay: It's a simple game with limitless entertainment value since controlling Pac-Man through mazes is hard to get the hang of but easy to grasp.

- Endearing Characters: A big part of the game's enduring popularity is due to its cast of characters, especially the ghosts Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. - Free Online Play: Pac-Man is readily available as a browser game on a number of gaming websites, enabling you to play games online for free without having to download anything. This makes it convenient and accessible for anyone who wants to experience the thrill of the past.

2. Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros., which Nintendo released in 1985, transformed the platformer genre and made Mario the face of video games. This side-scrolling game follows Mario on his mission to save Princess Peach from Bowser, the evil guy. Why Super Mario Bros. Is Different:

- Creative Level Design: Every level is painstakingly created with special obstacles, hidden passageways, and power-ups that make the gameplay interesting and lively. - Timeless Appeal: The game is just as entertaining now as it was more than thirty years ago because to its lively graphics, engaging soundtrack, and simple controls.

- Online Play Options: Super Mario Bros. is a fun online game that you can play right in your browser on a lot of gaming websites. These websites offer a simple and entertaining method to revisit your youth or expose Mario's exploits to a new generation.

3. The Legend of Zelda

Nintendo's groundbreaking action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda, which debuted in 1986, introduced players to the vast Hyrulean universe. Players are on an incredible mission to save Princess Zelda and vanquish the evil Ganon by following the brave Link.

The Everlasting Legacy of Zelda's Legend:

  - Discovery and Exploration: The game's open-world layout promotes exploration and bestows upon players secret riches, ensuring that every playthrough is an original adventure.

- Innovative gameplay: Zelda's blend of action, strategy, and narrative nuance created a new benchmark for video games and impacted a ton of other games that came after. - Play for Free Online: Gamers can return to Hyrule without downloading The Legend of Zelda by visiting any of the many gaming websites that provide free online games. These browser games are entertaining and nostalgic at the same time, capturing the spirit of the original.

4. Tetris

Alexey Pajitnov invented the tile-matching puzzle gameTetris in 1984, and it has since grown to be one of the most well-known and captivating games ever made. The goal is straightforward: arrange falling blocks to create lines that are complete before they vanish to make place for new blocks.

Why Tetris Is So Addictive:

- Depth and Simplicity: While the game's fundamentals are simple to pick up, mastering the strategic placement of blocks to gain high scores calls for talent and fast thinking.

- Universal Appeal: Tetris is playable by players of all ages and backgrounds thanks to its simple design and captivating gameplay. - Browser Game Accessibility: Tetris is available for free online on a lot of gaming websites, so users may enjoy its classic gameplay without having to download anything. Because of this, it's the ideal option for short game sessions and mental difficulties.

5. Street Fighter II

Capcom's 1991 fighting game Street Fighter II is a seminal work that helped define the genre and produced a huge franchise. Players select characters from a wide range of options, each with special moves and skills, to engage in one-on-one combat.

Street Fighter II's Impact: 

 - Character Diversity: Characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, and Guile are distinctive and each brings unique fighting techniques and special moves to the game, which makes it more engaging and varied. - Competitiveness: The fierce competition and arcade culture that Street Fighter II popularized helped to establish the foundation for contemporary esports. This game made way for the modern action games. - Fun Online Fighting: Street Fighter II is an enjoyable online game that can be found on many gaming websites. With no download required, you may play free online games in your browser and take advantage of a handy approach to experience the nostalgia of old arcade games.

Conclusion

The beauty of retro games lies in their simplicity, innovation, and the sense of nostalgia they evoke. From the dot-munching mazes of Pac-Man to the block-stacking challenges of Tetris, these classics have left an indelible mark on the world of gaming.

Gaming websites provide a bounty of enjoyable online games that capture the essence of these ancient masterpieces, guaranteeing that future generations may experience the excitement and challenge of gaming's golden age.

These timeless titles offer limitless amusement and reminds us of a Long-Lost World.

[game-boy-pocket]

Who and What would you want for the next Super Smash Bros?

Who:

idk man I got K. Rool Ridley and Banjo, it's hard for me to say there's anything left that I want super badly at this point. There's several I wouldn't mind having but won't be bummed if they got in. If I had to make a list of characters I'd like to see...

Toad

Dixie Kong

Impa ( at this point she could be a replacement or echo of Shiek )

Tingle

Geno ( yes I'm one of those, the Mario RPGs should be represented in some way besides another form of Mario. )

Krystal

Porky

Raven Beak

Samurai Goroh

Black Shadow ( My idea here is just give him Ganondorf's old moveset so it actually make sense, and give Ganondorf a moveset that actually, you know, represents how he behaves in the Legend of Zelda series )

Mike Jones

Starfy

Shadow the Hedgehog ( Absolutely bonkers he wasn't a Sonic Echo Figher )

Dr. Eggman

Doom Slayer

Crash Bandicoot

Spyro the Dragon

And lastly, this is going to be my biggest wish that nobody is going to support... Agumon.

Or maybe more accurately, the whole Digimon version 1 line. Because my vision for this character would pay homage to the original LCD screen virtual pet, you start off as an Agumon in the fight. Your HUD has a hunger meter, and the down B will feed Agumon a piece of meat. If you take good care of Agumon, he will become Greymon, and if Greymon performs well in battle, he can become Metal Greymon.

Neglect to feed Agumon and he will evolve into the weak and sluggish Numamon. But even Numamon can have the potential to evolve into a powerful fighter in the form of Monzemon.

I suppose this complicates the final Smash a little bit, but we could borrow from the anime and have them warp evolve into Omnimon or something to perform a powerful mega hit. The actual rules of evolving with Digimon seem to vary depending on the virtual pet, the game, or the anime. I don't see why Smash Bros couldn't also bend the rules a bit.

I worry that the next one is just going to be another parade of third party characters, most of whom I probably won't care much about. ( Yes I know my next "big pick" is third party, i'm operating under the assumption that things aren't changing ) I feel like they made a huge mistake when they shifted their focus to mostly third party characters after the Smash Wii U DLC, now this is all anyone ever talks about and insults the shit out of people who ask for Nintendo characters, but who knows, we can only wait and see. I just hope that, if there are any cuts ( which seems inevitable ) I hope they keep most, if not all of the first party characters that they own the rights to. I'm not saying purge all guests but like, maybe not so many, and maybe only the ones with a strong history with Nintendo please?

As for What...

A real Adventure mode, I know Sakurai doesn't like people uploading the cutscenes, but I feel like axing it out of the game completely was very petty and punishes everyone, not just the people who uploaded/watched the cutscenes online, besides, I wouldn't mind if they scaled it back to melee style platforming levels with a few enemies here and there. Personally I would prefer that to a Subspace Emmissary 2, with a bunch of baddies that aren't from any specific games.

I'd want more alternative costumes, they did a lot better with this in Smash 4 and Smash Ultimate but it still didn't go far enough in my opinion. Why was the fusion suit for Samus STILL just a recolor? I'd also like more character alts like Alph and the Koopalings, sometimes you just don't need to become a whole ass echo.

I don't know if there's really all that much more I'd want out of Smash from a gameplay standpoint. It's essentially perfect for me.

[jcmarchi]

Every Winner At The 20th BAFTA Games Awards

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Every Winner At The 20th BAFTA Games Awards

The 20th Annual BAFTA Games Awards have concluded, and we’ve gathered the full list of winners. Baldur’s Gate 3 leads the pack with five awards, but other games such as Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Hi-Fi Rush, and Viewfinder didn’t leave empty-handed. 

In case you missed it, check the complete list of nominees here. And the winners are:

Best Game – Baldur’s Gate 3

Animation – Hi-Fi Rush

Artistic Achievement – Alan Wake 2

Audio Achievement – Alan Wake 2

British Game – Viewfinder

Debut Game – Venba

Evolving Game – Cyberpunk 2077

Family – Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Game Beyond Entertainment – Tchia

Game Design – Dave the Diver

Multiplayer – Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Music – Baldur’s Gate 3

Narrative – Baldur’s Gate 3

New Intellectual Property – Viewfinder

Performer in a Leading Role – Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales (Marvel’s Spider-Man 2)

Performer in a Supporting Role – Andrew Wincott as Raphael (Baldur’s Gate 3)

Technical Achievement – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

EE Player’s Choice – Baldur’s Gate 3

[dorematrix1]

The Evolution and Future of 3D Game Development

The world of video games has experienced monumental shifts since its inception, and one of the most significant advancements has been the advent of 3D game development. This technology has transformed not only how games are made but also how they are played and perceived. From the early days of polygonal graphics to today's hyper-realistic environments, 3D game development has continuously pushed the boundaries of what is possible in interactive entertainment.

A Brief History of 3D Game Development

The journey of 3D game development began in the late 20th century with pioneering titles like "Wolfenstein 3D" and "Doom". These games introduced players to the concept of navigating a virtual space with depth, a stark contrast to the flat 2D environments that dominated earlier titles. As technology progressed, so did the complexity and fidelity of 3D graphics.

The late 1990s and early 2000s saw significant advancements with games like "Super Mario 64" and "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" on the Nintendo 64, and "Tomb Raider" on the PlayStation. These games featured more sophisticated 3D worlds and characters, offering players an unprecedented level of immersion.

The Core Components of 3D Game Development

Creating a 3D game involves several critical components, each requiring a blend of artistry and technical expertise:

Modeling: This is the process of creating the 3D objects and characters that populate the game world. Tools like Blender, Maya, and 3ds Max are commonly used for modeling, enabling artists to craft detailed and complex shapes.

Texturing: Once models are created, they need to be textured to give them color and detail. Texturing involves applying 2D images to 3D models to create the appearance of surfaces like wood, metal, or skin.

Animation: Bringing models to life requires animation. This can range from simple movements to complex sequences involving facial expressions and body mechanics. Animation tools like Autodesk MotionBuilder and Spine help developers create lifelike actions and reactions.

Rendering: Rendering is the process of generating the final visual output from the 3D models, textures, and animations. Real-time rendering, crucial for games, is handled by game engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity, which are capable of producing stunning graphics in real-time.

The Role of Game Engines

Game engines are the backbone of 3D game development. They provide developers with the tools and resources needed to create and manage the various components of a game. Leading engines like Unreal Engine, Unity, and CryEngine offer powerful features including advanced graphics rendering, physics simulation, and scripting capabilities.

Unreal Engine, for example, is renowned for its high-fidelity graphics and is widely used in AAA game development. Unity, on the other hand, is favored for its versatility and ease of use, making it a popular choice among indie developers and for mobile game development.

Emerging Trends and Future Directions

The future of 3D game development is bright, with several exciting trends on the horizon:

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): These technologies are set to revolutionize 3D gaming by providing even deeper levels of immersion. VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and AR platforms like Microsoft's HoloLens are already changing how players interact with virtual environments.

Procedural Generation: This technique involves using algorithms to create game content on the fly, resulting in vast, diverse, and dynamic worlds. Games like "No Man's Sky" have demonstrated the potential of procedural generation to offer unique experiences for each player.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI continues to evolve, enhancing NPC behavior, procedural content creation, and player interaction. Advanced AI can create more lifelike and responsive characters, adding depth and realism to games.

Photorealistic Graphics: With the advancement of ray tracing and other rendering technologies, games are approaching cinematic levels of realism. This trend will likely continue as hardware becomes more powerful and accessible.

Conclusion

3D game development has come a long way from its early days of basic polygons and simple textures. Today, it encompasses a rich blend of art, technology, and innovation, creating immersive and visually stunning experiences. As we look to the future, emerging technologies like VR, procedural generation, and advanced AI promise to further expand the horizons of what is possible in 3D gaming. For developers and players alike, these are exciting times, full of potential and endless possibilities.