#i know you love arcade goobers

[sharky-the-idiot]

[ i sit on the edge of my bed, my eyes half open as I sleepily look around my room. Same boxes of stuff near the closet that I haven’t put away, my laptop plugged in, and my nightstand full of figures which had toppled over. Probs just my cat, yet it was odd that my Pac-Man toy was still upright. Oh well, I’ll fix it when I get home. I go towards my closet to grab my uniform, hearing some movement. What’s with the cat and hiding in my closet?! Groaning, I step over and lean in, trying to find her admist all of my darkly colored clothes. Imagine how startled I felt when I saw something bright yellow petting Elvira “Who THE HELL are you?!” I grab one of the curtain rods laying on the box and bring it down on the figure, which oddly made a “Waka?!” Type noise and fell over, my cat running out of my room. “The fuck…? Did- did i just-?!” I mutter as I stare down at what looked to be Pac-Man himself…. Okay. No way. He can’t be real. This can’t be happening. I’ve gotta be hallucinating! Right?! How did a video game… thing get into my closet?! I reach out to touch it, you cant hallucinate feelings right?!]

(Shares story with you <33)

Hi taikoer j <333 very cool :3

[spunkytomboybeat]

Long post about Makoto x Elena from Street Fighter

Once more I am thinking about Makoto and Elena from street fighter and i am debating on making a youtube video on my thoughts about me shipping the two.

I had my old post on here reblogged and it got me thinking about how Makoto x Elena is a rarepair for some reason, sure there's some fans about it (I've slowly been finding people who take interest/like it) but it's somehow the least common one when talking about the street fighter 3 gals. It is significantly more common for me to see Ibuki x Makoto, Elena x Ibuki, or even Elena x Makoto x Ibuki somehow. I'm not saying any of these pairings are bad, I do like them (I am somewhat mixed on Ibuki and Makoto for a handful of reasons but this isn't about them) and I love seeing art about them, what I am confused about is that the one with the LEAST art of talk about is Elena x Makoto.

These two have been on my mind forever. A taller than average bubbly capoeira PRINCESS is dating a shorter slightly grumpy tosan karetake tomboy is so funny to me. These two are just the polar opposites and yet despite it all they are dating? Incredible.

Like through the games and side media it's fairly obvious the writers and artists commonly pair the two together now on whatever they're doing.

First it was on sf3 where despite Makoto being a new character (and even having a special intro with Ibuki), Elena was the ONLY person to have a conversation on their own arcade ladder with Makoto (Makoto has a convo with Ryu since she was trying to find him to fight). And thing is Makoto wasn't even the most welcoming at first (dialogue below)

Makoto: What's wrong with you?! Stop smiling like that! It's creepy! Makoto: I'm here for a serious fight! I'll punish you if you make fun of me! Elena: I just want to be your friend! Elena: That's the reason why we fight! So let's enjoy the battle! Makoto: Friend?! I don't think I could ever understand you. [Dialogue ends.]

And it's honestly funny that Makoto of all people underestimates Elena, a capoeirista (I'll give her the benefit of the doubt since Makoto isn't the most knowledgeable of the world and doesn't know that Capoeira is arguably one of the scariest fighting styles to have on a tall person). Girl wanted to have a new friend and up for a friendly spar on her travels around Japan and Makoto assumed she was just here to make fun of her (And I assume they either went on a draw or Makoto lost the fight since I do believe Elena is stronger between the two). But even what Makoto said, Elena is unphased and knows she didn't mean any harm, Makoto is just someone who is very direct with words and is honest about what she says even if she's not the best person at communicating. Elena likes her friends and Makoto is her friend and is there to listen, be her with a grumpy face or not, Elena isn't here to make fun of you on purpose and would rather laugh with you.

Before 3rd strike Elena was normally paired with Ibuki (Even if Ibuki was being paired with chun since she was the most famous of the 2) because she was one of the 2 girls on sf3. But after 3rd strike something shifted and suddenly Elena was being paired with Makoto more often than not, and when they weren't it'd either be the sf3 girls trio, Elena was paired with Narumi (i wish we had more Narumi content) or Makoto was chilling with Ibuki. But other than that a lot of comics and official art just had Mak and Elena enjoy their time together and i think it's really cool we have more content of them, I really want the two to interact with each other more in SF6. Capcom please put me in that writing's room when you do decide to do a cutscene story mode for sf6 that isn't world tour (I like the mode I just wish it was the real characters interacting more with each other since we finally have a proper budget and can experiment more)

I really enjoy that I've been seeing more content of the Tall goober and the short goober kissing though, really lovely stuff :3

Like imagine being a Tosan girl with barely any social experience because majority of your life you were secluded because everyone didn't care about you or your dojo's history after your father died and dressed like a tomboy and did karate so much to the point you make your hands, which are bigger than that of a common girl, bleed and also one of your interests is woodcarving and then suddenly this foreigner capoeirista taller than your doorframe (and taller than you by two heads) comes up to you smiling saying they want to be your friend because you looked like a fun person to talk to even if your past wasn't the most superb thing ever to look up to. She doesn't mind what happened to your past and isn't here to make fun of you or to shun you away because you worked all your life for a goal that you set yourself to do for years, even if it was alone, she was here because she liked you as a person and found you cute and would yell at the world that she's your friend and would go out to eat, watch movies, do work, train, spar, debate fighting styles, study and just relax with each other. And then suddenly a year passes and you're in her bed and shes sleeping soundly next to you and you call her your girlfriend that you love very much and you don't know how to react. And then the next morning she picks you up because she found it funny since she's still significantly taller than you but you love her since she's someone you care about for all this time, giving you a kiss on your big forehead.

I like these two a lot, I really do.

[nyanloane]

Nacho!! ★

I remade his ref 2 days ago! My goober evolved so much :-)

More info about him below ↴

⚡️Basics

Nicknames / Referred as : Chips boy, Cheesy superhero, Chipster

Gender : Male

Age range : 20s

Birthday : March 9th

🇫🇷 headcanon voice : Ramzy Bedia (Rapido from Ratz)

Nacho is the delivery guy of Peppino and the main rival of The Noise.

He is a playful, energized dude, generally outgoing and kind, probably the most fun person you’ll ever meet!

He goes super fast with his rollers and might act as a superhero sometimes, he also looks like one too ☆.

He is generally nice, and frank; he is not the type to lie (unless it would be for his own safety…). He still likes being provoking, teasing others, especially towards his enemies, he doesn’t waste the eventual fun!

He is also used to often drink orange juice, like, a lot of it. might be the reason why he is so energized heh?

And because of how energized he is, he can’t stay still for a second! (or at least it’s pretty hard).

Our dear hero isn't only able to make deliveries for Peppino, but also a pretty good dancer, (maybe even singer?? ✨)! He usually moves a lot and would usually twist a lot if he does a pre-existing dance, he puts his own touch into it! He seems to share some in common with the Italian man too ★.

Not only that, he is pretty good at playing basketball or any kind of sports in general. This helped him to make more precise shots if he had to throw something that requires that (on an enemy for example). It seems Nacho also has a good strength, he can lift pretty heavy things! (Even Peppino, crazy right-)

The Chipster is also used of doing pretty acrobatic moves while running, it can be pretty impressive to see him jumping around everywhere…

Outside of work, Nacho likes to spend time playing videogames, or going to arcades, it's more fun with friends! he would probably beat you on DDR haha

He also enjoys going to the cinema, always with some popcorn ☆.

Nacho is also mostly a joyful guy, filled with joy and excitement ★. He is always hyper-vitamined, cannot take a break and needs to move and do something constantly! No wonder why he gathered multiple skills and hobbies to stretch that endless stamina he contains.

Nonetheless, he can still sometimes be moody due to being upset or too tired (if he didn’t sleep well for example). In this state he wouldn’t like things he would usually do...

Nacho also likes having some attention or just showing off in general ☆. He is flexing!!

He takes a lot of care about his appearance (hair included), he is a superhero after all!

It's not hard to flatter him and he would appreciate compliments and support quite a lot ☆.

Nacho also does not really care much about money, he is even the opposite of greedy : he loves gifting, sharing to others despite not being *extremely* rich, a generous lad! ★

And just like most superheroes, no one knows what Nacho looks like without his mask nor his true identity (is Nacho his real name??).

He said that he decided to look like this to make him look "swag and mysterious".

Nacho also likes to dress differently from time to time, but he will remain keeping his mask and sometimes his gloves too while doing so.

⚡️Relations with…

💢 The Noise

Nacho and him are main rivals. They hate each other, and cannot stand each other for a minute. They would usually fight a lot, but they sometimes enjoy themselves on rare occasions, even helping the other at times but it’s not common.

It seems they know each other before the events of Pizza Tower.

Nacho doesn’t entirely hate him, but The Noise is not in the same way and wants him gone...

💖 Noisette

Him and Noisette are good friends! They share quite a lot in common, sharing the same interests like stuff with wheels ☆.

He sometimes likes to help her out with her café just to give his help.

We could see them as besties! But this friendship doesn’t make The Noise really happy about it as you may have guessed… He can be jealous, and even feel humiliated seeing his rival hanging out with his girlfriend.

Nacho sometimes needs to be sneaky while trying to chat with Noisette, her boyfriend always has an eye on him.

He also always gives a tip whenever he comes to see her!

🍝 Peppino

Speaking of his relation with Peppino, they're on good terms, and could even consider them as good pals now.

He first met him by hearing Peppino needing some help with his pizzeria, and Nacho took the opportunity to be his delivery man. At that time Peppino wasn’t really benefiting that much, but Nacho insisted on being hired him. Seems like he wasn’t really looking for money for this job. Peppino was pretty skeptical at first, not knowing Nacho at all but ended up accepting.

As time passed, Nacho was able to impress the Italian man by showing how fast he was with his job, always asking when the next order is coming! He is very motivated. After after a while, Nacho could gain some money with tips, and since he is fast for delivering the boxes, people were usually generous with him, wanted to see him delivering them!

Though, I wonder if one of them got unsatisfied with the order to come too fast heh…

When they are off work, they sometimes spend time together to have fun ☆.

⭐️ Vigilante

They're both good cheesy friendos. Despite not spending a lot of time together, they still enjoy the time they spend when they do!

🍕 Pizzaface

(If they ever encounter)

Nacho and him are both true enemies. They both despise each other a lot, but they somehow can be cool but only in a comical way.

Pizzaface would messes a lot if Nacho was seen in the tower, Nacho does not hesitate a second to mock him or make him look like a fool!

Pizzaface doesn't want to deal with another speedy guy after all, and even more annoying.

⚙️ Nabot

Nacho and them are meant to be enemies. Nacho personally has nothing against Nabot but sees them more as a goofy robot who wants to defeat him. He is not worried about it though, he even takes it easy and prefers to tease them ☆.

❤️ Pepperoncino

Nacho only met him once. All he knows about Pepper' is that he was Peppino's mentor and that he is "a nice pizza".

⚡️Likes :

Reading comics, watching movies & cartoons, collecting things he finds ‘cool’

He is very passionate about superheroes, he would discuss about them for countless hours

Helping others and giving things

Orange juice, one brand in particular 🍊

Cola

Mint flavor!

The color orange 🟠 obviously it's his fav color haha

Being complimented ✨

Dancing, music that kicks and is funky!! ♪

Playing videogames

Noisette, they're besties :)

He can be a sweet tooth at times 🍭

Ice creams, especially banana split and Sunday :p

Butterscotch popcorn 🍿

⚡️Dislikes :

The Noise >:( (grrr)

Being bothered when he is moody

Overly complicated things : can be either discussion or instructions. He would end up not caring listening

The color green 🟢, especially on him

Whenever we mess with their friends

Anything that is ‘dirty’

⚡️Fun & Facts :

Nacho is very expressive even though he would usually put his "serious face" by default

He can speak Spanish, but it not confirmed he has any kind of latino nationality

It sometimes happens that he can become drunk by drinking too much orange juice (based on a true story)

It is said that he may have wanted to be a delivery man to have some visibility this way…

He is bad at math.

He is very secured about his secret identity that the only way to see his true self would be after wedding (if it ever happens) "You might see my face after our wedding."

Nacho doesn't mind crossdressing!

His design was first inspired by the supervillain Electro (Marvel), one of his powers he can obtain is also taken from this character!

The main inspirations for Nacho are : Bugs Bunny, Superheroes (like Batman), Sonic, Rapido (from Ratz), ROBIN IS A COINCIDENCE

His english voice would be similar to Sonic.

Copy pasta from his TH profile.

[general--winter]

Could we please get general relationship headcanons for Futaba from Persona 5?

author's note: I love Futaba, she is me. I am her. Genuinely my favorite P5 character. No it's not Yusuke even though I only have a giant print of him hanging in my room-

rating: general

fandom: persona 5

pairings: futaba sakura x gn!reader

word count: 772

warnings: canon-typical content

summary: What would it be like to be in a relationship with Futaba?

Ohhhhh, Futaba. As shy as she is, she wants to be with someone just like her. Someone who is withdrawn, willing to spend many, many days cooped up playing video games with her, and has the same goofball streak and a heart of gold. She wants to be able to screw around all day with you and just act like a bunch of goobers. While she wants a withdrawn partner, though, I think someone who is extremely outgoing would suit her just as well. A person that can be the “she asked for no pickles, sir” of the relationship, if you will. Futaba the schemer and her partner, the executor. A power couple made in hell. The world shall fear them.

When she first meets you, probably on the streets of Akihabara or when she goes back to school, Futaba would understandably be incredibly nervous and anxious. It’s in her nature. But she made a resolve to go out, make friends, and bloom into her own person after her experience with the Phantom Thieves. So that’s exactly what she does, and she meets you, the person she falls for, hard and fast. Maybe literally. Like, trips into your arms literally. And if you’re not chicken, ask her out here. She will not do it herself, Futaba would be perfectly content stewing on her emotions to stay in her safe space and keep the friendship she already worked so hard to create. So it’s on you to read the signs. Would she run away from you after you ask? Probably. But she would come right back and explain, accepting your offer for a date.

No ifs, ands, or buts, your first date is at the arcade. She has to school your gaming skill, just to make sure you are worthy of being her equal in the relationship. I don’t think she’s actually cruel, though, so if you get stomped she’ll just tease the shit out of you about how much you suck. Get ready for a lifetime of butt whoopings in Smash Brothers. Since you two were friends before dating, though, your meetups would quickly move to either your house or Futaba’s. Ordering delivery food or running to Leblanc to get curry to devour on the couch with bags up chips and soda is incredibly common with you two. And you know what? Futaba wouldn’t have it any other way. Literally, don’t take her to that fancy restaurant. She will hate it, keep it simple and private! And buy her gifts from Akihabara every time you go. She will fawn over everything you get her forever.

Speaking of gifts, Futaba’s love language is gift giving, as well as words of affirmation. We see with the protagonist that Futaba really needs verbal encouragement to go through with her plans, and you best believe that for every time you are there to cheer her on, she will return the act tenfold. She’ll be your personal cheerleader until the end. Also, Futaba strikes me as the type who would go out and buy you the dumbest thing in existence just because she thought of you when she saw it. A mug that looks like your favorite animal? Your cabinet is already overflowing, but you will find room for it.

The Phantom Thieves are her personal protection squad, so do everything you can to impress them or they will not let you around her. Not that they don’t trust Futaba to make educated decisions about who she hangs around with, but she’s definitely a bit more vulnerable to people taking advantage of her due to her social inexperience. Not to even mention Sojiro. Hoo boy. All of the father stereotypes apply here. He knows what harm can come to people in relationships, especially with their first love, so he’s overprotective as hell. But I have complete faith that you will be able to earn his respect, especially since Futaba has been so happy since starting to date you. Anyone who helps make his daughter happy is a good person in his eyes.

Overall, prepare for chaos in a relationship with Futaba. Every day is going to be something new. A new story about her hacking exploits, about what she did to get in trouble at school, or what her friends did that caused utter chaos once again. The chaos is comforting, though. You know that Futaba will always be at your side and that she’ll be there to put a smile on your face when you can’t do it yourself. You’re gonna be the one ordering the food and making phone calls, though. She’s totally not sorry.

[nogenderbee]

HIIII I STUMBLED UPON THIS AND THOUGHT IT WAS SOSO COOL. I LOVE UR WORK ALSO HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY :3333

For the first question,,, nicknames for your lover: tbh it would probably be something completely random like an inside joke,,,,nothing lovey dovey or a shortened version of their name but like if they stepped in dog poop once then I’d just go around callinf them poop stepper

Favorite hobbies: DRAWING AND PLAYING VIDEO GAMES 💥💥💥 digital art for specifics :3

Perfect date idea: just hanging out at someone’s house ! Or going somewhere where you are actively doing something (ex. Theme park, arcade, etc)

Something I hate about others: when they make fun of others for going through something they can’t control or r struggling with and just in general being mean for no reason !!

Personality traits: I CAN BE VERY SHY AT TIMES but whenever I’m alone with someone I bond with well I am very hyper, talkative, and loud 💥 (I am just a silly goober)

Activity/hobbies I like: mainly just drawing,,, I like cosplaying and playing sports :3

Activity/hobby I dislike: COOKING/BAKING BECAUSE I AM AWFUL AT IT AND IT TAKES TOO LONG (I am. Very impatient,,,) 😢😢

LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING,,, THIS IS LITERALLY SUCH A COOL EVENT!!! I HOPE U HAVE/HAD (depending on when you see this) A GREAT BIRTHDAY 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Awhh thank you so much! <3

But as for pairing... I pair you with...

🥁🥁🥁

Rui Kamishiro!

⊱ okey but your nicknames are WAR Like you'd really just think of more and more cursed nicknames and others are seriously worried for you by now-

⊱ as for hobbies, Rui also draws but just for his projects but he won't mind if you give him some honesg opinion. As for video games, he also enjoys them even tho most of the time he prefers to just watch you play

⊱ as for date ideas, he really likes all ideas! His favorites tho are staying at home and having lazy date or having amusement park date from time to time!

⊱ at first, he found you shy self rather cute and he still does. But he's glad to see your more hyperactive side as it makes him know that you trust him~ so often you two are most likely just gremlins causing trouble

⊱ and when he discovered you're a cosplayer, he was pretty impressed~ and it's safe to say that he will help you, especially with props whenever you need it

⊱ and finally, you're both bad at baking and cooking so you often just order something instead

You and Rui were resting in his room. He was currently working on one of his project meanwhile you were doing your own things. Finally tho, he decides to take a break and now his attention was on you.

"How are you doing there, darling~?"

"Pretty good. I'm just getting few references for new cosplay, exploder."

"Again with that nickname? It's not my fault part of school happened to explode~ C'mon now, I got you a prototype for your prop."

❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉

[majimasleftasscheek]

since you offered,,,kazumaji headcanons in relation to haruka? i've read more fics that pretend she doesn't exist than fics that acknowledge her. Like. Kiryu can't truly be a DILF if he isn't a dad. Why would you deprive Majima of a hot DILF??? He's lost enough let him have SOMETHING

oh hell ye we appreciate Haruka in this house B) tbh I'm guilty of not including her in my fics because I have like zero plot and go straight to smut BUT I do include her sometimes in my dumb comics

Haruka is a lil troublemaker cuz I hc her with more of a personality than just good girl with troubled upbringing so I think she's a lil shit sometimes just like Kiryu and only made worse by Majima lol

she knows her two dads are goblins @ each other so she'll join in on that like helping Kiryu with pranks because he's hopeless. She'll prank them on her own to get back at them for being cringey old men

Majima absolutely loves Haruka and Kiryu trusts him fully except for times when he's showing her knife tricks or how to dislocate bones. It takes her awhile to get used to Majima - especially after the whole kidnapping and beating Kiryu up constantly thing but eventually understands their weird ass dynamic. She's learned a lotta street smarts from Majima, some of which she doesn't tell Kiryu because she's not allowed to curse like a sailor at home

when she's a bit older, she constantly helps Kiryu with his phone and other techy stuff. She'll sometimes make shit up when Kiryu asks about text slang Majima sends him and she just doesn't have the heart to tell him what some things really mean

Majima always has his lackeys watching her when she's out and about to make sure she's safe. She's had to get on Majima's case about it so they compromise by letting her have bodyguards but at least at an arm's length. Speaking of which, Majima and Kiryu definitely taught her some self defense and I can imagine her fighting style would be something like defensive counters and kicks

Majima fake kidnaps Haruka to get her out of chores and also gets a free fight with Kiryu (credit to my friend Prin for this one!)

she has a collection of toys from UFO catcher that both of them got for her whenever they go to the arcade. Majima's better at the game and Kiryu doesn't appreciate him bringing that up whenever Haruka's playing with her plushies

she takes care of the goobers often when they're incapacitated like if they're passed out drunk or sick. Majima will happily accept the help cuz he thinks it's cute while Kiryu will rant about how a kid shouldn't be taking care of an adult and then she'll shush him up with a warm blanket and medicine

Majima’s a better cook than Kiryu so he spends a good chunk of time in the kitchen helping Haruka make food. She’s very strict on making sure he doesn’t sneak in taste tests before everything’s ready

because of her yakuza ties, Haruka grows up very worldly and more mature than most. Kiryu's not fond of that but it is what it is given her circumstances. She has to work hard to convince him she's not a baby and can handle things on her own and that includes talking about heavy stuff Kiryu would prefer to clam up about

I LOVE Haruka and Goromi interactions so I think she'd be very accepting of Goromi tho of course may have some questions that would garner some awkward answers but that's ok. They do a lotta funtivities together like paint nails and do hair and rope Kiryu into it too. They do a lotta karaoke together <3

[paperficwriter]

Your First Date

Some sweet, fluffy batarou. Being teens in love.

Cut is for length, not for content.

“Oi, Badd. Why didn’t we go on a first date?”

“Well, ya hospitalized me, and then ya went on some kind of monster rager and ended up becomin’ some kinda gargoyle thing? With horns, I heard? And then ya ran off for a hot minute until ya showed up here ‘cause Zenko thought you were some kinda stray to bring home, and here we are.”

“...Heh, yeah, that just about covers it.”

Somehow during months of living together, this conversation didn’t even come up until they were sitting together on the couch, watching an anime one evening that depicted a boy and a girl in a very typical ‘is this a date?!’ situation. They were quiet for a little bit after that, until Badd prompted him by elbowing him in the arm. “Did ya want to? I mean, I feel like we kinda skipped that whole thing, yeah? Usually ya date before ya start livin’ with someone.”

“So what’s the difference between going on a date and dating?”

Badd paused the television and turned to him, wedging himself into the back sofa cushion on his side. “The date’s kinda...the thing itself. Datin’ is when you’re, like, ‘Let’s see how this pans out and if I wanna be your girlfriend for the long haul.’”

“Does that mean we skipped straight to making you my girlfriend?”

“Psh. I’m savin’ my girlfriend status for The One. You lose.”

Garou chuckled and pulled one of Badd’s hands over to rub between his. “Never been on a date before,” he mumbled.

“Are ya serious?” Badd winced when Garou bent one of his fingers sideways. “Ow. I didn’t mean it t’ be shitty! You’re good-lookin,’ so I figured ya woulda had to beat ‘em off with a stick!”

Holy shit, did Garou just blush?! “It’s not like I really had a chance, with the whole ‘leaving home and living at a dojo and then dishonoring said dojo and everything afterward,’ you know?”

Badd dragged his thumb against one of the long lines across Garou’s hand. Then he realized it wasn’t actually the love line, or the life line, or whatever. But rather, it was the pink, faded scar left from his hero hunting. “That means if I take ya out on a date, it’s not just our first date but your first date. Officially.”

Garou nodded. “Which means it can’t suck.”

“Hey, my dates don’t suck.”

“They better not. You don’t have an excuse like I do, since it sounds like you’ve been on a million, you hussy.”

Badd snatched his hand back so he could grab him by one of his wild ‘ears’ of hair. “I ain’t a hussy! And I haven’t been on a million dates! Just a few!”

Thin fingers jabbed at his side right into one of his ticklish pressure points, and Badd’s body buckled in on itself. “No, no, you’re clearly the dating pro, so you better wow me or I’m leaving!”

“Fine!” Badd threw himself on top of Garou, grabbing him by his shirt. He dropped his face close to his with a huge grin. “Then I’m gonna take ya on the best damn date o’ your life. So get ready, wolf boy.”

Garou snuck in a kiss onto Badd’s round nose, flashing his own teeth in a smile. “Okay. I’m holding you to that.”

—

Badd ended up borrowing a car. Although he had gotten his license, he didn’t really need one in the city, since he either walked wherever he needed to go or took public transportation. But if he was going to take Garou on a date, they were going to have to head out a little distance from his normal stomping grounds, enough that no one would immediately recognize him or, worse, ask questions about Garou.

And even as it was, Badd still didn’t sport his normal pompadour, and Garou had one of his beanies over his trademark hair. “So, where are we going?” Garou asked as he reached over to play with Badd’s loose strands where they framed his face. 

“It’s a surprise, ya goober. Also, I, uh...didn’t wanna talk about it so much in front o’ Zenko or she’d be sore we weren’t taking her.”

“Scandalous.”

“Shut up!” Badd gave him a shove, but he was smiling. The drive itself was nice; the air was cool, they listened to some music (and since it was just them, they didn’t even have to suffer through Amai Mask’s discography), and the sunset was a beautiful bleed of color across the horizon. 

Garou grinned when Badd turned into a hotel. “Oh, so it’s that kind of a date, huh?”

“It ain’t like that! Don’t be weird!” Badd’s cheeks burned up to his ears. “I got us a room so we didn’t have to rush back tonight, and so I didn’t have to find some random place to park.”

When Badd got back from checking in, Garou had his face out the window of the car, sniffing, eyes big. It was like he was looking into the distance, at nothing in particular, an invisible interest.

Badd couldn’t help ruffling the top of his head. “What is it, boy?” he asked like he was talking to a dog, “Whattaya smell, huh?” 

Garou rolled his eyes but didn’t really divert his attention, though his did close his eyes. “It’s been forever since I went to the beach. I can smell the sand and the water...and I can hear it.”

Badd turned his ear up, letting the wind hit him. He could just barely make out the salty scent, but he certainly couldn’t hear it. “Good thing that ain’t the surprise.”

Tipping his head curiously, Garou got out of the car, and they started walking down the road. 

It couldn’t be but so surprising, because they could see the boardwalk from the half-mile mark as they walked up toward it. A large road right beside piers and docks had been lined with shops, stands and various attractions on either side, and there was a huge ferris wheel lit up with sparkling lights.

Badd had insisted on going during the week, so since it was Wednesday there weren't nearly as many people as there probably would have been on the weekend. On top of that, it was also late in the season, so there weren’t visiting tourists to contend with either. “I know ya hate crowds as much as I do,” Badd commented as he took his hand. “And I wanted your first date to be a good experience, ya know.”

Garou was staring in every direction, his mouth just a little bit open. Shit, was it too much? Had Badd overdone it?

What finally came out was: “I want to eat everything.”

Badd laughed. “Okay. Sounds like a plan.”

When Garou said everything, he wasn’t kidding. Like a bloodhound, Garou made a beeline for the spots that had the best-smelling greasy food scents, and Badd found himself being dragged to stand after stand to buy long skewers of yakitori, shioyaki and ikayaki. Each one was shoved into his face to try. “Please at least keep the squid in a different hand. If I think I’m gonna get chicken and bite into the ikayaki, I’m gonna hurl.”

Garou just took a bite of each. To spite him.

Now, the noodles he could get behind: yakisoba with deliciously tender pieces of pork; hot, sour Thai noodles that warmed him up to the core; a ramen burger made with prime beef and huge pieces of near-solid noodles. Garou was about to lead them to the taiyaki parfait stand, when Badd finally put his hand on his arm.

“Babe. Ya know I think the world of ya, but can we digest for, like, five minutes?”

“I guess.” He smirked and kissed a spot of sauce off the corner of his mouth. “You weakling.”

Next, Badd took him to an arcade. It was set up to look like one of the “classic” ones, with pinball, huge games with old displays that were probably twenty years old, and racing games that made Garou have to fold his long limbs inwards to get to the gas and brake. 

When he caught Badd laughing, he glared. “I’m still going to kick your ass, even if I do dislocate my hip.”

“You are older than me, Stretch. That’s a real concern.”

“By a year!”

But they figured it was time to go when Garou laid into a test-your-strength punching dummy a bit too hard and snapped it off its support. In his defense, Badd absolutely should have been watching him closer. Garou had a tendency to get carried away.

As they explored the area even more, they came to a set of shops outside a mall connected to the boardwalk. Garou wandered over to an open stand and stopped so hard his heels screeched. “Oh my god, Badd, look at this.” At first, it just looked like they were selling little trinkets and random junk...until Badd got a closer look. “It’s fucking knock-off hero stuff like you find online!”

Badd nearly choked as he picked up a toy that he could only guess was supposed to be Genos with huge neon eyes and a perfectly rectangular mouth. One hand was on backwards, and the paint job was so abysmal it was like it was just dipped in random colors. A figurine of Atomic Samurai actually had a gun for some reason, Zombieman had been painted lime green, and then…

“You have to buy it.”

“I don’t have to do any such a damn thing.”

“Please. I need this as a memento of our first date.”

Badd sighed and paid the ridiculous amount for a Metal Bat action figure: the torso was so big his head was roughly pea-sized, he was wearing a skirt and his bat looked like it was a wooden one. “It’s literally in the name! Metal Bat! They had one job!”

Garou cackled as he pocketed his prize. “Villains beware! The amazing Wood Bat! Special move: Splinter Spirit!”

As the sky was just beginning to transition from a red-touched blue into night, Badd walked Garou out onto the pier that cut into the ocean far enough that it was actually quiet, compared to the street. A torii gate stood alone overlooking the water and the far-off sunset. Garou stared up at it as Badd explained, “There used to be a shrine on the water, but it got destroyed by a typhoon or somethin.’ They left the torii up ‘cause the sun falls right inside it, yeah? And it was still standin,’ so...yeah.”

“You know a lot about this place.”

Badd grinned, kind of lopsidedly. “Yeah…”

“Like you’ve been here before. More than once.”

“Heh, guess I’ve been caught.”

Easily hopping up onto it, Garou sat on one of the wooden rails of the dock and looked out over the easy-going waves. “That’s fine. There are only but so many places you can take dates, so obviously there’s going to be some overlap.”

“What? Oh god, no. Garou.” Careful not to push him over, Badd got between Garou’s long legs, hands holding his waist. “I ain’t...I’ve never brought another date here. Never. You’re the first.” He sighed. “I came here when I was a kid, with my folks. And Zenko after she was born, for a couple of years but I think she was too young to really remember it. This is, uh…” He cleared his throat. “This is the first time…” God, don’t cry, don’t fucking choke up. “Since…”

“Hey.” Garou’s fingers rubbed the back of his scalp and pulled his face into his stomach. “I got it. It’s okay. I like it. A lot.”

“...yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s the best first date. I thought you were just going to drag me out to something really lame and I was going to have to be like, ‘Nooo, Baaadd, I loooove it…’”

Badd snickered and jabbed Garou in the side of the leg. “Jerk.”

Garou continued on in the mock-patronizing voice as he jumped off the ledge and back to the dock. “‘Oh my gooood...no, you put soooo much effort into it…’”

“Well now if I ever do disappoint ya, I’ll see right through you!”

“Of course you will, because I am so transparent and you are so perceptive.” Garou tugged him toward the ferris wheel. “Come on, I think this is a good time for this one.”

Badd nodded, and when they got to the ramp, there really wasn’t much of a line. They climbed into the next available car together. It was one of the new, fancier ferris wheels, with a compartment that people could sit in facing each other while looking out a window on either side, at the sea or at the glittering city skyline in the near-distance. Slowly, they started the climb, and as Badd watched the crowds below get smaller and smaller, he could feel Garou’s eyes on him. 

“So, I’m new to this, but it seems pretty obvious that this is when you’re supposed to kiss on dates, right? That’s a thing isn’t it?”

Badd turned his hand over when cool fingers rubbed his knuckles. “Yeah, I think ya kinda...play it by ear, and when it feels right, ya jus’ go for it.”

Garou leaned close, his smile reflecting the bulbs outside that lined the ride’s spokes. “I think you’re supposed to call the shots though, right?”

“Yeah...I think so.” Badd moved like he was going to close the gap between them, but then put his fingers up to block Garou’s lips. “Wait.”

“...seriously?”    

“Trust me.”

It was only about a minute until they rounded the curve and there they were, at the top of the wheel. In the grand scheme of things, it probably wasn’t that high up but...here, it was the highest point, and for them it might as well have been the top of the world. And before Garou could ruin it by saying something dumb or complaining about the hold up, Badd yanked him into the softest, deepest kiss he could give, putting every ounce of himself into it.

They didn’t actually break it until they were almost at the bottom again, and even then they stayed close, gazing into one another’s face.

“You know…” Garou gave him another little peck, smiling through it. “I think I could get into this whole dating thing.”

Badd hummed, and he kept his fingers loosely holding his shirt so he couldn’t get far away from him. “Yeah...kinda figured ya might feel that way.”

[colbybrocksmolder]

A Video To My Future Wife - Colby Brock x Reader

Colby set the camera up, taking a minute to gather his thoughts.

“Hey guys, as you can tell by the title, this isn’t a normal video. Remember a few years ago when Sam and I made videos for each other to look back on when we’re older? Well this is another one of those. Kind of. But today, I’m going to make this for you. And for Y/n. The love of my life. The most beautiful human I’ve ever met, both inside and out.”

Colby ducked his head, smiling at how giddy he was to finally share you with the world. “A lot of you are very confused right now, I know. And I’m sorry. I’ve kept this part of my life off of YouTube for well over a year now and honestly? I don’t regret it one bit. It’s been the happiest year of my life so far. I know in my heart she’ll continue to make me my happiest self until literally one of us ceases to exist on this earth. I hope I die first because I don’t want to think about a life without her.”

Colby sighed, looking past the camera for a moment before cracking a smile. “If Y/n were home right now, she’d scold me for being so morbid. She doesn’t like when I talk about dying. She’d pull me into her arms, start listing reasons why it’s a waste of life to think about death. On my more stubborn emo days, she clings to me like a koala. Not a word of a lie. She’ll wrap her arms and legs around me and just talk. She once made it to like reason #56 that she thought I was adorable before I finally agreed to shower and leave the apartment. There’s no escaping the infectious joy she has inside her. I have yet to meet a single person who isn’t happier around her. I know a lot of you guys freak out whenever you hear dating rumors about me or see me with a female friend, but guys...you’re going to fucking love Y/n. So much. A handful of you guys already know her and I want to specifically thank you for keeping our secret. I’m just waiting for the photos you guys took with us to spread like wildfire now that it’s out in the open.”

Colby smiled, pulling out his phone to look at a picture the two of you had taken with a group of fans. “I’ll put this picture up on the screen so you can actually see it, but do you see this goober right here in the skeleton onesie? That’s y/n. You’re probably wondering why we’re all in our pajamas with a bunch of fans…Well that’s just a tiny glimpse into how kindhearted, selfless, and loving this girl is. We met a family one day while we were out. The two daughters and their friends happened to be fans of Sam and I. While I sat and talked to the girls for a minute, Y/n was sitting talking to their mom. Turns out these two girls had been through quite a rough year. The mom said that YouTube was what really kept them going. Y/n exchanged numbers with the mom and over the next few months kept in touch with the two girls. When the older sister’s birthday rolled around, Y/n had an idea. She talked with the mom and set up a little surprise movie night so that we could celebrate with the girls and their friends we had met with them. Her and Kat went out and got these goofy onesies for everyone, loads of snacks, games... Sam, Kat, Y/n, and I showed up and surprised them. It was awesome. Better than any Trap House party we’ve ever thrown.” Colby laughed.

Colby stared at the picture for a few seconds before locking his phone and putting it back in his pocket. “At this point, I already thought that I loved her. I was already convinced I had found my forever…but seeing her take time out of her insane schedule to go above and beyond to love on two random fans…When I tell you I was in awe of her, I mean it. I was a blushing, sweaty palmed, nervous boy. All night. The girl’s dad even pulled me to the side to whisper a ‘you’ve got it bad, kid’ to me.” Colby’s cheeks blushed with a hint of pink.

“And honestly? I have no fucking clue why she puts up with me.” Colby laughed. “I’m indecisive and clingy and moody. I can’t keep a schedule to save my life. I always need to be in control or I’m anxious or bail. And I never ever ever put my shoes away. I can’t tell you how many times Y/n has tripped trying to leave our kitchen because even though she’s asked me 200 times not to, I still leave my shoes right in the middle of the walkway. Yet every single day I find a new little note that she’s left me. Sometimes two or three on bad days. Actually, you know what? Be right back…”

Colby moved across the room to grab a photo-box full of papers. “Look at these.” He said, tipping the box to show you how full it was. He started reading some of them off. “Seeing you smile is my favorite way to start my day” “Your friends love you” “Your laughter is contagious” “You bring people joy” “Your ass looked great in those jeans last night” He laughed at that one, reading out one last note. “Strip away all of your fame and money and looks and what do you have left? The most accepting, honest, encouraging, and loving heart I’ve ever had the privilege of holding.” He stared at the piece of paper for a second before shrugging his shoulders and staring off into the other room. “Like I said, I have no clue what I did to deserve her.”

He moved to put the box back where he got it from and sat back down on the bed. “I know that a lot of you don’t like change. I know she’s going to get hate comments about loads of shit that either isn’t true or doesn’t matter. But do you want to know the truth? Neither of us care.” He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “We aren’t worried. We’re happy. And God does it feel good to say that because throughout my YouTube career, the amount of times I’ve been able to say that with a straight face are far and few between. Something to know before you start writing that shitty hateful comment…Y/n is never ever going to reply to you with hate. It doesn’t matter how mean you are to her. It’s just not in her. She’s too loving. She’ll probably apologize that you feel the way you feel and then treat you with perfect kindness. She goes out of her way to build people up. So, remember that before you’re too quick to try and tear her down.”

Colby heard the apartment door open and made a wide eyed ‘oh shit’ face at the camera. “Hey, baby! Are you home?”

“In here!” Colby called.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She apologized, seeing that she had interrupted him filming.

“Don’t worry.” Colby smiled up at her, reaching his arms out to invite her to sit on his lap for a moment. “I’ll just edit it out. What’s up?”

“This girl just moved in right above us and I want to go help her get settled. Her friend bailed on her and we have that bottle of red wine we’re never going to drink. Do you mind if I grab some snacks and the wine and go help her?” She asked, pressing a kiss to Colby’s cheek.

“Of course, I don’t mind, babe.” He slipped his arms tighter around her and kissed her lips. “I’ll text you when I’m done to see if you guys need help with anything heavy.”

“You’re too good to me.” She said, sliding off of his lap.

“I love you!” Colby called out after her, hearing her pack a bag full of snacks and grab the wine.

“I love you more!” he heard her call back. The apartment door closing behind her.

“I’m definitely not editing any of that out.” Colby laughed, looking back at the camera. “But do you see what I mean? That was a perfect example. One of like a thousand I could share. She so effortlessly walks into people’s lives and does whatever she can to help them.”

“I just realized you guys have no clue how we met.” Colby shook his head, laughing to himself. “So, you know those overnight videos we do with TFIL? Well we were once again being complete idiots and trying to sneak into this massive indoor sports arcade type place. Everyone had hidden except for me and I was about to get caught. I had climbed over this massive basketball free-throw cage thing and I was going to drop down behind it when the manager of the arcade started walking towards his office…right next to where I was hanging. This girl and I made eye contact and she recognized who I was. She obviously knew what I was up to. She started to laugh but quickly realized I was about to get caught. When the Manager went to step by her, she ‘stumbled’ into him and pretended to faint. Throwing in an ‘I don’t feel good’ right before hitting the ground for good measure. Her distraction gave me enough time to drop down behind the machine. When I peeked through the bars, I saw her ‘wake up’ and ask the manager if he could show here where the ski ball was like nothing had happened.” Colby snorted rolling his eyes. “She wasn’t the best actress on the planet, but she sure as hell had my attention. I spent the whole night annoying the rest of the guys trying to figure out how to find her and thank her. Talk to her. Turns out, it was easier than I thought. When we finally left at like 5 am, there was a little torn piece of paper tucked under my windshield wiper that said ‘you’re welcome’ and her phone number. Needless to say, I didn’t go to bed. I ended up meeting her at a diner where we talked so long, we ate both breakfast and lunch before parting ways. I’m usually a listener, you know? I know people see me in videos and think I’m crazy and loud 24/7, but I’m honestly usually the shy quiet kid sitting in the corner, people watching, and hoping no one notices me. But when I sat in that diner…I couldn’t shut up. It’s like she was pulling words out of me. I felt very…comfortable.”

Colby looked to be thinking about something for a moment, a soft smile on his face. “This video is partially for her and partially for you guys. I wanted to be able to introduce her before she just randomly started showing up in pictures or in videos. I didn’t want rumors about me ‘maybe’ dating her. I kind of wanted to spill my guts and talk about her to you guys because she’s the most important person in my life. And she doesn’t let me dote on her much, so I figured this was a good way to get it all out” he couldn’t help but smile. “I know you guys are going to love her. I know it. And I know she already loves all of you. It’s going to take her some time to get used to all of the attention, but I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to share her with you.”

“Y/n.” He faced the camera, speaking directly to her. “It would be impossible to list all of the things you’ve changed in my life. I know it sounds sappy as shit, but when poets say weird stuff like ‘the trees just looked different after meeting her’ I get it, now. It makes total sense to me. It’s like you reached down deep to the worst parts of me, shined a light on them, and loved me anyways…and I will never be able to actually explain how much I love you…But I will spend the rest of my life trying.”

[inspired-by-the-music]

Double Date: Lucas x Reader

Genre: tiny bit of angst; fluffy ending; featuring twin Mark

Word Count: 1,212

 At least in part because of your shared birthday, you and Mark always had the same day. None of your friends dared to let their stare linger on you, either because they feared Mark's disapproval or because you were too much like him to be considered a serious romantic option. 

 You were in college when you realized that Lucas, Mark's best friend, made your heart race, but you weren't foolish enough to believe that anything would ever happen between you. So why did your heart seem to stop altogether when you overheard him planning a date before class? 

 As you entered the classroom, Lucas spoke into his phone, "Great, I'll pick you up at seven on Friday!" And he smiled broadly at you as you slinked into the seat next to him. 

 Despite the sudden weight in your chest, you forced a grin and asked, "Fun plans this weekend?"

 That smile still tugged at his lips as he nodded. "Something like that."

 . . . 

 There was no rational explanation for why you avoided Lucas all week following that interaction. You weren't angry, and you couldn't justify being hurt by his decision to date someone else when you hadn't even admitted to yourself that you liked him. But by Friday evening, you were still sulking in your room. 

 Mark made the short walk from his bedroom to yours and rapped his knuckles against your door. As he shrugged his jacket over his t-shirt, he asked, "If you're done moping about who knows what, do you wanna go bowling?"

 Blushing at the realization that Mark had noticed your behavior, and not wanting to arouse further scrutiny, you agreed immediately. "Awww, twin bonding time!"

 "Yeah, yeah," Mark grumbled as you enveloped him in a hug. "Quit smothering me, alright?" 

 "Sure, whatever." You obeyed and released him from your embrace before snagging the hat off his head. "But only if you let me borrow this."

 . . . 

 Although all university entertainment centers were busiest on Fridays and Saturdays, you weren't prepared to see Lucas at the food court. Sitting next to him, her head thrown back in laughter, was your best friend.

 You winced at the sight; sure, you never told anybody that you liked Lucas, but your friend was always teasing you for your allegedly obvious crush. So how could she justify going on a date with him?

 Instinctively, you turned away from the scene and collided with Mark. 

 "Ow!" he shrieked before noticing your expression. He gripped your arms gently and lowered himself until you were forced to meet his eyes. "Seriously, Y/N, what's the matter? You've been acting like this all week." 

 Reddening under Mark's concerned stare, you squirmed and stole a glance over your shoulder. "It's nothing really. . ."

 Mark followed your gaze and realized, "Are you talking about Lucas? You know, it doesn't take twin telepathy or whatever to realize that you have a thing for each other."

 "Really?" You challenged, eyebrows raised. "Because whatever thing you're talking about it looking pretty one-sided to me."

 Rolling his eyes, Mark tried to explain, "You assume too much. It's not what you think--"

 Before Mark could finish, Lucas noticed you lingering by the entrance and tried to wave you over to his table. 

 You nudged Mark in the ribs to silence him. "Oh God-- he's noticed us. What are we gonna do?"

 "I'm gonna go bowl," Mark pointed to himself as he spoke. Then, pressing his index finger to your forehead, he said, "You can either sit somewhere and mope or you can confront the fact that you're in love with Lucas."

 You barely managed to catch Mark by the sleeve as he tried to walk away. In a low whisper, you argued, "First of all, I'm not in love with Lucas--"

 Mark scoffed, "Yeah right! You wouldn't be so worked up over a small crush, goober."

 "-- And how am I supposed to confront my feelings when he's on a date with my best friend?"

 Sighing, Mark advised, "Y/N, I really think you should talk about this with Lucas. But I can't put up with your pout all night, so I'll go on and tell you that your friend isn't here for Lucas. She's here for me."

 And before you could ask anything else, Mark strutted to the food court to greet Lucas and your friend with a broad smile. 

 You knew you couldn't avoid them forever-- and perhaps deep down you didn't want to-- but you couldn't' bring yourself to confront your feelings as Mark suggested. And you couldn't figure out what Mark meant about your friend being there for him. And you couldn't understand why Mark had to cryptically suggest that you discuss it with Lucas. 

 So instead of joining your friends, you wandered into the arcade to clear your head. It wasn't easy to focus when children tumbled into you, and video game sound effects disrupted your every thought, and couples seemed to occupy every game. 

 Soon after you realized that the wall of skeeball games against the back wall was all that was available, Lucas stepped beside you to slip quarters into the machine to your right. Officially, all efforts to organize your thoughts were thwarted. 

 "Did I do something wrong?" He asked soon into the silence. 

 His voice compelled you to look at him, but he was focused so intently at the game-- his eyes fixed on the overhead scoreboard-- that you wondered whether the voice had been nothing more than your conscience. 

 When you didn't respond, Lucas continued, "I wouldn't have agreed to set Mark up with your friend if I knew it would make you mad. I'm sorry."

 Suddenly you realized that Mark was right: ou assumed too much. And the embarrassment of having to explain your misunderstanding mostly subsided when you noticed Lucas' pout. 

 Did concentrating on the game make it easier for him to confront you?

 As if to test it, and to receive some relief yourself, you trained your eyes on the targets as you explained, "You didn't do anything wrong. I just thought you were going out with someone, and I was trying to get used to the thought of you with a girlfriend."

 "Oh." You resisted the urge to glance at Lucas' reaction, but you swore you could almost hear the smile dancing on his lips. "Well, did you get used to it? Because I'm thinking of asking someone out."

 You shook your head before realizing that Lucas probably wasn't looking at you. Then, you said, "No, not really. But I could try again if you really like someone."

 "Well, don't give me the silent treatment again," Lucas begged before stepping behind you to take the ball out of your hand. "I like it. I only arranged this date with Mark and your friend because he said I couldn't date you without supervision. He said everything has to be a double date."

 Jaw dropped, you turned to face Lucas. Pretending to be unphased by the lack of space between you, you asked, "You mean to tell me, my brother has been watching me mope around all week, and he knew you wanted to ask me out?" 

 "Are you really surprised?" Lucas laughed, and you shook your head. 

[kaptainandy]

My Complete In-depth TLOU 2 Thoughts:

Yeah I know, y’all have already read through countless reviews and thoughts, but I gotta get my thoughts out there. So, continue under the cut for some somewhat coherent, essay-ish style ramblings. There will be a TL;DR at the end because this is going to be long. (Spoilers ahead).

Okay so my overall perception of this game is that it’s average and I’m slightly disappointed. I’m going to start with the things I really liked and enjoyed before I get into what I didn’t like.

The visuals and gameplay were solid and enjoyable with small improvements upon the first game’s already fun and interesting, gameplay. The NPCs felt less like they were following a track in terms of their movements and felt more natural. The dialogue between enemies felt more varied than the first game, and the addition of giving everyone a name made me feel more immersed and the reaction from other characters to their fallen friends felt more believable. I feel that overall, the development of gameplay from the first to the second game felt “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” and I think it worked out because it’s one of the aspects I liked about the first game. The addition of craftable silencers, varied stealth takedowns, ability to go prone, tall grass to hide in, cars to hide under, larger infected (bloaters and shamblers) now being able to destroy weak walls, etc. were fun editions that helped the combat feel less repetitive. And lastly, the areas of combat that included both human enemies and infected, (and later WLF soldiers vs Seraphite soldiers)  was really cool and felt more realistic for the world of the Last of Us. It was something I think the first game lacked and it was really interesting to choose who to take down first and let the enemies fight each other.

The level design was also great. I felt it gave the player a lot of options of how they wanted to traverse the area to takedown enemies and look for supplies. Everything felt huge and worth exploring. The player was rewarded appropriately for checking every nook and cranny, and the addition of going prone to fit under small spaces or breaking glass to get into locked buildings was a lot of fun. The first day in Seattle as Ellie was especially enjoyable as you got to explore the city and mark things on your map while engaging in dialogue with Dina. Every building held something new and acted as an opportunity for Dina and Ellie to banter.

The art direction was incredible and I don’t think I’ve seen a more stunning looking game. It felt like a lot of time and care went into the design of each item and every corner of every environment. My favorite environments were definitely the homesteads of the major characters/factions (Jackson, the stadium transformed into a village by the WLF, the Seraphite island, etc.) because it told the player more about what everyday life is like for these characters and how they’re similar and different. Also, the weather, time of day, lighting, and use of space (or lack there of) added tension and changed the tone in scenes and levels appropriately. I felt engaged in each moment. I think the best use of visuals and atmosphere to set tone and really immerse the player was in the lower level of the hospital during the Abby playthrough. It was claustrophobic, damp, dark, ominous, and it always felt like danger and despair were right around the corner. And the massive clicker cluster fight in the small hospital corner was one of my favorite parts in the entire game. What would have felt like a silly and dumb concept if encountered elsewhere, was actually legitimately terrifying and really cool due to the tone set from the scene. Seeing the effects of a ground zero site for infection 25 years later was really cool to see.

The music? A masterpiece. We have to stan Gustavo Santaolalla. What more can I say? He did a great job. If nothing else, give the soundtrack a listen.

The acting was incredible, as to be expected. The emotional moments were really sold and carried by the actors and the music together. Ashley Johnson, Troy Baker, Shannon Woodward, and Laura Bailey I expected to be phenomenal and they were, but I’d like to give a shoutout to the newcomers and more minor actors as well. I felt no one had a bad performance, or even an average one. Every performance felt genuine and made me more connected to the characters.

As for new characters, I felt Yara and Lev were the ones I felt the most for and were the best written. The inclusion of Lev being trans was really cool to see as a trans person, and I felt it was executed well within the story. Lev being exiled from the Seraphites for questioning their ways and attempting to transition while Yara fought to remain by his side and protect him, made them both interesting and likable characters. They had depth to their characters. Despite coming from an environment that seemed ruthless and unforgiving they both acted as voice of reasons and wanted to help others, which was their strength and their weakness in the end, adding to their complexity.

The story had it’s moments. I found myself being impacted more during light and happy moments more so than the traumatic and sad ones. I felt a lot of time was put into showing the love and care between Ellie and Dina, and I found myself smiling like a goober when they were being goofy or together or cuddling. This also ties into the LGBTQ representation, which I personally thought was well done as I briefly touched on with Lev. I understand and respect those who felt there was too much trauma forced upon the LGBTQ characters, and I agree with that when it comes to Ellie because the whole game was essentially torturing her. I’ll at least give Naughty Dog credit for avoiding the “bury your gays” trope when they very easily could’ve done that given the constant death in the world of the Last of Us. Treatment aside, as a gay trans man, the overall presentation of these characters I felt was realistic, respectful, and gave me hope for future LGBTQ representation in triple A titles. I know this is literally doing the bare minimum but we gotta start somewhere.

Now, as for things I disliked about the game, there was a lot and I felt the weight of things I disliked outweighed those that I like since the overall experience depended on them more heavily.

I’ll start with the small things that irked me, that could be somewhat excused and are more a personal preference. For starters, I felt the game was too long. After awhile it got repetitive and having nearly the entire game take place in one city (as opposed to the first game that took place across the country), the scenery got old pretty quickly. I feel like a lot of the traveling could have been cut. For example, instead of showing a cut scene where characters say “we have to get to x” and having to basically travel the entire way, it would’ve worked better had it cut to them being at or close to their destination, thus cutting back on repetitive combat. It didn’t feel super rewarding and it only sometimes resulted in something added to the story. In the end, I felt it should be exempt for a similar reason you don’t need to show a character’s entire traveling in a movie, it’s just unnecessary.

Another minor detail that bothered me was the shamblers. Not as a concept, because I thought they were really fun new enemies and added something to combat, but the fact that they felt thrown in with no explanation. Where did they come from? Are they only in the northeast of the US? What caused them? It’s mentioned briefly by one character (I forget who) that it could be a result of excessive rain, but it was just a guess and not further elaborated on.

The fact that events and characters of the first game that were influential to Ellie and Joel’s character seemed to be inappropriately forgotten about. I understand the game is meant to be enjoyed by people who haven’t played the first game as well as fans of the first one, but it could still be done in a way to cater to both audiences. It would also help people who didn’t play the first one learn and connect more to Ellie and Joel. Why was there no Riley-related dialogue for Ellie upon seeing “The Turning” arcade machine? Hell, Riley was never mentioned at all. Same with Tess. Bill was briefly mentioned, but not by name. Ellie’s mom still remained a mystery, and I don’t recall her being mentioned. Henry and Sam? Also never mentioned. Upon seeing Sam’s robot toy in Ellie’s room (which I thought was a nice touch) I would’ve thought he might’ve been brought up in discussion with Dina about past friends. I get that it could be implied Ellie has discussed her past with Dina and others before the events of the game took place, but you have an audience to think about. Essentially you have to think that if the audience didn’t see it or hear about it, it didn’t happen. I feel the omission of past characters and events was a disservice to the first game and was really disappointing.

This relates to something else I disliked: It felt like too much time was spent on characters solo traveling and being in combat and not enough on story and relationship building. I felt the time spent traveling alone as Ellie or Abby was far greater than traveling with a companion. The dialogue and interactions between Ellie and Joel in the first game was crucial to the story and relationship, and when the characters were apart, it made the player that more eager for them to be reunited. They were only ever apart when one was missing/injured or they were unintentionally separated and it made sense to the story. In terms of missed opportunity, I especially thought Jesse’s character was mishandled and wasted. Just as the player was really beginning to know his past and connect with him, he dies a seemingly (in my opinion) stupid death. Not only that, but there’s almost no mention of him or his death after it happens, and Ellie and Dina seem relatively unaffected. I felt like Dina’s character also could’ve been fleshed out better. She was one of my favorite characters, but the things we knew about her didn’t seem to impact the story or her character that much, especially the loss she’s suffered. Her thoughts about her sister’s death and Jesse’s death are barely touched on, and I just felt like I was left wanting more.

Jesse and Dina could’ve definitely been handled better, but at least I cared about them. I didn’t have those feelings towards anyone in Abby’s story (except Yara and Lev). This relates to the bigger problem with the timeline of events and the and the order they were shown in the game, but I’ll touch on this in a bit. Before beginning to know these characters, the only thing you know is that they were involved in killing Joel, and happy about doing so. Now the challenge was to get the player to like them, which the writers failed abysmally. I couldn’t even remember half of their names when they were brought back up. The most influential of Abby’s friends, aside from Owen, seems to be Manny and the only things we get to know about him is that he’s horny, likes to get drunk, and - much like the writers - tries to force other characters to like each other (i.e. Mel and Abby). He only exists to establish Mel and Abby’s relationship and to save and help Abby when they encounter Tommy trying to snipe them. Mel and Abby (who I will touch on extensively in her own paragraph because yikes) both seemed like miserable people to be around and their relationship seemed catty and to simply revolve around Owen. I’m kinda sick of having women characters’ relationships revolve around the fact that one of them used to date the guy that the other is now currently dating. It’s stupid and I couldn’t give less of a fuck if that’s the biggest roadblock in their relationship. Also Mel calling Abby a piece of shit seemed unwarranted based on what we knew. Like we knew Mel was against the brutality of Joel’s death, but the way she spoke to and of Abby seemed like there was something else that the writers forgot to tell/show the audience. Abby never did anything personal to Mel (that Mel knew of) yet Mel decides to hate her guts and be unreasonable? Nora was kind of okay and seemed like an actual decent person (aside from wanting Joel dead and them making that shitty comment to Ellie) in her relationship with Abby. She was willing to risk getting in trouble to help Abby, but we weren’t given enough time with her to make me give a shit, especially after what she said to Ellie. Owen had potential to be likable; he was charming, funny, a bit of a fuckboy, but nonetheless was optimistic and hopeful. But for some reason the writers decided to throw out any ounce of care we had for him by having him cheat on Mel with Abby in a shitty sex scene. 

Now for my thoughts on Abby. My thoughts about her also relate to my thoughts on the order of events, and a few other aspects I haven’t mentioned yet, so forgive me if my thoughts are a bit all over the place. I really really tried to sympathize and like Abby, but holy shit they fucked up every possible opportunity to create some sort of likability. For starters, it boggles my mind that they had her commit the atrocity that was Joel’s death as basically the introduction to her character. Not only that, but just mere minutes beforehand Joel had saved her life and shown her nothing but kindness and she goes on to torture him and continue to do so while his surrogate daughter begs and screams for her to stop. She shows no guilt both in the moment or afterwards. It doesn’t eat her up inside at all. Every time Joel is brought up by Abby and her friends, she wastes no time expressing how elated she is that she not only killed him, but did so in such a gruesome way. You really expect fans to even WANT to like this character after she tortures and kills the only other character (besides Ellie) that fans LOVED. And I’m not upset that Joel died, because I expected he would and there were a million ways it could’ve been done appropriately to both the story and fans. But the way he died and how early he died at the hands of essentially some nobody really rubbed me the wrong way, they essentially threw him away without any honor to the experience we had with him in the first game. So, that’s our introduction to Abby and her friends. Again, the writers had the challenge of trying to make us like her, but it felt like they didn’t even try. Every attempt to make her likable fell flat either due to an action that happened right before or after. Abby’s only expression of sorrow is after the death of her father and Owen. Manny’s death is never mentioned after it happens and she seems to act like it never really happened. There is no remorse when she kills Jesse and Tommy, or anyone for that matter. She and (seemingly most of the WLF) condone and even get off on torturing Seraphites (they’re terrible people but if you’re trying to make me like a character, I don’t think you should have them condone the torturing of anyone). Abby is quick to kill Dina even after learning she’s pregnant, to which she comments, “good” and only stops because Lev is an actual decent human being and gets her to stop. And the writers have the gall to try and compare her to Ellie; trying to be like, “see she and Ellie aren’t so different uwu.” Meanwhile, Ellie is crying each time she hits Nora; she just wants Abby, she didn’t want to have to torture Nora like that. Ellie is traumatized after finding out that Mel is pregnant after killing her. Ellie is constantly shown to be grappling with the consequences and feelings of her actions. She experiences guilt and shame while Abby is shown time and time again to not regret her wrongdoings. The writers really tried to push us to like Abby by having her care for Yara and Lev, but I felt she did it out of selfishness and needing to feel good about herself not because she truly cared for these kids.

Going back to Joel’s death, the gruesomeness wasn’t even warranted based on Abby’s reasoning. Abby’s dad didn’t get murdered in front of her and he was killed because he stood in Joel’s way, holding a scalpel to Ellie. Jerry’s death was quick and painless too. And I know people will be like, “but Abby was also mad because now there’s no cure because of what Joel did!!!” However, she had no problem wanting to kill, or leave Ellie alone despite knowing she was immune. Abby was never on a quest to capture Ellie or talk her into finding the Fireflies with her (which would have made for an interesting storyline actually), she wanted her dead too. Joel’s death was the most tasteless death of a beloved character I think I’ve ever experienced.

Also the order of events was really detrimental to the story and especially Abby’s character. The way that flashbacks were thrown in throughout the story after Joel’s death fell flat and made Joel’s death feel even worse. The Joel and Ellie flashbacks were honestly the highlight of the game because we got to spend time with the only 2 fleshed out and likable characters. Had they been placed at the beginning of the game and also showed more of their relationship after Joel tells Ellie the truth about the Fireflies, I would’ve felt his death would have been more okay (still shitty, but slightly better than what they gave us) because it would feel more unexpected and it would hit better emotionally after these moments we had with Ellie and Joel. Hell, the majority of the game should have been as it was advertised (which is another issue I’m gonna touch on shortly): the rocky relationship between Joel and Ellie after Ellie learns the truth and the two of them going on a revenge quest together, as Joel tried to earn Ellie’s forgiveness. The events presented in the order in the game also made it impossible for anyone to try to like Abby. We learn she commits the biggest atrocity and we know all her friends are going to end up dead, so there’s no emotional impact when we see how they die because we’ve known the whole time they were gonna be killed by Ellie. Both Abby’s character and the story they were trying to tell could’ve have been really great and interesting but it was just so poorly executed. 

The story itself seemed so amateur as well. It just boiled down to “revenge and violence are bad uwu” while giving the player no choice but to engage in said violence. They tried to create a gray area between good and evil like they did in the first game, especially with Abby’s story but they ended up doing the opposite. Also the weak use of animals and pregnancy to create emotional impact is just so easy. They couldn’t think of any other way to make us connect to the characters except “hey look they love this animal” or “this is someone who is going to have a baby under these rough circumstances” and it’s just sloppy writing especially because they use both tactics MORE THAN ONCE. 

The intersecting stories, themes of “what really is good/evil,” redemption of a thought to be unlikable character, and the death of a beloved character would have been so interesting and emotionally impactful if done right, but it felt like Naughty Dog chose every terrible option and outcome, resulting in the wet fart that we got. It felt sloppy with no honoring of the previous game or characters. We all cared, but apparently the writer’s didn’t. The ending with Ellie essentially being left with what she feared most, being alone, would’ve been way more appropriate had anything prior warranted this consequence. Not only is she alone, but Ellie loses the ability to play guitar, a way in which she remembered and felt connected to Joel. Like she goes through hell, and 99% of her actions are justified, yet she gets punished.

Lastly, I want to touch on the false advertising for the game. Normally, I wouldn’t be upset because movie trailers do it all the time where there will be subtle differences or added scenes that don’t occur in the movie, but this was a whole other level of fuckery. I get trying to mislead people to think something is going to happen only to steer them in a different direction, in fact I think this is really cool and fun when done well. However, this was straight up lying and essentially selling an entirely different game. Not only were these lies perpetuated in trailers and ads, but even in events such as E3. Neil Druckmann constantly harped on the idea that the game was going to be about Ellie and Joel having a falling out after Ellie learns the truth and how they navigate their relationship through their next adventure together. Yet the game was never about that, instead it was just a story about drawing shitty parallels between a beloved character and a new character who was destined to be unlikable from the start.

In the end, I think it’s still worth playing because I’ve seen so many mixed reviews floating around so I feel it’s best to make your own opinion. And if nothing else, it’s a fun experience if you’re just looking at a fun game to play if you don’t really care too much about the series or characters as a whole. Will I return to this game? Not anytime soon likely. But just being the fan that I am of the series I think I’ll try to get most of the achievements eventually, and to experiment with photomode because the visuals are so good. Even with how much of a disservice this game is to the series, I don’t think it ruins it for me. It just makes me love and appreciate the first game even more and I think they could bounce back from this, but they’d need to put in a shit ton of work to earn their core audience back.

TL;DR: As an addition to the Last of Us as a series, the game is a huge disappointment and disservice, but as a standalone game it’s slightly above average. The gameplay, music, and visuals slap but the story, characters, and relationship building (or lack thereof) suck. Naughty Dog lied in a highly scummy way to fans via advertisements and trailers. Fuck Abby. Stan Lev and Yara.

[beauzos]

Webkinz Games Ranked

Because I have nothing better to do and I’d never played all the Webkinz games before now.  Includes Tournament games and board games, but is mainly about the arcade.

Wheel of Wow/Deluxe and Wishing Well will not be ranked, but other Dailies will.

Also include Academy games.  I did not have Plumpy’s Hairdresser when I made this, but I do now upon this edit.

So in general the arcade games are sorted alphabetically, with random exceptions. I’m just going down the list as-is in the arcade.

Grand Grotto - one of the match three-esque games, though you mainly just click stuff.  A little tough, but I wasn’t trying very hard.  The graphics aren’t that thrilling but aren’t bad.  Tries to do something interesting things, but I don’t really love a lot of the Webkinz takes on match three games. 5/10.

Goody Gumdrops - an infinite running style game where you collect gumdrops to progress.  This game is not fun.  Feels like the flow of Kinzcash you get is also less compared to a lot of other games.  Not much going on after the first minute or so. 4/10.  EDIT: I was actually really mean to this game and I don’t know why.  I really like it now.  It’s fun, not too intensive.  Inoffensive and cute.  You actually do make decent KC from it.  7/10.

Polar Plunge - this was one of my favorite games when I was a kid.  You sled down a hill.  It’s simple.  I have never fucking completed a track of this game in my life.  Don’t like the new version, but the art style isn’t offensive.  I find the older art style for the games more charming, though.  It’s fun.  8/10.

Cash Cow - another game I probably played a lot, though I prefer 2.  Another take on the match three.  This game also had its art style updated, but I just don’t like the lineless look of the update.  It’s soulless, and it makes the visuals more busy and hard to follow for me.  All right game though.  7/10.

Smoothie Moves - this is basically just Zuma, which my dad loves playing.  I like this kind of game, too, though I suck at it.  Nice visuals, clean, fun gameplay.  8/10.

Wacky Zingoz - one of those games where you try to hit something as far as you can.  It’s so basic, it’s not really anything, and you can’t make much money on it-- like 10 Kinzcash is generous in terms of how much you make.  Not fun.  1/10.

Wacky Zingoz Extreme - the EXTREME version of Wacky Zingoz, except with more bats and more to do, but still not much.  An improvement.  3/10.

Ant Mania: Picnic 2 - the thrilling sequel to Picnic.  Not bad, I remember playing this one a lot.  You just try to collect food while avoiding spiders and fire ants.  It’s simple, but fun.  Not really my favorite though.  5/10.

Atlantiles - I don’t know how to describe this game.  You match tiles together, but it’s not like a match three.  Never played this game till now, but I love it.  Excellent game, really fun, a little challenging but not too hard.  10/10.

Bananza - a really basic, older game.  You collect bananas and avoid obstacles.  Not the most visually interesting or engaging game.  3/10.

Booger Gets an A - I get the impression this very basic addition game is for the youngest fans of Webkinz, but the games get difficult really fast simply because of the speed.  It caught me by surprise because I had no memory of that.  Not bad.  5/10.

Zingoz Bounce ‘N’ Burst - I remember really liking this game but it’s not very fun to play now.  You try to burst bouncing Zingoz and it’s not particularly interesting, but is challenging.  5/10.

Candy Bash - a brick breaker clone.  Not particularly fun-- it feels like your character is way too close to the bricks.  4/10.

Candy Bash 2: Viva Poncho - this one is about as equally unfun, but not the same game as the first.  You have more ability to move and control what’s going on, but you’re really slow.  You’re just sauntering back and forth to bust candy blocks falling, and it’s just kinda eh.  4/10.

Cash Cow 2 - I like this game.  I’ve played this game many times.  Another take on match three, but I enjoy it more than the original.  Solid game, good fun, I’m terrible at it.  7/10.

Color Storm - somehow wasn’t looking forward to this game but I had some fun with it.  Another kind of match three, but challenging and interesting.  A good take on the broad genre.  7/10.

Crafty Canaries - a match three.  Good fun to play, I played it to completion.  Not too much going on but it’s solid.  8/10.

Dashing Dolphin - the controls are slippery and awkward.  You’re trying to navigate through hoops and through nets, but it’s not fun to control or to play.  1/10.

Dogbeard’s Gold - expected something different from the title, but it’s fine.  The only control is clicking with good timing to shoot from one island to the next.  It’s all right.  Not much to write home about and not much Kinzcash to make up for it.  I liked the visuals.  4/10.

Eager Beaver’s Adventure Park - I don’t like spelling games.  This is a take on one, but I didn’t really enjoy it.  3/10.

Flutter Bugged - just running around and avoiding bees(?) using flowers.  Can get wild pretty fast, not bad.  5/10.

Get Eleven Solitaire - I fucking love Webkinz card games.  This is no exception.  The game is extremely simple and is pretty much the same every level, but I like it.  I like solitaire and I like the take on it to get to eleven.  It’s good, casual gameplay and nice visuals.  I bought a Deluxe membership to play this game.  10/10.

Go-Go Googles - I remember loving this one as a kid, might have even gotten the trophy for it.  Fun, but basic.  You jump to collect flowers and protect the tree from butterflies.  It’s fine, but the controls feel slightly janky, but not bad.  5/10.

Goober’s Atomic Adventure - basically an updated version of Goober’s Lab, except with pay-to-win and pay-to-play elements!  You can play without, but it’s clear they want you to pay.  I do not like this because of that.  0/10.

Goober’s Lab - the OG match three.  Fun, but it’s really slow, like painfully slow.  It is good fun, though.  7/10, would have been 8 without the slowness.

Griddling Gourmet - I wonder how many people have even unlocked this game?  After owning an account for 12 years and playing on and off, I unlocked this game this month.  You get it by completing all levels of the Cooking course, and it’s basically just an arcade version of that lesson.  It’s all right-- I feel like the academy version controls better, but I always loved the Cooking class.  9/10.

Hatch the Dragon - kinda reminds me of 2048?  You try to hatch the Dragon.  Fun, challenging, interesting, and I want to give it a go after the initial playthrough to see if I can do better.  8/10.

Skunk Sweeper: Hide ‘N’ Skunk -  a take on Minesweeper.  I don’t like Minesweeper or this.  1/10.

Home Before Dark - kinda like Meepit Juice Break on Neopets?  I actually do like games like where you’re shifting the position of pipes around to achieve something, but it’s nothing to write home about.  6/10.

Hoppy Little Rocketship - an infinite jumping kind of game.  I like those games, but this game is wildly laggy and that really ruins the experience.  2/10.

Hungry Hog - this game is ugly and not particularly fun.  A take on Pac-Man, I guess?  I liked this game a lot as a kid but it’s just kinda eh.  4/10.

Iceberg Escapades - not fun.  Controls don’t feel right.  Another bland clicking game.  1/10.

Jazz Monsters - this game confused me on account of the fact that the purple monster isn’t purple, but its color matches up perfectly with the keyboard, which is pink, but is actually like, supposed to be the Green Instrument or something.  Not fun.  1/10.

Jumbleberry Fields - it’s a daily, but you have some actual control over what’s going on so it’s included.  It’s Yahtzee except the dice are loaded, but I like it.  This game, like most of Webkinz, is buggy, and one time, I filled up my Jumbleberry Jar and tried to redeem my prize, but the game bugged out and it reset to zero with me receiving no prize.  I’m still mad.  Not really gonna rank it, but like, 7/10.

Jumbleberry Blast - a match three, but this one is really satisfying to play.  Not a whole lot to say about it, but I actually like this one!  8/10.

Leapin’ Llama - game allegedly lets you use the mouse but it doesn’t work.  A basic infinite running game.  Not fun.  Slow.  3/10.

Lily Padz - this game is fuck ugly, but controls good.  Really simple, but pretty fun.  The jumping feels good and the controls are actually tight!  Wow!  6/10.

Lily Padz 2: Tropical Downpourz - it’s like the first one except it’s not ugly and controls really bad.  Hard to gauge how far your jump goes and doesn’t feel right like the first one does.  Not good.  1/10.

Dex Dangerous(tm) and the Lunar Lugbotz!(tm) - the Webkinz challenges made me play this game 500 times and I’m sick of it.  It’s a basic Asteroids game.  It’s all right, but I don’t like it. 3/10.

Lunch Letters - a typing game.  Very Hard really means that mode is fucking hard, so I’m impressed.  I don’t love typing games, but it’s not bad.  5/10.

Ms. Cowaline’s Rollcall - a really fast-paced game where you try to keep track of whether you’ve seen the same Webkinz in a row.  Super fun, I suck at reaction games, but maybe a little too simple?  7/10.

Operation Gumball - I’m bad at this one, and don’t find the number puzzles super interesting, BUT it’s unique so I’ll give it points.  Not really for me but not bad.  6/10.

Pet Party Parade - another take on match three.  This idea of freeing a creature by clearing paths has been used a million times in these Webkinz match threes, like the Grotto one and Jumbleberry Blast. but isn’t as fun.  4/10.

Picnic - the original Picnic, just a take on the snake game.  Simple, but solid.  5/10.

Pinky’s Big Adventure - essentially a remake of Hungry Hog, but with a face lift and some slight changes to the gameplay.  Not bad.  Not my favorite, though, since I don’t really enjoy Pac-Man style games to begin with.  5/10.

Pizza Palace - delicious, finally some good fucking food.  Love this one.  In the vein of Cake Mania, a series I LOVE, you make pizzas.  It’s stressful, like working a food job in real life.  I love this game, but I’ve never completed it.  I wish they gave you more than one life for such a long and difficult game.  Can’t complain much, though.  10/10.

Plumpy’s Hairdresser - the arcade version of the Grooming class.  Fun.  Pretty much the same as always.  8/10.

Polarberry Jam - pretty much like Bananza except now it’s a polar bear?  It’s not fun.  Character is too slow and feels limiting.  1/10.

Pumpkin Patch Protector - fuck ugly, but I don’t know any other Webkinz games like it, so points for creativity?  It’s a click and shoot type of game.  Not much to write home about.  3/10.

Quizzy’s Word Challenge - I don’t like spelling games, but this is more fun than Eager Beaver’s.  Not bad.  It’s kind of like boggle, I guess?  5/10.

Skater Kat - hip and kewl.  The controls are okay but feel a little slow.  Not particularly fun or interesting.  You just skateboard and jump.  3/10.

Spree! - another daily, but you get to do stuff.  It’s a virtual board game.  I like it, and I like the idea of saving up money to spend one you get to the end.  8/10.

Stack ‘Em Up Solitaire - a basic take on Solitaire.  I wish the game looked just a little better- the green they used isn’t really nice to look at for long periods of times.  I like this one.  6/10.

Stardrops - another take on match three.  Looks pretty, kinda interesting, but not my favorite.  5/10.

Tile Towers - I love Mahjong, but the colors they use for the tiles make this game hard to play.  It’s hard to distinguish the tiles apart, so that’s not fun.  If you want to play a Mahjong clone on a pet site, just stick with Koujong on Neopets.  2/10.

Triple Strike Solitaire - Solitaire, except this time it’s in pyramids!!!  I actually prefer this to the other Solitaire, but it still is a little visually unpleasant, but not too bad.  I wish they would update this one!  8/10.

Banaza: Tropical Troubles - the thrilling sequel to the original.  Pretty much the same except you don’t progress in levels, it just keeps going till you lose.  A little more going on, but eh.  The platforming doesn’t feel good.  3/10.

Tulip Troubles 2 - where’s Tulip Troubles 1.  We want answers.  A quick reaction game.  Fun.  Not bad.  Kinda just gets stale after a while.  5/10.

Tunneling Twigsy - this is not fun.  Kind of like the Polar Bear one from Neopets but nowhere near as fun?  1/10.

Wacky’s Bullseye Batter - a batting game.  Basic, fun.  It’s okay.  5/10.

WackyER Zingoz - the THIRD version of Wacky Zingoz, and this one is actually pretty all right.  Way more going on visually, there’s levels, it’s chill.  6/10.

Waddell’s Icecap Adventure - we all hate ice physics, right?  Right.  Mixed the other Penguin game up with this.  The controls are bad and it’s not fun.  2/10.

Webkinz Rally - it’s all right?  A really basic racing game, but I wish there was more to it. 4/10.

Scrambled - love this one.  So simple, but challenging, but fun.  You make omelettes until you win.  Customers are mean to you like in real life.  10/10.

Where’s Wacky - basic memory matching game.  It’s okay. 3/10.

Whimsy Skies - idk how to describe and I don’t want to because it’s got the classic Control Slowness(tm) and isn’t fun.  One point added because I love Webkinz dragons, though.  2/10.

Zacky’s Quest - I want to actually complete this game some day but I have no patience for it.  It’s unique, interesting, kind of an actual game and isn’t a match three.  I like the adventure vibes. 6/10.

Zingoz Bounce - this game disappeared from my arcade.  It was the game of the day the other day and I know they get taken out of the arcade list for that day but when it switched over it didn’t come back and I didn’t have the chance to play it when it was game of the day.  Found it making this list though and it’s a boring clicking-to-support-the-ball game.  1/10.

Zingoz Pie - you throw pie.  You do not have fun. 2/10.

Zingoz Pop - another updated game visually and it just totally lose the charm the original version has-- which you can play in the Quick-Play Arena, at least.  It’s not much, though.  4/10.

Zingoz Zangoz - it’s not fun.  It’s a fruit bouncing game and I just don’t care for the visuals or the gameplay.  1/10.

TOURNAMENT GAMES

Webkinz Supermodelz - I’ll argue that this is the most popular tournament game.  I like it.  You pick out outfits and the judges arbitrarily judge you.  9/10.

Cash Cow Battles - the same as the original Cash Cow but you’re competing against someone else.  7/10.

Wacky Zingoz - no.  1/10.

Link’D - it’s Connect Four.  I like Connect Four.  5/10.

Checkers - I don’t like Checkers because I’m bad at it.  If I wanted to bad at that kind of game I’d play Chess JKSDBFSD.  Tried playing against the AI with Alyssa Fairy and she wiped the floor with me.  3/10.

Bogbeard’s Bathtub Battles - it’s Battleship but with cool power-ups.  Actually very fun.  9/10.

Rock Paper Scissors - what do you think.  5/10.

Chef Challenge - my favorite tourney game.  I LOVE making recipes in Webkinz so this is just a blast.  10/10.

Kinz Pinz Bowling - it’s virtual bowling, so not bad.  5/10.

Goober’s Atomicolicious - a take on Goober’s Lab but with a few more things-- trying to fill vials of color before your opponent does.  I already like Goober’s Lab, so.  This version is not slow, so that’s great.  8/10.

Duck Crossing - not a big fan?  I like that it’s a strategy game but it’s just okay.  6/10.

Zingoz Switcherooz - not a fan, really, but it’s simple and inoffensive.  I suck at strategy games.  4/10.

BOARD GAMES

Farming Frenzy - kinda fun, but really simple.  I remember liking this game a lot.  6/10.

Go Fish - wow.  it’s Go Fish.  5/10.

Jigsaw - love jigsaw games.  For some reason the ask/chat/rap functions pop up and make the game pretty much unplayable for me.  I’m so mad, because this was my favorite Webkinz board game.  WHY does this pop up when it’s a one player game.  1/10.  Would have been a 9/10 otherwise.

Pool - it’s Pool.  But it wouldn’t let me play, so idk.  I remember it being all right, though.  5/10.

Skunk Sweeper - it’s basically an original Minesweeper instead of what we get in the aracde version?  But I don’t like Minesweeper. 1/10.

Webkinz Air Hockey - it’s virtual air hockey.  It’s fun, though.  7/10.

Webkinz Coloring - it’s a virtual coloring book.  1/10.

[hdgewitch-a]

01. Nickname: mint ! 02. Real name: [squeaky toy noise] 03. Zodiac: aries 04. Height: 5′8″ 05. What time is it: 5:07 pm! 06. Favourite musicians / groups: kim petras, charli xcx, slayyyter, tove lo, reol, caro emerald, ABSRDST, freddie dredd, frank sinatra, ill listen to basically anything except for rock/country LOL.... 07. Favourite sports team: what the fuck is a “sport” bitch ill kill u 08. Other  blogs:  the only other one i aim to use atm is @wardncer but ive been on @apostitudes / @theprodigal / @giftinggab / @deathdevotion / @shomaheld before (i have a few other blogs ive forgotten abt too) 09. Do I get asks? ya for memes!! 10. How many blogs do I follow? 69 (nice) 11. Any tumblr crushes: GOD OK i was soooo fucking intimidated by u guys at first (in the “oh god they’re so cool what if im NOT AS COOL” way bc lets face it.  u guys r fucking cool) .   i think you’re all very neat so @lastwished @hvadeina @snarkomancy @throatkissed @kurkowna @beastend and jaina you are a goober and actual loml so @thevengerberg​ 12. Lucky number: 8 13. What am I wearing right now: minion pajamas!! >:) 14. Dream vacation: somewhere in europe... that or a roadtrip in the united states to meet all of my friends :’) 15. Dream car: i .... do not know how to drive . :’) 16. Favourite food: i get food cravings the way ppl listen to music. i will eat this food and nothing else until im sick of it and rn its dairy queen ranch wraps LOL 17. Drink of choice: pepsi!! 18. Languages: english / french (but my french is rusty), i want to learn tagalog bc my mom’s filipino!! 19. Instruments: i play the piano and the flute!! i used to play piano somewhat professionally but ive fallen out of love with it so yah 20. Celebrity crushes: rosamund pike / rooney mara / rebecca hall ... weird how all their names start with r but yknow 21. Random fact: i dropped about like 40 bucks on a fat stuffed hamster that i won at an arcade by grinding piano tiles for 3 hours. i named her peanut. please dont give me money i dont use it for good things

Tagged by: i yoinked it <:) Tagging: you!!

[disgruntled-detectives]

I’m helpless with how much I love this man. When we went away together, we went to this huge arcade which was basically for him. (I did have a lot of fun playing, but for me, most of my fun was watching him play.) And I watched him play this one game that I can’t recall right now and I thought to myself “this man is a *goober*. But he’s *my* goober and I love him *so much*.”

He’s a goofy goober and the love of my life.

I know I keep talking about him on here. But I’m happy now guys. I’ve never really known the same Herculean feat of loving someone and being loved in return. So I’m gonna keep gushing. I need somewhere to spill it all.

(Once again if you don’t wanna be nauseated by how gross I am, and I do not blame you, please block the “disgruntled dating” tag.)

[goatpaste]

VB Goat, please!!

Full Name: no one knows their full name, they dont remember their full name they dont rememvwr a lot. The best they have is their prison number 6047Gender and Sexuality: their a trans dude but they got a lot of of identity issues and tend to like being referred to with they and them pronouns but also like he and him. Their also gaaaayPronouns: primarly they/them bur he/him especially with people hes comftorable aroundEthnicity/Species: Goat is afro latina human Birthplace and Birthdate: goat doesnt rememebr where or when they were born, they beleive their from around the mojave and they chose to celebrate their birthday the day they escaped from jail believing to be reborn in a senseGuilty Pleasures: typically they love to rant on a ton about their intrest but they enjoy leather working on their own. Their not very good at it and like to keep it to themself because th3y think its fun to doPhobias: the unknown. everyones afriad of the unknown, but goat? Goat fears the life he know longer knows. Hes afraid if the person he might have been before, if he was a bad person who deserves to be in jail, if he was falsely put in jail and something terrible happened to him. He fears authority figures as he worries he will be recognized for potential crimes he has done. Also hes afraid of ratsWhat They Would Be Famous For: being one of the famous goats' as years ago a mailman named goat with a dog, green hair who refused to weild guns as a weapon came through. Word through the waste was that a man named goat with green hair, him and his dog have been around since before the bombs dropped helping people in need. But that mail man never fixed any of their big problems with the geckos, water and other fractions and just disappeared. So when goat shows up with crb-s and devil dog everyone immediatly jumped to get goats help in new vegas. So goats famous for the contect title of the wasteland heros (and villians)What They Would Get Arrested For: in the past before they lost their memory? Whos to say. Now it be for being naive and getting mixed up with the wrong people or being clumsy and pouring their chemicals on people OC You Ship Them With: hmmm thsts hard because all my fallout ocs are just 'goats' and that feels weird to say so imma say like a fallout canon character And id say with hhh arcade maybe that could be cute only becayse gannon in my universe knows about the courier goat and didnt care for him like at all and find him a coward for leaving so if he met this nerdy science loving goober who really wants to help despite not know why everyone immediatly wants his help so gannon would probably be plesently suprisedBut hmm thats hard to say (i plan to replay ne vegas as my van buren goat so this is something id probably have to feel out) OC Most Likely To Murder Them: hmm benny geckos left over gecko councilFavorite Movie/Book Genre: ofc like every oc i own they looove warrior cats hfjdkdkd buT they would love stupid fantasy and or sci fi novels like ender game or never ending story or jurassic park for moviesLeast Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: they dont like uh like historical stuffTalents and/or Powers: their real handy with chemicals, they know how to make medician p well, poisons and other stuff. Their real good and weaponising wild animals natural poisons for themselfWhy Someone Might Love Them: their real goofy and wanna make sure their doing good. But ofyen come off as a cute ditzyWhy Someone Might Hate Them: their extremly paranoid at time and may become untrusting of people ar times out of no whereHow They Change: grow to at one point move on from what they might have one day done and become a person worthy of being freeWhy You Love Them: i adore van buren and having an oc that i can involve in that stuff and share around? *chef kiss* magnific

[semi-sketchy]

Do you think Webkinz has a good chance of becoming popular again? Do you think that Webkinz will be sold in more stores in the future?

Let me give the simple answer first…. Webkinz will most likely never be in stores again. They used to have contracts, but the time expired and they never got renewed. With how terrible Webkinz are doing now, stores just don’t want to make the shelf space for them.

Will Webkinz ever be popular again? I doubt it. Honestly, their marketing has really fallen and they rely too much on digital now. The reason Webkinz were so interesting back in the day was all the physical items. Ganz used to be really good on giving you great physical items, like all the Webkinz clothing, the figures were so nicely made, the Trading cards were fun, but they just stopped.They used to come out with five plush pets a month, now we get two and let’s be completely real: the newer Webkinz aren’t as good. They have some good ideas, but they don’t feel as stylized and the models often just look weird. The Siberian Husky is a solid example of that.

Which is another thing: they keep remaking Webkinz and most of the original ones are under $8 on eBay. Ganz, we already have a calico cat, don’t make a patchwork cat it’s the same thing.

No, bad Ganz, the Oatmeal Kangaroo is just a slightly lighter version of the original.

It goes on. But the biggest thing now is Deluxe Membership. This didn’t bother me until Ganz adapted to the “free-to-play” genre, which is just loaded with micro transactions to suck your money. A lot of people, including myself, hate this market. I added it up before. eStore points are $1 USD for 1,000 without getting a giant bundle to get 10% more points or whatever. The eStore themes generally cost about 50,000 eStore points to build. That’s $50 for a virtual room theme! That’s insane! I could buy about 3 cheap Signatures of Amazon for that amount of money!

Before Deluxe took over, it was something really cool. You got to set your dock colors, access to a special color zone (which all are dead now anyways), an extra class at the Academy, awesome monthly items, and more items from Arte. It was so cool and something I actually begged my mom to get me when I was eleven. Now I despise it. I was okay with them making games for Deluxe Members, but when they took away features anyone could access and locked them behind a subscription fee, that’s when I got annoyed. My favorite game, Zingoz Pop, is locked behind Deluxe. Vacation Island is a distant memory now that I miss dearly. I used to be so careful when I would spend my ticket to make sure I had as much time as possible to get my money out of it, now I will never be able to get all the trophies like I wanted. They took themes I spent so long saving up KinzCash for and locked me out of them. I felt cheated. I had given Ganz so much money with all their products I bought, ranging from clothing, Kinz Klips, figures, and tons of plushies, and they gave me the gate. I know I shouldn’t feel entitled, after all, this is how they make money, but it still feels wrong.

This falls on the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” like people bought stuff and they wanted it. A Webkinz used to be $15 and I can’t speak for all, but people got more than one a year to renew their account because the online wasn’t the highlight of Webkinz and that’s what Ganz keeps forgetting. They moved to the free-to-play market and hell they took the fucking Candy Crush motto with their “Goober’s Anatomic Adventure” shit. Run out of lives? Pay for more! Just two moves away from winning? Buy more moves! Need a few extra points for that higher rank? Buy a power up! And it just grinds my gears. They most likely did this because digital distribution is cheaper. No need to give stores a cut, don’t have to pay a someone to make physical items or for the materials, once it gets past the concept artists and developers, that’s it. Easier and gives them a higher profit. However, Ganz is a toy company. They’ve been making stuffed animals long before Webkinz, so why start whistling another tune now? People don’t want to pay a ton of money for a collection of laggy minigames. The parents can buy the kids Mario Party or WarioWare for that old Wii they probably still have sitting around and it’d be cheaper and a better experience.

Let me just say this…. Ganz, parents aren’t going to pay money for digital media. Parents want their kids away from the screen. Hell, my mother wouldn’t even give us the $20 for a Nintendo Gamecube in 2012, my brother and I had to save for weeks to get that bulky purple box. Parents also don’t want to invest in something for their kid that they can’t see. A Webkinz was an easier sell. You saw it at a store, it was a cute little stuffed animal that they would drag everywhere for months and on their downtime, they could play on Webkinz World. Now it’s all “play online. Play all day. Play every day.” and geez if I had kids I wouldn’t want them spending real money online for some fancy texture and I sure wouldn’t want them staring a screen all day. Go outside. Climb a tree. Better yet, climb it with your plush. I did that.

Let’s not forget the “Helping Paws Club” where they say “tell your friends about us! ….Please we need more wallets to empty” and you can’t trust your fans to promote your product. They also looked past the fact that most of their fans are grown up now. What kind of adult is going to go to their adult friends and ask them to join this site for kids as little as five? Please explain.

Let’s also not forget that the online runs terribly due to all the video ads. Ganz made a plea not long ago asking people to add them to their whitelist, and the comments are the biggest bonfire roast I think I have ever seen and I love it. I wanna say I run a gaming PC, Intel i7 and 16GB of DDR3 RAM. I have some power. Without AdBlock, I get some lag and frame skipping on the arcade games. Imagine all the other people who are still using duel cores and don’t have that power. I was one of them once and it was so painful. The site is already super slow and the video ads refreshing every 15 seconds will get you no matter what.

No. I don’t believe Webkinz will make a comeback. Webkinz lost their contracts with stores, aren’t running any ads and just trusting their fans will keep them afloat. I actually believe it won’t be too much longer until the site is shut down because frankly, the old fans grew up and the new ones won’t put up with this.

-Sassy