#like i played a lot of 64 and Sunshine growing up

[skeletalheartattack]

which 3d mario is your favourite to control?

real life mario. i take the controller out and i find him in the wild and i make him run and ground pound poles for free money coins. though sadly sometimes mario has to sleep. it's like sleeping but for mario. the mario council doesn't like the ethics of controlling mario but he says "waho" and "yippy" when i press the buttons so i think they're wrong.

[bryastar]

word salad #4

happy twilight Thursday!

today is a work day and something I'm thinking about right now is, yes just because this may be a daily blog doesn't necessarily mean I need to go into full detail about how every part of my days go. otherwise I'd be ranting about work for a vast majority of these entires.

so instead I wanna talk about... retro 3D platformers

a while back I came across a game called Cavern of Dreams. it claims itself to be inspired by retro 3D platformers. it features low poly graphics and textures with simple lighting effects, reminiscent of late N64 games. the gameplay feels very much like if Conker's Bad fur day was lighthearted and wholesome. what's also neat is camera controls are more reminiscent of later games, Mario sunshine and Zelda wind waker immediately come to mind for me. I've gotten through the first part of the game and really loving it so far, and the controls are probably the best I've seen in a long time.

but while thinking about this, I sorta made a bit of a realization... growing up, games like this were referred to as adventure games instead of 3d platformers. heck, I don't think I've seen the term "platformer" until around the mid 2000s. even Mario games I think we're more well known as action adventure games, or Zelda games being a puzzle adventure. PC adventure games tend to be point and click games, which is vastly different than what consoles typically offered. I personally think that NSMB for the DS may be in part why we now make this distinction as the 2D Mario games play vastly different than their 3D games, notably being easier to pick up and play.

but while on this thought train, I sorta began to wonder what sort of similarities that 3D platformers from this era had vs a point and click adventure game. what I ended up deciding on was: exploration. point and click games, you topically make progress by exploring the world around you and finding clues and solving puzzles by exploring the environment and talking to npcs. 3d platformers is... actually kinda the same, while typically focusing on item collecting, many similar elements show up such as exploring worlds and finding ways to progress by interacting with the levels and different characters.

while on that thought about collecting items...

a lot of late 90s and early 2000s platformers would feature collecting a long list of items. one prominent example is donkey Kong 64, which tends to be known as the game that killed collectathons. I have some thoughts on but I'll save for another entry, but I guess I will say that calling such games a collectathon very much misses the point of what the game is actually about. is it a game where you are sent out into a level and made to collect all the random items scattered on the ground, or is it a game where you're friends have been captured and your hoard of bananas have been stolen and you must rescue your friends and recover your bananas in order to progress while learning new moves and meeting interesting creatures who either help you or try to intervene. I dunno about most, but I like the latter premise better. (or maybe I out much more weight on a storyline for a game as opposed to the gameplay)

I hope this entry wasn't too hard or confusing to read, I guess I'm mostly rambling and jotting down bits and pieces of what's in my mind when I get a couple minutes of free time.

uhm..

pineapples (I need a better way to end these aa)

[just-3d-mario-things]

Verdict: I liked it!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was absolutely a love letter to fans. Yeah, I’ll admit that if you didn’t grow up with Mario, there’s not much for you in terms of story. It’s your basic Family Member Goes Missing, gotta save them and also Save The World I Guess kinda movie. I won’t give a comprehensive review, but I’ve got some thoughts about it :)

Positive

- Deep cuts! Foreman Spike from Wrecking Crew, as well as Charles Martinet cameoing as classic Mario’s design, was a nice touch

- Yeah, it’s an isekai, but isekais aren’t inherently bad. Mario has a lot of different continuities, and in some it is an isekai. They obviously care a lot about the Super Show, doing the jingle and all. They manage to respect their audience’s intelligence, and don’t provide much exposition (which is awesome!)

- Diversity! There were so many Mario enemies and races in the movie, it was great. Shyguys kidnap Luigi, Dry Bones chase him through a swamp reminiscent of Luigi’s Mansion, the penguins from 64 have their own kingdom, all kinds of Koopas and Spinies make appearances, Goombas look like Goombas, there are like a hundred unique Kong designs, and we get a Luma! I’m not sure if it’s meant to be Lumalee or not, though they do bear a striking resemblance to them. The writers did their homework.

- The jokes for we the fans were genuinely pretty funny. There’s a part when Mario is fighting DK and has only tried one type of Power Up thus far, a regular mushroom to make him bigger. Mario grabs a blue Mini Mushroom, unaware of its effects. The audience gets to see Mario triumphantly grab the mushroom, thinking it’ll make him stronger. There’s a good moment for the audience members who know exactly what’ll happen, but those unaware of the Mini Mushroom won’t until it happens and Mario goes tiny.

- A good Power Up selection! I was afraid only the Fire Flower would be used, but we got Cat Mario, Tanooki Mario, Fire Peach and DK, Ice Flower Peach, and Super Star Mario and Luigi. Here’s hoping the sequels will use Bee Mario, Penguin Suit Mario, and Frog Mario. Oh! And the Feather Cape is kinda cameoed in their plumbing commercial, when they’re posing on the stools wearing capes. That was pretty neat.

- A solid mix of games’ soundtracks and elements. I didn’t notice much from Sunshine unfortunately, no FLUDD or Bowser Jr or anything. Come to think if it, does Bowser Jr exist in this continuity? How about the Koopalings? Evidence of Ludwig exist: the piano Bowser plays is Ludwig von Koopa brand, which was really funny.

- Bowser. Bowser Bowser Bowser. I think he was perfect, honestly. We all knew it when Jack Black stepped up to the plate, but seeing the piano scenes. And him dressed in his suit with the top hat. Man. I’m so glad they went for a mix of dopey lovesick Bowser from Odyssey and super powerful firebreath Bowser from Galaxy. I really like that if you censor his Peaches song correctly, you could make it sound like he’s saying “bitches”, which is objectively funny. No bitches :’(

- The Jungle Kingdom was a super fun segment. Literally a rollercoaster. I really enjoyed the showdown between DK and Mario, the sound effects and music were on point. They play the opening riff that plays in the original Donkey Kong when he bends the girders, and then. The DK rap plays. It was so unexpected that I had to laugh aloud. DK uses it as like his personal anthem, kinda like how professional wrestlers have a signature song they play when they come out into the ring. The unique Kongs were really cool to see too, like in the stands and the dude who drives them into the kingdom. At one point Diddy in the stands has the bongoes from Donkey Konga, it’s all a blast.

- Speaking of, Seth Rogen’s DK is surprisingly strong. Like, dang, I didn’t expect the “Seth Rogen laugh” to actually fit DK’s character, but it does!

- Okay, fine, Crisp Rat did a passable job. I never forgot it was him, but they eased into the voice by having him do a fakey Italian voice at the beginning. Still waiting on the dub featuring English cast + Italian dub Mario with no subtitles. Considering how low in content the story is, it would be a perfectly fine movie if you muted him completely :)

- The animation! I mean, you’ve seen the trailers, this is the best work Illumination has done, no question. I really like how they partially modelled the characters after their VAs. Bowser is just dripping with Jack Black’s chaotic energy, and Luigi and Mario are eerily reminiscent of Charlie Day and Crisp Rat despite being 100% Luigi and Mario. Toad is pretty solid as well, Key does a really good Toad voice without it being incredibly grating. Jack Black’s smile and Parks & Recreation-era Crisp Rat seem to be some inspiration behind the way they emote.

- Peach is pretty good. I like her voice, Anya Taylor Joy understood the assignment. She isn’t too “girlboss-y”, and she’s actually kind of a weirdo. I love that for her. Makes sense, she was raised by Toads and all. She only brings Mario along to help him, and she isn’t really saved by him at all. She’s delightfully pink and pretty, and oooh her wedding dress, Fire Flower dress, and Ice Flower Dress are all soo pretty. Like seriously, I want that wedding dress. She only gets to hover exactly once during the training montage, and she doesn’t get her parasol, but otherwise I quite liked her. She doesn’t have any groundbreaking character development or anything, or even much for flaws, but she’s just peachy in my opinion :)

- I think the Question Blocks serving as Toad ATMs was really funny. Also, I liked that Pauline was on the TV in Brooklyn. And the brothers’ family was fun to see, they absolutely captured the Italian-American family dynamic. Also, acknowledging the white gloves was pretty funny. We got to see Mario’s actual hands, too, which was… unsettling. Luigi’s ringtone is the Gamecube startup sound, Mario’s playing Kid Icarus on his home TV, Satoru Iwata features in the credits, and the little retro shop in the Mushroom Kingdom was neat. I feel like they referenced all throughout Mario’s history, unlike the Sonic movies where they only focused on the golden years of the Genesis games (no shade to the Sonic movies, I actually really liked them too)

- Oh the score. Ohhhh the score. Just… the score. Not enough Galaxy rep, but it’s forgiven. They use the themes from Mario games so well, it’s actually incredible. Just, like, go watch it and see how many you can recognize. I think I got most of them, though I wish they used the Wii Rainbow Road music since that’s the RR I’m most familiar with. Ah, well. I’m not sure if they used a Mario Kart theme for that scene or nor, someone who’s played the other Mario Karts will have to tell me

Negative

- crisp rat >:(

- Lack of Sunshine rep :( I can’t remember if there were any musical references, but I didn’t detect any, anyway. No Shadow Mario, Bowser Jr, Piantas, or FLUDD. Maybe we’ll get to Isle Delfino in the sequel?

- No Funky, Birdo, Rosalina, Daisy, Wario, or Waluigi. I can’t expect to get all of the fun side characters, but when I saw the Kong kingdom and the Luma I had a few shreds of hope that Funky and Rosa would show. I have a feeling Miyamoto doesn’t really like Wario/Waluigi, which is fair but sad. There wasn’t much room for Daisy and Birdo since the movie was so quick-paced. With the Yoshi egg teased at the end, it is possible Birdo will appear in the sequel? Maybe? And since it is an isekai, it’s revealed that no humans are native to the Mushroom Kingdom/Peach’s world, so maybe Daisy just doesn’t fit in this narrative. Ah, well.

- I have a feeling other reviews will remark on this, but Cranky is kinda weak :( I expected him to get better dialogue/direction, since I think Fred Armisen is generally a good actor. He just wasn’t… cranky enough? I dunno. Every time he spoke, I just pictured a voice actor in a booth instead of Cranky Kong.

- The story was… a Shigeru Miyamoto story. That is, no real intense story beats. They don’t really try anything new, but hey. You don’t walk into the Mario Movie expecting Miyazaki, y’know? It was all a bit too fast-paced for me, but I get it, it’s better than senseless filler. Illumination likes cheap movies, so the short runtime might cover for the quality animation.

- The licensed songs aren’t abysmal, but I wish there were fewer where Mario songs could have taken their place. I dunno, as much as I love Take on Me, I feel like there’s a better song out there for introducing the Jungle Kingdom.

Aaand those are my thoughts! I have more, but I’m sleepy and it’s 1:58 AM for me at the mo’. I’m sure I’ll be MarioMovie Posting in the future :)

[mrspockify]

How did you get into the Mario fandom and what made you fall in love with Mareach?

Oooh well I mean I've loved Mario since I was a little kid! My first game was Mario 64 on the N64, I was basically playing it the moment I could hold a controller. I played a ton of Mario games growing up (tbh they are the only video games I will play lol), and my absolute favorite is Sunshine, the gamecube was the perfect console and that game is everything to me, I love it so much.

I wouldn't say I was in the fandom growing up, though, that definitely happened after the movie came out. I literally left the theater with the dawning realization that this was rapidly going to become my hyperfixation and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. 4 months ago I posted a short one-shot the first chapter of coming down, and that was that.

Now. Mareach. I have no idea. The funniest part of this is that I am very aromantic. In real life, romance is just. Not on my radar at all. I don't get it. So it's weird to me that I am so into this couple. I don't know, I guess I just like romance as just a concept and a fantasy to explore, and they lend themselves very well to that. They're a very classic romance, with knight/princess vibes and undying loyalty and sacrifice, all that jazz. And of course, that also lends itself to a lot of angst, which we know I love. It's good shit.

And they're hot who said that.

[evas-apartment]

hi it's doomfax, was wondering about your thoughts on Super Mario 64! did you enjoy it overall? would love to hear what you liked or disliked, what worked for you or didn't

I love that game, I've played it so much that I can't even really enjoy it any more tbh, but also if you hated it I'd still love to hear your thoughts on it if you feel like talking about it

Oh, man I've got a lot to say. I hope this is like... readable. EDIT: I just finished writing this, and figured I'd just put all of it behind a readmore, so I don't at all feel bad about how much I write. Also it's my blog. so.. whatever i suppose.

In short, I really liked it! I played the 3D All-Stars Switch version specifically, and I think it holds up pretty well! I liked how..punchy? It is? Most levels are really short, it doesn't take that long to beat, I 100%'ed it, but each star only takes like five minutes each, and I like that. The music is great, all the characters are stylized enough that even through the blocky-ass visuals, things look cute. Some of the locations are nice to look at, but a lot of them look kinda ugly tbh, like it just looks like blocks. I think a location needs a lot of set pieces to be visually interesting, otherwise it just looks bland. Most of DDD, most of WDW, all of RR, most of HMC look really boring, but there's some cool ideas in there. Whereas basically everyone of the first couple levels are more visually striking and interesting, with SOMETHING to remember about them.

The game controls are frankly awesome. It feels like they cemented that first, and built the entire game around it. If Mario controlled just a bit worse, this game wouldn't be nearly as well-remembered cause this is SUCH a true platforming game. Not very many stars rely on anything else other than how well you can control Mario. The only thing that bugs me are more quirks of the physics engine than anything else, and playing Sunshine right after kinda cements my opinions more, in that... the game is just a bit too unforgiving, coming back to it, having never really played it thoroughly before. It's hard to wall-jump, and you HAVE to get good at it. If you don't land on a platform, or the edge of one, you just bonk your head on the side and fall, and probably die. You slide off slopes really easily, it's hard to climb hills, and basically all of these things were fixed in Sunshine, but I can also understand people growing up with 64 and thinking that the movement might be too... easy? robust? something, in Sunshine. Which I don't feel rings as true because I find the "secret" levels in Sunshine to be challenging, but it's also in part to how sparse the level design is in those segments. You're confined just to floating blocks and that's it, but I'm talking about Sunshine here, so I'll digress.

I like the consistency of the level design. Each level has Exactly 7 stars, and one 100 coin star. Each world has 8 red-coins, and you'll get them eventually. If there's something to climb, there's probably a star at the top. If there's a weird new creature in this level, you'll have to interact with it in a weird new way to get a star (penguins, ukikis, eels, you get it). It makes each level feel like extensions of the same world, with the same rules across, which makes the whole game just make more sense, I appreciate that.

The camera is weird. I love the idea of you having a Lakitu cameraperson, but in execution it's hit or miss. I like that there's three different camera options, a platforming game in 1996 didn't have to have that kinda foresight, but it did. But it's like... the Lakitu camera can't rotate, only lock a certain way, the over the shoulder camera follows too closely and it's very easy to get disoriented (for me at least), and locking the camera in place can be great but it's completely locked, and doesn't move at all. I'll say I died a bunch cause the camera didn't do what I wanted it to do, but whatever, it's not unusable, I at least understand the system in place (although in no video game should the camera ever be stuck behind any solid object in the level), and it isn't like SM64 is hard, and lives are pretty generous, and I never even game over'd once in the while 100% playthrough. (a lot more casually generous than SMS)

Overall, I'm glad I played it. I do think it's a very good game, and a hallmark of what gaming could be at a pivotal time in its existence. I can't say if I myself would go back and play it all that much, having completed it, but that isn't to say it has no replay value, I've just had my fill. It was fun. Had some quirks from being a game from back then, but an overall pleasant experience. Some frustrations in the camera, missing some jumps cause of silly reasons, dying on a 100 coin star 80 coins in, falling down a vertical platforming segment and having to come back up, the only consequence being my fucking time being wasted, but that's all part of the game, and nothing ruining, y'know? I could go into even more detail, on any specific points, if you'd like, I love chatting with friends like this. And I appreciate every ask I get (within reason lol)

Thank you for sending this! I love giving my opinions on things like this lol, feel free to ask more stuff!

[halcyon-hermitess]

Hello all, my name is Lani! I’ve started this blog out of sheer boredom and interest in documenting and revisiting my thoughts on books I read and movies/shows I watch. I’m a pensive person. A thinker, a modern philosopher if you will, a queen of ruminating on things for hours on end. So, naturally, I thought this would be a fun way for me to blab about stuff- to replace my habit of staring off into space like a blissful moron, waiting for my head to come back down to earth. Any who, I’ll tell you a little bit about me I suppose.

I’m a recluse by choice (hence the name Halcyon Hermitess). If I don’t have to leave my dwelling, I won’t. The only people I enjoy anymore is my Husband, My King (a brave man for enduring a dramatic, hurricane of a woman like myself) and the pinch of family members I haven’t scorched out of my life like The Great Fire of Rome (can you tell I am dramatic? Also, the great fire occurred in July of 64 AD…you will also find I go off on a lot of tangents and that my train of thought has derailed itself into a forest of utter chaos, which, sometimes is accompanied by unintelligible screaming (depends on what day I’m having. Oh, and I can’t forget my Cats. I adore them- Sir Gilbert Hades of thy Homey Hermitage, and Lady Penny Lane of thy Homey Hermitage)

Here are a list of my favorite things to spare you today’s ramblings that have nothing to do with books or movies whatsoever:

- Reading

- Writing

- Watching Movies/Shows

- Watching my husband play/make his music <3 (He can play the piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, and his voice reminds me of a melodic, hypnotizing, enthralling war cry)

- Laughing with my Husband and just spending time with him in general

- Listening to music while I stare off into space

- Cuddling with Sir Gilbert Hades and Lady Penny Lane of thy Homey Hermitage

- frolicking (fucking try it, why are you even still reading this? FIND A FIELD YOU FOOL.)

- Staying I N D O O R S when too many other people are out and about (I’d rather peel my eyelids back and drop battery acid in them before I EVER endure traffic BECAUSE HONESTLY. PEOPLE THINK WE ARE FUCKING IMMORTAL. FINE SIR, FOLD YOUR CHEVY TRUCK ATOP THE BARRICADE GOING 85 MPH IN THE 65 BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU I WILL /NOT/ STOP DRIVING MISS DAISY. YOUR FATHER MUST BE SO PROUD THAT YOU ARE RUSHING HOME SO HE CAN KISS YOUR PRECIOUS HEAD AND TUCK YOU IN FOR YOUR NAPPY NAP. How awful it must be to be in your TERRIBLE TWENTIES, YOU TALL TODDLER. YOU ARE GODS PERFECT IDIOT.

- Sunshine (Yes, I am aware this is slightly contradictory of what I just previously said but when I am outdoors, it is in solitude, with my Husband, watching him fish or reading a book. I also enjoy sitting outside on my patio which I am so grateful has a privacy wall. If I dare see the top of someone’s head coming NEAR MY PATIO I WILL HISS LIKE A FERAL BAT-OPOSSUM OUT OF HELL. HOW DARE THEY RUIN MY FANTASY OF LIVING IN THE FARAWAY SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, GOD CAN ANYONE PRETEND IN PEACE ANYMORE)

- Moonlight/The Moon

- Having Scottish-Irish and Sub Saharan African roots BAYYBEEEEE. CLAN EWING OF THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS REPRESENT. I know nothing of my African heritage, unfortunately. I detest my mother’s sperm donor and refuse to reach out. I couldn’t if I wanted to anyways, because he was one I scorched from my world…like The Great Fire of Rome.

- Singing at the top of my lungs

- Celtic Paganism

- Being roasted by my tarot cards then crying to my Husband about it so that he can give me a little patsy pat on the head and remind me that I tell others to take it with a grain of salt and just learn and grow from it and I am allowed to do the same (I am still lightly salted by my daily card)

- TEA. ALL THE FLAVORS OF TEA.

- Burning Incense

- ARTWORK. GAZING AT ARTWORK. WRITING A RANDOM FICTIONAL ONE SHOTS BASED OFF OF PAINTINGS.

- Poetry

- Randomly waking up at 3:00 in the goddamn morning to chug water like I’ve traveled the desert for seven days and seven nights (WHY MUST I BE A DIZZY, DEHYDRATED BITCH. DAMN YOU COCA COLA! I still take my vitamins though #HealthNut)

- Learning about my ancestry

- Dancing around my home like a little asshole fairy

Annnd I’ll stop right there to spare you. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Lani, you don’t seem very Halcyon, you seem like a raging lunatic!”

Yes, Valid. BUT, as I sit here typing this, I have a serene feeling in my chest, Sir Gilbert Hades is purring like the little furry angel he is, I can hear my Bard of a Husband covering ‘when the party’s over’ by Billie Eillish, and I have an ever so pleased smirk on my face with how this introduction has turned out. Life is good, I am healthy and loved and very blessed. If you decide to stick around, I will not disappoint you because of my inherent sarcasm and love for the arts. (I hope you enjoy one of my favorite songs that I have added to this post. PIP PIP. CHEERIO!)

- Lani

[zachsgamejournal]

COMPLETED: Bowser’s Fury

What an absolute delight. Short, but sweet. And honestly, it had an interesting story. I want more games like this. Definitely one of my favorite Marios.

My wife bought this game for my birthday. I think I was drunk playing it. Don’t remember exactly, but I was excited by it when I started. But after playing it for a single session, I just never played it again. And from what I can tell, I never got around to writing an entry about it. I decided to play it again, starting from the beginning, and i beat it...like all of it.

Basically, Boswer’s Fury is just the Mario 3D World game in single player format with an open world. Strangely, I don’t believe BF has as many moves as the main 3D games--but what-evs. The story is simple, but also really intriguing. There’s some depth there (or perception of depth) that’s not common in Mario games. Made things really interesting.

STORY

Basically Bowser has been corrupted by dark gunk. It’s made him extra angry to the point his son, Bowser Jr., is fearful. Jr. offers a truce with Mario to help straighten things out. Since the gunk is polluting the lake, Mario seems inclined to help some. Bowser is evil but according to Jr, this is too evil. So two enemies must team up to help another enemy. Not super deep, but interesting.

For some reason, this game is all about cats. I have to find Cat Shines to activate lighthouses that suppress Bowser, while ringing a big cat-bell at a cat shrine to grow super big and battle Bowser multiple times. I don’t understand it, but I’m going to allow the magic of it to be true and enjoy it.

Eventually, we purify Bowser and he returns to normal. But he’s still an asshole, so not sure anything was accomplished. Still an interesting story of enemies being momentary allies.

OPEN WORLD

The coolest thing about the game: it’s open world. Mario 64 had open level designs to fit their new 3d gameplay, but they still often contained linear paths you were expected to follow. Mario Odyssey featured very large worlds, many of which were far less linear than M64, but still--not open world.

The world itself is not HUGE--but it’s larger than any 1 Odyssey level. Maybe larger than any 2-3 put together. Instead of individual levels, there’s “sections” that often feature an “entrance gate” though you’re not required to use the gate to enter the section. The first few sections feel near-equal to M64 levels, and were exciting to play. As the game goes on, it feels like the designers lost steam and the sections feel more like bonus levels. Still, the fact that it’s all an open world makes it work.

It reminds me a little of the person that modded Mario 64 to combine all the levels into one. That doesn’t quite work as well, but it does feel like that--in a way.

Ultimately, what makes the Open World work is the exploration. 3D Mario games are very exploration heavy. And you don’t always know what weird, zany thing is going to net you a reward. That’s pretty true for BF. There’s some repeat activities--find the shards, collecting the blue coins, chase down the shadow guy, rescue the kittens, and stuff like that.

If there’s anything disappointing it’s the the world doesn’t feel super lived in. Odyssey and Sunshine were great about making levels feel civilized and populated. This game is a bit more abstract. But it seems you’re exploring ruins. That makes it feel a lot like Shadow of Colossus.

It’s good. I like it.

GAMEPLAY

While there’s plenty of freedom to roam around Mario’s move set is a bit limited. He can jump, long jump, and butt stomp. But there’s no triple jump, back-flip or any of the advanced moves established in Mario 64. This is somewhat compensated for with Mario’s costume/power-ups.

Cat Form: This is the new addition to Mario-verse with 3D world. I have no idea why cats are the theme, but like most Mario games--explanations for the strangeness are rarely provided. Still, the cat form is fun. You can climb most surfaces, do a claw attack (Mario’s basic punch is no missing too), and attract the attention of real-cats. It’s the most fun and versatile form in my opinion, as it expands Mario’s move set without sacrificing it.

Fire Flower Form: classic fire ball shooting form from the original Mario Bros. While it’s nice to have an oldie--I wasn’t a huge fan of this form. It was best when chasing Shadow Luigi, cause I could attack at range. But other than that, I found little use for it. Since Mario loses the improved move-set of the cat form to replace it with fireballs, it seemed this form was more suited to very, very specific scenarios. And I was often annoyed when I accidentally picked a fire flower.

Boomerang Form: I don’t know what the official names are, but who cares. This form has Mario equipped with a boomerang. It’s a shorter range fire ball projectile, but hitting things on the return was fun. Like the fire ball form, I found this to have rare usefulness, as it still limited Mario’s ability to move around and reach high areas. But it did make hitting boxes sitting on the ground easier. I feel like the “armor” Mario wears with this form should have provided an extra hit-point, making this a more useful form.

Raccoon Form: Ah, Mario 3--that was my Jam in the 90s. And for some reason, we all just accepted that dressing up as a raccoon could make Mario fly. I’m not sure if sprinting allow Mario to gain lift in Boswer’s Fury, but the suit does allow Mario to glide. I found this pretty much useless. In areas where flight and gliding were necessary, the game provided a helicopter box that Mario could wear. He could then launch 20-30 feet into the air and then glide to hard to reach areas. The Raccoon form might have been better if introduced earlier...or maybe not.

Beyond movement, the game has some interesting level design. Some of the levels felt like Mario 64 challenges, but in slightly more compact forms. As is typical with Mario games, there’s a lot of creativity--though it doesn’t match what was achieved in Mario Odyssey. But how can you ever match a hat that possesses creatures and things?!

After completing the first section of the game, they introduce a swimming dinosaur, which I believe is inspired by a creature from the caves of Mario 64. It swims through the water quickly and can even go on land, taking out enemies and knocking over trees. It’s an absolute blast to drive around. And it comes with its own collection of challenges and rewards. You’ll likely spend near half the game riding this thing around, getting from island to island or exploring for secrets. It’s also how you defeat the final boss. Great addition to this game!

BOSS FIGHTS

So Bowser is Godzilla size in this game. It’s really interesting. He’s on a timer, and his shell slowly rises from the depths while spinning. As he rises higher into the sky, he begins to spin faster, and at some point his spikes begin to glow. Then a storm comes in, a fair warning that Bowser is about to attack.

When he attacks, the world goes dark and all the nice kittens turn evil and attack Mario. Bowser jumps around the map, towering above Mario, and breathes fire at our hero. The game warns you of this attack by shining an orange light on the environment. Where the light touches will soon be engulfed in flame, but shadows represent areas safe from the attack. It’s intense and well done! It also creates some urgency when trying to deliver a lost kitten to its mother, and complete that once challenge real quick. If you find a Cat-Shine, Bowser is turned away by its brightness and the timer is reset.The whole ordeal is pretty intense, so much so that my daughter would often leave the room when it was about to happen.

If the player has found enough cat shines, they can unlock a Giga Bell at a cat shrine. This allows Mario to grow in size equal to Bowsers, and don a Lion Suit--not just a cat suit. The open world now becomes a battle ring. Bowser does rolls, spike volleys, fire breath, and shell stomps. Mario mostly just has to endure the attacks until Bowser becomes vulnerable enough to be butt stomped. Usually three strikes ends the battle.

The final battle has Mario riding the swimming dinosaur and chasing giant, not-dark Bowser around the open world map. While avoiding spikes and fire blasts, Mario must try to launch into Bowser’s belly. It’s a pretty epic fight and fun, though there seems to be some cheap hits from Bowser.

Once Bowser is defeated and no-longer covered in dark gunk, he steal seems like an asshole trying to kill Mario. No thank you or anything. So I no bittersweet “I owe my foe my respect this time.” Jr also immediately goes back to his emotionally abusive dad and doesn’t even thank Mario. Ah well. It’s a fun game and I’m glad I played it.

WAIT...I’VE PLAYED THIS BEFORE!

While playing Bowser’s Fury, I couldn’t help but think of how similar it is to Wavetale! Both games are mostly open world. They take place on the ocean (well, a large body of water). There’s a dark substance that must be cleared to unveil more of the playable map. You zoom across the water in fantastic ways to reach new levels. You jump on a lot of things.

I loved Wavetale and I love Bowser’s Fury. I’m starting to see a pattern. Wavetale has my heart for being indie(I think) and also having a better story. But I think Nintendo for including this with 3D world.

[love-bokumono-fics]

WIP Wednesday

With no game feature this week, let's look at some of the recent WIPs that haven't gotten a chance to be featured yet on the blog. These are the works that haven't been updated since I started the blog, so they haven't been included in the weekly Fresh Crops, or haven't been included in other feature posts yet.

Here's hoping you find a great new story to keep up with and await updates with bated breath!

(Have a WIP fic of your own that you'd like featured? Drop a link in the submission box! We'd love to see them!)

Edmond Route - by Mysterious_Prologue_Guy; WIP, 37/?, 54k

Rating: Mature; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/M

Fandoms: Light of Hope, Skytree Village

Relationship: Edmond/Light the farmer; Characters: Edmond, Farmer, Gareth, Tabitha, Harvest Goddess

Additional Tags: Harvest Moon a Light of Hope, Harvest Moon, Harvest moon Skytree Village

Summary: Contains spoilers. Meeting of Edmond and heart events.

Barriers - by krose13; WIP, 21/?, 148k

Rating: Mature; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M

Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town, Harvest Moon DS Cute

Relationships: Claire the Farmer/Gray, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran/Cliff; Characters: Claire, Gray, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Cliff, Kai, Karen, Popuri, Mary the Librarian, Rick, Basically the whole Mineral Town cast, plus Forget-Me-Not Valley

Additional Tags: Drama & Romance, Complicated Relationships, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Not for the kiddos, Fluff and Angst, Jealousy, Unplanned Pregnancy, trying to fit a realistic pregnancy in hm time is a challenge but we doin it, POV First Person, Mutual Pining, Drug Use, Dreams and Nightmares, Drowning, I’ll probably have to add more tags as we go along but

Summary: Unlike everyone else in town, Gray wants nothing to do with the new farmer. He can't stand Claire, despite all her attempts to befriend him. But when one small mistake leads to an even bigger problem, he might be seeing a lot more of her than they both had planned.

Watered-Down Ideals - by LemWrites; WIP, 4/?, 4k

Rating: Not Rated; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: M/M, Multi

Fandoms: Trio of Towns

Relationships: Farmer/Ludus; Characters: Original Male Character, Frank, Megan, Hector, Colin, Noel | Noelle

Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Fluff, Self Confidence Issues, ADHD, I gave a farmer adhd and anxiety, this may have more projection then intended

Summary: Join Steve, the newly appointed farmer in the Trio of Towns world, on a journey full of; useless gay pinning, being a disaster, self hatred and more!

The Language of Flowers - by spoopybat; WIP, 68/?, 158k

Rating: Explicit; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M

Fandoms: The Tale of Two Towns

Relationships: Cam | Kamil/Lillian the Farmer | Sato, Chelsea/Vaughn | Waltz; Characters: Lillian the Farmer | Sato, Cam | Kamil, Ash, Laney | Lia, Georgia | Raspberry, Chelsea, Vaughn | Waltz

Additional Tags: Tags Contain Spoilers, POV Alternating, Background Relationships, Starting Over, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Minor Character Death, Background Character Death, Minor Violence, Minor Injuries, Physical Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Socially Awkward Characters, Cliche, Mutual Pining, Awkwardness, Awkward Flirting, Emotional Baggage, References to Depression, Dorks in Love, Dysfunctional Family, Melodrama, Family Drama, First Love, First Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Making Out, Loss of Virginity, First Time, Morning After, Morning Cuddles, Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Unplanned Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Morning Sickness, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Constipation, Arguing, Medical Conditions, Medical inaccuracies but I'm gonna do my best, Panic Attacks, Engagement, Wedding Planning, Wedding Fluff, Weddings, Honeymoon, Body Worship, Making Love, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Mental Anguish, Spa Treatments, Fights, Making Up, Mental Health Issues, Depression, Language of Flowers, Emotional reunion [Some tags removed to keep post sfw]

Summary: Lillian, a young woman from the Sunshine Islands, left her home and moved to Bluebell. In hopes that moving to this rural farm town to escape her troubled past and find the happy life she had always wanted.

Finding You - by HarukazeRen; WIP, 4/?, 3k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/M

Fandoms: Harvest Moon 64

Relationship: Karen/Pete | Jack; Characters: Karen, Pete | Jack

Additional Tags: Harvest Moon 64, Tsundere Karen, Flashbacks, Slow Romance, Handsome Pete, Karen's hearts event, Some of Gray/Popuri and Ann/Cliff

Summary: Whenever he meets her, some memories of his childhood flash in his mind. A little girl who was playing with him and made his heart skipped a beat. He tries to trace the shadow of her because he wants to make sure, why does he keep thinking of her.

Earth and Rebirth - by TheBeckster; WIP, 17/?, 66k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: Multi, Gen

Fandoms: Trio of Towns

Characters: Holly, Frank, Marlena, Wayne, Ford, Lisette, Brad, Carrie, everyone

Additional Tags: Undecided Relationship(s), Additional Tags to Be Added, lots of headcanons, Minor Character Death, Eventual Friends to Lovers, I'm not going to tag every single character, but they will all have a part in the story, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, New friends and found family, world building, Angst with a Happy Ending, Holly is an extrovert, endgame ship tbd, Cover Art

Summary: Holly considered herself fortunate to be living about as close to the dream as any young twenty-something could. A great family, a loving husband, and well, she'd admit their apartment was awful, but they'd be moving onto bigger and better things soon enough. She truthfully couldn't wish for more. But when an accident rips it all away from her, Holly finds herself seeking a change of scenery. Her Uncle's farm out in the middle of nowhere is the perfect place for her to hide to mourn. A familiar story with a twist or two.

Fire and Dew - by Juliko; WIP, 9/26, 73k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/M

Fandoms: Trio of Towns

Relationship: Yuzuki/Original Character; Characters: Original Female Character(s) of Color, Original Characters, Yuzuki, Sumomo, Lisette, Colin, Wayne, Brad, Carrie, Shizu, Yaichi, Tatsumi, Omiyo, Umekichi, Lynn, Marlena, Daryl | Darius, Ittetsu, Moriya

Additional Tags: Harvest Moon, story of seasons, farming, Slice of Life, Drama, Family Drama, Family Issues, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Original Character(s), Major Original Character(s), Female Character of Color, Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Friendship/Love, Past Child Abuse, Child Abuse, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Humor, Eventual Happy Ending, Comedy, Friends to Lovers, Adoption, Sick Character, Lulukoko characters won't appear in this fic, Falling In Love, Dorks, Ableism, Happy Ending, Romantic Fluff, Break Up, Past Relationship, Cows, Chickens, Sheep, Rabbits, Flowers, Stimming, Family Fluff, Bisexual Female Character, Pansexual Character, Lesbian Character, Children, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma

Summary: For as long as she could remember, Harper Leigh Maxwell's dream has always been to become a farmer, but her father's job makes it hard to do so, since it involves lots of moving. After graduating from college, she finally decides to take a chance and get her own farm. She's determined to make the most of this opportunity and do what she's wanted. In the process, she makes new friends, learns many new things, and faces many hardships. One of the friends she makes is Yuzuki Fujiwara, a mellow, sweet natured man from the town of Tsuyukusa who doesn't have the best constitution. The two of them form a strong connection that may even end up blossoming into love. But Harper's past might make things complicated, and when it threatens to catch up with her, she may find herself facing the demons from her pre-adoption early childhood. This is the story of two different people, with different interests, passions, and paths in life, walking the same dirt road every day...

Finding the Way Forward - by AccidentallyTheWholeFanfic; WIP, 5/?, 35k

Rating: Mature; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Categories: F/M, M/M, Multi

Fandoms: Story of Seasons (2014)

Relationship: Johnny/Fritz; Characters: Johnny, Fritz, Elise, Oak Tree Town, OCs

Additional Tags: Romance, Drama, Slice of Life, Friendship, Family, Heavy Subject Matter, Humor, If Reina Pops Up Here I Will Refuse to Refer to Her as Licorice

Summary: Three youths move to Oak Tree Town on the verge of adulthood - each one an outsider in their own way, setting out on their own paths in life under their own circumstances. When those paths begin to cross over and influence each other, they all find that they might have some growing up to do if they want to find their way forward in life. Slash, M later. Heavy themes present.

Bring On The Wonder - by UrzaHemlock; WIP, 1/?, 2k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M

Fandoms: Animal Parade, Tree of Tranquility

Relationships: Molly | Hikari/Toby | Tao, Candace | Kotomi/Luke the Carpenter; Characters: Toby | Tao, Luke the Carpenter, Candace, Harvest Goddess, Finn, Molly/Hikari is Corina

Additional Tags: Rating May Change, Slow Burn, Original Character(s), Family Issues, Plot of the game but with fleshed out magic and trials, Mostly Animal Parade but with some elements from Tree of Tranquility mixed in, more tags to come, Possible change to Mature down the road

Summary: When Corina agreed to help Finn the harvest sprite save the Goddess Tree, it seemed the perfect chance to start over. After all, how hard could ringing some bells be? But magic isn't that simple, and Corina quickly discovers that there is more to being a savior. She'll have to throw all of herself into saving Castanet, body, mind, and even soul. She'll have to endure physical trials and emotional turmoil and even confront the things she wants to run from... ...but with the help of some new friends and a rather sleepy fisherman, she might just pull through.

Trial & Error - by KuramaBabe; WIP, 3/?, 3k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/F

Fandoms: Back To Nature, Save the Homeland, Magical Melody

Relationships: Gwen/Original Female Character, Gray & Original Female Character, Popuri & Original Female Character, Karen & Original Female Character, Cliff & Original Female Character, Ray & Original Female Character; Characters: Karen, Gray, Cliff, Popuri, Saibara, Harvest Goddess, Harvest Goddess Mariel, Gwen, Joe, Ray, Mary the Librarian, Original Female Character(s), Dog, Original Child Character(s), Original Male Character(s)

Additional Tags: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexuality, High School, Graduation, Party, Family Issues, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Families of Choice, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Name Changes, Dead name, Makeover, Hair, Injury, Slow To Update, Strangers to Lovers, Starting Over, Road Trips, a capella, Fishing, failure - Freeform, Homophobia, Lesbian Character, My First Work in This Fandom, Coming Out, Cynophobia, Minor Karen/Rick, Minor Gray/Mary | Marie, Abuse

Summary: Maribelle has known for a long time she's different. But when she finally comes to accept it, her home life turns into something ugly. With the help of a friend, she changes her identity and moves to Sugar Valley. However, she has no idea she's moving into a construction zone and most of the inhabitants have already left...

[mi5016ikepearson]

GETTING INTO THE FLOW OF THINGS - “WRITING AN OBLIGATORY ESSAY ABOUT AN OLD GAME”

now, granted: due to the global pandemic, and being out of school for almost two years now - my essay writing skills are a little rusty..

I figured it was within my best interest to brush up on my skills, by writing a practice essay on a topic I’m quite interested in - and what better place to start than to do what every YouTuber does best..

write a script for an analysis on an old game, that people will have nostalgia for despite it not selling very well, and explain how its actually a “hidden gem”

this is..

BILLY HATCHER: AND THE GIANT EGG - “WHEN EGGCELENT IP’S DON’T ROLL OUT”

whenever i tell people about my favourite video games games, I played growing up

(And believe me; that’s a lot)

I usually get an eyebrow raised, and my choices questioned

what can I say; I like obscure stuff, and I’ve got enough confidence in my views to express them. 

people tend to riff on the Nintendo GameCube,

Sure: It’s not as powerful as the Xbox, or beloved as the PlayStation.. but for me, it’s my favourite console - and thats purely based on nostalgia

i grew up with the gamecube, playing through my small selection of games, in a cycle for hours and hours on end;

I remember spending days of my life working on comics, then taking breaks playing Wind Waker, Mario Sunshine, Soul Calibur II, Mario Kart: Double Dash, Sonic Heroes and one of my favourites…

“BILLY HATCHER: AND THE GIANT EGG” - (SEGA, 2003)

Reactions to Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, when it released for the GameCube in 2003, were mixed at best. 

The game's camera, physics, and story were all subject to criticism, and sales of the title were underwhelming - causing SEGA not to consider a sequel.

However, despite the numerous technical problems, apparent of SEGA games around this era - I have nothing but fond memories of this IP, and all the charming personality that the company managed to cram into such an obscure game.

GAMEPLAY

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg's gameplay revolves around... rolling eggs, and yes - you read that right.

similar to games like Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, or Jak and Daxter, the game falls under the sub-genre of 3D platformers nicknamed "Collect-A-Thons", due to the fact that the way to advance in these games is to collect certain trinkets for achieving goals in the game, eventually giving you access to new levels. 

In Billy Hatcher, you must collect ‘Emblems of Courage’ in each world to advance. 

essentially, as Billy (and his friends) you have the movement capabilities of most standard 3D platformers - However, what differentiates this from the masses, is the plethora of ideas that come as a result of the egg mechanic 

In the game, Billy Hatcher is given a Rooster Suit by the chicken god, which gives him the power of... eggs?

when the group are around eggs, they’ll begin rolling them - the idea is fundamentally that you are taking these small eggs and using them to roll over enemies and fruit, that make the egg bigger.  When the egg gets big enough, you can rooster call it to make it hatch.

The whacky Japanese influence seeping through, yet?

when you hatch an egg - you get to use whatever item or power-up is inside.

each egg is different, but essentially hatching an eggs will either summons a creature that you can use to attack large groups of enemies, gives you a new rooster comb for the rooster suit, or a useable item. 

There are over a hundred different eggs you can hatch, which gives the game a lot of variety.

Billy’s abilities greatly expand, while holding an egg. While rolling an egg, Billy moves faster and is more agile. 

He can also perform several techniques with an egg, such as riding on top of it using the jester hat, dunking eggs like a basketball in midair, boomeranging eggs, as well as more simple mechanics like dashing, and shooting.

most games would crumble under the weight of so many movement options, and Billy Hatcher is no exception, as rolling around with the egg can feel either incredibly satisfying or incredibly clunky - there's no middle ground. 

Despite my personal bias, it has to be said that the game is extremely flawed - with the usual Jank SEGA was accustomed to in this era of games, with players falling through geometry, becoming infinitely stuck (to the point you can't progress), and the signature awful camera.

Every time you stop with the egg, you almost always break away from it, and when Billy does not have an egg, he's more or less useless and the gameplay and controls are hurt by having him be able to pull away from the egg so easily.

STORY

The story follows Billy Hatcher, Chic Poacher, Rolly Roll, and Bantam Scrambled - four kids from the human world on a quest through a peaceful fantasy world, by the name of "Morning Land", fallen to the clutches of Dark Raven and his army of Crows who have shrouded the Land in a blanket of unnatural, eternal night.

after receiving the Legendary Chicken Suit, the group begin on a journey to free the six Chicken Elders, which have been imprisoned in golden eggs by the Crows. 

Once the group have freed the Elders, defeated the six Crow Bosses, and opened the Rainbow Gate, they travels to the Giant Palace, where Dark Raven is trying to hatch the Giant Egg to receive ultimate power.

Billy battles Dark Raven, and once he defeats him, the Giant Egg hatches and grants Raven's wishes, shaping him into a crow-shaped shadow demon dubbed Ultimate Raven. Ultimate Raven destroys the Chicken Suit. 

but not giving up. the Courage Emblems he has collected form into the new and enhanced Sun Suit, imbued with the power of courage. 

Billy finally defeats Ultimate Raven as his heart explodes, completely ending his existence and return. 

The power from the Giant Egg restores true morning to it’s equilibrium, and the group return to their world.

AESTHETIC

Billy Hatcher is one of those games that oozes so much charm, despite a clear inspiration from one of SEGA’s more recognisable IPs: the world, and it’s characters have so much of their own personality that it’s such a genuine shame that the franchise was never revisited, and given a second chance by the company.

The visuals in the game are colorful and cartoony, with very few sharp edges, making for some very virbant and lively scenery. 

The character and enemy models are creative and interesting, as are the bosses of each world, which are spectacular to see in motion. 

While not among the ranks of some of the best graphics on the GameCube, graphically; the game is fine-looking, especially for a Gamecube game, running in 480p progressive scan, and boasting an exceptionally detailed opening FMV.

doing what SEGA does best, for some reason: the soundtrack for this game, is insanely catchy.

lighthearted and upbeat; the OST suits the game’s aesthetic perfectly - It is reminiscent of the music in other lighthearted franchises such as Yoshi or the Kirby series: with bouncy instrumentation that feels right out of a cartoon.

in other words:

just good music that makes you feel good. 

CONCLUSION

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is, for all purposes, the kind of game that defines what SEGA was, and will always truly be.

long before rehashing the same ol’ tired concepts, and being too scared to try things outside of their flagship franchise - SEGA used to be a company that would always pump out new, and innovate ideas.

sure they were usually buggy, half-baked ideas.. but the love and passion put behind them, almost excused the terrible stuff in a way.

The real Sega is buried deep beneath that huge mass of shovelware and awful sequels.  This game, to me, will always serve as a reminder of what they could be.

reminding me of a time where SEGA used to care about what they made - and hopefully one day they’ll prove they still really do care.

[peachfaeryy]

Hi 🌙

It's my birthday right now. I'm 26 now.

1. What is my fondest childhood memory?

My fondest childhood memories definitely consist of the lovely people who I grew up with and derived my sense of humor/silliness from: my cousins Anna & Emily, Savannah -- my childhood best friend, and Kaleb, my eternal crush. These memories consist of them in elementary school, camp, and my grandma's house in San Antonio.

2. What is my favorite comfort food?

Probably nachos/chips/chips & queso.

3. What’s my favorite way to exercise?

Uh...DANCE.

4. Am I a morning person or a night owl?

I lean more towards night owl but I try to avoid both.

5. If I could have any superpower, what would it be?

The currency of youth.

6. Do I prefer cooking, baking, or neither?

I love both cooking and baking :) I find both extremely rewarding and cathartic.

7. Am I an introvert or an extrovert?

Ambivert strongly introvert-leaning.

8. What superhero do I find most relatable?

None, I detest all superheroes.

9. What is my favorite season of the year — and what do I love most about it?

Winter because it provides me with the most amount of physical comfort. I love sleeping in a very cold room, opening my windows with no AC on. Sitting in my car listening to music/eating with engine off. Less humidity. Food is tastier. Style is better.

10. Do I believe in the existence of angels?

Not particularly? Well, yes but I believe they have absolutely no role or effect on our world.

11. What are my favorite TV series?

American Crime Story (OJ & Versace), Fleabag, Atlanta...90 Day Fiance, Game of Thrones

12. What was the last movie I watched (or the last movie I enjoyed)?

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (let's gooOoo)

13. Am I a tidy person or a messy one?

I used to be very messy but not I'd consider myself pretty tidy. My nature is messy though.

14. Am I afraid of the dark?

Nah.

15. Am I more of a coffee person or a tea person?

Mostly coffee.

16. What talents do I possess that I’m proud of?

I don't have any natural-born talents but I suppose my ability to teach myself a new skill over time.

17. Do (or did) I like school?

I loved school and literally work at a school.

18. Did I go to the prom?

Unfortunately, yes.

19. What is my idea of a perfect date?

Definitely grabbing pizza at a nice restaurant.

20. Do I enjoy DIY or crafts?

Not at all, sounds awful, lol.

21. Do I forgive others easily?

Yes. But not so much anymore now that I'm older and more experienced. My instinct/nature is very forgiving.

22. Do I have a nickname — or did I ever have one?

None.

23. Do I have any phobias?

I'm scared of most anything anything everything...I'd say my daily fear is mistaking my razor for my toothbrush in the shower.

24. Have I ever met one of my heroes? If yes, who was it, and how did it go?

No?

25. Do I speak any other languages?

No, but I told myself I would learn Spanish before I die.

26. Have I ever traveled outside my native country?

Yes! I have been the Mexico and Ireland.

27. If money were no object, what would I want for my next birthday?

Maybe a trip to South Korea/Germany/Rhode Island

28. Have I ever been addicted to something?

Yes. But as far as substances? I'm addicted to Nsaid.

29. When I was a kid, what did I want to be when I grew up?

I wanted to be a wildlife photographer when I was a kid-kid.

30. Have I ever won something?

$75 with scratch offs

31. Have I ever narrowly escaped death (or serious injury)?

I'd say so, yes.

32. Do I prefer baths or showers?

Showers.

33. How am I feeling right now?

Changed.

34. Have I ever played any sports?

Soccer, Basketball, and cross-country

35. Do I prefer the beach or the mountains?

Beach, but I feel connected to both.

36. Do I prefer a Mac or a PC?

Uh...PC?

37. Do I prefer dogs or cats (or some other pet)?

Cats...I honestly do not like dogs at all.

38. Do I have any piercings or tattoos? Would I like to get any?

I have three tattoos: three rune, a sword, and a butterfly. All of which are on my arms.

39. Do I have kids?

Not right now.

40. Do I have siblings?

None.

41. What do I do on a typical Friday night?

Same thing I usually do: practice dance/choreo for a couple of hours. Read, cook, watch Youtube. If I’m going out, I’ll maybe grab dinner/hang with my friends. I MAY go to ~the club~ in a blue moon.

42. If I could go anywhere in the world with unlimited funds, where would I go?

SOUTH KOREA

43. What do I do to relax?

Shower, listen to music. Do my makeup for fun.

44. What do I do to wake up or boost my energy levels?

Blast Stray Kids

45. Would I rather have unlimited energy or unlimited money?

Unlimited money

46. Am I a collector of anything? If yes, how big is my collection?

I collect Kpop bullshit...(albums, photo cards, posters, etc.) essentially merch from my favorite artists.

47. What sort of gift would I want from my significant other on Valentine’s Day or on my birthday?

JUST flowers. All I care about it getting flowers on both of those days.

48. Which would I rather avoid — excess heat or extreme cold?

Excess heat.

49. Would movie genre would I rather watch: action, romance, fantasy, or horror?

Of those choices: horror. I also like a solid journey story.

50. Have I ever been on a diet? If yes, how did it go?

More like a mini eating disorder, lol? I went through phases where I only consumed 1500 calories.

51. If I could live anywhere for a month with whomever I choose, where would that be?

Greece with I suppose...someone I get along with.

52. Have I ever gone camping? Or do you look at a tent and think, “I feel like that’s the wonton wrapper, and I’m the filling.”

Yes, several times. I actually thoroughly enjoy camping.

53. What’s the last song I listened to?

Ribs -- Lorde

54. What’s my current obsession, and how much have I spent on it?

Anything kpop...hours. I’m talking hours and hours.

55. What’s a favorite book of mine?

We Need to Talk About Kevin

56. What should I be doing right now?

Sleeping.

57. What’s my best feature?

Physically? Boobs.

Personality? I would say kindness but that’s basic. Witty? Self-discipline.  

58. What’s the most expensive article of clothing (or shoes) that I own?

Damn...shoes...? $100?

59. What is one thing I could not live without?

Music. My one coping mechanism and literally the reason I’m alive and functional.

60. What’s one thing I can’t leave the house without (other than keys and my wallet)?

Phone... BC packet?

61. What’s one of my pet peeves?

Slow walkers

62. What wild animal would I love to have for a pet (as long as it didn’t eat anyone)?

Maybe like...a toucan?

63. What’s my favorite drink?

An ICE COLD fizzy SODA boiii

64. What’s my spirit animal, and do I own anything featuring that animal?

I guess I’m very cat-like. I used to have a lot of cat stuff, but not anymore...

65. What’s my favorite restaurant, and what’s my favorite splurge order?

I like basically any fast food joint. I’m also a sucker for Chili’s. I’m really basic. A splurge order for me would be ordering a margarita with my meal.

66. What’s my favorite movie — or the best one I’ve seen in the last three years?

I’ve been obsessed with We Need to Talk About Kevin, Pirates of the Caribbean...I’ve been wanting to rewatch Little Miss Sunshine

67. What’s a favorite hobby of mine?

Dancing :)

68. What’s my favorite go-to snack?

Health-wise: apples and peanut butter. But if I don’t care: chips

69. What are my must-haves for watching a movie in a theater?

True interest in the film

70. What’s my favorite kind of competition to watch (sports, cooking, etc.)?

Not really into competition shows.

71. Would I rather get an electric shock or get an intramuscular shot (tetanus, etc.)?

Electric shock?

72. What’s my dream car?

Bella’s shitty red truck let’s gooooo

73. What are the must-haves in the home of my dreams?

LOTS of open space, sunlight, heated bathroom floor

74. What’s my favorite sandwich?

Chicken salad, BLT, plain peanut butter

75. What’s my favorite kind of dinner? (comfort food, four-course, take-out Chinese…)

Comfort food

76. If I could change my eye and hair color, what color/s would I choose?

I would DEF change my eye color to a warm brown and my hair to very dark brown. I’m growing my natural hair out. I’m going dye-free right now.

77. Who is my favorite fictional character (or one of them)?

Jack Sparrow

78. What’s my longest relationship so far (other than family)?

4 years...

79. What is my star sign — or do I usually avoid that question?

I DO NOT care about this but I’m a Leo

80. What is my lucky number, or what is a favorite number of mine?

Uh? N/A

81. What city do I live in now, and what’s my favorite thing about it?

I still live in Denton and I detest it.

82. What state do I live in now, and what do I love about it?

Texas, its diversity.

83. If I had to move to a different state, where would I rather go?

New Mexico

84. Have I ever colored my hair? If yes, what’s my favorite hair color experiment so far?

Yes, most of my teen and adult life. But my “crazy” hair experiment right now is going dye-free and wearing my natural color.

85. Whom do I miss right now?

My 14-year-old self

86. Have I ever made a mistake that someone else refused to forgive me for?

Apparently.

87. Do I have a celebrity crush? If yes, who is it?

JOHNNY DEPP and all of Stray Kids lol. Jungkook?

88. If I could meet any celebrity for coffee/tea and a chat, who would it be?

Marina Diamandis

89. As desserts go, would I rather have ice cream or cheesecake?

Ice Cream

90. Would I rather live in a house or an apartment, and why?

A small house.

91. Would I rather live in a treehouse, a cave, or a submarine?

Treehouse

92. What is one big goal that I want to accomplish this year?

Move out of D*nton.

93. What do I want to do for a living?

I’m happy being a teacher, but ultimately I’d like to counsel kids.

94. When I feel sick, where do I usually feel it first or most noticeably?

My head.

95. What sort of smartphone do I use, and what made me choose it?

Uh? Android?

96. What’s one movie that I’ve watched repeatedly? What do I love about it?

I watch signs pretty frequently. Midsommar? I connect with its characters because they seem like real actual people? I’ve been wanting to rewatch the Lovely Bones.

100. If I could afford one, would I rather hire a chef, a personal assistant, or a housekeeper?

Housekeeper!

97. What is one food that I refuse to eat?

Liver

98. What exotic food would I be willing to try?

I’d be open to trying most any food.

99. What is one item on my bucket list, and what made me choose it?

I’m kind of working on it now. I want to put a few years in while I’m young and able to become a very good dancer. I know that to obtain that it IS going to take years. It’s something that’s really important to me because I’ve always wanted that for myself but never made actual steps to obtain/execute it. And ultimately, I want it because it allows me to feel like my true self.

[guacameowle]

Ooh can you suggest games for switch?? Any kind would be okay since I'm still exploring what I'm into! Thank you :)

Mario 3D All Stars released a little while ago, which has 3 different Mario games upgraded to be on the Switch now. Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy. I haven’t played Sunshine, but Super Mario 64 is a staple classic & one of the best Mario games ever.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is my favorite game on the Switch.  Detailed & deep story, beautiful scenery, open world. I’m a longtime LoZ fan, so any Zelda game I flock to, but BOTW is fantastic. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity drops soon & I will be diving in near immediately.

I’ve had several close friends recommend Piofiore: Fated Memories (visual novel/otome) to me, so I’m going to try to get that next month. Another VN I greatly enjoy that’s on the Switch is Akash: Path of the Five.

If you like roguelike/lite games (dungeon crawl/battle style gameplay) Hades has been an absolute blast. All the characters are hot. You can romance a couple of people, Death Incarnate being one of them. The story is compelling & the game play is fun as you have a variety of weapons to choose from & a lot of side tasks/quests to keep you occupied. 

Pokemon Sword & Shield was fun. I say this as someone who was never into Pokemon growing up. This was a good game to play even if you don’t know anything about Pokemon. 

Animal Crossing New Horizons is great! It’s very chill, wholesome, cute game. There are regular seasonal updates. It’s very easy to sink hours & hours into this game. 

Stardew Valley was recommended to me by a lot of people so I gave it a try. It’s a farming simulation game. Not my thing, but I know it’s very popular.

Games like Smash or Mario Kart are always great.

I haven’t played it but several of my friends love Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It has turn-based gameplay, which is honestly the only thing that’s kept me from playing it as I hate that style of fighting. I’d rather facetank hack-and-slash. The characters are all hot from the looks of it & there seems to be a complex story.

Untitled Goose Game is super fun if you just want to cause chaos as a goose. It’s a short game, but delightful! 

I hope you find some new games to play. xx

[skeletalheartattack]

Who was your favourite mario character as a kid, and who is it now?

honestly? that's a pretty tough question for me to answer, because i played a lot of mario games growing up, and i don't know if younger me would've been able to choose a favourite. in terms of established characters, i think a safe option would likely be bowser; he was always my pick in Mario Kart 64, Melee, and Brawl. though in terms of the entire series as a whole, i liked the luigis mansion ghost designs a lot.

a favourite nowadays? i'm not quite sure. if i had to pick an established character, it'd probably be wario or waluigi. in terms of the entire series, i like the Mario Sunshine boos design a lot... but that's narrowing it down too small because i like a whole lot of designs from the franchise, so it's really hard to pinpoint.

[eri-blogs-life]

It took me 112 days to slog through the first one, and just 5 days for me to beat the second one

Here are my thoughts on Super Mario Sunshine

Now, just as a preface as I start writing up my thoughts: I grew up with Super Mario Sunshine. My brother and I played a lot of Sunshine growing up, and we’ve picked up the old Gamecube every now and then to get in a few shines here and there since. I’m fairly familiar with this game, and nostalgia is definitely a strong factor in why I love this game so much. And I don’t believe there’s such a thing as an objective analysis of a piece of media, as everything is going to be influenced in some way by the creator’s biases. But all that being said, after Super Mario 64 being such ass, I’m so glad to be playing Sunshine, which is a pretty okay game, despite what a lot of people will try to tell you.

The Good

A lot of people like to shit on Sunshine as the worst 3d mario game, but I feel like, at least compared to 64, there’s really a lot here to love.

The game’s basic engine, and Mario’s movement, feels a lot more slick and streamlined than it did in 64. Mario’s basic moves feel like they give you a lot of control over the way he moves, which is really important for a platformer. Plus, the moves and the sounds that mario makes really make the act of moving from one place to another decently entertaining. Fludd adds some nice ability to adjust your jumps or get yourself lined up just right over a tricky platform.

The vacation theming is just so fun, and the ability to put mario into sunglasses and a shine sprite styled aloha shirt is just such a nice touch for completing the game. 

And my biggest complaint about 64 is remedied in Sunshine. When you fail a platforming challenge, you aren’t immediately booted out of the level. Well, generally. Most of the time there’s something below you that you end up falling on to, from which you can then platform your way back up to where you were, without having to be kicked from the level and making your way back in and siting through the goddamn loading screens again. This isn’t always the case, as there are some levels where hitting the ground will kill you, but having that not be the norm makes most of the platforming challenges feel a lot more comfortable to play in. 

The Bad

Sunshine ain’t without its share of problems, though. There are definitely a few ways in which Sunshine doesn’t always feel great to play. (Even without comparing it to 64, in most cases, but not all - the lack of a long jump is really felt here, and it’s a shame that was removed.)

The biggest complaint I probably have is that you have to reach part 7 in all the levels in order to reach the final boss. This just doesn’t feel great, as some of the shines within each level can be really frustrating to get, especially if you aren’t super comfortable with the game’s mechanics, so I don’t think this was the best design decision. Rather, it would’ve made a lot more sense to have a minimum number of shines needed to reach that final level, even if that minimum number happens to be 7 times the number of levels.

Also, the Chucksters. The chucksters aren’t so bad in regular levels, for much the same reason I mentioned above about how if you miss the platform you’re being chucked to, you usually just end up on the ground and have to climb your way back up. But it’s so hard to line up where the chucksters throw you. And in the sublevel where you have to get thrown by chucksters any mistake costs you a life and it’s so annoying and its even worse when you’redoingtheredcoinversionofthelevelandyouhavetolineupprecisethrowswhileonasupershorttimelimitandthechuckstersaremovingaroundandohmygoditsthe worst.

The Beautiful

So... those are most of my thoughts. Mario Sunshine is a pretty solid 3D platformer, but it does have its share of problems and things that can make it frustrating to play. I love the game to death. 

And I’ve made a lot of comparisons to 64 as I wrote this up, for probably obvious reasons. Mario 64 was the first foray of Nintendo into 3d platformers, and it had a huge cultural impact. Sunshine was Mario’s second adventure in 3d, and it had a lot to live up to. It failed to live up to those expectations for a lot of people, but for people like me who had never played 64 as a kid, Sunshine is the basis on which I compare my other 3d platformers. (Well, Spyro was also a 3d platformer I played a lot as a kid, so there’s also that)

I don’t think either 64 or Sunshine is inherently a better game. Both are very solid 3D platformer games that are riddled with their share of design problems or weird control scheme choices. Both make a lot of sense for their position within history, and received a lot of praise from critics at the time of their releases. Neither is inherently a better game, but rather one might be a better game for a certain person, and that could be for a lot of reasons, and nostalgia from growing up with a certain game would definitely be a big factor. 

---

I am probably going to take a break and play something else before I move on to doing Galaxy, but I’m excited to get to Galaxy as well.

But really I think we can all agree that the objectively best mario game is Hotel Mario

[okwilliamson]

im back from the dead

i really wanted to answer some questions. and tumblr is the place to do that. 

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents?

- for the most part i really do. I feel really lucky in that way, it obviously grows much more complex 

02: Who did you last say “I love you” to?

- my mom :) 

03: Do you regret anything?

- lots of things, idk i sometimes regret wearing one pair of glasses versus the other. i dont feel like regret has to be so devastating. however it really can be 

04: Are you insecure?

- of course i am 

05: What is your relationship status?

- im in the beginning of a crush with a very very very very cute boy. i dont wanna think too hard or it wont work out. im such a hopeless romantic and it goes against everything i stand for lol 

06: How do you want to die?

- peacefully and riddled with student loan debt 

07: What did you last eat?

- i ate half of a burrito that i had left over it was delish 

08: Played any sports?

- big nope  09: Do you bite your nails?

- i do not, i do pick my nails and cuticles to death tho especially when im nervous 

10: When was your last physical fight?

- i simply do not know. ive never been in a real fight 

11: Do you like someone?

- i like so many people 

12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours?

- ummm no i dont think so, for sure more than 24 but not a whole two days. I get really bad headaches when i stay up for too long 

13: Do you hate anyone at the moment?

- donald trump 

14: Do you miss someone?

- i miss my sister, and bella 

15: Have any pets?

- me and syd have a cat called connie, i also have a house cat at my parents house and a cat who just had to be put down when he got suddenly so sick. 

16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment?

- apprehensive 

17: Ever made out in the bathroom?

- yes i have, many different bathrooms 

18: Are you scared of spiders?

- umm not very much but i am scared of them generally. especially big ones 

19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?

- i think i would be too tempted to make the same mistakes twice lol 

20: Where was the last place you snogged someone?

- ummmmm, idk honestly i feel like i dont live in a situation where i need to snoop

21: What are your plans for this weekend?

- the weekend is just ending, I worked all weekend lol. Im off next saturday tho which will be nice. idk what im gonna do. 

22: Do you want to have kids? How many?

- ugh 

23: Do you have piercings? How many?

- i have my ear lobes and both nostrils and thats it 

24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)?

- always english & art. Im bad at writing good papers tbh 

25: Do you miss anyone from your past?

- i think about the people from my past all the time, but i dont think i miss anyone that i couldnt get ahold of if i wanted to. 

26: What are you craving right now?

- to have a boy play with my hair 

27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart?

- no i dont think i have. honestly 

28: Have you ever been cheated on?

- yessirrr 

29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry?

- yes i have made a boy cry, long ago 

30: What’s irritating you right now?

- umm miss rona, the way eveything seems lowkey pointless 

31: Does somebody love you?

- so many people im lucky in that way 

32: What is your favourite color?

- pink 

33: Do you have trust issues?

- lol i am the queen of having trust issues 

34: Who/what was your last dream about?

- tony probably, i dream about him all the time 

35: Who was the last person you cried in front of?

- sydney, we really do be crying 

36: Do you give out second chances too easily?

- i be giving 3rd, 4th, and 5th chances dude 

37: Is it easier to forgive or forget?

- i dont really do either if im honest 

38: Is this year the best year of your life?

- ew no not at all 

39: How old were you when you had your first kiss?

- i was 13! 

40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked?

- ummm yes i think so. I had sex in the woods once does that count. 

51: Favourite food?

- chicken wings 

52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

- idk sometimes i want to think this and sometimes i just think i have bad luck 

53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night?

- texted a boy omg im a headass

54: Is cheating ever okay?

- if you have a cuck partner ?? theres a world of options. but in a closed relationship i would say no. 

55: Are you mean?

- lowkey 

56: How many people have you fist fought?

- maam 

57: Do you believe in true love?

- i think so, maybe more in a platonic sense tho i have true love with my sister and syd and evie 

58: Favourite weather?

- sunny early morning in summer, when theres a chill in the air 

59: Do you like the snow?

-  i love how it looks, but i hate driving in it, walking in it etc 

60: Do you wanna get married?

- maybe idk 

61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby?

- sooo cute i melt for pet names 

62: What makes you happy?

omg so many things!!!  coffee, friendship, diet coke, sunshine, the color pink, my friends 

63: Would you change your name?

- i used to really want to when i was young but i think im secure enough in myself now to just vibe, i like my name 

64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed?

- no the last person i kissed is a great kisser 

65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do?

- ummm laugh 

66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around?

- 100% 

67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to?

- this boyyyyy 

68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?

- idk me and syd be texting about our worst fears so, all my conversations are deep it seems like.  69: Do you believe in soulmates?

- yes yes yes theyre so real 

70: Is there anyone you would die for?

my sister without a doubt 

[meisekimiu]

6 of My Favorite Games I Played in 2020

I did this last year and actually got some random people (presumably fans of one of the games I talked about who stumbled onto the post) to like it, so I've decided I'd do it this year as well! I decided to add an extra game to the ranking this year just because it was such an... interesting year that resulted in me playing more games than in 2019. These are some of my favorite games I played in 2020, no matter when they came out. This is not a joke post.

Honorable Mention: Among Us

I’m surprised that with Among Us I don’t get my usual hipster instinct to scoff at any game that is insanely popular within the typical gamer demographics, especially among kids (have you ever joined a public lobby in Among Us it is hell and it is made up of 13 year olds). But I like it! I will say Among Us isn’t that original of a game; if Innersloth hadn’t made the game someone else eventually would have as it’s just a twist on the game of mafia. But it’s fun and reminds me of playing mafia-style games on forums but in a faster, automated video game space instead. Also they won multiple game awards and they’re a 3 person team that is the dream I am so happy for them...

6. Rats World (by Sylvie)

Rats World is not a long or complex game, but ever since I first played it, (the circumstances that led to me discovering and actually deciding to play the game are way too complex to explain right now) it’s weirdly kind of stuck with me. I think maybe it’s just the song... it has to be like... at least 35% of the reason why I liked the game. But I found something interesting in the general presentation and theming of the game. The two secret runes in the bottom of the map were like impossible to find and I actually literally datamined and mapped out the game to find those last two secrets. I am not sorry.

5. Night in the Woods

This game was... surprisingly intense at the end? I liked it though! I connected with many parts of the game (that sounds cool on paper but is also depressing). Also it had accordion in it so it automatically gets bonus points for that. I don’t really think I have more to say about this game without getting depressing and spoilery. It’s good though!

4. Warm (by Krispy Cat)

I think a lot of people wouldn’t even qualify Warm as a game since it’s really just a kinetic novel with no actual gameplay choices. Still, it’s really sweet but also moving too. I definitely cried while playing this. I will forever remember feeling somewhat anxious at parts while playing this game, and well, spoilers, having my anxieties confirmed at a certain part. When it happened I literally jumped up and shouted at the screen, “FUCK!”

(Side note: I forgot who made this game and tried to Google it and let me just say I wish this game had a more SEO-optimized name)

3. Super Bogus World 2

I have yet to actually beat this grame. I can only play it in smaller sessions because after a while the grame becomes too overwhelming for my brain. I hope that doesn’t come off as criticism of the grame! Super Bogus World 2 is an incredible achievement and I’m terrified that any grames I create from here on out will accidentally copy parts of it. I feel like that’s one of the nicest things you can say about a grame tbh. Also it features Charles Bobuck from The Residents so you know it’s good.

2. Super Mario 64

I’ve noticed over the last few years that as Nintendo fans grow, the community circlejerk around their favorite games changes as well. It used to be that Mario 64 was a 10/10 masterpiece that was the best game ever made and should never be questioned. Then slowly the Sunshine fans grew up and it was their turn to say it was the best game ever, and that helped knock down Mario 64 from its throne a bit. Nowadays, a lot of people totally clown on the game and pick it apart for all its numerous problems. And honestly? I was totally on board with that clownage too. Mario 64 is a clunky primitive mess that makes you do the same shit over and over again. I mean I still like it but I admit it hasn’t aged that well.

But I replayed it on Switch this year on the Mario 3D All Stars collection and... it wasn’t that bad actually! Despite knowing its problems, I went into the game knowing I’d at least still enjoy it but wow I REALLY enjoyed my playthrough of Mario 64. I don’t know if it was from playing it with a modern controller or what but I zipped through the game and 100% completed in in under 24 hours (I am not a speedrunner so that is incredibly fast for me). And occasionally I’ll get weird urges to just replay the whole game again. I know that is a slippery slope to becoming an actual Mario 64 speedrunner so I’ve been able to ignore that urge so far but I fear that one day I’ll succumb to it.

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Yeah this is kind of a basic answer for my favorite game of the year but it just has to be it. I have poured so many hours into this game it is honestly frightening. It is cute and nice and fun to play with friends and even though it already came out this year I already have very good memories associated with this game. My only complaint is that it doesn’t have a lot of depth to the “end game”. I honestly feel like it has something to do with the update system they have in place, which is actually a smart move: add things to the game over time so you can draw players back into it every once in a while.

...But something felt more impressive about most of Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s content already being on the cartridge from day one. Last year I mentioned that I finally got deep into New Leaf for the first time ever after owning the game for years prior. And there was something incredibly rewarding about discovering things that I didn’t even know were certain things in the game until years after I got it. When they finally add new buildings or shop upgrades or whatever to New Horizons it’s somehow not going to feel as special because those came out at Nintendo’s pace and not my own.

[daybreak-academy-fanfic]

Daybreak Academy: Chapter 64

The State Of Our Love-Sick Idiots

Summary: In which Brain and Skuld talk about jealousy. Word Count: 1,719 First | Previous | Next ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆

Brain hated the cross house classes with a burning passion. Most of the time, they were very disorganized- you'd have students paired up with those three or more years below them, you hardly ever got to choose who you worked with, and -possibly the worst offender- there was still only one teacher supervising the whole mess. It would probably help if these dates were actually known to the students beforehand, instead of everyone walking into class to find it far more crowded than usual. That was one thing Brain hoped to fix once he graduated and took up Ava's internship offer; cross house classes either needed a major overhaul, or complete removal.

“Alright everyone,” the science teacher, Mr. Rourke called out once everyone was settled, “As you all know by now, we're having a cross house science class today. So, please, members of Leopardus, play nice with the members of Unicornis, and vice versa. Alright? We don't need to see a repeat of the Vesuvius accident.”

A few students (mostly stemming from Leopardus) let out a round of snickers at this. Hearing it made Mr. Rourke shake his head and give an exasperated sigh.

“To prevent some of this,” he went on, “I have assigned you all a partner and a table to sit at. You can not ask for a change of partner or seating.”

“This ought to be good.” Brain mumbled under his breath as he gently tilted his fedora down over his eyes a bit. The murmurs from around him were also coming to this conclusion as well.

Mr. Rourke only waited for most of the murmurs to die down before reading through his list. Brain was only half listening to the teacher, more or less preparing to move from his spot when he was called. Eventually, Mr. Rourke called out, “Skuld Niyati, your partner is Brain Renzhen. The two of you will use station number six.”

Brain smirked. There was no accident that he and Skuld had been paired together. Despite the rather few cross house classes the five have had so far, the teachers seemed to purposely place the Dandelions with each other when the time came. He had a theory that it was done out of spite; from what he understood, Ava had dropped the concept of a student council on the other teachers and headmasters the same day they were formed. Communication was also an issue that needed to be addressed at Daybreak Academy, apparently.

When Brain got over to the right table, Skuld already had their science tools out and was cleaning off the graduated cylinder with a dry cloth.

“Need any help with that?” Brain asked as he took a seat next to her.

Skuld shook her head before moving her notebook over in his direction. “Can you write down the ingredient list and the initial hypothesis? I'm just about done cleaning everything off.”

Brain grinned and gave her a nod before turning his attention to the ingredients she had laid out. In a smooth, careful handwriting he wrote down everything they had; a 10 milliliter graduated cylinder, a bottle of universal indicator, a small container containing sodium carbonate, a bottle of white vinegar, a glass beaker, and a cup filled with what he assumed was water.

“Any ideas on our hypothesis?” he then asked her, using his pencil to tilt his fedora up a bit.

“Based on the fact we're using a universal indicator, we're testing for pH balance.” Skuld told him. “Both the water, vinegar, and sodium carbonate will have a reaction when introduced to the indicator. Theoretically, when the three are mixed they will become a homogeneous mixture, but with the indicator it will likely show their different pH balances instead.”

“Love it when a girl talks science to me.” Brain teased as he wrote down Skuld's theory. “Too bad at this point, you're in little sister territory.”

“I assure you, the feeling's mutual.” Skuld smirked. “Would you like to mix the indicator, water, and vinegar together? I'll do the stuff in the beaker.”

“A dangerous job, but I think I can manage it.”

Skuld let out a bemused snort of her own before opening up the sodium carbonate jar. Brain's grin did not waver as he took the universal indicator and an eyedropper to start filling up the graduated cylinder.

“So,” the young man mused as he mentally counted out 15 drops of the indicator, “How's our love-sick leader doing when he's not swapping air with his girlfriend?”

“They don't 'swap air' as often as you think they do, first of all.” she told him, a certain edge to her voice indicating that he needed to watch what he was saying. “Second, he's slowly coming off that honeymoon high. It's still a pain in the butt to get him to focus when Anora's in the room though.”

“Do you not have any jealousy toward them?” Brain continued to probe “Especially Ephemer? Weren't you two an item for a hot second two years ago?”

Skuld snorted. “Two years ago.” she reiterated. “Besides, it was totally one-sided. Ephemer overcompensated a lot just because he thought that's what you're supposed to do when you date.”

“Weren't you mad when he said he wanted to cut it off, though?” Brain continued to press. “There's no way you two just walked out of that all sunshine and rainbows and with no hard feelings.”

“Sure.” she agreed with a shrug. “But seeing how he reacts just when Anora breathes is enough for me to realize that he didn't love me like that. And that's fine; it was something new for both of us.”

“It can't be that easy.”

Skuld set her beaker down for a moment to give Brain a long, curious look. He stared right back at her until she resumed her business. In a voice that was almost mocking, she asked him, “Are you jealous?”

Brain paused. He turned to Skuld with a raised eyebrow and a darkened glare.

“And what, Miss Niyati, do I have to be jealous over?” he questioned, his voice possibly just as dark as the look he was giving her. But Skuld didn't answer him- instead giving a small roll of her shoulder before returning to their experiment. Brain glared at her for a bit longer before continuing his mission as well; now using a separate eyedropper to add three drops of vinegar to the indicator and water mix.

It took a bit of stirring for the solution to become a light red. Brain made note of the change on the notebook. Skuld took the notebook not long after and wrote down that her solution was still clear.

“Now we just need to combine the mixtures into the cylinder.” Brain said out loud as he looked back over the instructions. “You want me to do it, or do you want to?”

“I can.” Skuld offered. “I think I have a clean eyedropper over here anyway.”

Brain nodded as he watched her get the eyedropper and gave it a tentative wipe down with a dry cloth.

“What did you ever see in Ephemer?” Brain asked as Skuld filled an eyedropper with the sodium carbonate solution. His only answer at first was a small shrug before she squeezed the dropper's contents into the graduated cylinder.

“He was my friend.” she told him. “But if I had to, I'd almost date him again. I liked having someone kind and friendly as a partner- maybe even a bit of harmless unpredictability thrown in for good mix.”

“So you do still love him?”

“I didn't say that.” she informed him- sounding more like she was correcting him. “I'm just saying that he's the type of guy I'd go for again.”

Brain only half registered that the sodium carbonate solution became a deep purple in the vinegar and indicator mix- Skuld was the first to react when she pulled the notebook toward her to write down the changes. She picked up the cylinder and gently swirled it a bit to give it a little agitation for good measure. Now all the duo could do was wait for the solution to settle, creating a rainbow in the graduated cylinder.

Skuld smiled at the result before casually turning to Brain.

“You know,” she mused, placing her hand under her chin, “She does like you.”

“And that doesn't mean I have to like her.” came the immediate, almost automatic, reply.

“Let me rephrase that,” the young woman clarified as she placed both hands on the table and carefully straightened her back, “She respects you. Has since the trip back from the beach. Thing is, she won't tell us why.”

“She's a selective mute, Skuld; she barely tells anyone anything.”

“Would you just listen?” she asked him, adding in an impatient huff to show her point. “Whether you like her or not, she likes you. The girl doesn't know anyone besides us, the headmasters, and her study group. It takes her a very long time to get out of this comfort zone bubble she's created. But, since she seems to have taken a shine to you, don't be too surprised when she tries to talk to you. If she does, hear her out. What's the worse that could happen?”

Brain looked Skuld over, unsure on whether he should be amused by her suggestion or annoyed.

“So I take it Ephemer isn't the type to get jealous?” he wondered. At this, Skuld immediately let out an unflattering snort.

“Of course he is!” she even snickered. “But that shouldn't stop her from broadening her horizons. Look, she may never talk to you, but if she does, all I ask is for you to hear her out. She's a good kid and with or without Ephemer she needs to grow a bit more. I trust you to help her with that, that's all.”

For a long time, Brain didn't know how to take this information. So Skuld wanted him to listen to Anora? What was that supposed to mean? How could Skuld tell who Anora liked or didn't like when they were barely friends themselves? A thoughtful sigh escaped Brain's lips before deciding to shrug it off. Anora was an odd one, that's for sure, and he was never going to get roped up in her business. Ever.