Almost two months since I wrote in here. As always I hope you're enjoying the site content. I've been able to update much more frequently this past month than I have in a long time. Some free time now, though it won't last forever, I've had a lot of fun working on it. It's amazing, the reviews for Soul Blazer and Ultraman was my first back-to-back SNES review update on RVG since last summer's Demon's Crest and Sky Blazer. I know, it's been foooreeever. And then the last piece before this update was Jesse's Girl. I hope that brought back a few good memories for ya, as it certainly did for me
On with the rest of this blog, which will feature a "sequel-ish" theme
Quite a few characters in this blog (featured more extensively in the links provided)
My cousin David turned 20 yesterday. (His 19th Birthday was highlighted in BUON). We celebrated his 20th Birthday this past Friday the 13th when Mike (a close family friend) and I took him out for a movie and dinner. Last year we took David to Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and this year we took him to the opening of The Incredible Hulk. As BUON breaks down, David is a sheltered kid who hasn't experienced life much. I've always tried my best to be there for him over the years, but unfortunately this past year I have seen regression on his part. It's very difficult to drag him out of his house these days. I'm probably the last one in our family who still believes in the kid, but even my hopes have tapered off the past 365. He's 20, but he acts 90
As for the movie, GO SEE IT. I came in with mild expectations, but as I sat there in the theatre I could feel the excitement welling up. The movie was just that: INCREDIBLE. Not quite Iron Man good, but it's well done in its own right. I enjoyed every second of it. Lots of action and crap blowing up. Edward Norton delivers yet another solid performance
Afterwards David wanted pizza so I took him to a local pizza joint. Sometimes I have to be very careful what I say around David, as he's easily 'shaken up' at any 'real world talk' but somebody has to tell him. A 20-year-old who's never worked a day in his life, never had a girlfriend let alone girl friends, and doesn't know how to drive yet is unbelievable. He's building up a cycle of defeat for himself
"Hey Mike, let me ask you a question"
"Yeah"
"Let's pretend I'm interviewing you for a job position. What would your response be to this: Mike, just to let you know, no guy has worked here in five years"
Mike paused. "Oh really?"
"OK look, when a place is hiring, you figure they'll see 20 to maybe even 50 applicants, maybe more, depending on what and where the job is. You got to set yourself apart from the crowd. Don't be another me-too kind of guy. You gotta be DIFFERENT
"Lemme tell you guys a story. Several years ago I was at this mall looking for a summer job. You know, make some money and keep myself busy. I walked by this store that I normally would disregard, but their NOW HIRING sign reeled me in. I figured 'EH WHAT THE HELL' ya know? I'm there
"I asked for an application and the girl handed me one. I filled it out on a bench outside and a couple minutes later walked right back in to hand it in to her
"She was shocked to see I was serious about working here. She told me the same thing I told you. She told me, 'Oh, just to let you know, no guy has worked here in 5 years.' It's a test to see how you react and how you conduct yourself. What you say, or what you don't say, can make all the difference. And you know what I said to her? With a confident but not cocky grin, I said.... 'I guess the odds are against me then.' The look on her face was priceless! She obviously did not expect that verbal and nonverbal response
"I had an interview later that week with the store manager and was hired. I was the first guy to work there in five years. The manager told me she fielded well over 30 applicants. See, you gotta be different from the rest. Don't say something lame like "Oh really?" Give them something positive to remember you by. And let me tell you something else, it's all about networking. What you know, sometimes, isn't as important as WHO you know
"The best advice I can give you guys is to get involved in college. Join a club or something. Meet good people. Stay away from the losers and deadbeats. Build up your networking and hang around successful people. You never know when down the line one of those friends might put in a good word for you at a job position. That happened to me. I joined an acting club, met some great people and expanded my networking. One of them put in a good word for me and I got a pretty good gig coz of that. I jumped straight to the front of the line based on my friend's recommendation
"So get involved, network, meet and stay around good people, study hard and you can do anything you set your mind to accomplishing"
Hopefully my spiel resonates with David a little bit. Overall, it was a fun night and I hope this is the year David turns it around. Of course, Mike suggested later that I just wanted to work at a place that had all cute girls. Hey, OK, that was part of the reasoning, I ain't gonna lie *laughs*
And speaking of cute girls, I met up with Kat this past week for an hour to hang out. Steph and I still keep in touch, too. Again, it's great to have networking, because she told me of some opportunities on the horizon that I might be interested in. She also informed me she's pregnant (again)! I actually got to meet her boyfriend of nine years this past semester and he helped me out a lot with various things, so it's funny how things work out, isn't it?
And speaking of girl friends who are taken, recently a girl friend of mine invited me to join her and her GFs for a Bryan Adams concert. She's a cutie pie. Her BF had something come up in the morning so she called me to offer a free ticket. It was cool hearing "Heaven" and the classic "Summer of '69" (undefined) live in person. A lot of the people there were considerably older than us. A large crowd of folks in their early 30's to 50's. Best part of the evening came when Adams looked at this dude recording in the crowd and said, "Well, since this is gonna be on fuckin' YOUTUBE..." and went into his next song. The place went bananas when he did that, heh heh. It was a good show, the crowd was hot and Adams even came out for an encore -- he had said good night and all that but the people were chanting "ONE MORE SONG ONE MORE SONG!" And this was when he had already exited backstage. Two minutes later he came back out and gave the people what they wanted. Good stuff
My friend was wearing short shorts and as usual guys were checking her out at every turn. We stopped by Popeyes before the Adams gig to grab a bite to eat and me and her friend were just laughing to each other. "Damn do you see that guy over there totally checking her out?" Dude was staring at her like how a fat boy looks at a turkey leg on Thanksgiving night!
Curse my luck... most of my girl friends I find very attractive, but of course all are taken. Yes, they're a bunch of Jesse's Girls *rimshot*
As mentioned in last journal's entry, Liz was coming down in May. So much for the 5 year plan! It was a blast. Vivian and Billy took us young 'uns out the whole weekend Liz was down here. We had a Birthday party bash on Saturday, then at night Billy took us to the driving range. It was my first time hitting golf balls in a LONG time. I'm not talking miniature golf, but the real deal. Man, it was a surreal sight to see Billy smacking golf balls deep into the black of the night. I admired his graceful and powerful swing. Seeing him launch those golf balls deep into the majestic night sky was an AMAZING visual. I took my own hacks thereafter and did OK for a newbie. Billy gave me some tips which did help out my swing a little bit
Afterward we went to a late night drink shop to just chill. Billy was telling me and my brother Kevin about his latest cash cow scheme (it seems he comes up with a new one each month, ha!). He's a crazy cat. His ideas are very intriguing. My cousin definitely married herself quite the character
It was good to see Liz again. She said she might come back down here later this summer. Hey, keep the good times rollin' -- you gotta love family (especially the ones you don't see everyday and aren't sick of ;)
His Saturn CD guide is now downloadable, so feel free to take a look and do so
A new promising retro game site has entered the fold. Matt's www.retrowarp.com shows tremendous potential. Like RVG, it's a one man show, and Matt's enthusiasm and passion for video games is outstanding. His reviews are unique and fresh. A site to keep your eyes on, folks. Best of luck, Matt, I know you're gonna have a hit on your hands not before long
Speaking of great sites, I hope it's not too premature to announce this but Rob (author of Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman and webmaster of OPCFG/West Mansion) has announced that he will be bringing back the OPCFG! It'll have a new direction and a staff of volunteer writers. Rob, I can't wait to see "version 2.0" so to speak. All the best
Finally, in a bit of RVG news, July 7 marks one year and a half. I can't believe it'll be 18 months already. What do I have planned? Hell, I'm not even too sure yet myself, but I'll have something up to celebrate the occasion
My latest update, Super Bomberman 3-5 is my first brand new SFC writeup since, well, since Ghost ChaserDensei! (April 7, 2007). I still have a box full of obscure Super Famicom games waiting to be played and reviewed. Lots of good stuff still waiting in the wings :)
Have a great summer y'all -Steve
9th Blog 4.19.08 Saturday 5:30 PM
Wow, it's fast approaching May. Another month in the trenches, eh? This past weekend was pretty insane. I took Friday off for some sorely needed R&R. I love my work place, but I was starting to feel slightly burned out. The day off did wonders, as I came back in Monday feeling good as new. The other reason I took Friday off was to study [you mean cram -Ed.] for a big exam I had the very next morning
It was on my off-day that Uncle Ben (from The Wonder Years) and his wife flew in for the weekend. So much for the 5 Year Plan! Shame Liz and Karen couldn't come along, though. Uncle Ben's looking for a vacation home nearby so they can be closer to family in the summer time. I love Uncle Ben. He definitely takes after Uncle Jimmy's sense of humor. Sunday night was pretty surreal because Uncle Jimmy came over with his son David and family friend, Mike (same two from BUON COMPLEANNO!). Together, we shot the breeze for several hours. Mike wanted some girl advice, so Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Ben and I, we happily obliged
Mike likes this girl who works at his college. She's single. They've already talked. Friendly chat... but now Mike wants to take the next step, but didn't quite know how...
Mike: Tell me, how do I get her?
Uncle Ben: You DON'T get her. She's not an object. You win her heart
It played exactly like a movie scene, with all of us laughing at Mike in good jest
Mike: Oh, right right right. How?
Uncle Ben proceeded to offer tips, as well as stories from the good old days of when he was a player. He shared a great anecdotal story of his first girlfriend and how he won her over... it was devious, cunning and smooth. I've always had love for Uncle Ben (there's a bit on him in my World Heroes review), but that night, I saw him in a new light. We talked the night away, the five of us did -- right up to the witching hour, pushing our bedtime for work the very next morning (or, as in Uncle Ben's case, his flight back home)
Hopefully Mike does well with this crush. At Viv's wedding banquet this past January his date used him for a free meal. Ouch. Best of luck, bro
And speaking of Uncle Ben, he's flying back down in a few weeks to pull the trigger. Liz called me earlier today -- she'll be coming too! Good times lies ahead
ON THE A-JEN-DA
The Friday of my spring break, I caught up with my ole acting pals Scott and those two crazy love birds: Jen and Dan (all from Playback). We met up for dinner before heading back to their apartment for drinks and games. It was a rainy Friday night, and as we made our way to their place Jen warned me "Watch out for the snails!"
"Shoot, they better watch out FOR ME!" I joked
Scott's classic, gay laughter echoed through the drizzling night sky
SITE TALK
Did you enjoy my last two reviews, Oscar and Barkley Shut Up and Jam? I've been focusing on some of the more lesser known and neglected games recently, but don't worry you fans out there of the AAA stuff. You never know what's next. One day it could be Super Mario World. The next it's a title as obscure as Oscar. Speak of the devil, when will I review Super Mario World, anyhow? Seems wrong for a SNES site not to feature such, they cry. There's a time for everything, yes?
Speaking of SNES sites, I'm still shocked there aren't more. Corbie recently refurbished his super-nes.com site, and Bryan too recently relaunched his myweb.tiscali.co.uk/superfamicom site. I think you'll see the trend continue in the forseeable future. Interest is slowly picking up in a movement that should have happened years ago. When I came along, there was really only Ikermel's VGDen.com being regularly updated. Despite the rabid fanbase, there was sorely a lack of SNES fansites. Now thankfully we have a cornucopia of avenues, each with its own vibe
I'm still waiting for a comprehensive Saturn site, not seen since the days of Dave Z's now defunct Sega-Saturn.com. It's a shame. Well, as long as I'm around, I'll see to it that RVG continues its Super Nintendo and Sega Saturn tradition
10 YEARS OF THE OPCFG
April 15, 2008, Rob (author of Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman) celebrated 10 years of his epic retro gaming site, the OPCFG. Hard to believe it's been that long. I fondly remember that lazy Saturday evening in the late '90s when I first accessed the OPCFG. Many game sites come and go. Only the very best not only stands the test of time, but serves as an inspirational launching board for other similar projects and products. Check out Rob's 10 Year Anniversary message:
Today is the OPCFG's tenth anniversary. Steven [That's me! -Me] wanted me to do something celebrating this (and have the site updated one last time in the process), but I think I said everything I wanted to in the OPCFG chapter of Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman... plus Kurt has the keys to the site now.
However, after thinking about it, I've decided that I will say a few words.
*****
April 15th, 2008: the OPCFG turned 10.
It's been two years since the site went archive-only (thanks Kurt), but every so often I still hear from people regarding the OPCFG. I'm glad that I've been able to put together something that's stood the test of time, and in some cases, inspire others to create sites of their own.
I'm glad to say that there are several sites out there continuing where the OPCFG left off - and even surpassing it in most cases. Great retrogaming sites like RVG Fanatic, racketboy and of course Hardcore Gaming 101 are still proudly carrying the retrogaming torch, and hopefully will for quite some time to come.
So now, on the site's tenth anniversary, I want to again thank everyone that's visited the site, whether you're a long-time visitor or have just discovered it, and I hope you've enjoyed your visit. Maybe you've even learned something about a game in particular that you didn't know before. If you have, then I did my job.
And for those of you hoping that some day the OPCFG might return... who knows, I might just surprise you in the future.
One last thing: if you've enjoyed the site, make sure you check out my book Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman, which I've more than once compared to the OPCFG. It's on sale now for the low price of $14.99, so order your copy today!
- Rob
Wow, ten years. Thanks for the kind words, too, Rob. Like so many others, I associate the OPCFG with a sense of 'purity' that most other gaming sites simply don't have, for one reason or another. Congrats Rob on ten wonderful years. I can only hope to still be around in 2017 to celebrate a 10 year anniversary of my own. Only time will tell
Never thought nine years ago when I browsed OPCFG on a lazy Saturday night that one day I'd have a retro gaming site of my own. Life is totally crazy and funny sometimes. How do you know you're good? You're often imitated, but never duplicated. Cliche, but that's because it's true. Way to go, Rob. This toast is for you
FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY
My bro's friend, Andy, dropped by today to pick my bro up for their friend's wedding. We caught the final 6 minutes of regulation and two epic overtime periods in the terrific Spurs-Suns game. It was eerie. It was my first time seeing Andy in four years. You see, it was on April 18, 2004, the night where my brother, Andy and I almost came face to face with the Reaper. It's a long story, and the night all started innocently enough, as it always seems to be the case. I remember we watched SHAQ battling YAO in a playoff game, one of those low scoring 74-73 type games. It was a great game and as soon as it ended, we decided to visit one of my bro's girl friends in a town about an hour away. That's when the fun ended... and the music nearly stopped
It involved a drive up an isolated mountain located in the middle of freakin' nowhere at 2 AM and a bunch of high and drunk gangbangers. We were trapped in our car, and those 15 minutes were the longest 15 minutes of my life. All we wanted to do -- the four of us -- was just to enjoy the scenic sight. Instead, it became one of the most harrowing nights of my life
It was so random and crazy that just one day after the four year anniversary, I saw Andy again for the first time since. I think the topic came up sometime in that first overtime, before Tim Duncan hit the clutch 3-pointer that sent the game into Double-OT. We really probably shouldn't be alive right now, but thanks to the good graces from above, we somehow managed to luckily start Andy's car, kick it in reverse and floor the HELL OUTTA THERE at 100 miles per hour... zipping down the twisting mountain road in that bitter and cold, remorseless night
JIN MAO, PLEASE
On a final note, once in a while you run across a movie that catches you off guard. SHANGHAI KISS was one such. Starring a talented cast of Ken Leung (bad guy from the original Rush Hour, X-Men III), Joel David Moore (Dodgeball), Kelly Hu and Hayden Panettiere (the blondie from HEROES), it's really a chick flick at heart, but one of the better ones I have seen (of the few I have seen, mind you) [Sure -Ed.]
The plot is a dandy. 28 year old struggling LA actor Liam meets 16 year old Addy, a free-spirited and perky, pretty high school junior, on a bus ride. Addy has the hots for Liam right away and they become buddies, with Adelaide looking for a more intimate relationship, but of course, the minor and 12 year gap thing keeps Liam away. "Hi, I'm Chris Hanson... take a seat"
All his life, Liam has avoided all things Chinese, from the women to his father. Hell, he doesn't even know how to speak Chinese. Then fate steps in when the grandmother he never met passes away in Shanghai, leaving the family house there in his name
Arriving in Shanghai, he meets Micki (Kelly Hu). It's a film about letting go, believing, self-identity and roots
Not gonna spoil the rest, you gotta see it for yourself. Solid little flick. I watched Shanghai Kiss on my off day this past Friday 1st thing in the morning since it was due back by noon. For a straight-to-DVD effort, its quality and production values are surprisingly high
Until next time my naughty little penguins -- adios! -Steve
8th Blog 3.4.08 Tuesday 4:47 PM
Hey y'all. Hard to believe it is already MARCH MADNESS. I hope 2008 so far has been as good to you as it has been to me. But that story is way too long for now, and I want to keep this brief, so some quick notes with other happenings
RVG: NES??
NES Contra recently celebrated a pretty nice little milestone: twenty years of kicking ass. I had a blast revisiting it and Commemorating Contra. It begs the question: will I be expanding coverage to 8-bit NES games? There's an ole saying in the industry never say never -- naw only kidding. Only in special cases... and Contra certainly was, and still is, damn special ;)
EGM'S "BIG" CHANGE
Received the latest EGM issue (April 2008, #227) yesterday. They changed their traditional 0-10 rating system they have used for well over 15 years! Now they are using the A+ through F system. Come to think of it, it just might be their April Fools joke. We'll see. At any rate, they changed because it's less ambiguous. C is average in any book, whereas some folks perceive a 5/10 to be average, while others think 7/10 (in their minds, 70%, or a C-) to be average. Keep in mind, this is despite the fact that EGM makes it clear that for their rating scale a 5.0 is AVERAGE. Go figure. Ratings of any kind have long been a topic of discussion among gamers. Some folks can get really worked up over it
Personally, I never take reviews for more than they're worth: that being, it's that person's opinion. I may like a game more, I may like it less. There are much bigger fish to fry than to complain about a review, whether it's something negative someone said about your favorite game or the overall score. Life's too short for that nonsense!
Don't worry, I'll refrain from making the obligatory "EGM SUCKS THESE DAYS!" comment. Oops
Onto other news, my friend Rob (AKA Dire51, webmaster of the classic OPCFG) recently launched his own book called Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman. In hindsight, I wish I got involved with the project, but it's all good. Having a physical book published has gotta be a pretty damn cool feeling. To order a copy check out the link below. Good luck with it, Rob, and once more, congratulations on a damn sweet feat =)
Finally, this past weekend my good ole acting friend Jen was starring in yet another University play. Scott and I came out to support her. There we met Dan, Jen's BF, and we watched the show together, with my old acting mentor, Laura Smith, sitting right above us. Pierre was also in the show. After the show we all greeted and Kate even popped in. It was like a small reunion. I loved acting with those cats back in the day. Best times of my collegiate career (Playback III)
Told you I'd keep this short! 'Til next time
7th Blog 12.27.07 Thursday 2:17 PM
The Fall 2007 semester began and ended with a bang for yours truly. It was strange, sort of a microcosm of life in that, it's all a cycle. Sometimes a strange and vicious one. Other times, a good one, but still somewhat strange. Oh what am I talking about? Hell if I know..
It seems so long ago that the Fall '07 semester began back in August. It feels like another lifetime, to be perfectly honest with you. My most vivid memory of that early semester? Taking my cousin David to go see our favorite movie franchise of all time -- Halloween -- Rob Zombie's re-imagining, on opening day. On our way to the theatre we talked about how our first college week of the new semester went. It was nice to catch up with "the little bro I never had"
I remember sitting there in the dark theatre with David. It brought back good memories of his 19th Birthday just two months ago when that hot chick sat next to him for Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer... (BUON COMPLEANNO!) ahhh, good times. We were so amped up for Halloween as was the rest of the audience. The place was jam packed to the rafters, and as soon as that classic, haunting John Carpenter Halloween theme blared over the loud speakers... man, I could feel it... ELECTRIC
Tommy, you'll soon find out, you'll soon find out
The new Michael Myers look, in a word: bad-ass! Especially the first time young Mikey dons the mask. That was some serious shit! You could feel everyone in the theatre going "Ooooooh." A couple guys sitting near me went "That's siiiick"
"OH SNAPS!" The best shot in the film IMO
The mask all beat up 15 years later, after Michael escapes
"These are the EYES... of a PSYCHOPATH..."
All in all, David and I had tons of fun. Not a bad re-imagining, though the theatre atmosphere probably made it seem better than what it really was
I met some cool new friends this semester, as well as reacquainted myself with some old ones. As documented in my previous journal entry, there was a 3-week period where one Friday after the next I experienced a reunion of one kind or another. First with Steph, than Kat, than Dan and Jen (Steph and Kat from Spring FEVER -- Dan and Jen from any of the Playbacks)
Spring '07 was pretty tough to top. But Fall '07 turned out pretty well, too. It ended with me pulling some all-nighters, learning to get by with four hours of sleep per night, and concluded with a nice little bang. To celebrate the end of the semester, Kat, Steph and I met up for dinner. After dinner, I drove to the local theatre to catch a special prescreening with Dan. Unfortunately, at the same time Jen was busy rehearsing for another play she's gonna be in. What a crazy, trippy night -- seeing all those old faces y'kno
To end the semester, I delivered a speech for my last Final. I certainly went out with a bang. Afterwards, I bought a copy of Rob Zombie's Halloween on DVD. December 18, 2007 -- ironically the last day of my Fall semester, and the first day the DVD was released. So how I started the semester... pretty much was the same way I ended it... and in-between all crazy manner of shit going on. Speaking of life being one gigantic cycle... Danielle Harris plays Annie Brackett in Zombie's Halloween. She originally played Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4 and 5. That means, nearly 20 years later, she plays the friend of her mother... how's that for some irony?
Danielle Harris in the new Halloween, nearly 20 years later
Life's one weird, giant cycle isn't it
Christmas was fun. Had the annual family get together bash over the weekend. On Christmas day David and his family came over. We watched the best Christmas movie of all time -- Die Hard. Then we spent a good hour killing each other in Saturn Bomberman... good times ;-)
On a final note, RVG turns one year old on January 7, 2008! Be there, or be square...
Speaking of the site, I may change some things up a little bit in the coming new year. But mostly it will remain how it currently is
Hope you're enjoying the Holiday season Happy New Year y'all!
6th Blog 10.15.07 Monday 12:33 AM
Hello again. It's been an interesting 3 weeks or so for me. First off, as you might have noticed, updates now occur every 2 weeks or so. Once in a while, I may be able to pull off the week to week update, but those days are, for the most part, long gone. In 2008, don't think I'm dead if updates come once every 3 weeks, or even a month. If it all works out well, career-wise, then that will be the case. I do miss the days when I was able to update this site 3, 4, even 5 times a week. Then again, I really don't. HA! Er, let's move on
I can't believe how fast October is flying by. It's now mid-Oct, and Halloween is really right around the corner! It seems like yesterday it was only the 1st, it really does. I'm not sure what I'll do for Halloween this year, but I always make it a point to head out and if nothing else, take in that cool October night air. Smell the streets, feel the energy of the night
SO... the "three reunions" I experienced these past 3 weeks... it all started with....
Friday September 28 I had a rare off-day from school and was free to sleep in. Alas, what did I do? I visited my buddy-slash-former crush Steph (fromSpring FEVER) on her intern job. She student teaches at a junior high school. So I spent the day with her, her master teacher and her lovely (or not) 13-year-old students. The teacher looked like a fat Bruce Willis it ain't even funny. When Steph introduced us I said to him "Yippee Ki-Yay." Laughing, he told me I wasn't the first, and I sure as hell won't be the last!
It was good seeing Steph again. I hadn't seen her since the final day last semester. After my day with her, IRONICALLY what did I do next? I went back to University for a career meeting with .... Kat (yes from Spring FEVER). Too weird, huh? It was also the first time I'd seen her since the final day last semester. After the meeting we stayed back and caught up for a good 20 minutes
During one of my night classes, Kat called me to ask if I'd like to join her for lunch at our professor's house the Friday of October 5th. Kat ran into our old professor, Bernadette, and she invited Kat over for lunch. She asked Kat to ask me to come as well. Last semester Bernadette left on maternity leave, and since her house was near my uncle's, I used to drop off the class' papers to her all the time. I remember the first time, it was raining cats and dogs and I could barely make out the gawd damn street signs. How many students are crazy enough to say they've been to their professor's house, let alone 1200 times?
So the next Friday, October 5th, of all things I found myself having lunch with Kat, Amanda (another colleague) and Bernadette, at her house. She made us taco's and we all caught each other up on our happenings. It was a very rare experience and the honor was uniquely mine. We sat at the kitchen table talking for two hours. As we bidded farewell, I joked that the next time we get together, we'll bring the entire class from last semester. I got a good chuckle from the girls
It was pretty strange yet fascinating being there. It felt like a moment out of Freedom Writers. This was the same class we did our "I Am From" poems. It was a pretty tight-knit class... and October 5th is a day I won't soon forget. It was great seeing Bernadette, Amanda and Kat again. Bernadette told us what a great class we were... how those close connections are too far and few in-between. Said over the summer she had a totally dead class. Somehow, our class clicked and had great conversations every Monday night that we had that class. I kind of miss that class. In fact, the Monday night class I'm taking right now, the first night I walked in I almost expected to see Bernadette, Kat, Amanda and others there. I didn't, of course, but I did see a few faces from that class
Ahhh, good times indeed
The very next Friday, October 12th, I had my 3rd 'resurrection' of sorts. My old acting buddy Jen was once again headlining another University play, so me and my ole acting buddy Scott came out to support and cheer her ass on. We were the ushers for the event, so we got in for free. The director of the play was Laura Smith, my old acting professor from, God, 2001 and 2002. We hadn't seen each other since 2005 or so. I came to the theatre 45 minutes before show time and entered her office. She printed out a page that read "RESERVED FOR STEVE" so I could stick the note on any seat in the house I wanted. It felt good seeing Laura Smith again. Seems like yesterday she was pontificating about the tragedy that was 9/11! (Coach Butler and 9/11)
Jen performed awesome, as usual, and as the actors took their bows I saw her grinning at me and Scott. After the show, her BF Dan (all of these guys are fromPlayback) greeted us and we waited for Jen to change out of costume. We met in the hallway, took pictures and went out for a late dinner and drinks. It felt like ole times, lemme tell ya
Yep, pretty interesting several weeks it's been for me, with 'reunions' coming out of the ear! Eerily (yet pleasantly) reminiscent of Resurrection with the 3 "comebacks" motif
I hope y'all keeping busy and good too. Have a killer Halloween and I'll catch ya on the flipside
5th Blog 8.26.07 Sunday 11:45 PM
This past week I resumed my scholarly duties. It's gonna be one crazy, exciting semester. I enjoyed the summer, but it's nice getting back into the school grind
Barry Bonds. Congratulations to the new Home Run king. I'm not gonna delve into steroids. As a baseball fan it was a great moment. I saw it live (on the tube anyhow) and it's a sport moment I shall always remember. Congratulations #25. Your record will stand until A-Rod shatters it with 800+ (barring injury)
On August 5, at 7:23 PM I snapped this shot here. I love this weather! It reminded me dearly of Halloween, which is now just around the corner (sorta). Speaking of Halloween I cannot wait for the remake! I'm taking my cousin David and family friend Mike (yes, the same two from BUON COMPLEANNO!) to see it opening night. I haven't been this amped up for a film since I can recall. And then, you have the "big four" coming up... Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. I just love this time of the year. It's a great time to be alive, play games and chill with your loved ones
Speaking of movies, I've seen too many this past summer, either on DVD or the big screen. Here's a quick rundown, dating back to mid-May 2007, in no particular order:
Transformers: Great action. More Starscream needed, though
Disturbia: A ripoff of Hitchcock's classic Rear Window, but I really liked it a lot. For a PG-13 thriller it really delivered the goods. Sarah Roemer was SCORCHIN' HOT! Line of the movie: "Operation stupid is officially over!"
The Simpsons Movie: "Pretty good" (to a certain extent). Not enough face time for the secondary characters for my liking...
Live Free or Die Hard: Yes, I will rock to this. As a fan of the original, this is a great addition to the franchise. But why is Ryan Seacrest the bad guy??
TMNT: Nice. Rainy rooftop battle = WIN. For the fans. TURTLE POWAH!
Shrek the Third: Eh, it was alright
Ratatouille: Bizarre, and brilliant
Spider-Man 3: Good, but not classic. Kinda what I expected
Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer: It was popcorn fun. Alba = WIN
Knocked Up: Loved it. Funny as hell and just loads of fun
Superbad: I prefer Knocked Up. Good, but slightly overrated IMHO
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry: Kevin James fan here. Good comedy
Rush Hour 3: Wow. A total piece of shit =/
Geez, it was a movie summer for me all right....
Special thanks once again to my long time Saturn compadre Kent for supplying me with Saturn shots. November 2002 I won his copy of the very obscure (at the time) Nekketsu Oyako on eBay. That's nearly 5 years ago! We're a bunch of "old internet farts" yes, yes. I look back in amazement somewhat. Many posters I recall from that era no longer check in... yet here Kent and I are. Trucking on... like two undying spirits. Hmmm, come to think of it, I'm not so sure that's anything to be proud or happy about... Kent and I also had our Sega Saturn Magazine ties (and run-in's) during that famed year of 2003. He's a good bloke all in all, and any time he takes out to help me with Saturn pictures is most appreciated
This past weekend I ran 5 miles again. I've maintained my workout routine, even with school back. Can you run 5 miles in 50 minutes? You'd have to average 10 minutes per mile to do so. That's my time: 5 miles in 50 minutes. It's great for the heart. I encourage everyone to make the effort. Start slow, one mile with 15 minutes or under as your goal. Then gradually build yourself up. I gotta do this while the knees are still good, ya know? "That whiskey's hard on them ole kidneys," as an old friend once said
Til next time. Be healthy. Be good
4th Blog 7.14.07 Saturday 3:15 PM
Hey y'all hope everyone's doing well and enjoying their summer. I haven't written anything in this journal here (not since early May) but what could have constituted as journal material were instead developed into full-fledged Miscellaneous pieces (Playback II andSpring FEVER)
Don't really have much to say (Do I ever? Don't answer that!) other than you might have noticed a new banner. Just to extrapolate I have no intentions of removing Saturn coverage off RVG, but even when I started this site it was abundantly clear to me where my focus would lie. So, I felt a new banner was needed to accentuate my primary vision: Commemorating the SNES
And I hope you're enjoying the reviews. Hey, I'm just a regular guy who grew up loving NES, Genesis and especially Super NES. I fell out of gaming a little bit as 16-bit died off and was rejuvenated with the Saturn in 2001 (technically '99, though I didn't become a diehard til '01). The Saturn was my lover (it can get dirtier) until December 2005. January 17, 2006 I re-discovered what was my number one love all along in the Super NES
My latest review is Sky Blazer. I didn't quite dig it like how some others have. But Demon's Crest, now there's a sick game! Demon's Crest marked my 100th SNES acquisition, which according to my count, took less than 3 weeks! Indeed, I was buying and snatching up SNES titles in the early part of 2006 like there was no tomorrow!
Both are good, but DC is great. Not one to be missed, folks. Trust me on this one
Recently, Matt from PRESSTHEBUTTONS.com absolutely made my day. The actual piece can be read here:
June 22, 2007 The Obscure World Of Super Famicom Redux
Last September I directed your attention to Steve and his wondrous forum thread of Super Famicom obscurities. As often happens with these sorts of things, the forum thread became such a laborious exercise that Steve pulled the plug on new updates and instead channeled his energies into a website packed full of obscure Super Famicom and Sega Saturn curiosities. Thrill to all new reviews of games such as The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes, Super Back to the Future II, Iron Commando, and Lode Runner Twin!
An excerpt from Steve's LETHAL FOES write-up:
Most people know that four Spider-Man games, specifically starring the webbed wonder, were made for the SNES. What few know, however, is this Super Famicom exclusive! The game is a side-scrolling action title featuring nine (short) levels. Because he can cling to any wall he touches, Spider-Man feels a bit sticky. Each button is put to use. The web attack is very small and there seems to be an odd delay. This is especially discernible when shooting in mid-air. Still, the web has its moments. Just don't ever use it during boss battles -- it's way too slow leaving poor Spidey ripe for the pickings. The bosses also have a sixth sense regarding the web shooter. Before he can barely raise his wrist, they're on him like white on rice.
Aside from the rarities, Steve is also reviewing the average run-of-the-mill games of the Super NES library. Super Metroid, Aladdin, and Rocky Rodent are among the games given a second (or, in some cases, first) look. Everything is written with a tongue-in-cheek style, meaning that in addition to learning something, you'll also be entertained, and really, isn't that what the Internet is really all about?
-------
No wonder I noticed a spike in site hits that weekend, lol. Seriously, I was deeply honored by Matt's appraisal. Most of us webmasters, I don't think, get into this site nonsense for the glory but rather to simply share a passion we have with the rest of the (gaming) world. But of course, genuine accolades from peers and random strangers are always deeply appreciated =)
And if you're reading this right now, then you are one of those people I'm doing this for
Recently, a guy by the name of DoraboChan had this to say to me
Thanks for the website. Been looking for something like this for a while
Simple though it was, it made my day. Some of my site-owning friends (Mark AKA Yakumo, Kent "Don't call me Brockman" Rittenhouse, etc.) have had their great sites "immortalized" in print mags like RETRO GAMER. That's mighty impressive. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if such similar "mainstream success" were to hit my humble efforts some day, but I'm not here for the glory. I'm just here to lionize the SNES in the way I wish to see it commemorated
This past weekend July 7, 2007 (the luckiest day of the century some say) I celebrated six months since I launched this baby. I recall in October being urged by friends and peers, but disregarding the idea. Then November and December came along and I finally caved in. I'm really glad I did, and grateful of those who pushed me on. I've had a lot of fun sharing my gaming passions these past six months with "the cyberspace audience." If all goes well, here's to many more
Speaking of which, later this Fall I look to be pretty busy. So I may not update as often as I like come September or so, maybe once every two weeks, who knows. But no matter how busy my schedule becomes I'll maintain myself to the same standards. Who really knows what the future holds, with career, family, etc. But I'll try to keep this gaming dream alive as long as I possibly can. To everyone who has signed the guestbook, sent me an email or even promoted my site somehow... thank you very much. I appreciate the kind words and the word-of-mouth
On a final note, last Saturday I met my goal of running 4 miles non-stop. Later today I'll look to run 5, if my knees will cooperate with me! Enjoy the rest of your summer. Til next time, amigo's -- peace
EDIT: 8:25 PM... I did it! 5 miles non-stop baby. First guy on the track, and last to leave. Nothing beats that lemme tell ya!
3rd Blog 5.4.07 Friday 2:58 PM
Once again it's been a little over a month since I last wrote in this here journal. Well, as I type this up I just finished wrapping up my review of Zelda: Link to the Past. It took me 19 days to beat, from 2.20.07 to March 11. It was the perfect game to follow up Super Metroid, as these were two key titles at the top of my "must play and must beat" list when I got back into the SNES swing 1.17.06
The Super Nintendo is an amazing system as we all know, but damn I'm finally going through so many classics I missed back in the day -- this has been some gaming resurrection for yours truly. The SNES is my favorite system of all time. So many great games, and really, countless games that are PLAYABLE which you could just as easily waste a weekend on. It boggles the mind
I want to give a shout out to my man Mark (better known to gamers on the net as YAKUMO) who runs Segagaga and Retro Core. He recently retired Retro Core because of bigger life priorities (i.e. he recently had a son). Mark was a key figure in inspiring me to create this website and I've followed his Saturn section since 2003. His site is a classic among the greatest gaming sites, and I can only hope the same can be said about my site a few years from now
School's been going well. I polished off 3 group projects this past week, one a paper and the other two a group presentation. I had so much fun and in one we were able to act, to which I did my thing and afterwards my classmates came over to tell me "Steve are you an actor?!" I said nothing, smiling. Then they said "Well if not then you sure are now!"
It really felt great to be up there and put on an act again. Reminds me how much I missed it. Actually this Saturday night (that be tomorrow!) me, Scott, Jen and Dan are going to be catching a play together. See Playback for more on my acting adventures and my relationship with Scott, Jen and Dan
I've kept up my workout routine since last blog. Still going. Every night baby. My mile times have improved each week. You just have to make the time and effort
Summer is around the bend! Right now I'm trying to finish the semester strong and concentrate on FINALS and all that jazz. So yeah, life's been pretty good to me. A prayer to those who perished and the families involved in the VTech tragedy. Be good, y'all. Until June...
2nd Blog 3.27.07 Tuesday 12:55 PM
Been a little over a month since I last blogged. It's been a good month. First, let me talk about some site changes (yet again)
WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S OUT
Virtua Writer was canned for various reasons. Contact was added in its place, which I probably should have had in Virtua Writer's place all along. A banner for the site was added on 3/16
Also on 3/16, I added a picture of Mr. Borat in the Q&A. "Nice!" LOL
Speaking of which, I just put up a LINKS section (finally)
SPRING BREAK
Ah, I'm basking in its glory as we speak. Whole week off. To relax. To work on the site a bit more than per usual. To catch up on some readings. To play more SNES games. To catch up with new and old friends. Good times
HEALTH, MAN!
I've been working out a bit more lately and am totally committed this time to living a more healthy lifestyle. I started running again. Every Saturday I head to the track and run a mile. Time it as a way of charting my progress. Last weekend saw the first mile I ran since, God, 2004
Lately I've been more health-conscious, and driven to lead a healthier lifestyle. In addition to my weekend mile runs, I work out 4 times a week, 40 minutes each session. I'm not gonna preach, but we all know how important it is to lead an active life. But while we all know it, few of us follow through
The key is to set up a routine and always be at peace with wherever you are. I can say honestly, it's been a while since I felt this good about my health
The benefits of a consistent program of diet and exercise are many. Improved cardiac output, improved maximum oxygen intake, and improvement of the blood's ability to carry oxygen are just a few of the benefits. Exercise also lowers the risk of heart disease by strengthening the heart muscle, lowering pulse and blood pressure, and lowering the concentration of fat in both the body and the blood. It can also improve appearance, increase range of motion and lessen the risk of back problems associated with weak bones and osteoperosis
[Sheesh... so much for not preaching -Ed.]
REIGN OVER ME
Caught this flick with one of my best college buds this past weekend. Damn, there are too many movies out that I want to see (The Hills Have Eyes 2, Dead Silence, TMNT) but we decided to see this one. It's worth seeing. I really enjoyed it, though some moments felt a little forced
MORE CLASSICS ON THE WAY
I've beaten a few of the BIG BOYS recently, so more reviews for the higher profile games are coming soon. As I said before, I want to represent a voice for as many SNES games as I can, not just the lesser known ones. Just because a game is well known and been talked to death, doesn't mean I won't throw my own slant on it. I'm having an absolute blast playing these classics (some for the 1st time EVER). Be on the lookout...
MORE OBSCURE SFC IMPRESSIONS TOO...
I've focused mainly on SNES reviews the past two months or so, and I know I recently did Kirby no Kira Kira Kids, but that was a very brief take. I really haven't done a full-blown SFC piece since January 11's Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes! That is set to change, with two old-school 2006-esque SFC obscure pieces -- coming soon!
A CLOSING THOUGHT
All in all, life's been swell. Busy with school work, updating the site when I can, working out, etc... so 'til next time, have a good one y'all
Opening Blog 2.21.07 Wednesday 3:45 AM
What up my fellow retro game fanatics. I'm throwing this sucker up as a way to blog on randomness that doesn't fit anywhere else on the site, or too small to warrant an individual piece/article. Hell, some nights I just love to ramble on about random little things...
STATE OF ADDRESS[Dramatic bastard -Ed.]
Hard to believe this site's been up for almost two months now. Time flies. Updates came rather frequently in the beginning, but now I'm starting to slow down, as
My school load piles on
and
My old material is close to all being transferred over
A direct correlation, you see. I still got a bunch of Saturn reviews to update and bring over, but my obscure SFC impressions are almost complete. I still have a box full of obscure SFC titles to touch on, but right now I'm making a conscious effort to work on US SNES reviews. I own over 400 US SNES games, and eventually, I'd like to have over 100, if not 200 and maybe 300 reviews posted. We'll see as the months/years go on. Life can change, but I intend on having a ton of SNES reviews up eventually. Back in the day I was a huge fan of Dave Z's Sega Saturn page. It was jam packed with reviews -- you could waste a good hour on that site at a time
When I created RVGFANATIC, one of my goals was to change the SNES review scene as there really isn't one (in the vain of Dave Z's old Saturn page). I want to recreate that magic, but for the Super Nintendo. It's a huge shocker there isn't a site out there with hundreds of solid, lengthy SNES reviews. The Super Nintendo is so beloved and popular (to this day even) that you figured some one would have done it by now
RVGFANATIC aims to recreate the magic of Dave's defunct domain. I'm shooting to fill in that void. So far, most of my reviews are for lesser known games (e.g. Fievel Goes West), but it will range from Super Metroid to Lester the Unlikely
But to close out on my school load and whatnot, expect updates now maybe 3, 4 times a week (if not once or twice in the near future) rather than 5, 6 times a week. As new material is needed and the semester wears on, updates will naturally decline
WHAT'S HAPPENIN'?
We've all seen it: a new site is launched and gets off to a blazin' start, then suddenly after a couple months or even a year, updates stop or become highly infrequent, whatever the reasons. I vow to do my best to avoid that. I want RVGFANATIC to always be happenin'... have at least something updated each week... it's a long-term project, but with so many games to touch on and how passionate I am toward these things... so far so good
SCHOOL IS COOL
Grad school is ace so far. Got a couple girl friends in my classes which makes it a lot more fun. But I better not fall behind. It's going to be demanding and I better stay on top of my game. What I like is that I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel...
Last night I was walking to the parking lot with a new colleague. She's great. It's always cool to make new connections and friends
Speaking of "real world related matters"...
I read a thought-provoking post earlier tonight
You suggest that anybody who plays videogames is anti-social, unintelligent, lazy and a waste of life... totally incapable of living a meaningful life. You claim they have no skills and are ignorant to the outside world. That's too harsh. That's unfair. And it's not true.
It's true that there are some gamers out there who I don't enjoy talking to... and it's true about spending fortunes on gaming systems for status... but it's ALSO true that it's just entertainment. It's media. Getting obsessive and living your entire life for it is meaningless and a waste of time... of course it is... but writing about it and insulting those gamers is the same thing. You see?
I like this post so much, I wanted to put it up here. I love games, ever since I was a kid, but we all must remember, there's definitely more to life. After all, I always say: the best time to play a video game is after a long and productive day. Other than a stormy crazy winter's night of course
SATURN COMEBACK
Just posted SSM Top 50 Part 1. I'm making a conscious effort, in addition to the SNES reviews, to start piling some Saturn stuff on this site. Speaking of such, Super Play did a top 100, and I'll eventually post that. I one day (2008 or '09) have plans to do my OWN top 50 (or 100) SNES list. I intended to do one for Saturn, but never did. Maybe I'll do one for it as well...
This past weekend me and 3 pals busted out my Saturn, a multi-tap and three extra controllers. It was my first EXTENSIVE Saturn play through since December 2005 (yes, FIVE!)
We played, one after the other:
Saturn Bomberman Great fun. This game will never get boring. We played 2 vs. 2, then 4 vs. 6, which the CPU team owned us, badly
Keriotosse! First time playing this with other people. Wow, the flaws came through the surface. When two HUMAN players are remaining, it just drags on and on (since there's no time limit!) Me and my friend were waiting for 2, 3 minutes at a time on several occasions after we were the 1st two to be eliminated. My other friend jumped around a lot and it's hard to kick that last person off. It's still a nice game, but today it went down a point or 2 in my book. Strange -- it's actually more fun to play against 3 CPU's than 3 friends...
Tennis Arena Great fun with 4. Not the best control but good clean simple fun. We won 11-9, lol
Puzzle Fighter Meh. Man, dunno what happened, but I used to love this game. Today, I just wasn't feeling it. Back in the day this was my 2nd favorite Saturn game
Saturn Bomberman Fight!! Like Keriotosse! this too was my 1st 4-player human experience with it. It too has some flaws I didn't notice with the computers before. I was a huge fan of this game a couple years ago. I still like it, but we all agreed it was a bit boring and after playing the 2D original king, SBF!! just didn't cut it for us
When they left, I fired up some World Heroes Perfect. What a marathon
FIRST PERFECT SCORE?
I finally played Super Metroid two weeks ago. About damn time huh? I beat it as well. A review in the coming weeks or so. Will it be the 1st game to score a flawless victory? Wait and see....
My cousin David turned
"Lemme tell you guys a story. Several years ago
And speaking of girl friends who are taken, recently a girl friend of mine invited me to join her and her GFs for a Bryan Adams concert. She's a cutie pie. Her BF had something come up in the morning so she called me to offer a free ticket. It was cool hearing "Heaven" and the classic "Summer of '69" (
As mentioned in last journal's entry, Liz was coming down in May. So much for the 5 year plan!
April 15, 2008, Rob (author of Memoirs
It was so random and crazy that just one day after the four year anniversary, I saw Andy again for the first time since. I think the topic came up sometime in that first overtime, before Tim Duncan hit the clutch 3-pointer that sent the game into Double-OT. We really probably shouldn't be alive right now, but thanks to the good graces from above, we somehow managed to luckily start Andy's car, kick it in reverse and floor the HELL OUTTA THERE at 100 miles per hour... zipping down the twisting mountain road in that bitter and cold, remorseless night 
Arriving in Shanghai, he meets Micki (Kelly Hu). It's a film about letting go, believing, self-identity and roots
Received the latest EGM issue (April 2008, #227) yesterday. They changed their traditional 0-10 rating system they have used for well over 15 years! Now they are using the A+ through F system. Come to think of it, it just might be their April Fools joke. We'll see. At any rate, they changed because it's less ambiguous. C is average in any book, whereas some folks perceive a 5/10 to be average, while others think 7/10 (in their minds, 70%, or a C-) to be average. Keep in mind, this is despite the fact that EGM makes it clear that for their rating scale a 5.0 is AVERAGE. Go figure. Ratings of any kind have long been a topic of discussion among gamers. Some folks can get really worked up over it
It was pretty strange yet fascinating being there. It felt like a moment out of Freedom Writers. This was the same class we did our "I Am From" poems. It was a pretty tight-knit class... and October 5th is a day I won't soon forget. It was great seeing Bernadette, Amanda and Kat again. Bernadette told us what a great class we were... how those close connections are too far and few in-between. Said over the summer she had a totally dead class. Somehow, our class clicked and had great conversations every Monday night that we had that class. I kind of miss that class. In fact, the Monday night class I'm taking right now, the first night I walked in I almost expected to see Bernadette, Kat, Amanda and others there. I didn't, of course, but I did see a few faces from that class
The very next Friday, October 12th, I had my 3rd 'resurrection' of sorts. My old acting buddy Jen was once again headlining another University play, so me and my ole acting buddy Scott came out to support and cheer her ass on. We were the ushers for the event, so we got in for free. The director of the play was Laura Smith, my old acting professor from, God, 2001 and 2002. We hadn't seen each other since 2005 or so. I came to the theatre 45 minutes before show time and entered her office. She printed out a page that read "RESERVED FOR STEVE" so I could stick the note on any seat in the house I wanted. It felt good seeing Laura Smith again. Seems like yesterday she was pontificating about the tragedy that was 9/11! (
On August 5, at 7:23 PM I snapped this shot here. I love this weather! It reminded me dearly of Halloween, which is now just around the corner (sorta). Speaking of Halloween I cannot wait for the remake! I'm taking my cousin David and family friend Mike (yes, the same two from 