Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Get out your quarters kids, we're going to the arcade!

Hey everyone, give a listen to our newest podcast episode featuring returning special guests Putin/Zombie Bear and Roxy! Some of us discuss our love of the arcade experience while others explain that it may have a smelly and dirty quality.

We run through a top ten list of the best arcade games: http://leviathyn.com/blog/2012/08/07/top-ten-arcade-games-of-all-time/

We also tell a story about a big mistake EA made with the newest Madden game, Madden 2013: http://nymag.com/daily/sports/2012/08/this-giant-is-very-disappointed-in-madden-2013.html

And finally, Raven goes over some news about Warcraft in Iran: http://money.cnn.com/2012/08/29/technology/iran-world-of-warcraft/

Check us out on iTunes! http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Thanks for listening!

Fantasy Football 2012! Fantasy NFL Draft!

Hey, I don't know how many of you who read this blog or listen to the podcast participate in Fantasy Football. If Fantasy Football isn't your thing, feel free to just skip this post. In my opinion, it is a really fun activity that makes football more enjoyable and interesting.

For those who don't know, people have Fantasy Football leagues where everyone chooses players in a draft. You pick players of different positions and choose which players you would like to start every week. Your team receives a score based on the performance of all the players you start. Of course, it is more complicated than that. There are injuries, waivers, trades, bye weeks, and various other important factors that must be considered, but the overall game is based on how well your players perform each week.

So, here's my team:

Starters:

QB Matt Ryan
RB Arian Foster
RB Darren Sproles
WR Andre Johnson
WR Reggie Wayne
WR Nate Washington
TE Vernon Davis
DEF 49 ers Defense
K Dan Carpenter

Reserves:

QB Andrew Luck
RB Peyton Hillis
WR Denarius Moore
WR Santana Moss
DEF Chargers Defense

I'm happy with the way the draft turned out for the most part. I ran into something stupid this time that I ran into last time. If you go over your time in the draft, it gets set to auto draft, which I absolutely hate. Last time, I thought there must have been some kind of glitch, but this time I realized that there must be some setting to prevent people from having to sit around if someone isn't really present at the live draft. That fact earned me a kicker before the last round.




Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Nintendo- get it together! Podcast episode

On this episode, Cyrus and Raven discuss the various mistakes that Nintendo has made over the years. Don't get us wrong; there are many, many wonderful innovations that Nintendo has engineered. It is difficult not to love Nintendo as a creative force and an endless source of nostalgia. Unfortunately, there are also a number of blunders that just don't make sense!

Also, it is unfortunate that the recording of this episode took place during the wee hours of the morning.

Listen to us and review us on itunes! http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Monday, August 27, 2012

Better late than never: Camelot - King of iPhone Games!

Although we made the podcast last Thursday, things have been busy and there hasn't been much time to post this. This is why you have to subscribe; you can keep up with the show without any help!

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by wonderful guests PutinBear and Rockpaperss aka Roxy. We discuss many things Camelot, including purchasing gems, overall strategy, and the Marvels alliance. Roxy, PutinBear, and Cyrus attempt to cajole Raven into playing Portal 2. There's also an iPhone review and some sad news regarding a Nintendo fixture.

PutinBear earns this episode an explicit rating with his dropping of the s-word, but we'll give him a pass this time.
 


Avenue Q at The New World Stages

Avenue Q is a really amazing show that's worth seeing. After running on Broadway for years, it is now off-Broadway, but this shouldn't deter you from seeing it. Avenue Q is a production consisting mainly of puppets (which may deter some from seeing it), effectively mimicking Sesame Street. The puppets are very well-made; it is easy to imagine nearly every character onstage interacting with Elmo or Big Bird, as the puppets are of high quality and well-animated.

The plot of Avenue Q is where the show really shines. Initially, I wasn't too thrilled with where I thought the storyline was going, but I was completely wrong and found myself extremely impressed by the end of the play. This is a show that has many shock value moments, but there are many lessons that are dealt out effectively without sounding preachy. Avenue Q discusses sex, racism, homosexuality, responsibility, homelessness, poverty, relationships/monogamy, enjoying the misfortune of others, charity, and ambition. Much like how the show Sesame Street would sneak in lessons to children, Avenue Q sneaks in lessons to adults.

I don't want to spoil any of the plot, but I will mention that a large part of the story revolves around a puppet named Princeton who graduates from college and enters the real world. He gets an apartment on Avenue Q because it is the only place he can afford. Now that he's on his own, he learns what adulthood means. The show really does this in a brilliant way, and if not for all the shocking moments throughout the production, Avenue Q could be required watching for anyone 15 and up. Although the show is an extreme parody, the realism of what life really is can be seen throughout the play.

There is a lesson that you may have to work a job that isn't so great or live in a place that isn't so nice, but these things are temporary. Most people have to put work in and will have to start from the bottom. There's nothing wrong with having a dream, but it's more important to be self-sufficient, even if it means working as a temp or at Barnes and Noble. There are a lot of really great people who have low income, low status jobs, and it doesn't necessarily mean that they lack ambition or intelligence. This is easily the most important theme of the show, and it is a theme that isn't tackled often enough.

This isn't a production for everyone. Although I was expecting a PG-13 experience, this is a very R rated show. Puppets swear often, they have sex, and they get drunk right before your very eyes. This is not a family show in the slightest. Also, Avenue Q can be considered a musical because of the number of songs throughout the play, but the overwhelming number of songs are so humorous and fun that you won't care. Unlike most musicals, you aren't paying attention to the vocal range of the players, instead you're watching a cast of puppets wildly gesture about as they sing about something you wouldn't expect to hear from a cute little puppet man/lady/monster.

I will make a brief mention of the fact that Gary Coleman (the super of the apartment complex) is a role in the play, actually played by a woman in the production I watched. His character isn't really like the person he appeared to be on television interviews; he's an outgoing, fun character who is probably the most intelligent out of everyone and he loves to dance provocatively and curse. The character only exists as an example of someone falling from grace and now living under less attractive circumstances. I have mixed feelings about this, partially because he is now dead, but also because I feel like his relevance is disappearing to the point where some of the jokes will be lost on people who aren't familiar with him. The crowd watching this play skews much younger, so if this play runs for a few more years, I imagine some editing will have to take place. Since his death. Gary Coleman hasn't been as "popular" as he had been in the past, and I doubt this trend is likely to change.

There are so many things that I really liked about Avenue Q. Theatre isn't really considered to be a cool thing for the under 50 crowd, which is a real shame because many of the people who would enjoy this show the most will never see it, let alone know that it exists. There have been so many television shows, movies, and video games that have taken something deceptively childlike and turned it into something mature. South Park and Family Guy are massive shows with millions of fans who would love this, but for some reason most people are so close minded regarding plays that it's almost like a secret world. If you ever have the chance to, go out and watch Avenue Q!



Monday, August 20, 2012

Kinect as a Workout and Super Famicom!



Raven reviews a few demos from the XBOX 360 Live Arcade that are exercise games using the Kinect.  Cyrus talks about his recent purchase of a Super Famicom, the Japanese Super Nintendo, and the games he bought for it.  Cyrus needs to get on his Japanese lessons. 

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Video Games on CNN and Mario Cosplay



On this episode, our heroes catch up on some video game news including an interesting series on CNN called Gaming Reality http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/08/tech/gaming.series/index.html
and specifically about competitive video game play in South Korea where you can make all kinds of mad money http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/08/tech/gaming.series/korea.html .  


Cyrus gives us and update about his recent Sega system obsession, and we close it out with a little talk about Penelope Cruz as Mario - so cute!


 or find us on itunes and give review us a review! http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Game reviews & buying games at launch

It is really, really rare for me to go out and buy a new game at launch these days. For me to buy a game on the very first day it hits stores, it just has to be something really special. New games retail for $60 in addition to tax, so it is a pretty hefty financial risk. After a game is no longer new, if it flops, it has a decent chance of going down in price dramatically; sometimes a heavily anticipated game will drop all the way down to $20 or $30 within just a few months. Other games hold their value and stay at a higher price for quite a while, but who knows on day one?

The even trickier part of making the choice is that you generally don't know if the game is going to be good or not. Some games release demos, others don't, and you'll never know if the decision to not release a demo is because a game is terrible or not. Honestly, although I'm still guilty of looking at reviews, I'm finding myself more and more jaded against them. Over the past couple years, the "honesty" of professional game reviews feels like it has declined to a point where I can no longer believe what I'm reading. I'm going to specifically point to IGN.com, who has been quite guilty of this. I don't know if some of the reviews are based on personal vendettas or if they are looking for some shock value, but it only takes a few ridiculous reviews to make me disregard your opinion. Ninja Gaiden 3 was given a 3.0, which is a ridiculous score, even for a game that is mediocre. IGN.com isn't the only guilty party, you can pretty much look across the board. Each site is covered in advertisements, so it is feels like each review is a conflict of interest. I will say that I don't have a problem trusting reviews for mobile games; these feel untainted for the most part, for now (although it is useless to trust the AppStore reviews as many game developers pay people to rate their games highly). 

Another variable that factors into the equation is if a game features multiplayer content online. I feel like I should play Halo 4 from the start because if I wait, I'm going to be playing with people who will totally destroy me. Also, if you're playing a new-ish game that features co-op, if you wait a very long time to get started, you may be there all by your lonesome.

Here are some heavily anticipated games that I purchased at launch:

1. Tekken 4
2. Timesplitters 2
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
5. Halo Reach (was mailed to me at launch, I purchased the others at the store on day one)
6. Disgaea 2, 3& 4
7. GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony on PS3 on disc (I never finished this one for some reason. I think I totally got sidetracked by starting Uncharted at this time).

Here are a few upcoming games that I'm looking forward to and I'm considering buying at launch:

1. Borderlands 2 
2. Halo 4 (already preordered)
3. Resident Evil 6
4. South Park: The Stick of Truth
5. Wii U (it isn't a game, but it is worth mentioning)
6. Grand Theft Auto 5

There are some series that I just love and would likely buy the games at launch automatically. I love FF Tactics, so if another console game was released, I would get it. As you can see, I'll buy any Disgaea game at launch. I'll buy most GTA games at launch.

So there you have it. 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises Review Podcast

Hey, check out our new podcast episode which is dedicated to our review of The Dark Knight Rises. Tune in and listen to a very accurate impression of Tom Hardy's Bane! There are some spoilers in the second half of the episode, but we let you know ahead of time. Please let us know what you thought about the movie!

Here's a link to us on iTunes, please subscribe to the podcast. We appreciate any iTunes ratings and comments!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Why is the Super Famicom controller cord so short??

I found a great deal on a Super Famicom bundle recently. I'll talk a bit more about it either on here or on the podcast or both, but for now, I just wanted to post a picture of the controller cord length. Take a look at how much shorter the Super Famicom's controller cord is compared to the Super Nintendo controller cord.

I have no idea why it is so ridiculously short!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises and IMAX C+

Hey, I finally got around to checking out The Dark Knight Rises! There will be an upcoming review on the podcast, so definitely check that out. I saw the movie in IMAX for a couple different reasons. The first reason is that I know I'm going to watch the movie with other people who are serious about watching the movie without talking or being distracting to others. This isn't foolproof, but it is generally a pretty accurate rule of thumb that IMAX weeds out troublemakers. This reason is what prompts me to watch movies on IMAX more than anything else.

The second reason is that the IMAX picture is a little bit nicer than normal, both in size and clarity of the picture, but not by much. All IMAX screens are not the same; I've had experience with an enormous IMAX screen before and I've also seen the screens that are just a little bit bigger than normal. The funny thing is that they all give a tagline like "THE IMAX EXPERIENCE." Honestly, it doesn't feel like that big of a deal, and I'd go as far as to wager that most people would not even realize a difference from a regular movie screen. It would be nice if IMAX had some sort of rating system where they were forthcoming with the screen size. Maybe the "lesser" IMAX screens could be "Little IMAX" or "IMAX C+" and the great big screens could be just "IMAX?"

JE Funhouse Episode 9: A Two Part Sega Lovefest

This is a two-part episode featuring a great deal of talking about various Sega consoles, including the Genesis, the Master System, and the Sega Saturn. Cyrus and Raven talk about a fun arcade experience and a magical encounter with Big Bertha. This was a fun little stream of consciousness episode done mostly on the fly.

Warning: Cyrus does a great deal of talking this episode. 

Listen to the podcast at:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Monday, August 6, 2012

Infinity Blade 2 on sale for $2.99

Hi all,

Just a heads up that Infinity Blade 2 is currently on the App Store for only $2.99, which is a hefty deal. I don't know how long the deal will last (it could last forever), but you should probably capitalize on it if you enjoy playing iPhone games even in the slightest.

I will admit that I have not yet played the second game, but from everything I've read, I've gleaned that it is far superior to the original. The original Infinity Blade was the prettiest game on the iPhone at the time, and this one looks even better. Infinity Blade has a fairly flimsy story where you are a knight of some sort out to avenge his father, but the gameplay is where the game truly shines. The game is a series of sword/axe battles where you face off against a variety of opponents, each with a different style. There are some decent RPG elements where your character is upgradeable and it is possible to deck him out with different weapons and armor. Controlling the game is fairly simple as you'll find yourself doing all kinds of cool things just by flicking your finger across the screen. It is definitely an easy game to just pick up and play if you have a little free moment or if you have a great big free moment.

The second game is supposed to feature a longer campaign with deeper combat. I've just purchased it myself and I'll provide a review either on the podcast or on this blog.

Check it out!





Friday, August 3, 2012

JE Funhouse Ep 8 - Zombies Always Be Catching on Fire and Junk

Cyrus and Raven bring us their review of the XBOX 360 Live Arcade game All Zombies Must Die.  Raven details a cool bar she found while traveling in Tulsa that specializes in awesome stuff from our childhoods including old school arcade games.  Cyrus is playing some NES game, as usual.  And the gruesome twosome talk about what they're currently playing together - Secret of Mana!  Finally, a little discussion on the EA Madden settlement, and our hosts want to get in on the money!

news/home/20120720005998/en/

Hagens-Berman-27-Million-
Settlement-Announced-EA