Hi, I'm Dranzerstorm
Welcome to the Video Game & Music Lounge
This world is dedicated to Video Games and Music as I'll be showcasing the following.
Video Game Reviews set to the same tones as Retro Retrospective's Anime Reviews
Music reviews of Anime Openings & Closings
Western Cartoon music
Vocaloid Classics.
We may even have some Top Tens
I hope this World entertains you.
On to round 2, the 80s round.
1. What is DigDug's real name?
Taizo Hori
2. Name the game from the Screenshot
Galaga
3. What is the name of the 80s cult film held accountable for the 1983 Video Game Crash?
ET: The Extra Terrestrial
4. Who previously held the Donkey Kong world record before being stripped of the title for cheating?
Billy Mitchell, he didn't use an original Donkey Kong Arcade Cabinet
5. What is the name of the organization responsible for classic video game world records?
Twin Galaxies
6. Pac-man was supposed to be called Puck-man, True or False?
True, and for the reasons you are thinking
7. When was the Game and Watch series first released?
1980
8. What is the name of the lead character in Kid Icarus?
Pit
9. Which renowned animator created Dragon's Lair?
Don Bluth
10. Space Invaders has difficulty levels, True or False?
False, when you kill the enemy the game sped up because it had less pixels to move
Tie Breaker: What year was Nintendo founded?
1889 originally as a developer of Hanafuda cards
Something I do in real life is hosting quizzes, so I would like to present some quiz rounds for you, ten on each category, try to answer them without cheating.
Round 1: Racing Games
1. Notorious Forza AI Driver M.Rossi is male, True or False?
False, Revealed as Female as of Forza 7
2. Which Virtua Fighter appears as a statue in Daytona USA?
Jeffrey McWild, by pressing special you can make it break dance
3. Name the game from the Screenshot
Wipeout 2097
4. The arcade port of Mario Kart is made possible by Namco, Nintendo and Sega joint developed arcade system, by what name is this system called?
Triforce, like the relic in Legend of Zelda
5. Who is the final boss of Diddy Kong Racing?
Wizpig
6. What year was the first Need for Speed game released?
1994
7. Which real life racing driver joined Sonic and Allstars Racing?
Danica Patrick
8. Who is the DJ called in Burnout Paradise?
DJ Atomika who also appears in SSX
9. Who fishes you out of trouble in Mario Kart?
Lakitu who fishes you literally, also implied to be the cameraman
10. 80s racer Pole Position had a cartoon, True or False?
True, although it has very little relation to the game
Tie Breaker: In Square Miles, Approximately how big is Fuel's game world?
14,400 Square Kilometres, about the size of Connecticut
Sakura Wars is back! Let's celebrate with a top ten. This doesn't include the newly released game in an effort to avoid spoilers.
10. Ikki Yoneda
I never said they had to be mech pilots. Ikki acts as the main commander having served in the last war and becomes a good surrogate Dad to Sakura when she struggles to fit in with the Troupe. He's also a happy drunk.
9. Kanna Kirishima
There are very few pure female fighter types and Kanna is by far the best example of this, her voice is also Monkey D Luffy who acts as a better Luffy than the actual Luffy.
8. Iris Chateaubriand
I'm normally put off by pint sized brats but she manages to make herself endearing enough to avoid being annoying, also her older form is one of the most beautiful looking anime characters ever drawn.
7. Maria Tachibana
A complex character with a number of quirks that makes her more than just the stoic one. You can probably do one OVA on her past alone.
6. Gemini Sunrise
The American Troupe was a low point but Gemini was the standout success being the perfect fusion of Japanese and American culture in her design without being a stereotype.
5. Ichiro Ohgami
You can call him a harem protagonist all you want but he's actually one of the best ones actually putting his job before his romance and lewd acts.
4. Lobelia Carlini
The only character you can easily call a reformed villain but what makes her special is her presence and how she was recruited for the Paris Troupe, pure Bad Ass.
3. Sakura Shinguji
She's the very embodiment of the name Sakura, wholesome, polite, never gives up and full of unique quirks with an iconic design. Also very likely now a villain.
2. Sumire Kanzaki
Without her we have no Sakura Wars, a top ranking star and Ojou-Sama and the biggest key player in all the events of the franchise from the creation of the Koubu to her retirement which actually canonically brought her back into the new game to kick start the new events.
1. Erica Fontaine
But I go with my heart on this one, she's best waifu by virtue of being really adorable, I would love a Good Morning Dance from Erica.
To survive the Video Game market, you need to be the likes of Mario, Sonic, Halo and so on but not everyone can make it, however through sheer tenacity despite not really being mainstream, some still survive against all odds, these ten franchises prove it.
Some ground rules first, the franchise must have a game released on a current generation console or plan to release a game on one in the next year.
Has to have been released in the west.
Also no reboots or compilation packs or spiritual successors.
This list is in order of franchise age.
10. Shantae-2002
The youngest entry on this list, Shantae started on the Gameboy Colour but shot to better acclaim on future consoles in Nintendo evolving perfectly from it's early 2000 era to it's spunky anime design now.
9. Dynasty Warriors-1997
You could argue that Romance of the Three Kingdoms game is older and they'd be right but I've no proof that any of that franchise made it to the west meanwhile Dynasty Warriors hack n slash effort shows no sign of stopping, still bringing the camp.
8. Sakura Wars-1996
Assumed lost among Sega's growing pile of ended franchises only to make a surprise comeback this year with a new instalment headed by Bleach artist Tite Kubo. Honourable mentions to Shenmue and Streets of Rage building a mini Sega comeback.
7. Harvest Moon-1996
Assumed dead after Stardew Valley appeared, it's still going along with it's expansions now dubbed the Story of Seasons franchise but still very much Harvest Moon.
6. Soul Calibur-1995
Another series assumed dead especially after number 5's poor showing and for many years falling out of favour in competitive fighting games but comes back with a sixth instalment back to normal and back among it's peers, honourable mention to SNKs fighting franchises.
5. Jikkyo Powerful Pro Baseball-1994
Despite being a Konami title and largely unknown in the west (did get some release in the west) it's actually one of the best selling sports games of all time sitting short of 21 Million sold.
4. Puyo Pop-1991
With Tetris still hanging around as top puzzler and under pressure from mobile games making big cash off a similar style of colour matching puzzles, it comes as a shock when Puyo Pop returned as an Esports ready title.
3. Leisure Suit Larry-1987
I am shocked this franchise is still going, it's the biggest load of trash you'll ever play with each game being rated abysmally low and is about as out of touch with Modern Values as a senile grandparent. Guess sex still sells.
2. Dragon Quest-1986
Quietly keeps going while Final Fantasy gets all the applause and will likely keep going as long as Akira Toriyama is still going.
1. Kunio Kun-1986
I bet you are wondering what Kunio Kun is?
Well to list a few titles in Western form include Renegade, River City Ransom, plenty of old Nintendo sports titles including Super Dodgeball. Kunio Kun can be credited with popularizing the good hearted delinquent type, he already looks like Kuwabara from Yu Yu Hakusho. But more recently the River City Girls game has appeared along with a planned Kunio game for next year. I only knew about this franchise this year and it's the same age as me.
I've now finished the game so I'll share my thoughts.
Released in the last couple of weeks, Sword and Shield takes the Pokemon formula to Galar, a British inspired world.
Pros
Gym Leaders are the best they've been and I enjoy the format
Dynamax is a great mechanic for the game
Wild Area is an inspired creation
Streamlined actions meaning you can heal on the go without being dragged through town
Looks incredible as a spectacle
Just Sonia
Cons
Worst most annoying rival ever
Too many cut scenes
Most routes are short and uninspiring
Lack of trainer battles meaning your only real area to train is the wild area
Lag can be annoying in the Wild Area
Post game is lacking
Just when you want more it's over
Overall
An enigma of sorts, as it delivers high quality gameplay but it's attempts to streamline the experience has left it with far less content.
