Dead Space Artwork 

Part of the reason I maintain an extensive library of video game magazines is to get as complete a history as I can on any given subject. I don’t like loose ends! So when I was recently asked to talk on camera about how the American video game enthusiast media of 1995 felt about Nintendo’s RPG masterpiece, EarthBound, I was happy to be able to pull out what I believe to be every review written. And here they all are, lovingly scanned and restored by me! In order:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (July, 1995) Nintendo Power (June, 1995) Game Players (July, 1995) VideoGames (July, 1995) GameFan (”Viewpoint” capsule reviews) (August, 1995) GameFan (full review) (August, 1995) GamePro (July, 1995)

Next Generation and Electronic Games did not review the game. Game Informer appears to have not, but I don’t have the June or September issues, so I can’t say that with 100% certainty (also, if you have Game Informer issues from 1995-1999, we should talk).  It’s worth noting that Nintendo Power also had a ten-page extended feature that I did not include, as it’s an overview with no criticism as opposed to a review (heck, even the “review” included here barely qualifies)

The biggest takeaway I get, slapping all these magazines on my desk and reading them back-to-back, is just how completely offended the critics were by the game’s art direction. The “infantile graphics” made VIdeoGames’ Geoff Higgins “want to gag,” apparently. EGM’s John Gurka “laughed out loud” when he first saw the game, while GameFan capsule reviewer Skid’s initial impression was “no way! These graphics are just to [sic] fruity.”  Not one reviewer seemed to like the art direction, though some - particularly at GameFan - were able to power through it and enjoy the game underneath.

It’s tempting to look back and roll your eyes at how these critics just didn’t understand, man, just as it’s tempting to look at Nintendo’s “This Game Stinks” marketing campaign as coming from a marketing department that also didn’t understand, man, but I think they both tell us very clearly why this game didn’t catch on: this was a very difficult game to sell in 1995.

Sure, we all basically agree that the game is gorgeous now, but try to put yourself in the mindset of a video game critic in June of 1995, when the game debuted. RPGs were only just catching on in the U.S., ushering in what many felt was the start of “mature” games no longer being exclusively for those rich kids who had computers. Square’s Chrono Trigger was also coming out around the same time, so the sudden switch from the anime-inspired Square house style that most associated with the genre to a look that evoked childlike wonder must have been jarring.

And let’s not forget the rest of the video game industry at the time. Sega’s Saturn and Sony’s PlayStation were already out in Japan (and the former would see a surprise U.S. debut right about when these reviews were written), so for most cutting-edge game enthusiasts, it was starting to look like 2D graphics were a thing of the past. Even Nintendo was starting to leave 2D graphics behind: at that year’s Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January, when EarthBound was quietly shown for the first time, Nintendo’s main focus was on the 3D capabilities of its Super FX chip for the Super Nintendo. Literature from the time shows that its three spotlight games that show all had polygonal 3D graphics: StarFox 2, Comanche, and FX Fighter (literally none of these games actually managed to ship, but that’s another story).

And in the middle of all of this forward-thinking excitement, we’ve got this strange, backward-looking, reflective, beautiful game vying for attention. I can’t imagine a scenario where the game could have been a hit in this environment.

[Aggregating EarthBound’s contemporary review scores gives a figure of about 72%. If this was on Metacritic, that number would be in a yellow box.]

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Taking ‘Dronies’ with Traveler and Drone Photographer @wrenees

To see more from Renee’s travels, follow @wrenees on Instagram.

“The first time I ever saw a drone, I knew that I wanted to have one,” says Renee Lusano (@wrenees), who uses her drone to photograph vast landscapes. “Drones really appeal to me because they’re a fun toy, but also a photographic tool. And as I started to travel more, I thought a drone would be a great way to experience, capture and photograph more on each of my trips.”

A freelance designer based in Los Angeles, Renee takes advantage of her flexible schedule to travel the world, visiting far-flung places like Antarctica, Easter Island and Siberia with her friends (and sometimes with a hot dog costume). “I don’t enjoy having a routine,” she says. “The days and weeks are more memorable when I’m having new experiences.” Renee began creating @dronies — selfies with a drone — that “first show a somewhat mundane photo of myself, and then as the drone flies up, it reveals that I’m in some expansive and incredibly beautiful place. Soon, you don’t even see me — it becomes not about the selfie, but about the scale of the environment I’m in.”

The next great vacation spot!

Sh2-155 in RGBL OIII and Ha by www.moonrocksastro.com on Flickr.

PSA For Those Wanting a Cheap Way to Film From a Real Tripod.

$5 selfie stick from Wal-Mart

With a nifty secret

That screw the bracket goes on is a standard-size tripod mounting screw which means if you have a smart phone… (I’m using the first old one I could pull out of my phone drawer so I can take pictures with my actual phone)

Considering smart phones are often better for low light (due to built in LED lights that trigger when filming in darker conditions) and often better quality than cheap camcorders this is a mighty fine way to make an instant video camera for something like a webshow.

Helps me because I don’t have any lighting solutions to use my real cameras like my digital handy-cams or Rebel T3 right now.

NAP Consumer Electronics Corp, 1981

“Lapka is a collection of small sensors that attach to your iPhone through the headphone jack. They allow you to take measurements and assess the quality and healthiness of your surrounding environment.”

From an animation shown at the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago.

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Compare 2 Tablets: Sony Xperia Tablet Z vs Nexus 10

The Nexus 10 was something of a breakthrough device, bringing with it a high-resolution display as well as a price that’s fairly aggressive. But with Sony finding its stride with mobile design in 2013, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a serious competitor. So which way should you turn if you’re looking for a big screen Android tablet? Take the purity of the Nexus 10 or the pettiness of the Xperia Tablet Z? In short, which is the best tablet for you?

1. Display face-off The display is essentially what a tablet is and the Nexus 10 has a super-sharp 10.1-inch PLS display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600. That’s 300ppi, incredibly sharp for a tablet. The Xperia Tablet Z is also 10.1 inches, but has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. That’s 224ppi, and you’ll notice the difference using these tablets side by side, as the Nexus just looks better. The Sony display is also noticeably warmer. Whites aren’t as bright and clear, looking more yellow. Although this saturation boost colours, the Nexus 10 just looks more realistic.

2. Who’s a lightweight? Sony has poured a lot into the design of the Xperia Tablet Z and it shows. While the Nexus 10 is 8.9mm thick, the Sony tablet struts in at 6.9mm, making it incredibly slender. That’s a real bonus when it comes to carrying the thing in your bag, but not as much as the weight: the Z weighs just 495g, whereas the Nexus is 603g. In the hands, that’s a weight you really feel when watching movies or playing games: the Sony tablet is a joy to handle.

3. Designed to dunk If you like to take your tablet into the bath, then the Xperia Tablet Z is definitely the model to choose. With IPX5/7 certification, it doesn’t mind submersion in water, so long as all the ports have their covers in place. That’s a double-edged sword, however, as every time you want to charge it, you’ll have to remove those covers.

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A fast processor offers short loading times, so you can start playing in a snap. And it’s all in a lightweight, play-anywhere package.

The C Stick brings enhanced controls (like intuitive camera control) to compatible games, while ZL and ZR buttons give you plenty of options.

Tap an amiibo figure to the near-field communication (NFC) reader on the lower screen to enjoy amiibo features in compatible games.

You can play all Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS and most Nintendo DS games in 2D on this system.  Includes AC adapter.

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