Small update

Just for the few people who actually read this blog: big post coming up soon, which might actually be interesting! Working on it in chunks, and may split it up into smaller blog posts depending on how big it ends up becoming.

My last magic gaming moment

Video games are not known for creating magic moments. Maybe nostalgia is inherently technology-phobic, or just that they are not designed for great moments of significance. Then again, as games become more complex they draw in huge teams of creative and artistic types into the development process: ‘Scripting’ no longer means just lines of code when it comes to making a game, Depth used to be about ‘parallel scrolling’, not character development and etc.

Picture unrelated, although somewhat magical

However as games development goes forward, and the end products become more complex, an extra layer of enjoyment can be attained for the simplest of core principles: the executing of a good idea.  When Mario makes a jump, you feel good. When Pac-Man outsmarts Blinky, Pinky Inky and Clyde, you feel smart.

And when Bomberman traps his opponent before blowing them up, you feel like the devil himself.

So when it comes to magic moments, I am proud to say that the last time this happened to me wasn’t from viewing the majesty of Skyrim or musing over moral obstacles in the world of Mass Effect. It came from playing multiplayer on Bomberman Generation (it’s Gamecube outing).

Pretty much sums it up

Three human players and an AI nicknamed Victor took to the arena, and no amount of Hudson-Japanese-cuteness could dilute the evil and anarchy of playing with explosives. When you get caught in a Bomberman explosion, you don't get hurt: you die. No ifs, no buts, no mercy. Every bomb dropped, be it by the enemy or yourself, can spell the end of you. That's pretty alarming stuff! It's this very risk factor that makes Bomberman a hugely thrilling game series, and there's little else it needs apart from that!

Quite possibly the only time it's acceptable to scream at a grid

That same evening we played other games, more modern and complex, but it really was Bomberman who held centre stage. Shocked as I was, not even Left 4 Dead 2 could hold up to cross-shaped explosions and chirpy little Japanese robo-men. If you haven't already played a Bomberman game yet: FIX IT!

MELONS OF VICTORY!

Broken dragons: the proof

He's lookin at you kid 

Note the sneaking. Yes he can see me, but apparently burninating the countryside is not on the agenda today.

Boy or girl? You decide!

Here's the house you're supposed to jump into. Once you do (leaping past the dragon's  moronic looking face) it flies off again.