Do NOT Buy From Scalpers

Scalpers. They buy stuff up in mass quantities and resell it at much, much higher prices. Scalpers, in two words, they suck. In a few more words, like most politicians, they are garbage human beings. While it may be perfectly legal to scalp, it creates artificial scarcity and makes it far more difficult for people that want the product for themselves or for someone else, to get their hands on. 

The latest hard to find items due to scalpers is the PlayStaion 5 and Xbox Series X. As if to rub salt into the wound, photos of a myriad of PS5s have been going around online, such as the one above. The scalper resale prices for these things has gone for more the twice the asking price of either version of each respective system. What should be something you should be able to buy at the MSRP is being sold for $2000 or more depending on the region you live in. And there are people out there that are so desperate to get these systems that will pay that much when they shouldn't have to.

I'm sure you've heard the horror stories of people that have tried and failed to get their hands on a PS5 or XBSX through online retailers. They keep refreshing, waiting for the item to become available only to have it sold out in seconds. Or the site crashes. Or the item is in their cart and the then it disappears. No matter how fast you move, you cannot compete with the bot armada that scalpers use and online retailers are not properly set up to counter this. So what we're left with is a plethora of would be new console owners, frustrated that they can't get a PS5/XBSX. Oh, but the scalpers have them suckers in mass quantities. All you have to do is fork over several rent payments to get them. One UK based scalper ground that is highly organized managed to score 3500 PS5s and has, unsurprisingly, faced a lot of backlash.

You've probably heard this simple message a dozen times before, but it needs to be repeated, as many times as it takes to sink in: DON'T. BUY. FROM. SCALPERS. Stop playing their game where you shell out to them out of desperation because little Kara wants that PS5 for Christmas. Be patient. Wait for more to become available and buy these systems at the MSRP. Scalpers are only able to keep getting away with this crap because people keep them in business. If you aren't able to secure a PS5 or XBSX in time for Christmas, there are a wealth of other gaming options available to you that don't require to you break the bank. 

VGM Saturdays #287: Thanksgiving Was Not Cancelled

Saying that 2020 has been a rough year would be a huge understatement. A lot of usual events have had to be cancelled. Thankfully, one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, was not one of them. Though it is been recommended that people don't gather in large groups as well as taking other precautions. I hope you're eating good and enjoying this four day weekend. Wash your hands, wear a mask and enjoy this week's selections.

The Champion Urbosa - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (NSW)

The demo for Age of Calamity left me with some very good impressions of the music. Now that I've been playing the full game and have heard more, I am LOVING IT. I own the soundtrack to Breath of the Wild and if a soundtrack is released for this game, I will buy that sucker with the quickness. 

Platform Action - Turrican 3 (AMG)

I have no idea what the abbreviation for the Amiga is, so I decided to go with AMG. Get ready to hear more video game music from the Turrican series because I finally listened to the music from the first three AMG Turrican games and yeah, Chris Huelsbeck has the midas touch. 

Guile Stage [New Remix] - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

I was really hoping we would get a remix for Chun's theme, but we did get the CPS-I and CPS-II versions of the original Street Fighter II jams, which is pretty aces. And we got this CPS-I inspired arrangement of a theme that goes with everything. And if Guile pops out of an Assist Trophy and you didn't summon him, please refrain from jumping.

Volcanic - Mischief Makers (N64)

"Shake, shake!" You smiled reading that didn't you? Wait, you didn't? You must be one of those uncultured swine that has never played Mischief Makers. Well, I don't blame you. This N64 Treasure title did get overlooked upon initial release and it has not seen a re-release in over 20 years. This is far from being the only bop in the soundtrack so if some more music from this game happens to pop up in your recommended section, don't hesitate to click.

Mathemabeat - Rage Racer (PS)

That first twenty seconds of this track may take some time to get used to. But once the 25 second mark hits, you'll be bouncing around like you're a club. 

Factory Action - Turrican Soundtrack Anthology, Vol. 3

I'm not anywhere near as well versed as other fans of Turrican but this track, is AWESOME. It was one the very first tracks from this series that I ever heard and I have loved it ever sense. It is full of action, adventure and is very upbeat, the later of which we could use so much more of these days. 

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Let's Discuss: Animal Crossing: New Horizons: More Hair Syles & Sitting

Image by MayorMori

Normally I catch the videos that Nintendo uploads on YouTube detailing the latest updates for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I didn't catch this one before the update went live so I did not know the full scope of what the new update would bring. Holy moly, this one is a doozy.

The latest addition to New Horizons is a slew of new reactions. We don't have to get them from villagers. Just go to the ADB machine at resident services and use your Nook Miles to get your new reactions. These new expressions are sure to be very big fan favorites. One allows us to do something players have been craving for months: the ability to sit. No, I don't mean on a sofa or a stool. The sit reaction lets you plop your cheeks down on the ground, much like your villagers do. So if you have ever wanted to sit with your villagers while they relax by the river or under a tree, we can now do so.

There are other reactions like waving goodbye so you don't have to use the greeting reaction for leaving now, though I'm sure some still will. Another one I am ever so grateful for being added is the selfie reaction. My favorite thing about CJ (other than him paying extra for my fish) was when he takes out his Nookphone and goes nuts. Now we can do that. Even better, our character's end it by holding a goofy smile. 

There are a plethora of extra slots for new reactions. Personally, I'm jazzed for the reaction that let's us sing. New Horizons went from 9 to 9.5 with this new update but when we can finally sing along to K.K. Metal with our villagers? 11/10, man.

As much as I am digging the slew of new reactions, the six new hairstyles are so, so, soooooo good. I'm a guy that shaves his head IRL so I don't think I need to fully get into how awesome it is to at last be bald in Animal Crossing. But, that afro? 

I never knew how much I wanted an afro in this game. I never knew how much I needed one. I mean, we've had afro's in Splatoon 2 for a long while. And yes, it does get affected by the hats you wear. Sometimes I lock to rock a hibiscus or some other accessory just to give the fro more glow. I've actually been rocking the afro hair for more than a week now. Would I do an afro IRL? Nope. I don't have the patience to keep it looking good. Which makes me appreciate how effortless it is to change hair styles in this game even more. If more hairstyles are to come in future updates, I'm all for it. That and an air guitar reaction. Then the game will be 13/10.

About #FreeMelee...

You've probably heard or seen the #FreeMelee hashtag making the rounds on the web. For those not aware, #FreeMelee is the tag used by the Melee camp voicing their disgust over Nintendo canceling The Big House, the biggest, longest running Smash tourney in the United States. With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc around the world and getting far worse in the US during this fall season, online tournaments is the way for Smashers as well as the FGC (fighting game community) to play for the foreseeable future. As such, The Big House was going to be hosted online this year and by Nintendo. But why did Nintendo cancel it? Simple: The Melee crowd did not comply with Nintendo's wishes. 

Smashers have been playing Melee online using Slippi, an unauthorized project that has, among other features, rollback netcode, allowing for a super smooth online play experience. Slippi was going to be the way Smashers played Melee at this year's The Big House. Nintendo asked the tournament organizers not to use Slippi to play Melee. They decided not to listen, so big daddy N sent them a C&D, canceling the tourney, much to the frustration of Melee players.

Playing Melee on original hardware can be cumbersome. The game was originally released in late 2001 on the GCN and has never been re-released on any other Nintendo platforms. In the many times it was hosted at tournaments, the use of CRT TVs as well as original GCNs, both of which have long been discontinued, was required to play the game. With many people having to do things remotely these days, it is easy to see why Melee players would flock to Slippi to get their fix. Am I defending them? Of course not. In fact, this is one of those times I have to side with Nintendo and say the Melee camp is very much in the wrong here.

We all know how protective Nintendo is of their IPs. You will not find a company that guards IPs as fiercely as Nintendo. The Big N were the ones hosting this year's Big House. So, if they asked the TOs not to use Slippi, pirated software, to play Melee, a game they still own the rights to, and the TOs decided to keep on, well, is anyone really surprised Nintendo retaliated the way they did? I'm more surprised that Nintendo asked them not to do the thing they were doing first before going with a C&D. Usually, a C&D is given with no warning from this company.

The other thing that surprises me is the amount of sympathizers for the Melee crowd. There are dozens of videos on YouTube that are mad at Nintendo for the use of the C&D this time. For the umpteenth time, Nintendo was the one hosting Big House this year. There is no version of this where the Melee crowd would get their way. It doesn't matter if Nintendo isn't making money off Melee anymore. It is still their IP and they within their right to protect it. "But, other companies don't send C&Ds when we illegally play their games!" Dude, Nintendo is not like other companies. 

You have Melee players getting all huffy saying they are done with Nintendo, swearing not to ever buy another product from them again, or that Nintendo is hiding Melee from the world. Man, it is so eye rolling to read stuff like that. The Melee camp, or in this case, the TOs brought this on themselves so they do not get to pull out the victim card. Sorry, Melee crew, but ya'll are gonna have to hold that L.

VGM Saturdays #286: Ain't Nothing Like a Funky Beat

This is one of those VGM Saturdays where I give away one of the songs in the subtitle. Some of you may already know the song or game to which I am referring. 

Everybody Jump Around - Jet Set Radio (DC)

Though it was short lived, the SEGA's Dreamcast was some to some truly fantastic games. One that is frequently mentioned is Jet Set Radio, known for it's highly stylish cel-shaded visuals and very distinct soundtrack. Hideki Naganuma did the bulk of song writing for the game but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Richard Jacques fire contribution that is Everybody Jump Around.

Valhalla - Super Valis IV (SNES)

Super Valis IV has one of those underrated soundtracks. I may not even know of the game if it weren't for my dad renting this one back in the day. Castle Vanity is my favorite track from the game but Valhalla is a very close second. The bass is working major overtime in this one.

AIN'T NOTHIN' LIKE A FUNKY BEAT - Lethal League Blaze (PS4, XBO, NSW, PC)

I know nothing of this game. I was listening to music from the Jet Set Radio games while working and this popped up in my recommended tab. So I clicked and fell in love. It sounds like it came right out of a JSR game. The song was even scored by Hideki Naganuma.

Call the Cops - Streets of Rage 4 (PS4, XBO, NSW, PC)

As of stage 2, cops become some of the regular enemies you trade blows with in Streets of Rage 4. The worst of the bunch are packing tasers. Seeing as how the cops are working for the bad guys in this game, I have no qualms about taking a fist or blunt object to their face. Pretty rad how this song makes use of police sirens. 

Sponge Cave Spelunking - Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U)

Yoshi has been receiving a lot of love over the years. The hungry dino has had an outing on the past 3 Nintendo consoles with latest being Yoshi's Crafted World for the Switch. The previous game, Yoshi's Woolly World was ported to the 3DS. With Wii U games getting a second shot on the vastly more popular Switch, I would so be down to buy Woolly World a third time. 

Harbinger - DOOM 2016 (PC, PS4, XBO, NS)

What could be better than slaying demons? Slaying demons to a banger of a soundtrack, that's what. The madlads at Panic Buttons somehow managed to port this beast of a game over to the Switch. It doesn't run at 60fps, rather 30, but the feat is still impressive. Rip and tear anywhere. 

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VGM Saturdays #285: 5 PM in Animal Crossing

No fancy intro this week. Enjoy the jams.

Earth (Minecraft Earth) (New Remix) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

Originally, I had planned to post Halland / Dalarnna as the first Minecraft arrangement from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was the song used in Steve's reveal trailer and it is a dang good song. But... well, just listen to Earth. The song sounds so freaking beautiful and is the kinda thing that restores your hope in humanity.

Adon Stage - Street Fighter Alpha (ARC)

Adon appeared in the original Street Fighter in 1987 but would become a playable character until the first Street Fighter Alpha in 1995. Sweet mercy, those guitars are working some serious overtime in this track!

Hey Cid! - FINAL FANTASY IV (SNES)

In FINAL FANTASY IV, numerous party members will come and go. Some awesome like Yang, and some super lame, like Edward. But no of them are Cid. Not only is he the engineer of Banon's Redwing airships, he's a tough old bird as well. This dude survived an explosion. He isn't quite Galuf tier, but as far as cool old guys go, Cid is more than OK.

Re-Boot! - Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection (PS4, XBO, NSW, PC)

Like the Classic and X series, the Zero/ZX series is available in easily accessible anthology releases a la a Legacy Collection. I would recommend getting Legacy Collection over hunting down the original carts since these come with extras and new features that make them more welcoming to new players. Plus, those old versions won't great you with this song every time you start them up.

Customization - Rivals of Aether (PC, NSW)

After delighting PC gamers for years, Rivals of Aether has finally come to the Switch and I can see what the fuss is all about. Rivals may be a Smash inspired game, but it is still it's own unique beast and it is taking me time to get used to the controls. What isn't taking time to adjust to is the music. This game's music immediately had me with this track. So dang, jazzy!

5 PM - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

This is the best song in New Horizons. This funky, laid back beat is the perfect jam for 5 in the evening. Unlike every other mainline game in the Animal Crossing series, you do not get the hourly music right away. Until the resident services building is completed, you are treated to the same song day in and day out. So the hourly songs are something of a reward. 5 PM is one of my favorite times to play New Horizons because running around my island to this song is love and life.

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Pacher Fails to Understand The Concept of the Switch

Several weeks ago, the net was all abuzz over the latest word blunders of industry analyst Michael Pachter. You may have heard of him. If you forgot all about him, I don't blame you. He wasn't taking up space in my brain until he divulged how much of an imbecile he could be showing that clearly, he does not understand the hybrid design of the Switch.

During an interview with GamingBolt, Pachter, in his *ahem* infinite wisdom said "I don't understand the whole hybrid concept... I don't think most people play in both modes, I would say that maybe 20% of Switch owners play both modes; and I think most Switch owners play it handheld only. So I honestly don't understand the whole point of the hybrid. Who Cares? Play it as a handheld."

Oh, but it gets better.

"And Nintendo isn't that smart," he went on, "so you never know what they will do next, but I think the smart thing would be to get rid of the Switch console and only have the Switch Lite, get rid of the docking station, get rid of playing on the TV; maybe offer a Fire Stick style dongle for those who do want to play it on the TV. But I just think that a portable-only Switch makes the most sense, it's the cheapest to make, and they could make the screen nicer and build quality better."

We've all heard someone say something really stupid. But man, that. THAT is some unprecedented levels of stupidity. 

Pachter doesn't get the hybrid concept of the Switch? How can he or anyone not "get" it? What the Switch does is in the name. When the system was revealed to the world in late 2016, Nintendo clearly communicated what the Switch was: a machine that you can switch from a console to a handheld effortlessly. That separates it from anything else currently available and continues to be a major appeal of the system. The Switch has been making money hand over first since day one. In the three plus years it has been on the market, the Switch has enjoyed record breaking sales with over 60 million units sold. 

I cannot chalk up Pachter's ridiculous thoughts on the Switch to the garbage year that 2020 has been. The year could have been the best ever and I could still see him saying something just as, if not more so moronic because he has a tendency to do that. 

Why would Nintendo gut one of the best features about the Switch? The fact that I can use it as a console and a handheld is a huge deal to me. I cannot speak for everyone but most of the time, I play my Switch docked but handheld mode does get some use from time to time. Making the Switch only a handheld just because Pachter has some dumb ideas is just that, dumb. For people that are always on the go, the Switch Lite probably seems like the better option. But for those of us that love the hybrid nature of the Switch, we have the model that let's us play on our TVs and play in handheld mode. Everyone wins. Well, except Pacther but who cares?

Oh and for all Nintendo's faults, they are a smart company. How do I figure? Well they aren't listening to Pachter so that tells you all you need to know.

Nintendo Switch Lite image from Wired

Next Generation Gaming: I Can Wait

Video game console launches. There really is nothing quite like it. The thought of getting your hands on new hardware, the new controller, the new games. It truly is an exciting time. I picked up an N64, and GCN on launch day and yeah, it felt freaking great to have the newest systems on the very day they dropped. Over the years, however, I've been getting the hot new game machines further away from launch days and in some cases, several years after release. With the PS5 and XBSX set to release this month, once again, I will be sitting out on launch day.

Of the two systems, the PS5 is the one that appeals the most to me. I've been playing on Sony system since the original PS and each one has constantly delivered the goods. Despite the system's enormous size and the memes that have spawned from the design, I do think it is a nice looking machine and some of those launch titles do intrigue me. And yet, I'm in no rush to get one when November 12th hits or even within the first few months of the 2021. 

FOMO, or fear of missing out is something that we have all felt. You see everyone enjoying the new games or whatever is trending and you feel like an outsider, envious that you aren't taking part in what everyone else is. I got a bit of FOMO myself when FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE was released and everyone and their dog was playing it. After playing through the demo, I was super excited to get it. But then the COVID-19 pandemic got worse, we were placed on lockdown and my income took a serious hit. But even when I did resume getting a steady check, buying FFVIIR was not at the top of my to-do list. I had considered buying it but in the end, I decided it could wait and that hasn't changed.

I admit that seeing thumbnails of YouTubers like YongYea with a PS5 does trigger my FOMO and yeah, it may sting even more when more and more folks get their hands on the PS5 and Let's Play videos start popping up, but you know what? I'll manage just fine. I waited to get the past few next generation systems before, so I can easily do it again. The Switch has done such a marvelous job of catering to my gaming needs that I am in no rush to have the new machine on the block. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is dropping on the 20th and there's still a wealth of games I haven't even gotten around to. Besides, some of those PS5 titles will be on the PS4.

PS5, you're looking pretty clean and sounding really hype, but I'm gonna hold off on getting you for a while.

Steve: The Best Kind of Stupid Fun You Can Have

Man. I still cannot believe that Steve from Minecraft is in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Well, that's not entirely true. After using Steve for a few weeks, I guess I can kinda believe it but it still seems like some fever dream. Yes, I'm well aware that term has probably been used and abused ad infant-em in regards to Minecraft Steve in Smash Ultimate, but him being here along with Alex, Zombie and Enderman is best summed up as just that, a fever dream. 

Now that Steve and his fellow blocky companions are in Smash, I gotta agree with Chocotopus: this character is stupid. If you haven't seen the Smash YouTuber's video, basically Steve and the gang are stupid in a good way, hence the title of this blog post. If you are looking to have stupid fun in Ultimate, look no further than Steve or one of his alts. 

One of the best things about Steve is his constantly stoic expression. It does not matter what happens to him, the look on his face does not change, ever. That makes those flashing zoom ins when he is knocked out or lands the killing blow ring of heavy indifference to whatever the outcome. 

In a game where each character has a vast array of moves out their disposal, Steve is loaded for war. There's giving characters the tools to succeed and then there's giving them the facility that makes said tools. Behind that blank stare is the mind of a ruthless killing machine and both on and off stage, Steve is a force to be feared. The minecart functions as a grab so shielding against it is useless. Depending on the materials the cart is made with, it can hit like a truck. You can also use minecart to bait your opponent into jumping over it to hit them with something else. While I was goofing off with some CPUs to help better get the hang of Steve's abilities, I unintentionally used the minecart to stop Palutena from making it back to the stage. As someone that loathes fighting Palu, that was both satisfying and very amusing.

Using the minecart for damage is super fun and all but it is also useful for returning to the stage, especially if you struggle with Steve's recovery, which I most certainly do. I've gotten better at relying on other means besides Steve's up B to get back to the stage, but I still SD because I'm not very proficient with it. With that in mind, I try to use blocks to make it back or use minecart and then up B. 

It should go without saying but craft, craft and craft some more when playing as Steve. You do not want to be caught without materials, especially if you are off stage and your up B game is poo poo. Not only that, but you wanna have those hard hitting swords do dishing out hard hitting strikes. Oh and of course, TNT! Boy, TNT is one of the best things Steve was given! It is great for edge guarding, baiting your opponents and the fact that you have a great deal of control of where the detonator switch is just makes using it even loads more fun. Since it is a bomb, you can always set it off without the switch. If you foe has a much higher percentage than you, and you're both near the TNT, just let it rip and see who dies first. 

I really, really love Steve's neutral air. It is so fun to whack fools with that pickax and try to keep it going for as long as possible. The fact that it can spike makes it even better. I just wish I could remember to build blocks to extend my combos even further.

We all saw Sakurai use blocks to well, blocks a CPU Pikachu's recovery to the stage when he was giving us the Steve demo. I'm disappointed that we can't spell out "Lol nope," in full but we can place that "L" at the ledge. And yes, players have been doing that. You can even place a single block at just the fight spot near the ledge, grab and throw your opponent into it and get a kill. 

Steve is one of the very best additions to Ultimate's already beefy roster. I cannot believe how much I love playing as him. And just so we're clear, I do mean Enderman. Yeah, Steve is nice and all but Enderman is the best block boy and you cannot change my mind on that.