I'm having way too much fun taking screenshots while playing Tomodachi Life

Would you believe me if I told you I've snapped more screenshots while playing Tomodachi Life than I have while playing any other 3DS title?

Well, it's true. Or at least I think it is.

As for why that is, the only worthwhile response is that this portable "life sim" throws players into so many weird, wacky and funny situations that you can't help but try to capture them in a snapshot.

Cases in point: the following photos of the babies that have been born to Rainbow Island's residents thus far.

The above portrait is of one of my Internet pals, Hayden Scott-Baron (aka docky), his wife, Cher, and their newborn girl, Chloe.

The shot above is of Nikki (of Swapnote fame), her husband, Bill Trinen, and their baby girl, the controversially named Genesis.

And here (above) we see Link keeping a watchful eye on his (and wife Zelda's) adorable baby boy.

Sadly, "adorable" isn't the first word I'd use to describe the first child--a girl, Claire--born to me and Ganondorf.

Both of us are hoping she'll eventually grow into her face. And learn to smile once in a while. Anyway, she's now traveling the world--or waiting to travel the world, at least.

Rainbow Island's kids aren't the only things worth capturing in photographs. Other photo-worthy sights include the tropical locale's many fights--with the one above being between former Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi and Metroid's Samus Aran.

For a good time, call ...

Remember this post, in which I shined a light on the peculiar pieces produced by artist Kasey Tararuj for the recent 3NES Show (held at the Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, New York)?

Well, today's post is devoted to a few more pieces that were produced for that show, although these pieces--which also focus on Peach, Samus and Zelda and are titled, "For a Good Time, Call Peach," etc.--aren't quite as "safe for work" as the ones Tararuj concocted.

As such, I'm only going to show an extremely cropped version of one of them "above the fold," as it were. To see them in all of their appealingly smutty glory, click on "read more" below.

Yep, another art post: 'Bombs Away,' 'Hyrule Intentions' and 'Tale of Two Brothers'

Like any respectable gay gamer, I've long had a soft spot for female protagonists. In particular, I've had a soft spot for Nintendo's leading ladies--Peach, Samus and Zelda, especially.

All of which should help explain why I went a big gaga after I came across artist Kasey Tararuj's uniquely styled portraits (above and below) of the above-mentioned women this past weekend.

Each piece was produced for the 3NES Show ("a tribute to three of Nintendo's most popular games") held at the Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, New York, a few weeks ago.

If you like any or all of them as much as I do, I'd highly recommend checking out Tararuj's blog, One-Eyed Girl, for closer looks at them.

Specifically, additional shots of her take on Peach (titled "Tale of Two Brothers") can be seen here, while more shots of her Samus and Zelda portraits ("Bombs Away" and "Hyrule Intentions") can be seen here and here, respectively.

And if you're really interested in them? Head on over to the Bottleneck Gallery's online shop and buy one or more of them. ("Bombs Away" can be purchased here, "Hyrule Intentions" here and "Tale of Two Brothers" here.)

See also: 'Cherry on Top' and 'Dreamy Mushroom Munchers'

(Gaming) sisters doin' it for themselves

I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again: I want another Super Princess Peach game, damn it!

I'd want said sequel to fix some of the problems I had with the original, of course, but even if this new title retained the first one's issues--too easy by far, and with a some-call-it-sexist gameplay hook--I'd still probably pick up a copy (especially if it were released for the 3DS).

Anyway, I bring up all of that because the following illustration, produced by artist Glen Brogan, reminds me of that much-maligned platformer--or maybe I should say it makes me ponder some of the improvements I'd like to see in its make-believe follow-up.

Brogan worked up the illustration for the recently opened 3NES Show at Brooklyn's Bottleneck Gallery (in runs through Sept. 22), by the way. Two others were produced along with it: one of which stars Samus Aran and Mother Brain and one of which stars Zelda and Ganon. (Both of them can be seen at albinoraven7.blogspot.com).

"My thoughts going into these pieces were that I wanted to stick closely to the original NES games, as opposed to branching out into subsequent games," Brogan says, "and I wanted to base them around the female characters in each game."

I'd say he did a pretty bang-up job in both regards, wouldn't you?

Happy belated birthday, Samus!

While relaxing with "the fam" this past weekend, I missed a rather momentous holiday: The 25th anniversary of Metroid's release.

Thankfully, one of my favorite artists around, Andrew "Drew" Green, wasn't so absentminded (or careless). In fact, not only did he remember the anniversary of Samus Aran's debut, but he celebrated the occasion by conjuring up the wonderfully charming drawing that follows, too.



On his blog, the Atlantan says of his creation: "Nothing says 'happy birthday' like drawing the thing you love being munched on by an energy-sucking parasite." I can't say I disagree, Drew!

Mucha Metroid

What can you get for $10 these days? If we're going to keep our options within the realm of gaming, it can (almost) get you a copy of Elite Beat Agents for the DS, it can get you Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (via PSN or Xbox Live Arcade) ... or it can get you the following Metroid-inspired and Mucha-styled t-shirt:

Get your butt over to teefury.com tout de suite (aka pronto) if you find that last option particularly titillating, as the ninjaink-designed shirt will be pulled from the site in less than 10 hours.

Samus Aran as you've never seen her before

The hubs and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day, but if we did celebrate it I'd have wanted him to get me this:

Yeah, that's right: A cute-as-hell Samus Aran plushie. Have you ever seen anything so cute? If your answer is anything other than "no," you're lying.

This particular plushie was made by Canadian textile artist Michele Legendre (aka misscoffee), by the way. For more examples of her talent, check out her deviantart.com gallery.

(Via gonintendo.com)