He likes Animal Crossing: New Leaf and he loves to abuse the screencap function

Those of you who frequent the comments section of this here blog (and to those of you who don't: why not?) may recognize the username Zaphod65.

Well, that same Zaphod65 has been posting silly, and even a bit saucy, Animal Crossing: New Leaf-inspired comics via Twitter for the last week or so, and as of Friday he's publishing them via a tumblog as well.

Here's an example of one that's both silly and saucy (in my humble opinion, of course):



To see more of Zaphod65's "The Dunwich Hoarder" comics (he's published nine as of yesterday), check out dunwichhoarder.tumblr.com at your earliest convenience.

And if your Animal Crossing: New Leaf itch hasn't been scratched after you finish perusing the above-linked tumblog, scroll through this recent blog post--devoted to my own playthrough of this uber-addicting 3DS title.

'What an awesome crotch'

A few days ago, I happened across the following illustration thanks to Tumblr user dizzybone (proprietor of the tumblog known as the laboratory).

The drawing caught my attention for two reasons: 1) it features the flame-haired protagonist of a rather awesome Mega CD/PC Engine/Super Famicom action-adventure game called Popful Mail, and 2) when the aforementioned tumblogger re-blogged it, he/she added the comment, "What an awesome crotch."

Which, of course, made me chuckle.

As for who is responsible for creating this lovely drawing: I don't know his/her exact name, sadly, but I can direct you to his/her Tumblr, SssHannah-Man.

Pretty in Pikmin

While surfing the web for Pikmin art that could be used to wallpaper my MacBook (yeah, I'm that kind of nerd--or is it dork?), I came across the creation below.

The waving Rock Pikmin is adorable, of course, but the little pink Pikmin (I wonder what it's official name will be?) flitting around in the upper-left corner is really what caught my attention.

It was produced by artist Jared D. Weiss and published on his tumblog, The Works & Derps of Jared D. Weiss, a few days ago, in case you're curious about such things.

Anyway, as I'm sure you've already surmised, I'm fully obsessed with all things Pikmin at the moment. As such, here's hoping the Wii U and Pikmin 3 are released as soon as possible--and at a price that forces me to pick up both of them on day one.

Looks like Pokémon Black and White 2 will be just as gay (literally) as their predecessors

Those of you who have been visiting this little, rainbow-splashed slice of the Internet may remember a post I published just over a year ago. It's headline: "There's something about Brycen (or, Pokémon Black is pretty gay, isn't it?)."

In that post, I rather cheekily suggested that Pokémon Black and White--or, more specifically, a number of those game's gym leaders--were gayer than the Golden Girls dressing up as Cher, Judy, Lady Gaga and Madonna and singing a mash-up of "I Will Survive" and "YMCA" (hey, it could happen) at Elton John's Halloween party. (Yes, I know I just dated myself with that remark.)

Thanks in large part to this recent post over at the Video Games Made Me Gay tumblog, I'm getting the distinct impression that Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 will be just as gay.

What makes me think Shizui (right), one of this sequel's many gym leaders, is gay, you ask? Well, for starters, there's his glitter-covered coiffure. And then there's his broad shoulders, shaved bod and fashion-forward (not to mention skintight) trousers.

Granted, that nasty tan line around Shizui's waist is a bit questionable, as is his lack of nipples (aren't those, um, a requirement?), but I still think he's likely "gayer than a three-dollar bill," as my mom used to say. (Don't worry, I got her to stop long ago.)

Anyway, all of the above really is just a long way of me saying that I'll be plopping down my hard-earned cash on Pokémon Black 2 (or maybe Pokémon White 2) as soon as someone allows me to pre-order it.

You've never looked more beautiful, Binary Land

If you ask me, it's a crying shame that one of Hudson Soft's earliest Famicom games, the rather romantic Binary Land, was never released outside of Japan.

That's because Binary Land is one of the cutest, not to mention one of the most unique, titles to hit the console that was called the Nintendo Entertainment System everywhere else in the world.

Sure, it's more than a bit archaic in terms of graphics--although the main characters, Gurin (the blue penguin in this video of Binary Land's first level) and Malon (the pink penguin), were crafted with a good bit of care and skill--but the boring-ish visuals never detract from the gameplay, which calls on players to lead Gurin and Malon through each maze-like stage until they meet at the caged heart in the middle. (This is more challenging than it sounds, as players control both players at the same time.)



Anyway, I'm guessing that even if Binary Land had been released in Australia, Europe or North (or South) America, its cartridge label likely wouldn't have been half as cute as the one seen in the photo above.

Said label was made by the proprietor (or proprietress) of "the laboratory" tumblog, by the way. If you like his/her style (and you should), you'll probably like these Famicom label mockups and these mockups of a make-believe series of games called Wander World, too.

(Via the comments section of this famicomblog post)

The cutest Kirby drawing ever

I don't know if you're aware, but I've become a huge Kirby fan in the last year or two--ever since I played (and enjoyed the hell out of) Kirby's Epic Yarn. (Buy it here if you haven't already done so.)

As such, I practically melted in my seat when I came across the absolutely adorable illustration below while perusing the awesome Games With Boys tumblog a few days ago.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you who produced this wonderful drawing. I can tell you, though, where he/she first shared it: pixiv.net.

See also: More Kirby's Epic Yarn and Kirby's Return to Dream Land posts

And here I thought I had seen everything related to that ancient Billy Herrington meme

The always-fabulous Video Games Made Me Gay tumblog proved me wrong by highlighting the following video in a recent post:



I don't know about you, but I think it's a crying shame that no one ever took this idea and made it into a full-fledged racing game.

I mean, who wouldn't want to take control of a nearly naked Herrington as he rides his similarly muscular (and similarly lacking in clothing) bud in pursuit of ... whatever the hell it is they're chasing in the video above.

See also: 'Billy Herrington Tetris'

Happy birthday to me!

I originally felt kind of weird mentioning this here, but then I thought, 'If I can't mention my birthday on my own blog, where can I mention it?'

So, there you go. It's my birthday! Yay me :)

What am I doing on this most glorious of days? Well, aside from sitting at my computer ... not much. I've been sick since Wednesday, though, so "not much" is actually preferable to most activities at the moment.

I am doing one fun, game-related thing (besides blogging) while I sit at my computer, by the way: I'm finding all sorts of ways to spend the chunk of change my parents sent me as a birthday gift.

Specifically, I'm buying some of the games (mostly Japanese ones, but not all) that I've been dreaming about for the last few months while I've been broke.

(Note: The cake in the photograph above is a recreation of the birthday cake that appears in the Animal Crossing games. To make one for yourself or someone you love, check out the Gourmet Gaming blog.)

Yet another great gayming tumblog: Gay Geeks and Gaymers

As you can probably ascertain from its title, the Gay Geeks and Gaymers tumblog doesn't focus all of its attention on gaming.

That's no reason to ignore it, though, especially if you consider yourself to be a gaymer and/or a gay geek.

I mean, it's pretty likely guys (and probably a few gals, too) in both camps would enjoy the photo--of Captain America himself, actor Chris Evans, during some sort of 3DS event--above, which was recently shared (and likely drooled over) on said tumblog, don't you think?

For plenty more, er, gay geekery and gayming goodness, go to gaygeeksandgaymers.tumblr.com.

Queer pixels

One of my favorite gayming-related tumblogs, Video Games Made Me Gay, recently turned me on to a similarly themed (and similarly fabulous) tumblog called 48 Pixeles.

I'm not yet sure why it's called 48 Pixeles, to tell you the truth, but it really doesn't matter. What does matter: It shines a light on gay-positive illustrations that were created by the tumblog's proprietor (or is it proprietress?) by combing--and sometimes slightly editing--game sprites.

This Yie Ar Kung-Fu image perfectly exemplifies the content of this wonderfully fun--and totally gay--tumblog:

This Final Fantasy V-inspired illustration is pretty darn magnificent, too, don't you think?

I'm also quite fond of this Bomberman-inspired one:

Other games currently represented on 48 Pixeles: The Adventures of Link, Harvest Moon, Ice Climber, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Ganbare Goemon), Maniac Mansion and Tetris.

See also: 'Another great gayming tumblog: Games With Boys' and 'Video games made him gay'

Ashley Davis x Umihara Kawase

I've been meaning to publish a post about the following illustration for ages, but all of you fellow bloggers know how it is: Other things have popped up since it first caught my attention and served to push it down my longer-than-I'd-like-to-admit "to publish" list.

Anyway, enough about that. The point of this post is to shed some light on an awesome, game-inspired illustration, so let's get to it.

The awesome illustration in question (below and here) was produced by the similarly awesome Ashley Davis, by the way.



So, why am I all hot and bothered by Davis' drawing? Because it focuses on a couple of characters from one of my favorite games from the 16-bit and 32-bit eras, TNN's Umihara Kawase.

For those of you who've never heard of this gem of a game (which has been released for the DS, PlayStation, PSP and Super Famicom), here's Davis' short-but-sweet description of it: "Umihara Kawase is Bionic Commando if Rad had a bouncy fishing line instead of a robotic arm. It’s super hard, but incredibly fun!"

Not enough info for you? Check out this article at Hardcore Gaming 101.

I'd also suggest you check out Davis' tumblog, No Marios Allowed!, if you haven't done so in a while--especially if you're a fan of Bubble Bobble, Flicky, Mappy, Mischief Makers and No More Heroes.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Famicommercials

I've rarely met a Japanese gaming commercial I didn't like. Retro ones, especially. I think it's because so many of them are equal parts earnest and, well, bat-shit crazy.

The one below, for the Famicom Disk System version of Metroid, is a good example, although it's definitely more serious than silly.



This ad was nabbed from the recently launched tumblog known as FC.CM ("a collection of commercials relating to the Nintendo Famicom"), by the way.

If you decide to pay it a visit (and I sincerely hope you will), be sure to check out the commercial for the Korean version of the Famicom/NES (called the Hyundai Comboy).

You know which game-based food item I'd like to create/consume in real life? The fuchsia martini that appears in Bobble Bobble ...

... or maybe the strawberry-topped cake from the same game.

I doubt I'll be able to create my own recipes for either of those dishes anytime soon, though, so I'll just cross my fingers and hope that Daniella Zelli, proprietress of the Gourmet Gaming tumblog (gourmetgaming.co.uk), covers one or both of them at some point.

In case you've never been to Zelli's site before, it features recipes that attempt to bring game-based food items to life. Thus far, she's recreated the "amazing apple pie" from Fable II, the "golden brown pizza" from Dead Rising and Thomas' biscuit from Deadly Premonition, among others.

It appears that Zelli takes requests now and then, so maybe I should hit her up and ask if she'll consider tackling one or both of the Bubble Bobble-based food items I mentioned earlier in a future post?

(Via gamesetwatch.com and vidyaboi.blogspot.com)

Question of the day: What are some of your favorite gaming blogs?

I know I often publish posts in which I ramble on about gaming blogs that have captured my attention for one reason or another, but today I'm turning the tables and asking all of you to tell me about any such blogs (or tumblogs) that trip your proverbial trigger.

Oh, and please feel free to pimp out your own game-related blogs or tumblogs, especially if it seems that I don't know about them already (i.e., they don't appear in the "other great sites for gay gamers" section on the right side of this blog).

This tumblog isn't exactly gay, but it's well worth a look anyway

I've published a few posts about tumblogs that feature gaming guys thus far (here's one and here's another), but I'm pretty sure this is the first one I've published about a girl-focused tumblog.

Don't worry, the tumblog in question isn't full of scantily-clad ladies with huge, er, accessories. Rather, it's full of women who are wearing "reasonable armor." (Hence the tumblog's name: Women Fighters in Reasonable Armor.)

Interestingly, the tumblog is maintained by a guy. I don't know if he's gay, straight or bi, but who really cares as long as keeps posting awesome images like the one above?

If Mario were a girl and Peach were a boy ...

... I hope they would look at least something like the adorable characters seen in the following illustrations (get a better look at them here), produced by Canadian artist Beth T (aka rollingrabbit):

Beth says on her tumblog that the female Luigi is her favorite. (She also likes "how Waluigi just looks the usual design, but in drag.") As for me, I think I like her male Peach best.

(Via bowonbirdo.tumblr.com)

Another great gayming tumblog: Games With Boys

Hot on the heels of Video Games Made Me Gay comes yet another great gayming tumblog: Games With Boys.

Unlike Video Games Made Me Gay, Games With Boys doesn't focus solely on images related to gaming. Rather, it focuses on images related to gaming and hot guys. (Really, it could have just as easily been named Games and Guys. Hey, maybe I should start my own tumblog...)

One of Games With Boys' many gaming-related photos.

Anyway, if you're at all into both of those topics (and who isn't?), may I suggest hopping (yes, hopping) over to Games With Boys tout de suite?

'I don't know, but the important thing is that they should be able to get married'

A follower recently asked Zac Gorman, the extremely talented artist behind the Magical Game Time tumblog, if he preferred Crash Bandicoot or Rayman? Gorman answered with this comic:

Anyway, be sure to check out Magical Game Time when you have a chance, especially if you're a fan of Chrono Trigger, EarthBound, Final Fantasy VI and/or The Legend of Zelda--each of which have been featured in recent Gorman illustrations.

Ashley Davis' anti-Mario, pro-Hudson tumblog

I like Mario, Metroid, Pokemon and Zelda fan art as much as the next guy, but I also like fan art that looks to other, less-appreciated games and game characters for inspiration.

Which is why I'll be visiting artist Ashley Davis' new tumblog No Marios Allowed!! on the regular from here on out--or as long as she continues to update it. My visits will be especially regular as long as Davis is in a Hudson kind of mood. (She says she's going to focus on the now-defunct company's games for a while "because their games are so good but have such a small presence on Tumblr.")

Thus far, Davis has turned her attention and talent toward Hudson's Bomberman and Bonk (PC Genjin) franchises. Will we eventually see her take on Adventure Island, Milon's Secret Castle and Tengai Makyou (Far East of Eden), too? I sure hope so.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Video games made him gay

"A million websites explore homoerotic content in comic books. (And by 'explore,' I mean 'create boners with.') I'm looking into gay and gay-seeming elements in video games."

The quote above can be found in the "About" section of the hilarious (and kind of hot) new tumblog, videogamesmademegay.tumblr.com.

So, what can you expect to see upon visiting this site? This smokin' illustration of Street Fighter III's Alex is a pretty good example:

As is the sassy description that's posted alongside it: "I smell homoeroticism whenever I see a dude subjected to a from-behind-the-ass angle. Well, I smell that and ass, I guess."

The man behind videogamesmademegay.tumblr.com also maintains a tumblog called "The Bow on Birdo," by the way, which he describes as a "depository for art from the Super Mario games and related series."

See also: My '10 video games that made my life gayer' series of posts