Xenoblade just moved up a few spots on my 'most wanted' list

You've heard of Xenoblade, right? Don't be embarrassed if you haven't--although the folks at Nintendo surreptitiously unveiled this Monolith Soft-developed RPG during last year's E3 event (it was called Monado: Beginning of the World at that point), they didn't say much about it until a few months ago.

So, why has it moved up a few spots on my "most wanted" list? I think I'd rather show you than tell you.



Yep, the image above shows two of Xenoblade's main characters in their underwear (or are those supposed to be swimsuits?). (If you prefer the ladies to the gents, here's a pair of screenshots that show two of the game's female characters in their skivvies.)

Now, I'd be lying if I told you those images turn me on, but I wouldn't be lying if I told you I'd get a kick out of controlling a half-naked character (or two) in an open-world RPG.

(Via NeoGAF)

If Gradius and R-Type had a love child ...

... I'm pretty sure it would look like locomalito's Hydorah.



To see Hydorah in action, check out this trailer. Or, skip that step and download this old-school shmup here. (If the link to the left doesn't work, try this one.)

(Via NeoGAF)

Seven galaxies in ...

... and I can already say, without a smidge of hesitation, that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a better game than its predecessor.

For starters, it adds good ol' Yoshi to the mix. Oh, and the Cloud Suit--which is, in my opinion, the series' slickest power-up since Kuribo's Shoe.

I could spend hours on this stage...

Also, it eschews the last game's confounding "Comet Observatory" hub in favor of a map system that's similar to the series' more traditional, two-dimensional efforts (Super Mario Bros. 3, especially).

Finally, part two is, thus far, decidedly more difficult than its pushover of a predecessor.

That said, I'm only a few galaxies in at this point, so it's possible my opinion of the game will change as I delve deeper into it.

Are any of you also enjoying Miyamoto's latest masterpiece?

See also: 'I ♥ Mahito Yokota (and so should you)'

'Super'

You know, if I had a dime for every threadless t-shirt design that caught my attention I'd be a very wealthy blogger.

Anyway, the threadless design that prompted this post is called--rather appropriately, I think--"Super" and is the brainchild of artist Tan Nuyen.  

If you'd like to stroll around town sporting Nuyen's iconic design, cast a vote (in the next four days) for it here.

By the way, this design first surfaced on Nuyen's Flickr photostream just over a year ago (where it was/is called "Just super!").

Maré Odomo may be done with his 'Letters To An Absent Father' strips ...

... but that doesn't mean he's done with Pokémon-inspired art altogether.

Case in point: His latest creation, titled "What is this."

Actually, since posting "What is this" late last week, Odomo has uploaded two more Pokémon-inspired pieces of art to his Flickr photostream. Here's one and here's another.

See also: 'Ash Ketchum's (and Maré Odomo's) Letters to an Absent Father'