Is this an awesome cover or what?

While writing up today's "10 video games that made my life gayer" post, I came across the following box art, which graced the cover of the Japanese Mega Drive version of Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair.

I'm sure some of you will say it's scary, but I think it's awesome. Of course, I've always had a soft spot for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 version of the game, so I'm hardly unbiased on this subject.

10 video games that made my life gayer (#3): Ys Book I & II

Would it surprise you if I said that Monster Lair, and not the great Ys Book I & II, was the game that sold me on the TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM attachment back in the day?

Well, it's the truth, shocking as it may sound.

That's not to say Ys Book I & II didn't jump to the top of my "to buy" list as soon as I laid eyes on it. Honestly, how could it not--what with its amazing (at the time) animated cutscenes and Red Book audio, both of which were unheard of in the (console) gaming world until the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM attachment was introduced?



Although I find the game unplayable today--those bump-into-your-enemies battles were acceptable back in the day, but today they're the definition of boring--I was pretty fond of it in 1990. Granted, I think I was a bit blinded by the game's superficial sheen (i.e., the above-mentioned animations and audio), but it's not like it was behind the RPG curve in terms of gameplay when it came out. (For comparison's sake, the seminal Final Fantasy II/IV wasn't released until the following year.)

Anyway, none of that is important at the moment. What is important is that Ys Book I & II, like Final Fantasy before it, solidified my interest in the RPG genre--something for which I'll always be grateful.

Note: In this post, and in all subsequent '10 video games that made my life gayer' posts, gayer is used in the old-fashioned sense, as in happier or merrier.

See also: '10 video games that made my life gayer (#1: Bubble Bobble) and (#2: Final Fantasy)'

'Battle horrible monsters and their menacing minions'

When I first watched the following trailer--the latest for Double Fine's Costume Quest, which is now available on PSN and XBLA--I thought the narrator said "mincing," rather than "menacing," minions.

As such, I was a bit disappointed when the game's baddies appeared neither dainty nor delicate.



Oh, well, I'm still interested in this Halloween-focused RPG--despite the fact that I don't (yet) own a PS3 or an Xbox 360.

See also: 'After this, I hope the folks at Double Fine develop a game about Christmas'

RE: 10 video games that made my life gayer

Well, it seems I've stumped a few of you with the "10 video games that made my life gayer" series that I started yesterday. (Here's the first one and here's the second.) Specifically, my use of the word gayer seems to have stumped a few of you. Sorry about that.

I probably should have started the first post in the series with this disclaimer: "In this post, and in all subsequent '10 video games that made my life gayer' posts, gayer will be used in the old-fashioned sense, as in happier or merrier."

Actually, I considered doing just that early on, but it seemed so awkward; I'd much rather get right to the meat of the post. That said, I think I'll put the above-mentioned disclaimer at the end of each of these posts from now on.

(By the way, as I mentioned in a recent comment, I'd definitely be up for writing a few posts about video games that literally made me gayer--i.e., more homosexual--but I'm not entirely sure at this point which games would be included in such a series.)

Oprah pushes Kinect, audience explodes

Unfortunately, they didn't literally explode.



Will this tactic prompt soccer moms across the country to run out and pick up a Kinect (and, presumably, an Xbox 360) when the peripheral hits store shelves on Nov. 4? I highly doubt it, but you never know--the Power of OprahTM has helped sell stinkier turds in the past.

(By the way, a better version of the video above can be viewed here.)

Pre-order: Kinect Sensor with Kinect Adventures!