Speaking of Tomohiro Nishikado ...

I didn't know until last night, when I wrote my review of Taito Legends 2 (read it here), that more than a decade after Tomohiro Nishikado designed Space Invaders he designed one of my all-time favorite PC Engine games, Parasol Stars.

That was a mind-blowing discovery to yours truly. After all, few, if any, of Nishikado's other noteworthy titles--like Chase HQ II: Special Criminal Investigation, Darius II and Darius Twin--could be described as bright or cheerful (two words that are practically plastered across the front of Parasol Stars' manual, below).



Of course, Nishikado also had a hand in creating the SNES RPG, Lufia & the Fortress of Doom (known as Estopolis Denki to Super Famicomers), so clearly the man wasn't against creating a colorful game or two.

See also: Other posts about Parasol Stars

The Great Gaymathon Review #23: Taito Legends 2 (PlayStation 2)

Game: Taito Legends 2

Genre: Arcade Compilation

Developer: Taito

Publisher: Destineer

System: PlayStation 2

Release date: 2007

Although it's not as immediately appealing as its predecessor--which features such arcade classics as Bubble Bobble, Elevator Action, Rainbow Islands and Space Invaders--Taito Legends 2 offers its fair share of old-school entertainment once you scratch the disc's surface (figuratively, not literally). Even without the benefit of nostalgia, for instance, games like Cameltry, Kiki Kaikai, The Legend of Kage and Qix are a blast. And then there are the slew of Bubble Bobble-esque games in this collection--Chak'n Pop, Don Doko Don, The Fairyland Story and Liquid Kids--each of which are enjoyable and unique enough to stand on their own. Sure, there are a few duds--I'm lookin' at you, Crazy Balloon and Wild Western--but even those tend to have a redeeming value or two. I'd highly recommend giving each of the 39 games included on Taito Legends 2 a try at one point or another regardless, as you never know which previously unknown (or ignored) title will surprise your heart into skipping a beat. For me, that game was the Parodius-esque--or maybe I should say Pop'n TwinBee-esque--Space Invaders '95, which introduces bosses, cute protagonists and (most importantly) pastels to Tomohiro Nishikado's magnum opus.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

I will obtain one of these if it's the last thing I do

OK, so I'm being a bit dramatic. I'd certainly like to own a beautiful, customized Master System like the one below some day, though--along with a copy of Bubble Bobble, of course.



Go here to see a few more images of this magnificently customized console.

(Via segams.blogspot.com)

If loving Nyan Cat is wrong, I don't want to be right

Look! Up in the sky! It's a cat! It's a Pop Tart! It's Nyan Cat!

If the name Nyan Cat doesn't mean anything to you, check out this site or just click on the following video:



I'm sure some of you (OK, most of you) find this particular Internet meme annoying, but I find it kind of adorable. Of course, I'm a complete sucker for cats, Pop Tarts, rainbows and 8-bit-era graphics.

Given all of that, I'd love to play a Nyan Cat game at some point. I could totally see him (her?) starring in a Parodius-esque shooter, for instance.

I'm not sure that will end up describing the game the guy behind Nyan Cat--an illustrator who goes by the name of prguitarman--is working on at the moment, but we'll find out soon enough. (He recently said via Twitter that his Nyan Cat game is "looking good" and that he'll reveal more information about it shortly.)

In the meantime, why not show your love for the frosting-covered critter by buying (here) a t-shirt bearing his image?

Seems I'll be dressing as Mario this Halloween

I saw the following photo--taken during Anime Expo 2010, according to the lovely ladies over at gamergrrlz.net--last Friday afternoon and decided then and there that I, too, would dress as gay Mario this Halloween. Assuming, of course, I dress up at all.



The question is: Where am I going to get a Mario cap? After all, I've already got the fishnet top, denim cut-offs and furry boots...