Sonic Game Gear

I really shouldn't be allowed to have a credit card.

I say that because if I weren't in possession of a credit card, I wouldn't be able to buy any of the games and systems that, like so many shiny objects, catch my attention (seemingly out of the blue), blossom into full-blown obsessions and then quickly dissipate as soon as another compelling game or system comes into view.

The last such "shiny object" to grab my eye, you may remember, was the WonderSwan. Although I'm still keen on picking up one of these Bandai-made handhelds (especially since I've already bought a few WonderSwan games--more on that soon), I'd be lying if I said I was as interested in it as I was when I wrote this post.

As for what prompted my interest in this peculiar, Japan-only portable to wane a bit (just a bit): Sega's Game Gear.

I'm not entirely sure why I've currently got Game Gear on the brain, but I have a feeling it can be blamed on this recent review over at Red Parsley and this one over at VG Junk.

Regardless, I'm spending way too much time thinking about the Game Gear right now. I even spent some time searching Flickr for images of Sega's brick-like handheld over the weekend. That's when I came across the Sonic the Hedgehog-branded Game Gear seen below:



Said system was created by none other than the artist who calls himself OSKUNK, of course.

I think my favorite part of this OSKUNK creation is how the reflections on Dr. Robotnick's (or Dr. Eggman's, if that's how you roll) sunglass lenses double as labels for the portable's I and II buttons.

As much as I love this expertly customized piece of tech, I'd chuck it to the curb like a piece of stale bread if OSKUNK offered up a Game Gear with Pengo characters painted on it. And that system would be tossed out in favor of one branded with characters from the coolest GG title ever created (according to moi): Magical Puzzle Popils.

Anyway, should you want to see more of OSKUNK's work (and why wouldn't you?), feel free to head over to his blog, Custom Art, or his Flickr photostream at your earliest convenience.

See also: Previous OSKUNK-centric posts

Kirby in process

Since I haven't injected this blog with a massive dose of cuteness in a while, I thought I'd do so today by posting the work-in-progress hoop-thing (can you tell I'm an embroidery expert?) below that's being made by fiber artist Michelle Coffee.

Apparently the final product is going to be a part of the "20 Days of Kirby" series that's taking over 4 color rebellion for the next week or so. (It started on April 27. Check out the Kirby-inspired creations that have been published already here.)



To see more examples of Coffee's abilities (including the most adorable plushes you're ever likely to lay eyes on), head on over to her Flickr photostream and her etsy shop, Deadly Sweet.

See also: Previous posts about Michelle Coffee (aka misscoffee) and her creations

Dad update #174

It's been a while (over a month, I think) since I published my last "dad update," so I thought I'd rectify that today.

The biggest news of the last few weeks is that my dad is walking again. He needs the assistance of a walker (or some contraption that's like a walker--I don't completely understand my mom's description of the one-handed device he's currently using to get around), at the moment, but even that's pretty amazing when you consider he only took his first steps about two-and-a-half weeks ago.

When will he take his first, unassisted steps? No one really knows. I'm hopeful he'll take them eventually, though, and that's all that matters to me right now.

Things are going well for him in other areas, too. He's talking more whenever we chat via FaceTime, and he's eating and drinking fairly normally at this point--although he still has some difficulty in swallowing "thin liquids" like water, something that seems to be an issue for many folks who suffer strokes.

As much progress as he's made in the last two months, though, my dad still has quite a way to go before he can return home with my mom. His left arm is still too weak to be used for much of anything, for instance, and his body is pretty weak overall, too.

Here's hoping that his progress continues in the coming days, weeks and months and that he and my mom are able to return to some semblance of normalcy as soon as possible.

See also: Previous posts about my dad

Manual Stimulation: Mr. Driller A (GameBoy Advance)

By Anne Lee

Mr. Driller A, or Mr. Driller Ace: Wonderful Pacteria, never made it outside of Japan, and it's a real shame, as it's my favorite title in the series (but I don't claim to be much of an authority). Though the manual isn't particularly outstanding, it does feature the series' iconic art style in the form of some character illustrations and screenshots.

This manual is surprisingly large for a puzzler, but most of the pages really aren't all that exciting. The first, and arguably my favorite, features a silly illustration of Susumu and his sidekick dog Puchi looking bewildered at a "Pacteria," the weird black blob thing that makes an appearance in the game's subtitle. Gotta love the professor urging Susumu to uncover the mysteries of the Pacteria, and the words "New Essence" splashed across the top left page.

Character pages are usually pretty fun, and this one's no different. Anyone familiar with Dig Dug should recognize the fellow down in the bottom-left corner! That's Taizou, Suzumu's father and main character of the iconic Dig Dug series. His birthdate, 1982, is the year Dig Dug was first released in arcades.

The subsequent pages are all relatively standard "how to play" fare. I wonder what's so wonderful about those Pacteria?

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Theatrhythm Final Fantasy edition)

In exactly two months, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy will hit the streets in the U.S. (This music-based 3DS title will be released in Europe a few days later, on July 6. I'm not sure when it will be made available elsewhere.)

Surprisingly, the graphic designers at Square Enix have used the three months since the game's Japanese debut to rework its box art.

Below, for instance, is the rather classy illustration that graces the cover of the Japanese version of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.

The North American release (which can be pre-ordered here), on the other hand, will feature the following, re-jiggered box art:

Although initially I was impressed with the latter iteration's colorful cover art, after reflecting on it a bit I think it's just a bit too cluttered. Also, the logo is kind of tiny, don't you think?

So, I'm giving the nod to the Japanese packaging this time around. How about you--do you prefer one piece of box art over the other? Also, are any of you planning on picking up Theatrhythm Final Fantasy after it hits store shelves in your particular territory?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts