Author: AJ Amideo

I've been gaming pretty much since I was old enough to hold a controller. I've always been a console guy but I've recently kind of shifted over to Steam (though I'm still not giving up the controller). I'm also absolutely obsessed with arcades.

The Nintendo 64: A 2×12-Year Retrospective

For over 10 years prior to the launch of their N64 system, Nintendo sat fairly comfortably as the top dog in the video game console market. That all began to change by the mid-90s, however. Following Sega and Sony's (then) next-gen console face-off throughout much of 1995, Nintendo somewhat controversially opted to wait until the following year to release their own competing hardware. One of the main reasons for this decision was so that they could allow enough time for a sufficient pipeline of software titles to be ready to support the console (and not wind up in the same embarrassing predicament Sega had with their premature launch of the Saturn). While the delay did likely hurt them a bit with regard to potential sales lost, it also ensured that the N64 would make a strong impact when it did finally arrive (the lack of which for the Saturn no doubt contributed to that console's early demise).

​While the official US launch date for the Nintendo 64 was intended to be Sunday, September 29th, 1996, as advertised, the vast majority of retailers broke that release date and began selling them before the start of the weekend. Following its successful launch, the Nintendo 64 achieved modest success throughout its life. The decision to stick with cartridges in the age of the compact disc, along with a slight lack of third-party support, would cause Nintendo's system to be pretty handily outsold by Sony's PlayStation console. However, the Saturn's early departure from the field, combined with an absolute wealth of outstanding first and second-party titles, still solidified the Nintendo 64 as both an unquestionable success for Nintendo, as well as an object of great affection for Nintendo fans, and gamers, everywhere.

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Hot as WRUP

What's up, Twinstiq folks? Happy August! Here in the northern hemisphere, we are now entering the hottest month of the year, and thanks to global warming, this August will likely be one of the hottest on record. Again. Though I suppose Covid-19 is giving most people a reason not to venture out too much at the moment. So...yay for that, I guess?

Either way, stay safe out there. What is everyone playing this weekend?

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AJ’s (Non-)E3 2020 Roundup

The Covid-19 pandemic has made 2020 anything but typical. With nearly every major public event cancelled, it's no surprise that E3 would be among the casualties. Yet, despite there not being an actual Electronic Entertainment Expo this year, that didn't stop the big players from still making their obligatory mid-year gaming announcements. So, E3 or no, I've still got plenty of great information to round up for you.

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What the Actual WRUP!?!

Hello again friends. It's me, AJ. You haven't heard from me since way back in mid-February, when this crazy coronavirus pandemic was only just getting started. You might have thought it would have largely subsided by mid-July; and it actually has, in many parts of the world. But here in the States, where I am, Covid-19 is currently raging out of control like a California wildfire.
 
So what do those other countries have that we don't?  The one thing that truly matters during any large-scale crisis - - competent leadership. First the orange imbecile refused to defer to the actual experts on the matter, then he openly opposed the most basic of safety measures, such as simply wearing a mask out in public, and now he is even going so far as to try and control the flow of information about how many cases there are. At this rate things will only get far worse before they begin to get any better. This is why voting matters, people. Please, please remember to always exercise your right.
 
But enough about that. Let's remember why we come here - - to talk about games. Specifically, what we are all playing this weekend...

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AJ’s Picks: The 12 Best Games of the 2010s

With the end of 2019, the 2010s also finally came to a close. And now that I've looked back on all the great games of 2019, it's time to take a look back at the decade as a whole and talk about the titles that really stood out as the very best of the best. It may have been a long 10 years, with lots of changes in the gaming world, but it was chock full of gaming experiences that were absolutely second to none. While it may have pained me to narrow so many fantastic games down to only a dozen, I have done exactly that, just for you. Here are my picks for the 12 best games of the 2010s:

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#4if

AJ’s 4 In February: Cinque di Febbraio

Well, January's over which means its time for 4 in February again. I'm sure you all know the drill - - pick any 4 games you wish and complete them before the month is out. Simple, right? Well, not as simple as you might expect. I personally haven't been able to do it yet, in four attempts. And I doubt this fifth year will be much different.

I've still gotta try, though. Nobody likes a quitter, right? Anyway, this year being a leap year means I get a whole extra day in which to do it! Will it make the difference? Maybe. It all depends on the games. So let's take a look at what I'll be playing this year.

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AJ’s Upcoming Gaming Releases Roundup – 2020 Edition

Now that my Games of the Year list is behind me, I can start looking forward to this year. There are a lot of exciting new offerings on the horizon for 2020, some of which will begin releasing fairly soon. A few upcoming titles, however, have already been delayed and may, perhaps be delayed further. But regardless of when they all arrive, this should still certainly be a very entertaining year. As per my usual MO (in case you hadn't caught on yet), I've decided to lay out the top 12 highlights, along with the most current release information I have. Enjoy. Read more

AJ’s Picks: The 12 Best Games of 2019

Happy 2020! It's a new year once again (and a new decade as well), and that means it's time for another round-up of the best games from the previous 12 months. 2019 was another amazing 365 days of great games to play. So many great games, in fact, that narrowing down my choices to merely a select 12 proved particularly difficult this time around. In the end though, I was able to get it done, and now feel sufficiently confident in my selections. I hope you will too. So without further ado, I humbly present, my picks for the 12 best games of 2019.

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Using the Force: 6 Of My Favorite Star Wars Games

Well, it may have started a long time ago, in this very same galaxy that we are in, but the final episode of the epic, 42-years-in-the-making, Star Wars nonology finally releases today. To celebrate this historic occasion in popular culture, I've decided to take a look back at a handful of games that have made the jump from that universe since then. While there are dozens of releases I could consider from the past four decades, I've decided to narrow it down to just a few that I have particularly enjoyed and/or played the most over that time frame. So, without further ado, I humbly present to you, 6 of my very favorite Star Wars games.

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Happy Hallowrup!

Happy Halloween Twinstiqers! Well, maybe not just yet but there is less than a week to go now! Though personally, I like to get in the spirit all month long. Thankfully, that's been relatively easy this year thanks to the the new movie Zombieland: Double Tap, and new game (re-)releases such as Ghostbusters, Vs Castlevania, and MediEvil.

Don't feel like you have to spend a lot of scratch to enjoy the season though. Sometimes grabbing a candy bar and some popcorn and just sitting down to watch a favorite scary movie works just as well. Whatever you like to do, I hope you've been getting as much enjoyment out of this October as I have. And even if not, just remember that you've still got a few days left to get in on the fun!

What's everybody playing this weekend?

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