Travel to Pokémon Island, meet Professor Oak, and embark on a safari to take photographs of (and celebrate) the 18th birthday of Pokemon Snap for N64. Join hosts Justin, AJ, Kyle, and the rarest Pokemon in a NEW IGL Retro Gaming.

Justin Gentile - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/justin_gentile

AJ Demers -Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lissaj89

Kyle Dunchan Graham- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kduncang

About the Game:

Pokemon Snap is a first-person shooter type of game published by Nintendo for their much beloved system, the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It is a spin-off game in the Pokémon collection of video games across platforms.

It was one of the first console-based games for it and featured many Pokémon rendered for the first time in real-time 3D (!). The game was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in December 2007 and the Wii Virtual Console in 2016.

The objective of the game is to take pictures of Pokémon, using items such as apples and "pester balls" to achieve better shots. After each round, players are judged based on the quality of their photos.

The Virtual Console version features the ability to send pictures taken in the game to the Wii Message Board and to friends, whereas the OG Nintendo 64 cartridge could be taken to Blockbuster (extinct video stores) to get pictures from the game printed on stickers.

By the end of 1999, Pokémon Snap sold 1.5 million copies, and was a strong rental title in 1999 after its release. It was met with a mostly positive reception by critics, described as "addictive" by video game sites like IGN and similar. It has also been compared to other notable video games involving photography, such as Afrika, Dead Rising, and Beyond Good & Evil.

Synopsis:

Todd Snap is a Pokémon photographer who gets summoned by Professor Oak to Pokémon Island, a place with a variety of climatic and geographic regions where Pokémon live undisturbed by humans. Oak needs pictures to accompany his scientific findings and knows from past experience that Todd is the right person for the job.

Equipped with a motorized, amphibious buggy named the Zero-One, Todd explores the island and photographs the Pokémon that inhabit its environments.

From Professor Oak's research hub, the player can select between levels and features via a menu system. After completing a course, the player selects the best picture of each Pokémon to show Professor Oak. Oak's scoring takes into account aspects of the pictures such as the Pokémon's size, pose, and framing.

Extra points are awarded for capturing a "special" pose or Pokémon, like a surfing Pikachu, and snapping multiples of the same Pokémon within the frame. Scoring well in the Pokémon Report and photographing a wide variety of Pokémon progress the player in the game.

Players start out with only a camera, but later in the game Professor Oak provide a number of special items used to obtain better photographs. The game has seven levels: Beach, Tunnel, Volcano, River, Cave, Valley, and the special course "Rainbow Cloud."

However, the staggered acquisition of items ensures that the player must re-explore the courses to discover new material. Levels must be replayed after acquiring new items in order to locate hidden Pokémon, alternate routes, or photographic opportunities that yield the best scores.

Three Big News Stories Unrelated to the Nintendo Switch Release | Infinite Grenade Launcher Podcast | Gaming News

Ready Players one and two for a NEW episode of the Infinite Grenade Launcher. This week, hosts AJ and Kyle are dishing on notable gaming news drowned out by the deafening roar surrounding the Nintendo Switch release, such as Twitter's developing deals around the world to stream events, the new power of the Unreal Engine, and some good news for XBox Live gamers on a budget.

Twitter makes deals around the world to stream large gaming conferences and E-sporting events. Yet another harbinger of the end for broadcast TV?

Twitter and two massive eSports companies, ESL and DreamHack, announced they will be teaming up to live stream more than 15 global video game events this year as well as exclusive, original content created for the social media platform. It’s Twitter’s first long-term eSports streaming deal.

Esports are video game competitions staged in packed arenas around the world watched by thousands of fans online. They are one of the fastest growing spectator sports online AND in person: the competitions regularly sell out NBA-sized arenas or bigger venues and eSports fans are forecast to grow quickly. Research predicts a jump from 191 million enthusiasts worldwide this year to 286 million in 2020.

Twitter Livestream IGL Podcast

Livestream sporting events via Twitter

This deal may help boost that popularity and in turn, Twitter engagement. The direct engagement of Twitter connects fans with the events, but more specifically offers eSports an opportunity to interact with their target audience on social media. Twitter Chief Operating Officer Anthony Noto extolled this collaboration as a way to tap into the engaged audience of gamers are already using Twitter for content.

Sound off in the comments below - do you think this will be a good thing for gaming or do you think it will worsen the gaming world when more notoriety and coverage occurs on a major platform?

Unreal Engine 4 is now so powerful that developers can in real time composite fully operational gaming or CGI elements into what a camera sees.

What do you get when you combine a modular, motion-capped car, a 360-degree camera and some real-time work from Unreal Engine 4? Chevrolet recently created an impressive short film showing two augmented reality cars racing each other.

WATCH the The Human Race, a short film showing Unreal Engine 4 in action

The short film, called The Human Race, may not appear super special EXCEPT - the cars aren't rendered in post production, they are being rendered in real-time using Unreal's engine. This is absolutely incredible and a game changer for filmmakers, game developers, car companies - anyone who benefits from showcasing visual effects in real time.

IGL Podcast unreal engine 4

Developing the Unreal Engine 4

XBOX releases new Live streaming service for gamers on a budget that's only $10 per month!

Broke gamers say huzzah! Having to splash out big bucks on the latest game may soon be a thing of the past: Microsoft announced their new subscription service Game Pass launching next spring on the Xbox One. For $10 a month, console owners will have access to over 100 Xbox One and compatible games similar to video content subscription services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

IGL Podcast XBox Gamepass

Games available on the Gamepass

There is a slight difference. The Xbox Game Pass is not a streaming service, like PlayStation Now, but a game download subscription along the lines of EA Access. Subscribers who pay the $9.99 monthly fee can choose from games like Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, NBA 2K16 and SoulCalibur II (titles revealed Microsoft's official announcement) then they download them to thei...

Three Big News Stories Unrelated to the Nintendo Switch Release | Infinite Grenade Launcher Podcast | Gaming News

Ready Players one and two for a NEW episode of the Infinite Grenade Launcher. This week, hosts AJ and Kyle are dishing on notable gaming news drowned out by the deafening roar surrounding the Nintendo Switch release, such as Twitter's developing deals around the world to stream events, the new power of the Unreal Engine, and some good news for XBox Live gamers on a budget.

Twitter makes deals around the world to stream large gaming conferences and E-sporting events. Yet another harbinger of the end for broadcast TV?

Twitter and two massive eSports companies, ESL and DreamHack, announced they will be teaming up to live stream more than 15 global video game events this year as well as exclusive, original content created for the social media platform. It’s Twitter’s first long-term eSports streaming deal.

Esports are video game competitions staged in packed arenas around the world watched by thousands of fans online. They are one of the fastest growing spectator sports online AND in person: the competitions regularly sell out NBA-sized arenas or bigger venues and eSports fans are forecast to grow quickly. Research predicts a jump from 191 million enthusiasts worldwide this year to 286 million in 2020.

Twitter Livestream IGL Podcast

Livestream sporting events via Twitter

This deal may help boost that popularity and in turn, Twitter engagement. The direct engagement of Twitter connects fans with the events, but more specifically offers eSports an opportunity to interact with their target audience on social media. Twitter Chief Operating Officer Anthony Noto extolled this collaboration as a way to tap into the engaged audience of gamers are already using Twitter for content.

Sound off in the comments below - do you think this will be a good thing for gaming or do you think it will worsen the gaming world when more notoriety and coverage occurs on a major platform?

Unreal Engine 4 is now so powerful that developers can in real time composite fully operational gaming or CGI elements into what a camera sees.

What do you get when you combine a modular, motion-capped car, a 360-degree camera and some real-time work from Unreal Engine 4? Chevrolet recently created an impressive short film showing two augmented reality cars racing each other.

WATCH the The Human Race, a short film showing Unreal Engine 4 in action

The short film, called The Human Race, may not appear super special EXCEPT - the cars aren't rendered in post production, they are being rendered in real-time using Unreal's engine. This is absolutely incredible and a game changer for filmmakers, game developers, car companies - anyone who benefits from showcasing visual effects in real time.

IGL Podcast unreal engine 4

Developing the Unreal Engine 4

XBOX releases new Live streaming service for gamers on a budget that's only $10 per month!

Broke gamers say huzzah! Having to splash out big bucks on the latest game may soon be a thing of the past: Microsoft announced their new subscription service Game Pass launching next spring on the Xbox One. For $10 a month, console owners will have access to over 100 Xbox One and compatible games similar to video content subscription services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

IGL Podcast XBox Gamepass

Games available on the Gamepass

There is a slight difference. The Xbox Game Pass is not a streaming service, like PlayStation Now, but a game download subscription along the lines of EA Access. Subscribers who pay the $9.99 monthly fee can choose from games like Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, NBA 2K16 and SoulCalibur II (titles revealed Microsoft's official announcement) then they download them to thei...

The wait is over! The Nintendo Switch is finally here, boasting a hybrid design that provides both console and on-the-go gaming in a single system. Infinite Grenade Launcher Podcast hosts Justin, AJ, and Kyle got into that Switch life and today's episode has the review you need to decide whether it's a worthy addition to your gaming fleet

About the System:

The Nintendo Switch is the seventh major home video game console developed by Nintendo. Originally known in development as the NX, it was officially unveiled in October 2016, and was released worldwide on March 3, 2017.

Nintendo calls the Switch a "hybrid" console. It is designed primarily as a home console, with the main unit inserted onto a docking station to connect to a television. Alternatively, it can be removed from the dock and used similarly to a tablet via LCD touchscreen, or placed in a standalone tabletop mode.

The Switch's most distinguishable features are the Joy-Con wireless controllers, which include standard buttons and a directional joystick for user input, motion sensing, and high-definition tactile feedback. The Joy-Con can attach to both sides of the console to support handheld-style play, connect to a Grip accessory to provide a traditional home console gamepad form, or be used individually in the hand like the Wii Remote. The Switch supports both physical flash ROM cartridges and digital content for games and software, and does not use region locking.

From 2014, Nintendo had several quarters of financial losses mainly due to poor sales of its previous console, the Wii U, and market competition from mobile gaming. Then-Nintendo president Satoru Iwata pushed the company towards mobile gaming and novel hardware. The Switch's design is aimed at a wider demographic of video game players through the multiple modes of use, while retaining Nintendo's hardware uniqueness and innovation. Nintendo has sought support of many third-party developers and publishers to help build out the Switch's game library alongside Nintendo's own first-party titles, with over 100 titles under development by 70 developers as of January 2017.

Storage capacity: 32 GB

Supported services: Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth

Feature: With Motion Control

Brand: Nintendo

Media: Flash memory card, Nintendo Switch Game Card

Our Review:

The team loved Zelda, let's start there. Nintendo’s marquee launch title, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is a masterpiece of the action RPG genre that's well worth tracking down. It’s addictive and well-designed and what it lacks in storytelling mastery it makes up for with nostalgia and sheer playability. But Zelda is, at the moment, the only reason to own the Switch—the bottom line is that portable power and a versatile design are held back by expensive accessories and performance problems.

Our team loves the concept of the Switch, but the portable power only offers around a 3 hour battery life , the web browser sucks, and you pretty much have to buy attachments and add ons to make it fully worth it. Plus, the pad only plays at 720 resolution.

On the other hand, the games are great and getting good reviews. It will be interesting to see how software/hardware updates and additions shapes this clever console concept. It's worth noting (thanks Justin) that Nintendo does not do what everyone else does when it comes to VR, they're doing their own thing. Also, they're intriguingly moving toward more live interactions - Universal is making a section of park Super Mario World.

We'll definitely be paying attention to this Nintendo innovation even more as more games come out a la Breath of the Wild to impress and keep you updated on all the developments.

Your Hosts:

Justin Gentile | Twitter: justin_gentile

AJ Demers | Twitter: lissaj89

The wait is over! The Nintendo Switch is finally here, boasting a hybrid design that provides both console and on-the-go gaming in a single system. Infinite Grenade Launcher Podcast hosts Justin, AJ, and Kyle got into that Switch life and today's episode has the review you need to decide whether it's a worthy addition to your gaming fleet

About the System:

The Nintendo Switch is the seventh major home video game console developed by Nintendo. Originally known in development as the NX, it was officially unveiled in October 2016, and was released worldwide on March 3, 2017.

Nintendo calls the Switch a "hybrid" console. It is designed primarily as a home console, with the main unit inserted onto a docking station to connect to a television. Alternatively, it can be removed from the dock and used similarly to a tablet via LCD touchscreen, or placed in a standalone tabletop mode.

The Switch's most distinguishable features are the Joy-Con wireless controllers, which include standard buttons and a directional joystick for user input, motion sensing, and high-definition tactile feedback. The Joy-Con can attach to both sides of the console to support handheld-style play, connect to a Grip accessory to provide a traditional home console gamepad form, or be used individually in the hand like the Wii Remote. The Switch supports both physical flash ROM cartridges and digital content for games and software, and does not use region locking.

From 2014, Nintendo had several quarters of financial losses mainly due to poor sales of its previous console, the Wii U, and market competition from mobile gaming. Then-Nintendo president Satoru Iwata pushed the company towards mobile gaming and novel hardware. The Switch's design is aimed at a wider demographic of video game players through the multiple modes of use, while retaining Nintendo's hardware uniqueness and innovation. Nintendo has sought support of many third-party developers and publishers to help build out the Switch's game library alongside Nintendo's own first-party titles, with over 100 titles under development by 70 developers as of January 2017.

Storage capacity: 32 GB

Supported services: Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth

Feature: With Motion Control

Brand: Nintendo

Media: Flash memory card, Nintendo Switch Game Card

Our Review:

The team loved Zelda, let's start there. Nintendo’s marquee launch title, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is a masterpiece of the action RPG genre that's well worth tracking down. It’s addictive and well-designed and what it lacks in storytelling mastery it makes up for with nostalgia and sheer playability. But Zelda is, at the moment, the only reason to own the Switch—the bottom line is that portable power and a versatile design are held back by expensive accessories and performance problems.

Our team loves the concept of the Switch, but the portable power only offers around a 3 hour battery life , the web browser sucks, and you pretty much have to buy attachments and add ons to make it fully worth it. Plus, the pad only plays at 720 resolution.

On the other hand, the games are great and getting good reviews. It will be interesting to see how software/hardware updates and additions shapes this clever console concept. It's worth noting (thanks Justin) that Nintendo does not do what everyone else does when it comes to VR, they're doing their own thing. Also, they're intriguingly moving toward more live interactions - Universal is making a section of park Super Mario World.

We'll definitely be paying attention to this Nintendo innovation even more as more games come out a la Breath of the Wild to impress and keep you updated on all the developments.

Your Hosts:

Justin Gentile | Twitter: justin_gentile

AJ Demers | Twitter: lissaj89

IGL Podcast is back with more Retro Gaming! Today we're talking about the continuing antics of your favorite gaming elf in Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link.

About the Game:

The Zelda games are beloved by many, including us. This second installment in the Zelda series is an action role-playing video game with platforming elements. It was developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System on January 14, 1987, less than a year after the original The Legend of Zelda was released and seven months before North America saw the release of the first Zelda title. The game was released in North America and the PAL region for the Nintendo Entertainment System in late 1988, almost two years after its initial release in Japan.

The Adventure of Link is a direct sequel to the original The Legend of Zelda, which again finds protagonist, Link, on a quest to save Princess Zelda, who has fallen under a sleeping spell. The Adventure of Link's emphasis on side-scrolling and role-playing elements, however, was a departure from its predecessor. As of 2016, the game remains the only technical sequel to the original title, as all other entries in the series either are prequels or take place in an alternative reality, according to the official Zelda timeline.

The game was a critical and financial success, and introduced elements such as Link's "magic meter" and the Dark Link character that would become commonplace in future Zelda games, although the role-playing elements, such as experience points, and the platform-style side-scrolling and limited lives have not been used since in canonical games.

The next installment in the Legend of Zelda series was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Developers: Nintendo R&D4

Publisher: Nintendo

Directors: Tadashi Sugiyama and Yoichi Yamada

Producer:Shigeru Miyamoto

Designer:Kazunobu Shimizu

Writer: Takashi Tezuka

Composer: Akito Nakatsuka

Plot:

Several years after the events of The Legend of Zelda, the now-sixteen-year-old Link notices a strange mark on the back of his left hand, exactly like the crest of Hyrule. He seeks out Impa, who responds by taking Link to the North Castle, where a door has been magically sealed for generations. Impa places the back of Link's left hand on the door, and it opens, revealing a sleeping maiden.

Impa tells Link that the maiden is Zelda (not the Zelda from the first game), the princess of Hyrule from long ago, and the origin of the "Legend of Zelda". Zelda's brother had tried to force her into telling their recently deceased father's secrets concerning the last of three sacred golden triangle treasures of his kingdom, known collectively as the Triforce.

Princess Zelda refused to reveal its location, and the prince's wizard friend, in anger, tried to strike her down with a spell. Zelda fell under a powerful sleeping spell, but the wizard was unable to control the wildly arcing magic and was killed by it. The prince, filled with remorse and unable to reverse the spell, had his sister placed in the castle tower, in the hope that she would one day be awakened. He decreed that princesses born to the royal family from that point on would be named Zelda, in remembrance of this tragedy.

Hosts:

Justin Gentile | Twitter: justin_gentile

AJ Demers | Twitter: lissaj89

Kyle Duncan Graham | Twitter: kDuncanG

IGL Podcast is back with more Retro Gaming! Today we're talking about the continuing antics of your favorite gaming elf in Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link.

About the Game:

The Zelda games are beloved by many, including us. This second installment in the Zelda series is an action role-playing video game with platforming elements. It was developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System on January 14, 1987, less than a year after the original The Legend of Zelda was released and seven months before North America saw the release of the first Zelda title. The game was released in North America and the PAL region for the Nintendo Entertainment System in late 1988, almost two years after its initial release in Japan.

The Adventure of Link is a direct sequel to the original The Legend of Zelda, which again finds protagonist, Link, on a quest to save Princess Zelda, who has fallen under a sleeping spell. The Adventure of Link's emphasis on side-scrolling and role-playing elements, however, was a departure from its predecessor. As of 2016, the game remains the only technical sequel to the original title, as all other entries in the series either are prequels or take place in an alternative reality, according to the official Zelda timeline.

The game was a critical and financial success, and introduced elements such as Link's "magic meter" and the Dark Link character that would become commonplace in future Zelda games, although the role-playing elements, such as experience points, and the platform-style side-scrolling and limited lives have not been used since in canonical games.

The next installment in the Legend of Zelda series was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Developers: Nintendo R&D4

Publisher: Nintendo

Directors: Tadashi Sugiyama and Yoichi Yamada

Producer:Shigeru Miyamoto

Designer:Kazunobu Shimizu

Writer: Takashi Tezuka

Composer: Akito Nakatsuka

Plot:

Several years after the events of The Legend of Zelda, the now-sixteen-year-old Link notices a strange mark on the back of his left hand, exactly like the crest of Hyrule. He seeks out Impa, who responds by taking Link to the North Castle, where a door has been magically sealed for generations. Impa places the back of Link's left hand on the door, and it opens, revealing a sleeping maiden.

Impa tells Link that the maiden is Zelda (not the Zelda from the first game), the princess of Hyrule from long ago, and the origin of the "Legend of Zelda". Zelda's brother had tried to force her into telling their recently deceased father's secrets concerning the last of three sacred golden triangle treasures of his kingdom, known collectively as the Triforce.

Princess Zelda refused to reveal its location, and the prince's wizard friend, in anger, tried to strike her down with a spell. Zelda fell under a powerful sleeping spell, but the wizard was unable to control the wildly arcing magic and was killed by it. The prince, filled with remorse and unable to reverse the spell, had his sister placed in the castle tower, in the hope that she would one day be awakened. He decreed that princesses born to the royal family from that point on would be named Zelda, in remembrance of this tragedy.

Hosts:

Justin Gentile | Twitter: justin_gentile

AJ Demers | Twitter: lissaj89

Kyle Duncan Graham | Twitter: kDuncanG

It's that special time again on IGL Podcast: Virtual Reality News! Today we're discussing Google's VR Film, Pearl and its nomination for an Academy Award, and the slate of new titles from Valve plus their new "knuckles" controller technology.

For those consumers who have not considered virtual reality yet, the Academy Awards just gave the emerging media some serious credibility: The Google produced VR film Pearl has been nominated for an Oscar for best animated short film.

The film was originally released in 2016 as a part of the Google Spotlight Story series, and tells the story of a father and his daughter through the years. You via the VR are centered in a car as the action moves through the highs and lows of the pairs' lives. The VR is used to immerse you in the experience of both the passage of time and emotions from inside the car, with the characters.

The roughly five-minute film can be viewed for free on the HTC Vive or on YouTube as a 360-degree video, optimized for the Chrome browser.

It's that special time again on IGL Podcast: Virtual Reality News! Today we're discussing Google's VR Film, Pearl and its nomination for an Academy Award, and the slate of new titles from Valve plus their new "knuckles" controller technology.

For those consumers who have not considered virtual reality yet, the Academy Awards just gave the emerging media some serious credibility: The Google produced VR film Pearl has been nominated for an Oscar for best animated short film.

The film was originally released in 2016 as a part of the Google Spotlight Story series, and tells the story of a father and his daughter through the years. You via the VR are centered in a car as the action moves through the highs and lows of the pairs' lives. The VR is used to immerse you in the experience of both the passage of time and emotions from inside the car, with the characters.

The roughly five-minute film can be viewed for free on the HTC Vive or on YouTube as a 360-degree video, optimized for the Chrome browser.

Happy Valentine's Day, from IGL Podcast! Hosts Justin, AJ, and Kyle are talking the best titles to play with that special gamer in your life. Three words: Lego Harry Potter.

What says Valentine's Day more than video games with your favorite Player Two?

While some games are clearly better for solo endeavors (Kyle and Final Fantasy have a special relationship for example), there are those special titles that bring people together and even dare we say, inspire love? Who could play Super Smash Bros with a potential mate and not be invigorated with zeal?

IGL hosts also recommend Castle Crashers, the perennial classic Mario Kart, party favorite Super Smash Bros, Lego Harry Potter (aka video game Spanish Fly), dark horse retro game contender, Contra, and more recent entry in the love video game machine, Rocket League.

Castle Crashers is a 2D beat 'em up video game originally for Xbox 360 version which was released in 2008 via Xbox Live Arcade as part of the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade, followed by a PlayStation 3 version in 2010. The game is set in a fictional medieval world with wizards and princesses: a dark wizard steals a mystical gem and captures four princesses. Four knights are charged with the task of rescuing princesses, recovering the jewel, and bringing the wizard to justice. In 2015, developer The Behemoth announced a remastered version of the game for Xbox One.

Lego Harry Potter is such a romantic game choice for lovers, we can hardly keep our pants on. Hollywood ReduXXX indeed. Developed by Traveler's Tales and published by Warner Bros, the game covers the first four films in the Harry Potter series: Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and Goblet of Fire. it's available all over the place: on the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, OS X and iOS. You can play as most of the main characters from the show - try to make it all the way to the Triwizard Tournament without heavy petting.

Your Hosts:

Justin Gentile AJ Demers Kyle Duncan Graham

Twitter: justin_gentile Twitter: lissaj89 Twitter: kDuncanG