The Daily Daze

Gaming is perhaps the world's most celebrated hobby today, but once upon a time, most hadn't even seen a video game before. What broke that barrier? Many would claim Pong, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, or Super Mario, but there's another title instrumental to gaming's monstrous success--Taito's Space Invaders. In today's episode, Mr. Pacario examines the crucial influence this one game had on the budding pastime, then cherrypicks its finest sequels.

Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

'Tis time to test your gaming expertise once again, this time with a Contra-style, machine gun bevy of tricky trivia. In other words, a perfect test while you drive to work, run errands, or are just hanging around bored with your friends. Good luck getting a perfect score, though!


Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

The Dreamcast celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, which means a mountain of memories and some wistful tears for those who know the system well. Hence this brief retrospective, which reminds gamers, one more time, why Sega's final system may well have been its greatest.

Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

For twenty years, Doug Walsh was the king of his domain, pumping out over 100 video game strategy guides during the course of his illustrious career. And then, like waking from a dream, it was suddenly over--this off-kilter offshoot of the gaming biz had cast its final secret. Now wincing in the aftermath, Mr. Walsh provides a sobering look into the peculiar world that was the strategy guide industry.



Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario

Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

This episode is dedicated to all those who remember blowing into cartridges, fiddling with fussy memory cards, poring over stacks of Nintendo Powers, and completing various other strange, game-related rituals. Yes, for those who remember, this episode will be a sublime flight to the past. And for those who have never touched a cart or written down a password...be prepared to have your minds blown.

Check out his occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

The Great Gamer's Quiz is back on the attack, tasking would-be enthusiasts to prove their gaming expertise. This time, it's all about sound and chime, asking that players strive to remember the title each beat, voice sample, death note, and cinematic diddy originates. It's a test of memory, rapid recall, and focused listening--the perfect challenge for any individual or group of friends anxious to prove their gaming worth. Have fun!

Check out his occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

This week, it's a scattershot blast of gaming news ranging from Mario Maker masterpieces and Nintendo acting naughty to some encouraging early buzz regarding both the Sega Genesis Mini and the second Angry Birds movie. Fortunately, Mr. Pacario is here to make sense of it all.

Check out his occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

Of all the games in the Zelda franchise, perhaps none contain the same mix of whimsical wonder and tragic, existential dread as the Game Boy's Link's Awakening. Indeed, the game is receiving a Nintendo Switch update for this very reason, but despite packing some plastic, updated graphics, the game seems to be forgetting--or ignoring--what made the original such a standout. Mr. Pacario explores why this newer version may not be the update fans were hoping for.

For more about Link's Awakening's wonders and stumbles, check out Pacario's blog right here: https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/pacario/blog/a-useless-reboot-why-the-new-links-awakening-is-a-/131058/


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

Are sequels usually superior, or inferior, to the originals? For film, the latter is usually the sad reality, but with video games...the answer is not always so easy. Indeed, gamers have long argued the respective merits of a number of gaming duologies, from Mega Man 2 and 3 to Pac-Man and his fairest counterpart. And so, Mr. Pacario enters the fray, examining five sets of classic, controversial gaming pairings in hopes of finally settling the timeless question--which game is truly greater?

Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music

Another Great Gamer's Quiz enters the fray, this time to test your musical IQ concerning a random assortment of gaming's greatest hits...well, at least mostly! Can you defame your friends by nailing that perfect score, or rather, will you only disgrace yourself? 'Tis time to find out!

Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario


Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com) for the cover music