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CultureTotal RecallThere was Once a U.S. National Video Game Team, and This Guy Was Its Captain
A leader of a national team of athletes could reasonably expect to make a few endorsements or appearances, and in his day, Donn Nauert had his. Whether supplying a pro’s advice on Gradius or judging a video gaming triathlon, the captain of the U.S. National Video Game Team offered confidence, rectitude and, of course, a…
By Owen Good Published April 13, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Greatest Justification For Messed-Up Video Game Graphics I Ever Saw
I’ve forgotten most of the things I read in video game instruction manuals when I was a kid. But one thing I read in the instruction manual for the Commodore 64 version of Double Dragon stuck with me. It taught me something about the reality of video games. I’m talking about a note in the…
By Stephen Totilo Published April 13, 2012 -
Culture
You Guys Like Giant Robots, Space Pigs and Fighting Octopus, Right?
Concept artist Trevor Claxton has, in addition to working on projects like Magic the Gathering, also lent his talents to games such as Dust 514, EVE Online and Warhawk. If anyone’s going to draw awesome mechanical killing machines, it’s this guy. I’m not saying these images come from any of those games. I am saying,…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 13, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
When “Sexy” Meant “Fully-Clothed With Expensive Race Cars”
I remember when I was 8, and my important bits still didn’t quite know what they were doing, I thought this was the single greatest image on the planet. A sexy European lady and a McLaren F1 car? It was heaven. Twenty-four years later, my bits know exactly what they’re doing, and…this is still pretty…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 12, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallThe Sad Story of a Japanese Gaming Legend who Pretends War Crimes Never Happened
Here at Total Recall, we deal in history. Partly because I love my video games, but also because as a graduate in the field I love my history as well. So it saddens me deeply when I see people involved in video games trying to mess with real, actual history. Which leads me to something…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 12, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallThe Greatness of Terrible Voice Acting
The AV Club’s newly-relaunched games section, the Gameological Society, explores one of the greatest single examples of voice-over work in the history of the industry: Last Alert, a shooter for the TurboGrafx-16. A game renowned the world over for just how shitty its localisation work was, just about everything that could go wrong does go…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 11, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallA Controversial Arcade Classic Gets its Own Documentary
Arcade classic Dragon’s Lair has its share of critics, but because it was so beautiful for the time, it’s also got its share of fans. Enough for there to be a market for a very slick documentary. Inside the Dragon’s Lair is an upcoming documentary being put together by Sleepyeyed Films, who are looking to…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 11, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallNintendo’s Terrifying Power Glove Indoctrination Video
Get a cup of tea, a biscuit or two and settle in for ten minutes worth of Nintendo Power Glove propaganda, courtesy of the official VHS cassette guide to the peripheral. It is something you really should watch. From the product placement to pseudo-religious tone throughout, it’s as perfect a summary of one of Nintendo’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 10, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
That Time Sega Made a Ridiculous Fighting Game. With a Car in it.
Due to the overwhelming popularity of its Smash Bros. series, a lot of people give Nintendo credit for pioneering the idea of a fighting game bringing together a company’s mascots in the name of face-punching. Sega fans, though, will know that Smash Bros. was just the latest in a long line of such titles. One…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 10, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallIn 1974, Arthur C. Clarke Predicted the 2001 Internet
Not just as a vague concept, either. The famed science fiction author absolutely nails it, from the bank statements to the hardware to the social changes to the possibilities for communication. “Visionary” is an awful, over-used word, but it’s cases like this which are the rare exceptions you can actually use it and it fits.…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallRIP, the Man who Helped Get me Into Video Games
When I was four years old, my father took me out to a local electronics store and said we were buying a computer. OK, I thought, not really knowing why that was such a big deal. Twenty-seven years later, I now know it was one of the most significant days of my life. That day…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 -
Culture
Mario Kart. Made Out of Chocolate.
The Mario Kart games have wound up on nearly every Nintendo platform since the wacky combat racer debuted back in 1992, thrilling millions. But this might be the first time that Mario and Luigi have become artisanal delicacies. Reader Daussy sent in these pictures of a chocolatey tribute to Nintendo’s kart-racing game, which were crafted…
By Evan Narcisse Published April 9, 2012 -
Culture
Finally, it’s Fez
Downloadable titles highlight the week’s new releases, including Skullgirls, World Gone Sour and, at long last, Fez. Tuesday • Skullgirls (PSN) • World Gone Sour (PSN) Wednesday • Legend of Grimrock (PC) • Skullgirls (XBLA) • World Gone Sour (XBLA) • The Splatters (XBLA) Thursday • Tribes: Ascend (PC) • Men of War: Condemned Heroes…
By Owen Good Published April 8, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: You Kiss Your Mother With That Mouth?
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published April 6.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published April 2.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Penny Arcade by…
By Owen Good Published April 8, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallUnboxing the Mother Lode of Old PC Games
If you think unboxing new games is fun, wait until you see how awesome it is when a guy finds a box of old PC games and spends seven minutes taking them out of a single, larger cardboard box Space Quest. Man Hunter. Police Quest. Gold Rush. I can smell the musty manual paper through…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 5, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallAtari’s Founder Also Made Kick-Ass Robots
Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of Atari and also the man behind Chuck E. Cheese’s, won’t just be remembered for those two towering achievements. The guy also made robots. In 1981, having left Atari three years previously, Bushnell founded Catalyst Technologies, a venture capital group designed to help invest in technology start-ups. Catalyst in turn went onto…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 5, 2012 -
Culture
Original, Badass Zelda Art By Katsuya Terada
Katsuya Terada is a Japanese artist you may not know by name, but you may definitely know him for his work. He’s done character design for the Blood: The Last Vampire movie. He’s helped out on Western cartoons like Hellboy. He’s even done illustrations for Nintendo Power magazine. Which leads us neatly into this gallery…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 5, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
Thirty Years in a Loft and This Console Still Looks Gorgeous
It might be dusty, and the games might be more than a little dog-eared, but according to the photographer it all still works, despite having sat in a loft for over thirty years. They sure don’t make ’em like they used to. True Vintage [sj9966 @ Flickr, via it 8-bit]
By Luke Plunkett Published April 4, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
Today is “Atari National PAC-MAN Day”. No, Seriously, it is.
Thirty Years ago today, Atari had the balls to proclaim an entire day, hoping to lift its iconic Pac-Man character alongside the likes of other people who have their own day. Like, you know, Martin Luther King. And Jesus. The fact it was only celebrated by video game fans and Atari employees for that one…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 3, 2012