PixlBit

I'm gonna tell people my favorite NWP episode is the one where they talk about horse earthquakes for a looooooooooooooooong time. 

Stage Select:

1. Mostly I feel bad for the kids in my family for school. For me, personally, too much of what I missed because of the pandemic is basically First World Problems, so not really something worth going into here. I certainly haven't slowed down in my gaming.

2. I'd have to say the Hitchhiker Trilogy, by Douglas Adams (a trilogy which made it to five books before he passed away, no less.)

3. I've always been into video games. My local grocery store had Donkey Kong and Dig-Dug when I was a little kid, and the former is still my favorite arcade game of all time. I also just liked being able to move stuff on the TV, and this was back in 2600 days. The game that really made me a "hardcore" gamer was the original Legend of Zelda. I got lost in just playing it for months, and the Zelda series has consistently been my favorite game series ever since.

4. Favorite album would probably be Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, by the Beatles. 

5. Not sure about what Transformer I'd want to be. I suppose I'd like to be some kind of muscle car.

6. I buy them whenever they wear out. My friend got me two pairs of Nikes for my birthday last year, and I'm still wearing those.

Cage Match:

Final Fantasy VI still far outshines Chrono Trigger in my book. FF6 has a better story line that is long enough to really carry a 40-hour epic, a better soundtrack, and world that at least seems much more expansive. Plus I really like the cast of characters in FF6, 12 main characters plus two surprise characters. Chrono Trigger has some good bad guys, but none of them quite stack up to Kefka, who was really a standout villain who had his own evil 16-bit laugh, and Ultros provided a few moments of comic relief during otherwise heavy moments. 

STAGE SELECT:

What is something you’ve been missing the most in this pandemic life?

I have not been to a movie theater in forever, and I’m hoping places like Alamo Drafthouse that offer dinner in the same space are still in business when I decide to start going to indoor venues again.  

What is a movie or book you can’t live without?

Not a huge fan of that phrasing, cause I can live without a lot of media, but I love Kurt Vonnegut books (true-to-form for my nihilistic outlook and aesthetic; I’m basically a 90s teen who’s been transported here) and my favorite movies are Cinderella Man and Chasing Amy, in that order.

What got you into video games?

The NES and SNES just kinda being there when I was a kid, thanks to my parents needing to distract my older brother while tending to my baby self. I also had to stay in the computer lab where my mom worked pretty often and played a lot of Gizmos and Gadgets, Oregon Trail, and this vector-based tank game I always forget the name of after school. Actually, those games got really old, which is why I was itching to go outside and shoot some basketball when I got home. I was a pretty good shot for a while there. Anyway, I think I got into games simply cause they were so ubiquitous for me.

What is your favorite album?

I really don’t have one. I’ve had a few I’ve kept in my car for a too-long period of time, including “Blooddrunk” by Children of Bodom currently (that’s for like three really good songs and nostalgia but I *really* like those songs), “Stadium Arcadium” by RHCP, the Green Day best of (forget its name), several Metallica albums, “Chuck” by Sum 41, AWOLNATION self-titled, “Torches” by Foster the People, “My Head Is An Animal” by Of Monsters and Men, several Slipknot albums, “First impressions of Earth” by The Strokes, “Hypnotize/Mezmerize” by System of a Down, “10,000 Days” by Tool, etc. etc.  

What would your Transformers name be, and what would you transform into?

My Transformer name would be Lil’ Biscuit and I’d turn into a Ford Pinto.

How often do you buy shoes?

Not often at all. You’re supposed to replace running shoes every year, and I’d say I’m a few months behind that target every time (and the wear and tear is pretty apparent) since I have to go to Dallas to find a running shoes store and I'm real lackadaisical about road trippin'. I think my dress shoes last me plenty long enough without anyone noticing.

CAGE MATCH:

Well, I own FF6 via SNES Mini, but Chrono Trigger looks more interesting for my tastes. But I don't know that having not really played either for very long. 

I never really had time to ... Chrono Trigger wins. Time travels all over the mat, steel chairing FF6. 

Stage Select:

1: Giving my daughter a good time out. We were supposed to take her to Disney this year, something we've been promising for a few years. We missed a Winter Wonderfest last year and will again this year. Halloween, her birthday party, bowling and so much more. Shes honestly isn't complaining but I know how much she loves these things. 

2: I think I'll have to cheat a bit and I'd have to pick the Rocky/Creed series. It practically doesn't matter which one. I will watch anyone you put in front of me, yes even Rocky 5. But if I'm narrowing it to a more recent one, A Silent Voice is one of my absolute favorites. Currently on Netflix if anyone is interested in animated movies. 

3: Definitely the NES. I remember playing that system when I was 3 with the controller upside down. I continued playing that way until I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas. I have never took a break from gaming all these years. 

4: I love music but I don't really lock it down to albums. I may have to go with Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park. It's definitely something I look back on fondly when I remember long road trips and blasting my CD player too damn loud. 

5: Tacostand! I'd be one of those taco food trucks with the Sombrero on top that way I got a cool hat when I transform. But it has to also have banners so I got an old west style poncho that flows in the wind. 

6: I buy shoes when I find them on a good sale. I'm not picky as long as they aren't stupid looking. Costco was selling some solid looking shoes for $6 so I bought a black and grey pair. Bought some simple hiking style boots there for $20ish dollars a few months ago. So I don't have a set time. 

Cage Match: I feel like all the triple techs would be too much for the FF crew to handle. Then there's always time travel and Crono looks a bit like Goku so probably has as much power as him so Chrono Trigger for the win. 

Was not aware of A Silent Voice, but I will put it in my Watch List. Thanks for mentioning. 

Its an amazing movie that got overshadowed by Your Name since they both came out the same year. It's one of those few movies that hit me hard emotionally. Check a trailer and if you are interested I highly recommend since its on Netflix. 

Stage Select:

1. That I finally have money to travel and can't. Keeps me away from family and friends who are in other parts of the world

2. My pocket notebook, because it has information that would destroy my life if it wasn't on hand.

3. My three year old mind being blown at controlling what was on the TV. Yes I'm a simple person.

4. Boston by Boston- I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like this band or album. 

5. Cervesatron- I would turn into a Rolling Rock truck

6. About once every six months. I run a lot so they wear out quick.

Cage Match

Chrono Trigger. Even if the FF crew won, they wouldn't kill the Chrono Trigger crew and they would go back in time and redo the fight so they win this time.

Missing most in pandemic: I just feel bad about the people that aren't handling it well.

Book you can't live without: A Christmas Carol.

What got you into video games: Video games.  Also, some of my earliest memories are from the Nintendo my older sibling had or the Atari computer my crazy uncle gave them since he worked in Silicon Valley for a bit.

Favorite album: Since I Left You by The Avalanches, one of those great front-to-back albums.

Transformers name: I'd be Screamscream, and I'd transform into a megaphone.  Wait, does that exist already?

Shoes: Uh... never?  I can't remember the last time I got shoes that weren't a gift.  And now that I think about it they were probably gifts because they couldn't stand looking at my ratty shoes.  Reminds me of the saying, if somebody offers you gum, take it.

VIDEO GAME CAGE MATCH:
I can't give official odds on this, it's in the little book they give you when you become an official video game bookie.  Section 1.3, Forbidden Video Game Matchmaking, right after Super Mario Bros 3 versus Super Mario World.  Nobody good-hearted would ever inflict that match on others!

But as a private citizen, I say... Final Fantasy VI has many great things, but does it have triple techs?  No.  No it does not.  There's one where like the scientist lights the swordman's sword on fire and then the robot grabs the swordsman and swings him around repeatedly in a circle or something?  Good stuff.  Even the double techs are great, there's one where like the frog calls a giant frog god to drop from the sky and then the scientist... lights it on fire.  A lot of fire in this game apparently.  Even though mechanically all those are really useless it's all about that style in the ring.  Also, fire.