PixlBit

Dungeon-crawling through Hawkins.

Like so many other children of the ‘80s, I love Stranger Things. Booting it up is like taking a time machine back to my childhood. The pervasive synth music, the wardrobes and the cultural references instantly transport me, making it easier to get sucked into the day-to-day of Hawkins and the ever-creepy world of the Upside-Down. And just like a true ‘80s property, there’s also a tie-in video game to go along with the latest season of the show. Thankfully this tie-in isn’t quite as low budget as as the Atari 2600 and NES tie-ins of yesteryear, but the dungeon crawling brawler pales in comparison to the electrifying viewing experience offered by the show, especially this latest season.

Read more »

We're Cruis'n USA!

Welcome back to Nerds Without Pants! It’s just Julian and Justin this week, and we THOUGHT it was a short episode. But then Julian realized that Justin picked a music topic for Stage Select, which tacked on 45 minutes of music into this bad boy. But hey, at least it’s GOOD music, right? Right?!

Read more »

The RPG that wasn’t afraid to get weird.

Remember that silly old trope in teen movies where the nerdy “plain Jane” character magically becomes super attractive just by removing her glasses? It was a bit like that with EarthBound- an RPG that was largely ignored when released on the Super NES in its twilight years. Nintendo’s ill-conceived ad campaign telling the player that “this game stinks” didn’t do it any favors either. The game’s overtly humorous kid-friendly facade was unusual for its time and quickly written off as ugly and boring by all but the most accepting of RPG fans. But thanks to the positive praise in gaming forums years later, it picked up steam and eventually became lauded as one of the best on the Super NES. Much like the bespectacled character in every 90s teen comedy, it was as if EarthBound removed its glasses. Nothing was different about it- just our perception of what was already there.

Read more »

Or: Waiting for Kijek

Welcome to a shadow drop! Yes, friends, this is a special edition of Nerds Without Pants hitting a few days before episode 154 releases. Because we love you. And Julian is an editing masochist. Anyway, enjoy this meandering talk between Julian and Justin before the show as they wait for Patrick to show up.

Read more »

Seriously, Justin needs that eye procedure...

Welcome to another stellar edition of Nerds Without Pants! Gonna be some abridged show notes this week, as typing this is literally causing Julian physical pain, so let’s hop right in!

Read more »